6 Cool Things To Do in Brick Lane London
I love the whole vibe that Brick Lane London has. It’s lively, young, and overall one of the most international and trendy areas in London. Up to a few months ago, I used to live in Bethnal Green, just off Bethnal Green Road. I was lucky to have some of the best charity shops around me, all the restaurants I could dream of, and plenty of supermarkets. With Shoreditch at one end of the road and Mile End slash Roman Road at the other, I was served in terms of things to do in East London.
Understandably, I seemed to always find myself in Brick Lane. I mean, what’s the use in living sl close to Brick Lane, a street praised by tourists from all over the world, and not going there? On my treat days, back when I used to be a faithful gym attendant, I would go grab a bagel and an ice cream on Brick Lane. Whether it’s the weekend or a weekday, there are plenty of things to do in Brick Lane. You just need to follow the guide!
6 Cool Things To Do in Brick Lane London Alone or With Friends
We’re about to embark on the quest for the most amazing things to do in the famous London Brick Lane. It’s an area full of life, coffeeshops, restaurants, street art, and more vintage shops in London that you could imagine. Get lost in the streets just off Brick Lane, and you might find even more astonishing hidden gems in London!
If you want to discover more things to do in London, find out what cool activities you can do in London Bridge and Camden Town!
See the famous Brick Lane street art
- The Broccoli Art
Broccoli Lane Brick Lane is a London gallery that is very much worth both your time and art budget. You probably know by now that I’m a big art lover – I’ve written about the latest art events and exhibitions going on in London right now if you’d like some cool artistic inspiration.
Broccoli Lane is all about broccoli. Colorful broccoli turned prints, paintings, and sculptures. It’s super fun to walk down Brick Lane and find little packs of fresh broccoli on the wall, with a label that says “Eat your broccoli”, or mini sculptures of multicolored broccoli fixed on the walls, unstickable.
Broccoli Lane Brick Lane Art Gallery Address: 91 Brick Ln, London E1 6QL
2. Brick Lane Street Art
The whole Brick Lane street art is a definitive vibe. If Brick Lane didn’t exist, it should be invented. Everywhere you look, there are stickers, paintings, and little sculptures that denote freedom, rebellion, and love for edgy art forms. Buxton Street (pictured above), just off Brick Lane, boasts some of the most art-laden walls in all of the area. My advice is to walk around the street and lose yourself in the contemplation of the magnificent Brick Lane street art – no timer, no expectations, just the trendiest art.
Grab a gelato at Dark Sugars
One of my favorite ice cream shops in London is without a doubt Dark Sugars. I came across it about two years ago when I was still living in Bethnal Green. During the summer, I would walk up Brick Lane, stop at Dark Sugars and take a right towards Shoreditch and Liverpool Street. I would have a long walk through Bank and across the Millennium Bridge. The goal was just to walk and visit London, from the eyes of a local who didn’t want to forget how to be a tourist.
The Dark Sugars ice cream is different from any ice cream you’ll ever try in London. From decadent chocolate ice cream to lighter fruity sorbets, this ice cream shop in Brick Lane has it all. Come rain or shine, I’m never too far from iced creams and pastries. It must be the fact that I share my time between London and Rome, where gelato is a real culture. My favorite picks there are hazelnut and pistachio – always a go-to when I want to see what an ice cream shop is made of, like ordering a Margherita at a London pizzeria.
During the wintertime, Dark Sugars Cocoa House turns into the most satisfying chocolate shop in London. From truffles to decadent chocolate bites, there’s everything you need for a chocolate craving. Their most famous product is hot chocolate, so don’t forget to put this one down on your bucket list.
Dark Sugars Brick Lane Address: 141 Brick Ln, Bethnal Green, London E1 6S
Get the best bagel in London at Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery
Brick Lane bagels are famous all across London. It’s not my imagination; the queue of people waiting in front of the two famous Brick Lane bagel shops proves their success. You have the choice between Beigel Bake and Beigel Shop. They do look very much like the same bagel bakery, but they’re different companies.
I have my own favorite, Beigel Bake. The utterly delicious bagel shop offers the most classic version of the Jewish bagel, with salt beef, pickles, and mustard. The bagel itself is made traditionally, and the shop is always bustling with customers looking for their bagel fix for under £5. I’d say their most famous bagel is the rainbow bagel – it’s true sight. Same taste, same chewiness, but overall a much more Instagrammable food experience in London. The fact that Beigel Bake is open 24/7 is enough to make me fall in love over and over again with this bagel bakery.
Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery Address: 159 Brick Ln, London E1 6SB
Get a new book at Brick Lane Bookshop
At 166 Brick Lane, you’ll find the Brick Lane Bookshop. If you’re a book lover, you should check out the blogs I’ve made about the best second hand bookshops in London and the one about the biggest bookstores in London. I’ve always been a book lover. When people would bring back seashells and bracelets home from trips, I would always bring back books – mostly self-development books at that. Books just give you memories that no other item can, in my opinion.
The Brick Lane Bookshop was established in 1978, and it sells quite any book you need. Whether you come in for non-fiction or kids books, you’re bound to find a new title to devour. Because of the area, the presence of amazing London street art and cafes in Brick Lane, that’s a pretty nice spot to get a Saturday rolling.
Brick Lane Bookshop London Address: 166 Brick Ln, London E1 6RU
Brick Lane Vintage and Designer Shopping
- London Vintage Shopping: Brick Lane Vintage Market
The Brick Lane Vintage Market is the perfect place for shopping vintage in London. It is an indoor warehouse where you can find quite anything your vintage lover soul might wish for. 90s sunglasses, famous 2000s tracksuits, leather jackets, vintage jeans, bucket hats… There’s something for every London fashion lover at the Brick Lane Vintage Market.
The Place is open every day, and you can find clothes and accessories at every price there. Most items are priced around £10 to £25, depending on the piece. That’s definitely a London shop you should go to if you’re looking to amp up your personal style.
2. Brick Lane Market
The Brick Lane Market is not open every day of the week. The first times I visited London, I didn’t take this into account. Well, believe me when I say that Brick Lane is empty empty when it’s not the weekend. Down the street towards Aldgate East, especially, you’ll only find amazing halal restaurants open, as well as some supermarkets.
At weekends the Brick Lane Market comes on the stage. It plays a part in the best London markets, with its amazing street food stalls, vintage clothing shops, bookshops, and some of the coolest cafes in Brick Lane. For some cool vintage and designer shopping, the outdoors Brick Lane Market is a go-to. Plus, as you walk down the road from Bethnal Green to Aldgate East, you’ll find ever more vintage shops that all have their own little personality and specialities.
Brick Lane Street Food: Grab a Bite From The Best Brick Lane Restaurants
A while back, I’ve written about the best halal restaurants in East London. Indeed, Brick Lane is located in the East, just a few minutes walk from Liverpool Street. It just makes sense that you’ll find amazing halal Indian and Pakistani food in many of the restaurants scattered across the street. Band of Burgers is definitely a name to mark down if you’re looking for the best burgers in Brick Lane.
If on the other hand, you’re feeling more like getting a good old pizza in London on a smooth Saturday, Laboratorio Pizza is the place. They make delicious Neapolitan pizza with some very real – and very delicious – Italian specialties in the heart of London. If you just want to get shopping and make your own Asian recipes at home, there’s Taj Stores that you can visit. I’ve been there, again and again, to shop for tea. They have a huge selection of Twinings tea and many other tea brands that you just want to keep piling up in your cart.
Laboratorio Pizza Brick Lane London Address: 79 Brick Ln, London E1 6QL
Taj Stores Brick Lane London Address: 112 Brick Ln, London E1 6RL
The 6 Coolest Things To Do in Brick Lane London
These are my favorite things to do in Brick Lane London. I love the lively area, and the more I spend time in Brick Lane, the more I discover new street art, new coffeeshops, new vintage shops. It’s like the street and its atmosphere keep expanding with every passing day! However, Brick Lane is not the only trendy area in London. As such, if you’d like to discover amazing things to do in London Bridge and Camden Town, you know what to do!
I’ll soon write about more amazing things to do in Primrose Hill, Hampstead Heath, and Covent Garden, and I promise you don’t want to miss that!
Having previously lived in both Paris and Rome as a fashion makeup artist, she enjoys the freedom that freelancing offers and loves to spend her time seeking out new and exciting spots in London.