East Street Market

East Street Market is an eclectic street market located in Walworth in South London. Offering a vast selection of shops and stalls touting everything from clothing to produce, the variety of fresh food ranges from bowls of bright bell peppers and fresh courgettes, to punnets of prickly pear, durian, and other surprising flavours. Your pound is likely to go further here than in your local supermarket, and wrapped produce is a rarity. Go prepared with your own shopping bags to transport your purchases home with you, and it’s possible to walk away completely plastic-free.

The market has a rich history, with street trading being a common practice in the Walworth area since the 16th century. In years past East Street was once far enough from the city of London to be considered rural, and a good stopping point where farmers traveling from the south could rest and graze their livestock before continuing their journey into the city. The story goes that people in the area began to buy stock directly from these visiting farmers, and from this basis the market eventually sprang, being officially established in 1880.

As of summer 2019 the market is currently open every day except for Monday and operates from Tuesday to Friday 8am-5pm, Saturday 8am-6.30pm, and Sunday 8am-4pm. The market consists of over 250 stalls, with Saturday being the busiest day.