You’ll find Herne Hill Market sitting right outside the train station, in an area known as Poets’ Corner.
And we could write chapter and verse on it.
This little south London enclave doesn’t have a tube station, and like Crouch End, Dulwich, Muswell Hill and London’s other secluded spots, it has an under-the-radar feel to it. It sits right above the hilly expanses of Brockwell Park – with its lido, sports facilities and miniature railway – while the streets are lined with independent shops, cafés and pubs to explore. So, all the more reason to make a day of it, and start off with a mooch around the stalls.
Herne Hill Market pops up along Railton Road every Sunday, from 10am-4pm, and stands out from other markets in London by branching out from just food. Over 50 traders set up shop to hawk hand-crafted items, vintage treasures, and fresh produce. In the space of 400 yards you can get your bike tuned up, stick a baguette in the basket, pick up an antique map of the area and go on a ride around (19th century) South London.
The line-up changes from week to week, but alongside local and community-led stalls you might catch Galeta Bakery with their sugar-dusted doughnuts; house plants from Concrete Jungle; biodynamic fruit grown at Brambletye in East Sussex; Heritage Cheese; and fresh fish from The Portland Scallop Co.
Taste of Ethiopia
Of course, you should never shop for food on an empty stomach – which is where the market’s street food stalls come in. Regulars include La Tartiflette, churros hawkers Agua Na Boca, and Taste of Ethiopia, all of which seem to taste at least 15% better on a grassy patch of the park opposite.
If you’re looking for somewhere to sit and while away the afternoon, though, you could grab a table outside at Llewelyn’s or sister bar Lulu’s; kick back in the beer garden at The Half Moon; or grab a pizza at 400 Rabbits overlooking the lido.
What else are you going to go there for? Exercise?
NOTE: Herne Hill Market takes place along Railton Road every Sunday, 10am-4pm, and is free to visit. You can keep an eye out for updates HERE.
Herne Hill Market | Railton Road, SE24 0JN
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