By Brooke Tremain and Madeleine Metcalfe

With a roadmap set out by Boris Johnson in the second half of February for easing restrictions, restaurants will be able to open on April 12 at the earliest.  

Until then, we’ve compiled a list of the best markets across our East London Lines boroughs that remain open through lockdown to go and grab a delicious bite to eat or essential goods.  

Lewisham

• Deptford High Street  

Deptford High Street market runs on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9am to 5:30pm for a great bargain or tasty lunch. Several cafes and shops along the high street are also open for takeaway, and the market sells a variety of goods including fresh fruit and vegetables, household items and multicultural food. The Myboygroupltd food truck is well known to the Deptford area and makes top-notch African Street food.  

• Lewisham Farmers Markets  

Lewisham sports a wide selection of local produce to replace shopping at large supermarkets. Every Saturday from 10am to 3pm there is a farmers’ market at Telegraph Hill Park with regular stalls for fresh fruit and veg, organic bread, handmade cakes and delicious hot food. You could also choose to support local shops and independent businesses through the Blackheath Farmers Market every Sunday from 10am to 2pm with local honey, seasonal berries and tasty sourdough. From 10am to 3pm on a Sunday Horniman Museum also hosts a farmers’ market and its gardens will be the perfect dose of spring whilst you are out.

• Brockley Market  

This award-winning weekly food market is open each Saturday. Under current restrictions, they are unable to sell street/ hot food options but are perfect for grabbing your essential food shopping. Food and drink can still be purchased and consumed off-site with lots of food sellers offering delivery right to your door. If you have a sweet tooth, try Niko B Organic chocolates with fresh truffles or assortments or a Crosstown doughnut. You may choose to pick up a pack of uniquely flavoured pasta from Pasta Di Grazia and pair it with a tub of Olive Branch greek mezze or dressing from only a few stalls down.     

Hackney

• Broadway Market  

This has been home to traders since the 1890s and offers a selection of tastes and cultures. It is situated between Regents Canal and London Fields park in Hackney, making it the perfect stop along your lockdown walk. In usual times, trading stalls offer everything from fresh produce and authentic street food to clothes and arts and crafts. Broadway Market remains open with additional measures and fewer stalls every Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Alongside the stalls are cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops that you can peer into and plan where to visit once restrictions are eased. Some popular choices are OKKO which serves Japanese dishes like sushi, gyoza and ramen. Be sure to add The Dove pub and El Ganso cafe to the list also. To adapt to the times, the market has also opened up an eShop with vintage clothing, craft kits to fill up your time inside and impressive photography prints.   

• Netil Market  

Netil Market is renowned for its street food shacks and last summer was bustling with music, artistic boutiques and a sanitised communal sun terrace with social distancing measures in place. It is open every Saturday from 11am to 6pm with other specific hours throughout the weekend for stalls showcasing the best local food. It is also part of ‘Eat Work Art’ who have two other London sites including Hackney Downs Studios for artists, creative workspaces and studios and Old Paradise Yard, a social space set in a scenic garden a few minutes from South Bank. Resident traders in Netil Market are currently operating with deliveries and pick-up options. The Arty Vegan, a father and daughter culinary duo, offer sun-dried tomato tofu pate, vegan smoked salmon and garlic mayonnaise. You could also check out Pockets, which offer a mouth-watering plant-based selection of falafel, pittas, and mushroom kebabs.          

•  Ridley Road Market  

Ridley Road serves fruit and vegetables along with a wide range of household goods. It is situated in the heart of Dalston where you could peek at the vibrant fronts of music venues, cocktail bars, Eastern Curve Garden and art deco cinema. It runs Monday to Saturday from 8am to 4:30pm. This market is the perfect spot to get a well-priced deal for your everyday seasoning, fresh fish and pre- packed groceries. You may also notice some unusual foods here such as Orka, which goes great in stews or Persimmon fruit which can be added to a scrumptious pudding recipe.  

Croydon

• Crystal Palace Food Market 

This community-run market bursting with tasty foods puts all its profits towards small local businesses and charities. They aim to create local employment, promote community, and support sustainable farmers and local food producers. The market has gained popularity from its wide range of delicious local foods and its eco-friendly ethos. With stalls such as ‘Roots and Cycles’ which sells modern environmentally friendly products such as eco household refills, locally hand-made natural beauty products, and plastic-free toilet paper. Open Saturday’s 10 am to 3 pm. 

• BOXPARK Croydon 

BOXPARK has three venues, one of which resides in the heart of Croydon. The large shipping containers hold an impressive selection of cuisine from all over the world sourced from independent and local street food traders to help the community alongside some famous eateries. Giving you endless choices from fine dining options to mouth-watering street food which you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home this lockdown as BOXPARK is offering delivery from its eateries! 

• Surrey street market 

Located in Croydon Town Centre, Surrey Street Market is one of the oldest known street markets in Britain, which has been trading since 1276. Due to its popularity with locals, the market has had a £1.1 million refurbishment, now it plans to host weekly events alongside its wide range of fresh fruit and veg, and household items. The devoted community stallholders sell everything from handmade sourdough to beautiful orchids. Open Monday-Saturday 6 am to 6 pm and Sunday 10:30 am to 5 pm. 

Tower Hamlets  

• Brick Lane Sunday Market 

Famous for its artistic flair, Brick Lane Sunday market attracts crowds who find themselves amongst hidden treasures from second-hand furniture stalls, unique clothes, and quirky bric-a-brac. After you’ve found something to brighten up your lockdown home, you can refuel with a takeaway lunch at one of the many ethnic restaurants which lines the street. Brick Lane is home to some of the finest curry houses, as well as famous Jewish beigel shops and global street food stalls. Brick Lanes Sunday Market is open 9 am to 5 pm. 

• The Sunday Upmarket  

Its famous food hall holds 40 street food traders offering international dishes from Ethiopian Injera bread to Korean ‘Dak-kkochi’ skewers. Additionally, the Upmarket holds a variety of food traders who sell fresh produce so you can create delicious dishes from home. Or head to one of the stalls with Instagram-able deserts, from ice cream sandwiches to decorative doughnuts. Open Saturday 11 am to 5:30 pm and Sunday 10 am-5 pm read here: http://www.sundayupmarket.co.uk/# 

• Roman Road Square Market 

This market has fresh fruit, veg, and fish sellers and is a community favourite with its local name ‘Globe Town Market’. The continued culture of home cooking alongside affordable pricing keeps this small market busy with traders that have held their stalls for generations. Open Monday to Saturday, from 8 am to 6 pm.