I love Shoreditch, a neighbourhood in East London that used to be a slum area but is now a cool and hipster area. As a Londoner, Shoreditch is always my go-to place when I need some excitement, good food and a photo session! There are so many places to go in Shoreditch you can go back time and time again!
However, if you are visiting Shoreditch for the first time, it can be hard to work out where to start so that you can see all of the amazing street art in Shoreditch, all of the markets and find that ‘cool and hip’ area!
So here are all the best places to go in Shoreditch detailed in a handy walking route so you can see the best of Shoreditch on your first visit!
I recently did this walk with the help of the London Marco Polo Guide which I really enjoyed so if you’re coming to London soon be sure to have a look at their guide on Amazon as it includes more great walking guides of London and lots of things to do in London.
Places To Go In Shoreditch.
Best Time To Visit Shoreditch
Shoreditch is most famous for it’s Sunday Markets which mainly run down Brick Lane and Columbia Road. When I lived in London I found myself visiting Shoreditch on a Sunday at least once a month because it’s so full of life on a Sunday, therefore, if you can, I recommend going on a Sunday!
However if you are a tourist to London I understand that not everyone can fit going to Shoreditch on Sunday into their London itinerary so you’ll be pleased to know that there are still plenty of places to visit in Shoreditch on a Saturday and on Weekdays but you won’t find Columbia Road Flower Market or the Brick Lane Market open on any other days, which are 2 of the most popular places to go in Shoredicth, so keep that in mind!
In terms of the best time to go to Shoreditch, get there mid-morning or in the afternoon, there’s enough things to do in Shoreditch to keep you busy all day and there are plenty of places to go out in Shoreditch too!
Related Post: Where To Go in Shoreditch on Sunday!
How To Get To Shoreditch
There are a number of stations in the Shoreditch area – (Old Street, Moorgate, Liverpool Street, Hoxton, Shoreditch High Street, Whitechapel, Aldgate East) however for this walk it’s best to get off at Liverpool Street Station which is on the Central Tube Line, Overground Line and the Circle, Hammersmith & City & Metropolitan Line as well as many National Train Lines.
If you’re not in London already and need to book train tickets to London, be sure to check out The Train Line. I use them all the time to compare the best train times, journey lengths and prices!
Shoreditch Map
I have detailed all of the places to go in Shoreditch that I recommend in this Shoreditch blog and Shoreditch walk, in this Shoreditch Map:
Places to Visit Shoreditch!
Elder Street – Old East London
Take the Bishopsgate Exit out of Liverpool Street Station and take a left along Bishopsgate. Getting off at Liverpool Street Station, especially on weekdays, shows you the City side to Shoreditch- high rise, gleaming offices and lots of smart suits but these don’t last long!
A few streets up on your right you’ll see Folgate Street, this street and Elder Street which is on the left, give a fascinating insight into what East London used to look like with the really old Georgian style houses that line the street. These streets were the homes of Silk Weavers who ensured the area flourished in the 18th Century and are a must-visit in Shoreditch.
If you are a history lover, this is one of the places to go in Shoreditch that I recommend.
Spitalfields Market
Go back on yourself slightly and head to Spitalfields Market– one of the most popular Shoreditch Markets, especially because it’s open all week so it’s great to go if you’re wondering where to go in Shoreditch. You’ll know you’re close when you can see the iconic Gerkin Building pointing out of the Skyline ahead.
Spitalfields Market calls itself one of London’s richest creative places, it’s also a good place to visit in London if it’s raining as Spitalfields Market is totally covered.
If you’re looking for places to go in Shoreditch for shopping, this is it as inside you’ll find independent market stalls selling a range of unique jewellery, bags and clothes. There’s also high street stores like Benefit and Flying Tiger as well as many food market stalls and big chain Shoreditch restaurants.
If you’re in need of a coffee I’d recommend stopping off at Nude Coffee Roasters as the coffee there is really good, and if you need a toilet break you’ll find a toilet in Spitalfields Market too.
Brick Lane
Exit onto Commercial Road, cross the road and walk alongside Christ Church until you reach one end of the very famous Brick Lane. The London Marco Polo Guide gives some history on Brick Lane and explains that in the 18th Century Huguenot Silk Weavers lived along here, it was then home to a sizeable Jewish Community and later Bengali Textile workers. It evolved into ‘Bangla-town’ with Sari Shops, Bengali Sweet Shops and Curry Restaurants.
These days you can still get a taste of this, especially at this end of Brick Lane!
It still has a big Asian influence, especially Indian and Bangladeshi with plenty of independent shops and restaurants, so look out for the brightly coloured Sari Shops, smell the Indian incense, and make a note to come back for a Curry on Brick Lane another day because these are some of the best places to eat in Shoreditch with the best Curry in London!
A few streets down on the right is Hanbury Street which I’m so glad my Marco Polo Guide pointed out. There are so many places to go in Shoreditch for Street art and Hanbury street is one of them filled with amazing Shoreditch Street Art pieces that are constantly updated and changing.
This is the first of many street arts you’ll see here in Shoreditch.
Continue up Brick Lane, during the week and on a Saturday this street is pretty quiet compared Sundays when all the Shoreditch Street Food Market Stalls are out.
It does get very busy with people on a Sunday so it’s nice to be able to walk down it with ease and have a look into all the Shoreditch shops. There’s lots of retro vintage shops as well as souvenir shops.
Related Post: A Guide to the Perfect Sunday in Shoreditch, East London
Brick Lane’s Famous Bagel Shops
You’ll know when you need to turn off Brick Lane as just before it ends you’ll see it’s 2 famous Bagel Shops on the left.
‘Beigel Shop’ which is the one with the yellow sign has been there since 1855 and is certainly an East London institution so if you’re hungry and you want a taste of the real East London and real Shoreditch Food, be sure to pick up a Salt Beef Bagel.
If you’re not into Bagels, maybe you’re more of a millennial, there’s a Crosstown Doughnuts in between both famous Beigel Shops which sell amazing Vegan Doughnuts in Shoreditch too! This area of Brick Lanes is one of the places to go in Shoreditch for good food!
At the main road – Bethnal Green Road, turn left and cross but don’t follow the road down, instead take Redchurch Street which branches off immediately.
This is where you’ll start to see yet again another side to Shoreditch and East London because this area is much more trendy, upmarket and quite hipster.
Down Redchurch Street you’ll find a cafe and barber called ‘Barber & Parlour’ which I really love so if you’re looking for places to go in Shoreditch for a coffee or drink I’d recommend going in there.
This street and area is also filled with independent boutique shops and plenty of places where you can get an amazing breakfast in Shoreditch and some of the best restaurants in London including one of the Dishoom Restaurants.
Related Post: London Brunch – My List of the Best Brunch Spots in London!
Street Art on Chance Street
Turn left down Chance Street, if you’re on Instagram you’ve probably seen the huge art piece on this wall before, it’s pretty Instagram Famous. Unfortunately these days it has been defaced with quite a bit of graffiti so it’s not as nice as it once was but it’s still good for a photo op when looking for places to go in Shoreditch to take photos!
Boxpark in Shoreditch
Turn right at the end of Chance Street and you’ll see Shoreditch High Street Station and BoxPark on the left which is another popular Shoreditch Market. BoxPark Shoreditch has some cool shops underneath and Shoreditch Bars and Food Markets above.
Street Art in Shoreditch
If you’re looking for places to go in Shoreditch for Street Art, dross Shoreditch High Street Road which will be ahead of you and go up Holywell Lane and you’ll be in for a street art treat!
So much of the street art here is new so it’s a really unique place to see the Street Art in Shoreditch. When I went I saw a popular Street Art Tour being shown around so if you have time and can fit this into your Shoreditch Itinerary I would recommend a Shoreditch Street Art Tour or a London Walking Tour to see some of the hidden bits, learn more about the art and the area.
There’s a big building on King High Court Road which has been completely covered with art so follow this around until you reach Curtain Road.
Be warned that the art in this area does change a lot so you may not find what you’ve seen on Instagram here!
Hoxton Square
Continue all the way up Curtain Road, cross over Old Street Road and then take Rufus Street road on the right. At the end, you’ll see Hoxton Square which has a few cafes and popular Old Street restaurants.
Just before it is The Breakfast Club which is a really cool place to eat in London, so if you’re still looking for where to eat in Shoreditch or somewhere to get a coffee and want to go somewhere cool I’d recommend going in here.
On the weekend’s queues for The Breakfast Club can get really big as Brunch in Shoreditch and in London is so common and this is one of the top places to go in Shoreditch for Bruncg, so if you go during the week and there’s no queue it’s a good reason to go!
Old Street
Afterwards, head back onto Old Street Road, Bounce is along here which is an indoor Ping Pong Club with a Bar and Restaurant.
It’s one of the really fun things to do in Shoreditch (along with BallieBallerson – a Ball Pit Bar in Shoreditch) and a good place to go if you’re in need of a wet weather activity in London, note that it doesn’t open until 4:00pm on weekdays, but it does open at 12:00 noon on weekends.
Soon you’ll come across the huge Old Street Roundabout which is a good place for this Shoreditch Walk to end as you will have covered lots of the best places to see in Shoreditch by now. There’s also a bar with a big beer garden on top of Old Street Station if you need a drink after visiting all of these places to go in Shoreditch!
Old Street Station is located underneath the roundabout with the Northern Line running through it.
If you’re visiting London and want to pick up a copy of the London Marco Polo Guide to help you see more of this amazing City and get a better understanding of what you’re seeing you can get it on Amazon here!
- For more of my London posts see:
- A Guide to the Perfect Sunday in Shoreditch
- My 2 Day Suggested London Itinerary
- A Guide to Camden Town!
- Things To Do in London when it Rains!
- ALL MY LONDON POSTS
This post was sponsored by Marco Polo Guides but all thoughts and opinions are my own and I truly love this area of London.
Clazz - An Orcadian Abroad
Sunday 1st of September 2019
Ahh love this!! I finally checked out Shoreditch a few months ago and fell in love with it - definitely starting to replace Camden for me! I passed so many of the places you mentioned too, so I'll have to go back to some of them! That's such a shame that people have been graffiti'ing that colourful street art, it was starting to go that way when I saw it but it looks even worse now. That was one of my favourites!
The Breakfast Club was heaving when we walked past so I'll have to try and check it out next time. I also want to go into their secret bar in the fridge!! Barber & Parlour looks amazing too. Ahh, so many places to check out next time! Haha.
TheWanderingQuinn
Wednesday 16th of October 2019
I'm so glad you've seen more of Shoreditch and I agree that I like it more than Camden these days too! Ooh the Breakfast Club is always sooo busy on weekends, kinda crozy! It's better during the week but not helpful if you work then!
Yess definitely get a coffee in Barber and Parlour next time, super cool1 :)