Set between Regents canal and London Fields, Broadway Market has a village - like atmosphere and enough shops, restaurants and galleries to satisfy the most discerning customer.
Love Borough Market but don't love the crowds - perhaps Broadway Market is for you! Broadway Market is a farmers market located between Bethnal Green and Hackney, just south of London Fields. It is open from 9am-5pm every Saturday.
Ok, it is tiny compared to Borough, with no where near the selection of goods, but it is growing on a weekly basis and soon they hope to have 120 stalls each week. Even so, we were pleasantly surprised with the selection of goods available, recognising some of the vendors from Borough, and discovering some new ones as well. We found it a lot easier to browse and shop here as there was room to move.
The shops lining the street are also worth a browse. Perhaps you a feeling peckish and have a hankering for a some hot jellied eel, or need to buy a gift, or want to relax in one of the small cafes and watch the market activity.
Broadway Market has a great community feel to it and I know we will venture back again soon - looking forward to seeing it grow and prosper.
Recently we went down to Broadway Market to investigate the buzz around the area and we were not disappointed, to say the least.
A surprisingly good mix of yummy mummies and traditional EastEnders, Broadway Market is located in London Fields and while the shops lining the street are open throughout the week, the Farmers' Market is open on Saturdays from 9-5.
We interviewed a number of people, many of whom visited the market on a regular basis; welcoming and chock-a-block with independent shop owners, organic Devonian butchers, clothing designers, art curators, booksellers, bakers, and your requisite EastEnd pie and mash vendor, the market has become a seamless pastiche of both old and new English culture and a true mosaic of a number of world cultures, ranging from a lovely, cozy French restaurant (with free wifi for customers) to a Vietnamese iced coffee stall to an Argentinian grillhouse.
Both the locals and visitors we spoke to were extremely friendly and there was a true village feel to the market - the locals are extremely passionate and dedicated to their stretch and as mentioned in the newsletter featuring the video teaser, there appears to be a very symbiotic relationship between buyer and seller, with residents making the effort to shop in the Market as opposed to walking to the nearest grocery store.
The transportation links serving Broadway Market are less than ideal though, so make sure you plan your journey well because meandering up and down the stretch on a Saturday afternoon is a wonderful way to spend the day. Remember to take an umbrella - although you can generally take shelter under the stall awnings or in The Dove or Cat & Mutton pubs, at either end of the market!
http://www.broadwaymarket.co.uk/ is the web site for the Market should you be interested in reading up on it or looking for a shop directory!