Explore The Cultural Hot Spot Of Brick Lane

Brick lane can be best described as the cultural epicentre of the East End of London and it is an interesting place to explore. It also is referred to as Bangla Town because of the numerous popular curry shops in the area (which are some of the finest in the city).

There also are plenty of eateries and shopping options to choose from along with great markets. Whether you are looking of bargain deals or vintage items, there is treasure trove of shopping spots to be found in the area.

To make the most of your stay in London, look for accommodation like the hotels in Piccadilly Circus. They are in the centre of the city and well connected to all parts of the city with a variety of modes of public transport to choose from.

A great place to call base would be The Piccadilly London West End Hotel that is affordable as well as within the centre of the city. It offers easy access to the Shoreditch area and Brick lane, where you begin your exploratory tour of this cultural hub of London.

The ideal time to visit the Brick Lane area is subject to what you want from your trip. The cafes and shops stay open all through the week and obviously they are less crowded on these days in comparison to Sundays.

The Sunday market day on Brick Lane is packed with visitors and residents who flock to the place to shop on that day. While you will get the best on a Sunday trip, be prepared to deal with the noise and people milling all around the place.

Try the menu at Beigel Bake:

If you do plan to spend the better part of the day exploring the area you need to sustain yourself with something hearty to keep going! And the best things is one or two of the signature Beigel’s that come stuffed with delicious fillings like cheese and salmon among other sumptuous options to choose from.

And if you have a sweet tooth, try their tempting array of pastries and cakes. They are open for business 24/7 and they are just what you need to keep you going all through the day.

Take a tour of the Market:

When you shop at the markets in the area you can be sure of finding things that you will probably not find anywhere else in the city. The famous Sunday Market opens for business from 9 in the morning to 5 in the evening.

Apart from that there is Truman Market at the Old Brewery that features weekly markets like The Vintage Market, Boiler House and Backyard Market among others.

Try a lovely espresso at Nude Espresso:

If you need a caffeine fix, head straight to Nude Espresso, one of the best of the many cafes to be found in the Brick Lane area.

A little off the regular path it is to be found on Hanbury Street, where you will find a delectable variety of flapjacks, cookies, brownies and cookies, which can be complemented with the fabulous coffee they serve.

And if you are a coffee junkie you could strike up a conversation with members of their team, to gain an insight to blend the perfect brew. They are very amiable and more than glad to share their profound knowledge on the subject!

Do not miss the Curry:

As mentioned if you are in the Brick Lane you must visit any one of their famous curry houses to be found in the area. There is an incredible array to choose from with some of the top honours going to Cinnamon and Muhib.

The area is the described by locals and residents of the city as the official home of the finest best curry joints in the city. It began with the migration of migrants from the South East Asia region in particular the Bangladeshis, Pakis and Indians during the seventies. It is also where you will find some of the best authentic Indian restaurants.

Best spots to shop:

There are a good number of chain stores including Religion and Joy among the prominent names in the area. But if you want to skip the regular shopping venues and want to try something different, head to the independent shops in the area.

There are some great deals and one-of-a-kind items to be found at these shopping areas. IF you are on the lookout for books and have literary stuff the Brick Lane Bookshop is the place to shop. For the trendiest upcoming fashion the Laden Showroom is the place.

You will find the best of retro and vintage items at Hunky Dory and Rokit. Other popular places to shop for vintage stuff are Vintage Basement, Porcelain and Red etc.

For the best in music drop-in at Rough Trade East:

If you are music lover Rough Trade Eat located at Dray Walk, is the place to visit. It is to be found at what used to be the Old Truman Brewery. The shop has cemented its reputation as the best in the indie record business.  They have an awesome collection of books, CDs and vinyl records to choose from.

With descriptive labels to help to take your pick, do not be surprised if you spend the afternoon browsing through their enormous collection. And if you want a souvenir head along to their well known photo booth, where you can get 4 black and white photographs! The back area of the shop hosts a stage where some of the top artists in the business have performed gigs for free.

Some of the major names to have performed here include Royal Blood, Public Enemy and Suede to name just a few greats. While there check their listings for the next great group to rock the place!

 

Andy Higgs
Andy Higgs

I know what it's like to go from being a crazy backpacker without a care in the world, via being a vaguely sensible parent to being an adventurer once more. In other words, evolving into a Grown-up Traveller.

Like everyone else, I love to travel, have visited a lot of countries and all that but my big thing is Africa.

I also own and run The Grown-up Travel Company as a travel designer creating personalised African itineraries for experienced adventurers

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