Updated September 2026: Scroll to the end for 2026 market opening times, nearest Tube stations, typical food costs, and Indian restaurants near each market.
The Covent Garden Borough Market Spitalfields trail is a rewarding way to explore three different sides of London in one day: West End theatre and street performers, excellent food beside London Bridge, and independent design in the East End. Visit Covent Garden first, continue to Borough Market for lunch, then finish at Spitalfields and nearby Brick Lane.
Covent Garden
Start in Covent Garden in the morning, when the piazza is lively but easier to explore. The market’s glass-and-iron halls, cobbled lanes and street performers give this part of the West End its unmistakable energy. The area began as a formal fruit and vegetable market in the 1630s; today it mixes small shops, cafés, restaurants and the Royal Opera House.
Allow around 60–90 minutes for the market and surrounding streets. Come here for atmosphere, architecture and people-watching rather than bargain hunting. The piazza is the best place to pause for coffee before continuing towards London Bridge.
Borough Market
Borough Market is the food stop. Under the railway arches near London Bridge, you will find excellent cheese, bread, produce, pastries and street food in a compact, walkable setting. It is ideal for lunch: browse first, then choose a few things to share rather than committing to the first stall you see.
Visit on a weekday or early in the day if you prefer space to browse. At peak lunchtime the market is busy, but that is also when its energy is at its best. Allow 60–90 minutes, and leave time for a walk along the South Bank afterwards.
Spitalfields Market
Finish at Spitalfields, where the mood shifts towards independent design, vintage finds and casual food. The Victorian market hall near Liverpool Street is easy to combine with Brick Lane and Shoreditch, so it works well as the final stop of the day.
Spitalfields is the market to choose for gifts, small designers and a less formal East London feel. Allow 60 minutes for the hall, or longer if you plan to continue towards Brick Lane.
Which London market should you choose?
- For atmosphere and architecture: Covent Garden.
- For lunch and food shopping: Borough Market.
- For independent shopping and street style: Spitalfields.
Here are some of the pictures I took in these markets. Do let me know what you think of them in the comments below.
What to eat and buy in Covent Garden
Covent Garden works best as a relaxed browsing stop between the Piazza, the Market Building and Neal Street. These researched picks add useful food and shopping options beyond the general market walk; check current opening times and menus before visiting.
Five things to eat in Covent Garden
- Handmade pasta at Bancone — a good pre-theatre choice for fresh pasta and a quick but carefully made meal.
- Pizza at Homeslice — order a large sharing pizza if you are travelling as a pair or group.
- Macarons and pastries at Ladurée — ideal for a sweet stop in or near the Piazza.
- French brasserie classics at Balthazar — choose this for a longer lunch or dinner with a classic Parisian feel.
- Pastel de nata from Santa Nata — a warm Portuguese custard tart makes an easy walk-around snack.
Five things to buy in Covent Garden
- Natural skincare from Neal’s Yard Remedies — a practical, compact souvenir from the colourful Neal’s Yard area.
- Handmade crafts from Apple Market — look for jewellery, prints and small gifts from independent makers.
- Cashmere from N.Peal — a higher-value buy if you want a useful London wardrobe piece.
- Fragrance from BYREDO — choose a travel-sized scent or ask about discovery sets.
- Chocolate and confectionery from the Market Building — Venchi, Neuhaus and Läderach are easy gifts to carry home.
What to eat and buy in Borough Market
Borough is primarily a food market, so arrive hungry and browse before choosing lunch. The official trader directory is the best place to check which stalls are trading on your day.
Five things to eat in Borough Market
- Fresh pasta at Padella — book ahead where possible, or join the queue for silky pasta dishes made to order.
- Levantine plates at Arabica — share mezze, flatbreads and grilled dishes for a sociable lunch.
- Doughnuts from Bread Ahead — choose a filled doughnut or take a baking class if you have more time.
- Grilled cheese or raclette — a rich, warming option when the weather is cool.
- British cheese and cured meats — build a picnic from the market’s specialist producers and eat it nearby on the South Bank.
Five things to buy in Borough Market
- Farmhouse cheese — ask the cheesemonger for a vacuum-packed piece that will travel well.
- Speciality bread and pastries — buy something for the same day, as artisan loaves are at their best fresh.
- Seasonal preserves and chutneys — compact jars make useful gifts and picnic additions.
- British charcuterie — look for cured meats from specialist producers and check storage guidance before travelling.
- Chocolate and confectionery — choose handmade truffles or seasonal sweets for an easy edible souvenir.
What to eat and buy in Spitalfields
Spitalfields suits a later stop, when you can combine the covered market with Brick Lane and nearby Shoreditch. Vendor line-ups change, so check the market’s current listings before travelling.
Five things to eat in Spitalfields
- Turkish street food from Ebby’s Kitchen — try a gözleme, gözleme-style flatbread or another freshly cooked special.
- Dumplings from Dumpling Shack — a quick, flavourful lunch with noodles and handmade dumplings.
- Greek wraps and mezze — choose a filling pita or share plates when you want something casual.
- Speciality doughnuts from Crosstown — a good coffee-break treat while browsing the stalls.
- Rotating independent street-food stalls — check the current market line-up for seasonal pop-ups and global dishes.
Five things to buy in Spitalfields
- Independent jewellery — look for small makers whose designs are easy to pack and less generic than souvenir-shop pieces.
- Vintage clothing from Beyond Retro — inspect condition and sizing carefully before buying statement pieces.
- Practical homeware from Labour and Wait — choose durable kitchen or household objects with a distinctly British design sensibility.
- Illustration, prints and posters — buy a flat print from an independent artist and protect it in a tube.
- Handmade gifts and small design objects — browse the rotating traders for ceramics, accessories and unusual presents.
Allow at least 60–90 minutes at each market, and longer if you plan to eat and shop. Opening hours, stall line-ups and menus can change, so confirm details before setting out.
More Places to Visit in and Around London
For more London ideas, see my visits to the National Gallery, the London Eye river cruise, and Notting Hill and Camden Market. For a countryside escape, read my guide to Bourton-on-the-Water.
London Markets Practical Info – September 2026
Here are current approximate prices and tips (September 2026) to go with the eat and buy lists above, including where to find good Indian food nearby.
- Opening times: Covent Garden is daily (shops about 10 am – 7 pm). Borough Market‘s full market runs Tuesday to Saturday (roughly 10 am – 5 pm, and later on Friday and Saturday), with a smaller Sunday and Monday line-up. Spitalfields is daily, and the busiest on Thursday (antiques), Saturday and Sunday.
- Nearest Tube: Covent Garden or Leicester Square. London Bridge for Borough Market. Liverpool Street for Spitalfields.
- Typical costs: Street food at Borough and Spitalfields costs about £8–15 per dish. A coffee is about £3.50–5, and a sit-down lunch in Covent Garden about £20–40 per person.
- Indian food nearby: Dishoom Covent Garden (Bombay café classics, mains about £12–20, so queue or book), Masala Zone Covent Garden (thalis and mains about £10–16, great value), Indian Gourmet by Borough Market (home-style), and Brick Lane near Spitalfields for Bangladeshi and North Indian curry houses (about £12–25 per person).
- Getting around London: Just tap a contactless card or phone (or an Oyster card) on the Tube and buses. A Zone 1 Tube fare is about £3.00–3.10, and the daily cap for Zones 1–2 is about £8.90, so you never pay more than that in a day. Buses cost about £1.75–1.85, with unlimited bus transfers within an hour.
- Visa for Indian visitors: You need a UK Standard Visitor visa. Apply well ahead, since processing takes about 3 weeks.
