Lady’s 7 Best Sunday Markets in London

I love a good market. From food stalls to craft stands, I could explore London’s forever. But Sundays can be tricky for markets, as a lot of them aren’t open. I’ve found a number of good ones over the years, though, and today I want to share some of the best Sunday markets in London with you.

Sunday Markets in London

These markets specialize in everything from flowers to food, and each is unique in its offering. Some are surrounded by shops, others are tucked away in unassuming spaces, and all are great places to spend a Sunday in London.

Tips for Visiting London Sunday Markets

If you go, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, there are frequent closures of London public transport lines on Sundays.

It’s a good idea to check your preferred route in advance to make sure you can get to your market of choice the way you want to. That will help you get there as quickly as possible on the day.

Second, some markets aren’t fully open at the start of the day. It’s a good idea to arrive an hour or so after the opening time to make sure as many of the stalls are up and running as possible.

This is particularly true outside the busy summer season, when a number of markets operate with fewer traders.

It’s also true for Sunday markets in London that have a lot of food vendors. Some of them don’t get going until later in the morning.

If you’re planning to eat, it’s a good idea to time your visit to coincide with the lunch hour. That will help ensure there are lots of options when you arrive.

1. Columbia Road Flower Market

My favorite Sunday market in London is the Columbia Road Flower Market. From morning to mid-afternoon, this market brings color and life to a stretch of this pretty street in east London.

The flowers themselves are beautiful, but the shops and cafes behind the vendors add another layer of loveliness to the place.

And that’s to say nothing of the courtyards and alleys around it. They’re bursting with hidden cafes, vintage shops, and food vendors.

The Columbia Road Flower Market is one of the most popular Sunday markets in London, so it’s best to arrive as early as is bearable for a weekend morning. I like to arrive around 9 or 9:30 and take in the market before it gets too busy to move (and it often does).

2. Chatsworth Road Market

A less crowded Sunday market in London is the Chatsworth Road Market. Over in Hackney, it’s one of my favorite places to escape the crowds on the weekends.

Chatsworth Road Market has a mixture of everything from fresh produce to mouth-watering pastries. Fluffy bread rolls, colorful sweets, and handicrafts round out the mix.

It has a distinctly local feel, and is a great way to get to know the neighborhood while indulging the senses.

As with the Columbia Road Flower Market, the stalls here are surrounded by coffee shops, restaurants, cafes, and vintage furniture stores. Antiques spill out onto the sidewalks and the area has lots of hidden shops to discover on side streets.

3. Brick Lane Sunday Markets in London

Back down near Columbia Road, the markets on and around Brick Lane in Spitalfields are some of the best Sunday markets in London.

Brick Lane itself is bursting with food and clothing stalls on Sundays, and everything from giant pink meringues to coffee served out the tops of black cabs can be found.

But duck inside a historic warehouse or three and you’ll find a world of other markets on the street. The Brick Lane Food Hall in the Old Truman Brewery’s 1830’s Boiler House is a riot of colors and flavors.

International cuisine is the focus here, and over 30 stalls sell everything from Malaysian food to Moroccan.

Down the road, the Sunday Uparket features hundreds of independent traders offering clothing, accessories, art, home goods, and music.

It’s a great place to discover what London’s creatives are up to, and to support local artists and craftspeople. There’s food, too.

Not far away, the Backyard Market is home to more stalls offering clothes, unique prints, jewelry, and other unusual items. It’s the perfect spot to see what London’s young designers can do.

Tucked away in Ely’s Yard, the street food market behind the Old Truman Brewery is home to award-winning food trucks and lots of street art. You can rest your feet and take in the surroundings here after browsing the markets.

But there’s one more to explore, and it’s right by Ely’s Yard. The Brick Lane Vintage Market features a range of clothing and accessories from the 1920s to the 1990s. It’s a fun place to browse and buy, and a good spot to channel your inner fashionista.

4. Old Spitalfields Market

Just down the road from Brick Lane, Old Spitalfields Market is another of the best Sunday markets in London. It’s a traditional covered market full of stalls selling everything from handmade jewelry to fresh food and souvenirs.

This market has gone through a number of iterations since I first moved to London, and it keeps getting better. I love that they’ve added street food to the mix; I’ve enjoyed everything from fish tacos to red wine here.

It’s easy to spend a Sunday afternoon in Old Spitalfields Market browsing the wares and indulging in good food and coffee. The shops that line the perimeter have great finds, and the restaurants and bars are some of the best in the area.

5. Herne Hill Market

Down in south London, Herne Hill Market is another of the best Sunday markets in London. This weekly market takes over the area outside Herne Hill station, filling the street with stalls selling everything from vintage records to fresh fish.

Artisan ceramics vie with ripe cheese for my attention while the smell of grilled meat makes my mouth water. The stores around the market are equally alluring, from coffee shops to bookshops and beyond.

6. Horniman Market

Not far from Herne Hill, another of the best Sunday markets in London is the one at the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill. This market not only has mouth-watering treats and handmade goods, but also one of the best views of the London skyline.

The area around the bandstand in the museum’s garden has stalls selling fresh fruits and vegetables, artisan bread, chocolates, homemade chutneys, cakes, and other foods and drinks. This south London market makes Sunday a great day to spend in Forest Hill.

7. Queen Park Farmers’ Market

Another of my favorite Sunday markets in London is Queen’s Park Farmers’ Market. This weekly food market has everything from seasonal produce to prepared foods and drinks. You can also find things like fresh fish, cheese, and cut flowers here.

This market is extremely popular with locals, who queue up before it opens. It’s a good idea to arrive early if you want to get the best selection.

On select Sundays there’s also a craft and clothing market here. It’s called the Salusbury Sunday Market, and it takes place in the indoor hall of Salusbury School adjacent to the Queen’s Park Farmers’ Market.

Best Sunday Markets in London

I hope this post has given you some inspiration to explore some Sunday markets in London. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, they’re a great way to experience a vibrant tradition and pick up some goodies along the way.

If you want to see more, my interactive London markets map will show you all the ones I’ve written about in the UK capital.

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