Just a few minutes walk from Shoreditch High Street and Liverpool Street (depending on where you’re approaching it from) is London’s iconic Brick Lane. Famous for its vibrant street art on just about every building along the road, Brick Lane has much to offer the visitor.
If you’re visiting the area soon, here’s your pocket sized guide on Brick Lane’s notable landmarks, London’s largest vintage market and iconic places to eat.
Brick Lane’s Ultimate Vintage Market
Technically just off of Brick Lane is London’s largest vintage market. Down the stairs, and under the guidance of fluorescent purple lights, vintage specialists gather in an underground market to sell goods spanning much of the 20th century, from the 1920’s to the 1990’s.
And, boy, is it exhaustive. If planning a stop here, come pre-fuelled and prepared, and ready to spend a good couple of hours if you’re serious about finding some gems. Some stalls sell vintage-inspired pieces, while a lot more offer genuine vintage. From vintage levis, corsets, handbags, leather jackets to rows and rows of vinyl records, there’s much to rummage through. And if you want a memento of your time there, there are even retro photo booths to do just that.
Notable Landmarks
Sure you’re not going to exactly catch a glimpse of the London Eye or Tower of London (although you’re not far from the latter or Tower Bridge). Brick Lane is a notable street in its own right, but it also plays host to noteworthy sites. The vintage market is located in the Old Truman Brewery, once London’s largest brewery. The formerly derelict buildings now play host to business and leisure activities such as markets, pop up shops, street food and workspace sites, to name a few.
A little further up the lane, a Banksy artwork once could have been spotted. It was one of the nine Banksy artworks that appeared during the summer of 2024. However, it was unfortunately removed by TFL over safety fears.
And for book lovers, the Brick Lane Bookshop will be difficult to pass without a pop inside. A small, independent bookshop, it won the Independent Bookshop of the Year in 2024, and a pause here comes as a welcome pause from exploring the road.
Where to eat in Brick Lane
If you’re stopping in between your walk along Brick Lane (depending on your approach) at some point you’re probably going to want a bite to eat. Finding food along this street is no difficult task, and there’s just about something for every taste. From Indian cuisine to Chinese to Mexican, there are restaurants as well as street food, the latter of which is conveniently located if you’re after something to eat after visiting the vintage market.
Something that’s easy to pick up on Brick Lane is a bagel, and if there’s somewhere that should be top on your list of places to eat would be Beigel Bake. Why is Beigel Bake so famous? Founded in 1855, the Beigel Shop was London’s first of its kind, with a method of baking that’s 150 years old. They offer just about every bagel you can imagine, but it’s their salt beef, pickle and mustard bagels that are a must – surprisingly filling, although not always easy to eat as you stroll back down the road. And, as it’s open 24 hours, there’s plenty of time to grab one. The iconic bagel shop always has a long queue (although it does go down pretty quickly), but it’s well worth the visit. That being said, there are other bagel shops along Brick Lane (one a few doors down from Beigel Bake) and I’ve heard these are equally good, so (although I haven’t tried them) if you don’t feel like waiting, give those a try.
