This weekend had such great weather that I couldn’t but help but walk around, and so I headed out to Broadway Market where I would be going for the first time (at least during the day). Given the area is mostly known for its dodgy parts, Broadway Market is a street that, like it’s name, also holds a market during the day on Saturday, otherwise home to a hodge podge of art galleries, a number of cafes, pubs, and some notable restaurants including Buen Ayre, and The Dove. They even had a floating Thai restaurant by the water, with a live BBQ was really tempting to stop and have a bite to eat.

You had the usual market stall suspects, ranging from various forms of housewares, clothing, food stalls and all those knick knack places in between. Disappointingly I noticed a number of stalls manned by, what I would call, the market chain – a company tapping with a franchise-like presence at all of the different markets. It’s not such a bad thing but I can’t but help feel like they’re commercialising the unique elements that make markets fun to go to.

Much like Sunday Up Market, and less so Spitalfields, Broadway Market attracts a wide variety of locals, and I could picture many of them fitting right into the east end’s Shoreditch scene. It’s particularly busy around the several cafes along the way, with many just wanting to hang out and take in the atmosphere, or stand outside gossiping with a coffee or tea in hand and since I was there around lunchtime, very busy around all the food stalls as well.

The entire area of the market is not well served by public transport, with the only option really a set of buses that drop you a few streets from, but not immediately near the area. Perhaps there was a better way but I ended up for a leisurely stroll from Bethnal Green tube station, taking in all the grafitti (like the picture below), the small, probably family owned restaurants and cafes, and the rest of the atmosphere.

Broadway Market is great if you’re in the area, or a good reason to go out and see more of that area. Of course, you can also head to the other many markets around London better served by public transport. See the rest of the pictures here.