That’s why, when writing our latest series of London guides for travel guide website Buggl, we thought we’d turn our attention to the great outdoors and give a run-down of the capital’s best outdoor markets. Markets are something London does rather well, from Columbia Road’s striking bevy of blooms to the long-running Petticoat Lane Market and its stacks of brightly coloured textiles and clothing.

Of course, it’s not the first time we’ve shared our London secrets with Buggl. In the past, we’ve produced online travel guides showcasing city highlights ranging from East London’s best curry houses to best theatres outside the West End, as well as the great London parks for when you need to escape the city’s concrete and crowds.

Planning a spot of shopping in London? Scroll down for our insider selection of our recommended markets. To see this travel guide in its entirety, head over to the Buggl website, where you can download it free of charge.

The Best London Markets to Bag A Bargain
There are many reasons to visit London’s markets. Not only do they give you a real flavor of the city, but they also offer value for money. Without huge overheads and sky-high rents, the vendors can afford to sell their goods at more modest and affordable prices.

Then there’s the sheer variety of stalls. Shopping malls and high streets are usually dominated by commercial chain stores. Markets on the other hand, generally have independent traders, which bring an element of surprise — you never know what you might discover. With everything from ethnic street food and handicrafts to antiques and bric-a-brac, London’s markets provide the chance to find unusual, one-of-a-kind items.

Brick Lane Market
This sprawling Sunday market spreads out along the northern part of Brick Lane and through several surrounding streets. It even encompasses the fashionable Sunday Upmarket and the food-centric Boiler House Food Hall, both located in the Old Truman Brewery. There’s a wide variety of stalls and stands, and the result is an unpredictable mishmash of all sorts of items, from bargain bin second-hand books to stylish vintage clothes. The food offerings range from bog standard East End fruit and veg stalls to more exotic ethnic snacks, such as okonomiyaki pancakes and empanadas.

Petticoat Lane Market
This rough and ready East End market has been on the go since the 1750s. Merchants and traders crowd the narrow street every Sunday and sell all sorts of cut-price wares. It’s not the prettiest market in the world nor is the stock of the finest quality, but there are bargains to be had, especially when it comes to leather goods. Behind the stalls, you’ll find Asian fabric shops selling bright and elaborate patterned fabrics.

Columbia Road Flower Market
This famous East End flower market is a visual treat. Every Sunday, vendors arrive with flowers, plants and shrubs turn the road into a riot of color. There are exotic bulbs, homegrown potted plants and more tulips, roses, lilies and petunias than you can shake a stick at. The hawkers are vocal, hollering out prices and offers to the passing crowds. If you’re plant adverse, there are still plenty of art galleries, independent shops and cafes on the street to keep you entertained.

Portobello Road Market
This market — a London institution — is all about vintage, antique and retro items, although it also boasts a tasty selection of street food. It’s a favorite among tourists, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t bargains to be had. You just have to look hard. Saturdays are generally very crowded, while Fridays are typically less busy.

What’s your favourite London market? Did it make it onto our list? If not, tell us what we should have included on Twitter. (Following us also gives you access to our expert travel writing tips and other travel-related titbits.)

The post The Best Bargain London Markets: An Online Travel Guidebook for Buggl appeared first on World Words.

We have a team of experienced writers who have travelled extensively all around the world, and they have a wealth of experience to share. What better way to share our travel expertise than through Buggl?

We’re fond of a good curry and we’ve got a soft spot for London. What we don’t like so much is that Brick Lane steals the limelight. So we thought we’d shine the spotlight on some of the other great curry houses in East London. For years, we’ve been recommending these places to friends and family, and now we’re sharing our recommendations with the world. They are all within a 10-minute walk of Brick Lane, so you can easily squeeze in a stroll down the famous strip, before heading to one of these for a good feeding — just mind you don’t get pulled in by the Brick Lane hawkers offering you a free drink!

To see our travel guide in its entirety, click here or head to the Buggl website, where you can download it free of charge. Alternatively, check out our recommendations below. If you have some travel advice of your own you’d like to contribute on Buggl, you can sign up and create your own guidebooks here. It’s easy to do as the Buggl template takes care of the design for you, so you can just concentrate on sharing your nuggets of knowledge.

Away From Brick Lane: The Best Curry Houses in East London
Although Brick Lane is famous for its curries, it’s not the only hotspot in town. In fact, some of the best curries are found away from the strip. Brick Lane is synonymous with curry, but with so many near-identical restaurants on one stretch, it can be impossible to tell the good from the bad. What’s more, the heavy rate of footfall on ‘curry mile’ means that the bad survives along with the good. My advice is, get off the beaten curry path, and try some of these cafes and restaurants, none of which are more than a 10-minute walk away from Brick Lane.

Tayyabs
Frequently named one of the best Indians in town, Tayyabs is, unfortunately, no secret. Patient diners, both with and without reservations, are required to queue, while service is fast-paced and gruff. Fantastic dishes including sizzling hot, spice-rubbed lamb chops, dry meat (full-flavored and tender slow-cooked beef with garlic, chili and turmeric) and tinda masala (pumpkin curry). As an added bonus, it’s BYOB.

Lahore Kebab House
This no-frills curry house may look a bit like a school cafeteria, but it’s among the best in London. Its irresistible tandoori-style grilled meats rival those in nearby Tayyabs. For next to nothing, you can eat your way through an array of tasty grilled meats, curries, fluffy naan and rice. It’s also BYOB.

Needoo Grill
Up there with Whitechapel’s finest curry houses, Needoo Grill is on par with neighboring Tayyabs and Lahore. It serves authentic Punjabi cuisine in a buzzing, neon-lit interior. If you can’t get into Tayyabs, try coming here — it’s usually marginally easier to nab a table. Needoo Grill is also BYOB.

Dishoom
Trendier than your average Brick Lane joint, Dishoom bills itself as a Bombay Café rather than a curry house. What’s the difference? The dining room has been subject to hip styling — think vaguely Indian trinkets and Persian brick-a-brack — and the menu has also been dramatically widened to include Indian-fusion small plates and snacks. Authentic? No. Delicious? Absolutely.

The Empress
This longstanding curry house has been doling out traditional Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine since 1993. It never draws in the same numbers as its perma-packed Whitechapel brethren, but it has built up quite the loyal following. For good reason too. The fresh and tasty food combined with helpful service make it an understated winner.

Cinnamon Kitchen
Chic and stylish, the hip Cinnamon Kitchen serves up modern, refined Indian cuisine in an expansive space. Mains hit a slightly higher price point (between £12.50 – £32.00 at dinner), but the cooking is both innovative and sophisticated. The adjoining Anise cocktail bar is perfect for a pre-dinner cocktail.

Meraz Café
Just a stone’s throw from the main Brick Lane thoroughfare, you’ll find this cheap and satisfying Indian café. The spare interior may not promise much, but the food — a blend of classic Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani dishes — certainly delivers. It is also BYOB.

Do you have any more curry recommendations for us? Let us know where you love to eat on Twitter. There will be more Buggl guidebooks to come from World Words; keep an eye out for them in our latest projects.

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