Chosen for distinctive character and a useful mix of food, flowers, antiques, crafts and shopping. This is an editorial starting point rather than a price comparison or a claim that every trader is present every day. Market schedules and individual shop hours can differ. Information checked on 26 September 2026.
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The Borough Market entrance on Southwark Street · Stephen Craven · CC BY-SA 2.0London Bridge · 8 Southwark Street
Borough Market
Food market · produce and street food
For a food-led London morning
Borough is the choice when eating and shopping for ingredients are the purpose of the trip. Browse the produce traders before deciding on lunch, then leave room for one or two things to take home. Its mix of specialist merchants and prepared food works better as an unhurried stop than a race between social-media favourites.
Before you decide
The market is closed on Mondays. Regular trading is Tuesday–Friday 10am–5pm, Saturday 9am–5pm and Sunday 10am–4pm; festive and bank-holiday hours can differ. Saturday afternoons can be crowded.
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The covered hall at Old Spitalfields Market · Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0Spitalfields · 16 Horner Square
Old Spitalfields Market
Covered market · food, shops and stalls
For a flexible east London browse
Old Spitalfields brings food, shops and stalls together under a covered market setting. Choose it when your group wants different things from the same afternoon: browsing, something to eat and room for an unexpected find. The changing events and specialist markets give you a reason to check what is on before you travel.
Before you decide
Open seven days, with hours varying by day and trader. The antiques market is on Thursdays; other specialist events have their own dates. Check the exact stall or restaurant if that is your main reason to go.
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Stalls and visitors on Portobello Road Market · Wikimedia Commons contributorNotting Hill · Portobello and Golborne roads
Portobello Road Market
Antiques · vintage · street-market character
For a day of browsing and discovery
Portobello is our choice for visitors who enjoy the search as much as the purchase. The street-market setting, antiques tradition and vintage finds give it a different energy from a single indoor hall. Make room to explore the surrounding streets rather than expecting every stall or shop to offer the same thing.
Before you decide
Trading varies by section and day; Friday and Saturday offer a fuller market experience. Check the current market information before a special trip, especially for a particular antiques dealer or seasonal Sunday market.
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Flower stalls at Columbia Road’s Sunday market · Jorge Royan · CC BY-SA 3.0Bethnal Green · Columbia Road
Columbia Road Flower Market
Sunday flowers · plants and neighbourhood shops
For a colourful Sunday ritual
Columbia Road is a particular kind of London outing: a street filled with flowers and plants, with nearby shops to explore at your own pace. Go because you want the flower-market atmosphere, not because you expect a general market every day. It is an appealing anchor for a Sunday morning in east London.
Before you decide
The flower market runs on Sundays, 8am–3pm according to Tower Hamlets Council. Expect a busy street and plan how you will carry plants home. Individual shops can keep different hours from the market.
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The covered trading area at Greenwich Market · Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0Greenwich · covered market, SE10 9HZ
Greenwich Market
Art · crafts · food and gifts
For a browse within a Greenwich day
Greenwich Market is a useful centre for a day that also takes in the park and riverside. Art, crafts, clothing and food offer several ways to spend an hour without needing a rigid shopping list. Choose it for a browse that fits naturally between the area’s bigger sights, with time to look at individual makers’ work.
Before you decide
Regular opening is 10am–5:30pm, seven days a week. The visitor page lists exceptions for Christmas Day and the first six Mondays of the year. Traders vary, so check a particular stall before making a special journey.
01 IN FOCUS
One market makes a better day
Start with your purpose: Borough for food, Columbia Road for flowers, Portobello for antiques and vintage, Spitalfields for a flexible covered browse, or Greenwich for a wider neighbourhood outing.
Choose one main market and leave time to enjoy the streets around it.
02 IN FOCUS
The right day matters
A market’s name can refer to the wider street, permanent shops and a changing group of stalls.
Their opening hours are not interchangeable. Use the dated information above as a planning aid, then check the operator for the day you are travelling.
