The ten best markets
Bargains at Borough Market
If it's fresh vegetables, flowers, fish, organic food or cheap clothes you're after, London's lively street markets are the places to visit - here's the pick of the best...
- Berwick Street MarketW1. Surrounded by the trendy bars of Soho, traders sell some of the best vegetables in London. Mon-Sat 9am-6pm.
- Barnes Women's Institute Market Rose House, Barnes High Street, SW13. Always a beacon of rus in urbe, Barnes's semi-bucolic image is completed by the WI. Fri 10am-noon.
- Columbia Road Flower Market E2. Flowers, bedding-plants, shrubs, horticultural equipment and garden accessories stretch in all directions, at cheaper-than-Homebase prices. Sun 8am-2pm.
- Brick Lane Market E1. If you want a cheap leather jacket or cutprice jewellery, this is the place. Pick up some jellied eels, too. For details of this and other markets in the East End, visit www.eastlondonmarkets.com. Sun 8am-2pm.
- Borough Market London Bridge, SE1. This is the mecca of farmers' market-style produce. Charles Saumarez-Smith, the new director of the National Gallery, can be seen rubbing shoulders with food writer Jonathan Meades on Saturday mornings. Thur & Fri noon-6pm, Sat noon-4pm.
- Spitalfields Market E1. Go quickly, it is under threat of redevelopment. Lots of organic stuff from cakes to pickles, as well as clothes and crafts. Mon-Fri 11am-3.30pm, Sun 10am-3pm.
- Brixton MarketSW9. Said to offer more Afro-Caribbean produce than anywhere else in Europe. Mon-Sat 10amdark.
- Roman Road Market E3. An East End market, just like muvver used to make. But here, apples and pears won't mean stairs. Tue, Thur and Sat 9am-5.30pm.
- Bermondsey Market SE1. This is the antiques market for the early bird: the best pieces will have gone before dawn and the market closes around midday. Fri 5am-noon.
- Greenwich Market SE10. Goods range from junk-shop paraphernalia to good quality second-hand clothing. Crafts include porcelain dolls, jumpers and model ships and so on. Thur-Sun 10am-6pm.
