THINGS TO DO IN THE EAST END

You’re on Brick Lane. Everything Else Is a Bonus.

When you stay at The Britannia Shoreditch, you’re not near Brick Lane.

You’re on it.

You wake up to the scent of fresh bagels. You step out to music, graffiti, chai steam, and late-night neon. Brick Lane isn’t just a street — it’s the pulse of London’s creative underground. And staying here means you’re not just observing it. You’re in it.

Right outside your door is the kind of London people write songs about. And within a 10-minute stroll in any direction? Some of the city’s most iconic food, fashion, flowers, and art.

Famous Artists: Gilbert & George, Banksy, and More

Just a few steps from your door lives Gilbert & George, the boundary-breaking British art duo whose lives and work are forever entwined with East London. Their home and studio is on Fournier Street, and in 2023 they opened The Gilbert & George Centre, a gallery dedicated solely to their art and philosophy—eccentric, deeply queer, politically charged, and deeply rooted in this neighbourhood.

The area is also an open-air museum of modern street art royalty:

• Banksy – Early works still peek out from alleys and garage doors.

• Stik – His tall, empathetic stick figures guard doorways and side streets.

• Ben Eine – Bold letterforms across shutters, slogans hidden in plain sight.

• D*Face, Shepard Fairey, and ROA – Global names who’ve made Shoreditch their canvas.

The East End is not a curated space. It’s alive. Changing. Speaking.

Graffiti Walls & Street Art Tours

The graffiti here isn’t background—it’s the story. Walls talk in Shoreditch. Layered and constantly evolving, the murals shift daily. Entire masterpieces vanish under new pieces within hours. Every walk is different.

Want to decode the underground art scene? Book a street art tour:

• Alternative London

• Shoreditch Street Art Tours

• Moniker Culture Walks

Led by insiders, these tours explain not just what you see—but why it matters.

Brick Lane Market: Every Weekend, All Vibes

On weekends, Brick Lane morphs into a sprawling celebration of vintage fashion, boot-sale treasures, zines, antiques, and street food. The market spills from the Truman Brewery and rolls down the street like a festival.

Explore:

• Vintage Market – Denim, leather, vinyl, Doc Martens, film cameras.

• Upmarket – Bao buns, jerk chicken, vegan curries, brownies, and Ethiopian coffee.

• Backyard Market – Ceramics, indie jewellery, handmade fashion, and local designers.

Live DJs spin from balconies. Dancers pop up on corners. Street poets and buskers keep the air charged.

Bagels, Always

Between market runs, grab a bagel from the legendary Beigel Bake or Beigel Shop. They’re side-by-side on Brick Lane and open 24/7. Salt beef, mustard, pickles. Rainbow bagels. Soft, chewy, nostalgic perfection. You’ll never look at a chain bakery again.

Columbia Road Flower Market: Colour, Chaos, and Charm

Sundays bloom just 10 minutes from your door at Columbia Road Flower Market, the oldest flower market in London and an East End institution since the 19th century. Stalls are stacked high with roses, eucalyptus, succulents, tulips, and giant cacti—and the vendors shout prices like auctioneers with Cockney charm.

Behind the blooms? An entire street of independent shops:

• Antique shops and galleries

• Vintage furniture

• Indie coffee and cake spots

• Jazz bands playing out of second-story windows

Get there early if you want the best bunches. Stay late for the party vibe.

Redchurch Street: Fashion, Design & Minimalist Cool

Where Brick Lane is chaos and charisma, Redchurch Street—just around the corner—is where Shoreditch goes quiet, chic, and designer.

You’ll find:

• Aesop, Sunspel, LABRUM London

• Goodhood – ultra-curated streetwear, beauty, home

• Labour and Wait – timeless British utility goods

• Modern Society – fashion, fragrance, art books, coffee

It’s minimalist storefronts, soft jazz, curated playlists. A calm counterpoint to the Brick Lane buzz. A shopping destination where even the espresso is curated.

Galleries & Culture, High and Low

East London isn’t just about the walls. There are endless spaces to experience, question, and get inspired:

• The Gilbert & George Centre – Personal, radical, quietly brilliant.

• Whitechapel Gallery – International art heavyweight since 1901.

• Rich Mix – Cinema, poetry nights, gigs, panel talks.

• Truman Brewery Pop-Ups – Fashion launches, photo exhibitions, tattoo expos, zines, and sample sales.

If it’s culture-forward, weird, or beautifully designed—you’ll probably find it here first.

Georgian Streets & Ghosts of the Past

Step off the main drag and down Fournier Street, Princelet Street, and Wilkes Street—and you’ll find yourself in a time capsule. These Georgian townhouses once belonged to Huguenot weavers, Jewish printers, and queer radicals. Today they house artists, curators, and designers behind heavy doors and flickering gas lamps.

Don’t miss:

• The House of Annetta – A 1700s townhouse turned radical design archive and event space.

• Jack the Ripper Tours – Grisly, moving walking tours through Whitechapel and Hanbury Street, uncovering one of London’s darkest mysteries.

Victoria Park: Breathe, Picnic, Repeat - When you need a break from the edge and energy of Shoreditch, Victoria Park is your sanctuary. It’s one of the most beautiful parks in London—wide-open lawns, lakes, rose gardens, a pagoda, cafés, and the odd DJ spinning lo-fi beats under a tree.

Rent a bike. Buy a coffee. Stretch out in the grass. Or just walk, breathe, and reset.