Shop till you drop
Shopping is a very popular pastime in East London. No matter what
your taste, from high street names to the unusual or exotic, you will not
be disappointed - east London is your shopping oyster!
One thing that we do well is offer you great markets, from organic foods to designer furnishings to Asian jewellery. Click here for more information about Greenwich Market, Borough Market and Old Spitalfields Market to name a few.
Follow in the footsteps of Bollywood movie stars and take a shopping trip to Green Street, home of Asian fashion or explore east London, rich in undiscovered treasures from sharp suits and designer handbags to speciality cheeses and cool kitsch – the new Quirky Shopping Guide (pdf) is the perfect companion for retail therapists.
Spitalfields and Brick Lane have been revitalised over recent years and as well as the eclectic old market and colourful Brick Lane studios, shops and bars, the area has been enhanced by the new traders market which includes a public art programme, fabulous eateries and quirky stalls.
Canary Wharf has over 200 designer, independent and high street stores based principally in three malls: 
Cabot Place, Canada Place and Jubilee Place. The estate is built on a Canadian model where all shops are below ground level and interlinked - like a mini-underground world - which is fantastic when it is cold, wet and windy outside. In the summer, Canary Wharf boasts a large number of open and green spaces to sit and basque in the suu after a good day's shopping.
Greenwich is full of small shops and boutiques for you to explore, selling an incredible range of fashions, gifts, books, music, 
antiques and household ware. Of particular interest are shops selling items that reflect Greenwich’s maritime history and others that showcase the work of local craftsmen. For more information, visit www.greenwichwhs.org.uk
The London Bridge Area has three main shopping areas : Butlers Wharf, Hays Galleria and St Katharine Docks, which are all original wharves and docks that have been renovated into areas offering a relaxed atmosphere and shopping environment.
Where to Shop? A guide to East London shops and markets. To request a copy, click here.
Spitalfields and Brick Lane
Spitalfields, E1 is one of London’s most loved and beautiful areas today, a multifarious network of traditional traders and cutting edge creatives, market stallholders and burgeoning fashion boutiques, immigrant communities, city workers and the original East Ender make up a significant part of this 250-acre area. At the heart of Spitalfields, where the renowned Spitalfields’ markets are located, is a 13 acre site that has been undergoing extensive rejuvenation since 1991.
The final phase of the Spitalfields regeneration project was completed in late 2005 with two new public areas, Bishops Square and Crispin Place. Alongside the Old Spitalfields market with its fabulous array of stalls and independent shops there are a now a selection of new shops as well as a new market area ‘Spitalfields Traders Market’ in the glass covered Crispin Place which backs directly onto the Old Market, market stalls operate every day of the week (except Saturday) Sunday being the largest market day. The beautiful Brushfield Street has been restored and the new glass covered ‘ Market Street’ has also become home to a selection of new shops. The glass covered ‘piazzas’ also accommodate the Spitalfields Public Arts programme, an eclectic calendar of events that range from art happenings, live music performances, street theatre, tea dances, markets and fashion events.
Spitalfields offers a truly unique shopping experience the complete antithesis to many high streets where ubiquitous high street chains are the only offering. Spitalfields has an array of great shops, some old (that border the Old Market area) some new, selling a range of products including interior, design, fashion and food. In September 06 a new Fine Food Market also launched selling high quality fresh produce complimenting the new food shops and restaurants, cementing Spitalfield’s reputation as a gastronomic hotspot.
Brick Lane runs from Spitalfields at the north end down to Aldgate at the South. In addition to its fascinating history, the street is best known for the sprawling market that takes place every Sunday (North of the old brewery) and also for the unrivalled choice of Bangladeshi restaurants that you can find along its length. The Old Truman Brewery, about half way up Brick Lane, is now home to a lively media / fashion / arts scene, with the buildings converted to shops, studios and workspace.
With all this activity – the influx of restaurants, galleries, cafes and new independent retailers, Spitalfields has evolved into one of London’s favourite and most exciting destinations for shopping, eating and leisure. Download the new Quirky Shopping Guide (pdf) - the perfect companion for retail therapists.
www.visitspitalfields.com
www.spitalfields.co.uk
Canary Wharf, E14
Canary Wharf, Heron Quays DLR
Canary Wharf has become one of the most cosmopolitan areas of London with numerous shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. Located on the waterfront between the River Thames and the original docks, it features parks, squares and colonnades as well as some of the most exciting urban architecture. One Canada Square is still the tallest building in the UK.
Covered shopping malls include most of the popular high street brands such
as Gap, French Connection and Top Shop but also many independent retailers
such as Frontispiece Antique Prints or Perfect Presents offering unique gifts
and mementos. So, if you are looking for retail therapy, café culture
or a spot of relaxation and refreshment by the waterside, Canary Wharf has
it all.
Green Street
Upton Park
Green Street is East London at its most colourful. Spicy reds, cool green, deep sea blue and copper golds. Vibrant, bustling and multi-cultural. Clothes boutiques abound, selling the latest designs of Sarees and shalwar kameez. Every colour and fabric is on offer, with the most exquisite embroidery not often viewed on western outfits. Shelves are lined with glittering examples of footwear simply not available elsewhere and again at unbeatable prices. The finest shoes have matching bijou bags. A shopping visit to Green Street would not be complete unless you have visited the jewellery shops. Asian jewellery is amongst the most stunning in the world, with handmade items not generally available in the common high street stores. Try Daminis for classic Asian designs.
Open Tuesday until midday, Thursday, Friday and Saturdays.
London Bridge Area , SE1
At Hays Galleria , there is an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, bars and craft stalls, covered by a magnificent atrium and with spectacular views of the river and the City of London beyond. The Galleria also includes the all-year-round Christmas Shop!
St Katharine Docks
provides a picturesque setting for browsing around the various attractive shops including Dominique for stylish clothes, Scotia for clothes and accessories with a Scottish Highland theme, quality Italian leather goods in Katypel and plenty of ideas for gifts in Nauticalia, Kings Gallery and City Flowers & Gifts.
Butlers Wharf has a good selection of outlets for the specialist shopper: Conran's Le Pont Foodstore and also Le Pont Wine Merchant, for gifts and accessories there is Hide All, Design Museum Shop, Tower Bridge Gift Shop and of course all the art galleries that you can discover in the maze of streets in and around Butlers Wharf.
