Whitechapel Market, street market in Whitechapel

Photo: TheeErin via Flickr

Whitechapel Market

street marketproducefashionEast End

Whitechapel Road (Vallance Road to Cambridge Heath Road), Whitechapel, London · E1 1DT · Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm; Sunday closed

Whitechapel Market runs the length of Whitechapel Road in the East End, stretching for nearly a kilometre alongside Whitechapel station and the Royal London Hospital. Trading since 1904, it is one of London's oldest and busiest street markets, and over the decades its character has been shaped by the area's diverse communities, most notably the large Bangladeshi presence that has defined it since the 1980s. It is a working everyday market rather than a tourist attraction, packed with locals shopping for fresh food, spices and inexpensive clothing.

Opening times

Whitechapel Market trades six days a week, Monday to Saturday, from around 8am until 6pm, and is closed on Sundays. Stalls fill in through the morning and the market is at its liveliest from late morning to mid-afternoon. As an open-air street market, exact stall numbers and trading can vary with the weather and the time of day.

What's on the stalls

The market is best known for fresh and exotic fruit and vegetables and a huge range of spices, reflecting the cuisines of the local community. Alongside the food you will find affordable fashion, cultural and everyday clothing, bags, scarves, jewellery and household goods. Prices are low and stalls are aimed at everyday shoppers rather than souvenir hunters, so it is a genuine working market.

Around the market / getting there

The market lines Whitechapel Road in Tower Hamlets, running roughly between Vallance Road and Cambridge Heath Road, directly outside Whitechapel station. The station is served by the Elizabeth line, District and Hammersmith and City lines and the London Overground, making it very easy to reach. The Royal London Hospital sits across the road, and Brick Lane and Spitalfields are a short walk to the west.

Visit website Get directions

Common questions

What are Whitechapel Market opening times?
Whitechapel Market is open Monday to Saturday from around 8am to 6pm and is closed on Sundays.
Is Whitechapel Market free?
Yes. Whitechapel Market is a free, open-air street market with no entry charge; you only pay for whatever you choose to buy from the stalls.
What is the best time to visit Whitechapel Market?
Late morning to mid-afternoon on a weekday or Saturday is best, when most stalls are set up and the market is at its busiest.
Where is Whitechapel Market?
It runs along Whitechapel Road in Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London, directly outside Whitechapel station, postcode E1 1DT.

Other markets nearby