Best Summer Markets

The days of London’s markets being hubs for fruit and veg, dodgy Rolexes, and lots of things for a pound are pretty much over. Nowadays it’s food, food, food, and there’s a serious lot to choose from all over London. So we’re here to guide you on the ones to go to - because nobody wants to spend six quid on a bang average mac ’n cheese - and make the most of a day in the sun wandering, eating, and eating some more.

Here are the top spots to wander through on a sunny day and take the opportunity to eat an eclectic range of awesome food.

KERB CAMDEN:

Camden at the weekend is like every embarrassing adolescent moment you’ve ever had, rolled into a few hundred metres of tattoo parlour, goth store, and vape cafe. Skip the Stables Market and wander over to Kerb, which, while still completely mobbed at the weekend, has far better eating options. Of these, the fried chicken and burritos from Mother Clucker and Luardos still do it for us. As do Makatcha’s Indonesian BBQ options, and the bagels from Ghetto Grillz. There is, however, some Instagrammy stuff you can avoid - skip the halloumi fries and vegan tacos, and don’t even bother with the cheese wheel.

HAWKER HOUSE:

You might only know Canada Water as a place you’ve woken up at having missed your tube stop, but there is one thing worth making the trip here specifically for. Hawker House is a warehouse worth spending an entire evening in. It’s one of Street Feast’s more impressive venues, and although it’s only open on the weekends, some of their best vendors like Mother Clucker and Yum Bun make the trip worth it - you’ll want to make sure you eat their fried chicken sandwiches and ice cream baos respectively. The drinks offering is pricey but the selection is impressive with lots of heavily stocked, heavily themed bars. There’s communal seating so you can pick and mix from any of the 10+ traders which makes Hawker House perfect for a long evening of eating, drinking, and avoiding the tourists in central London.

MALTBY STREET MARKET

Welcome to one of the best hangout spots in all of London - Maltby Street Market is so good that we even come in the middle of winter. In summer though, it’s unbeatable - it’s a narrow street packed wall-to-wall with excellent food vendors and the odd antique store, and if you don’t leave a couple of kilos heavier, there could be something wrong with you. Besides excellent food options and plenty of space in the area to perch with a drink, it’s bookended by some excellent restaurants, including small plates specialist 40 Maltby Street, as well as the St. John Bakery. Plan to get here at the weekend and spend at least a couple of hours eating your weight in doughnuts.