Top 10 things to do in Brick Lane 

Brick Lane is one of the most eclectic, vibrant, and exciting places to visit in all of London. If you are looking for teething to do on a Saturday morning, you can head to the Brick Lane market. If you need a midday pick me up, head to one of the nearby coffee shops that offer you strong espresso, tasty pastries, and organic sweets. Need a pint? Check out the various pubs that offer Smithwick’s, gin & tonics, and English pub delicacies. 

Need motivation for something to do on your next trip to Brick Lane? We recommend trying one (or more) of these fun activities for you to do on your own, with friends, or with family!

Dishoom Shoreditch

Dishoom – By By RubyGoes from Sydney, Australia – DISHOOM, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=67373689

Are you tired of traditional English food? Do you feel a bit bloated and just a little bit over the everyday fish and chips meal? If so, head to Dishoom Shoreditch to get high-quality and fresh Asian food that is going to really inspire your tastebuds. Although this is a chain restaurant, you don’t have to worry about any plain-tasting food or lack of flavor and spices. 

We highly recommend heading here for a late breakfast when you pop out of the office for a “quick” bite to eat. While here, try the bacon naan with tasty and sweet chai tea – if you end up staying to dine inside, and skip a few more work emails, you can enjoy the bottomless chai tea that is going to keep you going all-day-long. 

For those who head here during their lunch break, we recommend trying the bhatura bread with chickpeas, veggie samosas, okra fries, or savory mattar paneer. And don’t worry – you won’t break the bank shading here. The average price of dining at Dishoom is between approximately £30 and £50 – drinks included! 

The Brick Lane Market and Vintage Market

Brick Lane street signs – By James Cridland – https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamescridland/460198209/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4490576

Looking for a vintage denim jacket? Are you trying to find an old vinyl record that is nowhere to be found in all of the new-fangled music shops? If so, head to the Brick Lane Vintage Market to get some leather at Beyond Retro, bell-bottom jeans at Rokit, or pendant jewelry at Tatty Devine. If you can manage to kick the Sunday morning hangover, head here between 10 am and 5 pm on Sundays for the perfect way to explore the city and try something new.

Allan Gardens

Allan Gardens – By Diego Torres Silvestre from Sao Paulo, Brazil – [2007] Allan Gardens, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64684421

Grab some takeout on Brick Lane and walk to Allan Gardens. This industrial-focused communal garden is a great place to have a coffee, takeout lunch, or after-work pint if you are blessed with the rare sunny London weather! This is the best place to hang out if you find that Brick Lane is packed with tourists and you can’t find a table at one of your local spots 

The Truman Brewery Markets

The Sunday UPMarket in Truman Markets – By D4n2elle – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21880424

Have you already gone through the Brick Lane market? No worries – head to Truman Brewery Markets to check out over 200 stalls of eclectic clothes, accessories, trinkets, food, and much more! Are you thirsty? Head here for some strong drinks or classic pub pours. Are you hungry? You have come to the right place – wander around the Boiler House Food Hall to check out international food from all over the world! After you quench your thirst and get rid of those hunger pangs, wander around Aladdin’s cave of antiques and the Backyard Market of artistic pictures, prints, and home decor. 

(Extra info: Sunday UPmarket Hours 10am-5pm, Boiler House Food Hall Saturday 11am-6pm & Sunday 10am-5pm, Vintage Market Thursday and Friday 11am-5:30pm & Saturday 11am-6pm & Sunday 10am-5pm, Aladdin’s cave Saturday 1am-6pm & Sunday 10am-5pm). 

Cat Emporium Cafe

Cat Caffe – By Petar Milošević – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44865718

Are you in the mood for something different – and are you an animal lover? If the answer is ‘yes’ to both of these questions, boy have we got the place for you. Sip a latte and pet some cats at the Cat Emporium Cafe, a cafe filled with rescue cats that make your afternoon chai latte all the more delicious and rewarding. Not to mention, this is one of the most budget-friendly places that you can go to in all of London, costing you just £15 for a full 90 minutes of gazing at the beautiful and friendly cats!

Grab a coffee!

Brick Lane – CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=338721

There are too many cafes to choose from for the best coffee around Brick Lane. However, we recommend checking out High Grade Coffee, Cafe 1001, Kahaila (a charity-run cafe that is the quintessential artistic haven), Long and Short Coffee Roasters, The Canvas Cafe, or Creative Venue. 

Libreria Bookshop 

Libreria Bookshop – By Johannes Jansson/norden.org, CC BY 2.5 dk, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25000984

If you want to visit a bookshop that is the antithesis of Amazon, Barnes & Noble., and other mass-run book stores and wholesalers, Libreria is the best place to stick it to the man. This independent bookshop is a unique spot that has a cool organizational style – with themes such as “The City” instead of your typical “history”, “fiction”, and “romantic comedy” labels – and includes lesser-known titles to help you find books that are impossible to find anywhere else!

Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery

Bagels with cream cheese – By Helen Cook – originally posted to Flickr as *this* is a bagel, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3877644

The bagels (and beigels) here really give New York City a run for its money. Arguably, the beigel is one of the best creations ever made – we recommend getting the salt beef beigel. Not only is this delicacy good at all points of the day, but even non-meat lovers will be pining for this salty, tasty, and savory snack”. 

Brewdog Shoreditch

Brewdog Bar – By Bernt Rostad – https://www.flickr.com/photos/brostad/9310344874/in/photolist-fbHXau-9N7sDA-eaM6Pq-2hNy5Hm-fbuFpg-cnoz17-8wVAT7-9N7tYb-dx6HVf-cY9iqC-qWaXaq-qgHQnG-2hPzpEB-tW9XRL-ajSjdc-2i2aLGj-2i2ddnS-7RMBgX-8wVASC-22X4y7j-7RMBgZ-2ik4csY-KhtudH-2hSvctT-ajV6ib-nFuoLf-91SmSB-2h9xGif-2i2aLEk-9Ubeu8-jXpkjK-gJYP9w-eihUjp-jXr6U5-9WkH14-8T5VHR-9WkH1n-7WGGVo-9WowtQ-9UyDQg-2g43tVQ-dNS5g3-9VTbHB-cJCrWs-6rtixB-9WkH1F-dNS55q-7BWsof-qgW9fv-eNHunh, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=88419930

After a long day of exploring Brick Lane and checking out all of these places, you have never been before, wet your whistle and relax at Brewdog Shoreditch. Even though this is a popular London chain, you can expect the best craft beer, customer service, and good vibes in this Shoreditch location. 

Planning a trip to Paris ? Get ready !


These are Dz’-Բ travel products that you may need for coming to Paris.

Bookstore

  1. The best travel book : Rick Steves – Paris 2023
  2. Fodor’s Paris 2024 –

Travel Gear

  1. Venture Pal Lightweight Backpack –
  2. Samsonite Winfield 2 28″ Luggage –
  3. Swig Savvy’s Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle –

We sometimes read this list just to find out what new travel products people are buying.