This Weekend: Experience the Best Christmas Markets in LondonBy Alicia Grimshaw
We love a Christmas market. The faint whiff of mulled wine, the carol singing, the sprint to find seating near some sort of outdoor heating/firepit, and the chance to support independent retailers. If you still haven’t started your Christmas shopping, there’s some fantastic markets taking place across the capital this weekend (8th-9th Dec), and they’re selling far better clobber than the high-street.
1. For Handmade Gifts: Deptford Market Yard
The Lowdown: On Saturday 8th December, Deptford Market Yard’s weekly market, Deptford Bites, will be hosting a Christmas special: Deptford Bites at Christmas. Featuring a festive Maker’s Market with interactive craft workshops, an expanded line-up of street food and produce market traders, as well as Christmas menu specials and discounts from the Market Yard’s eclectic range of independent shops and restaurants.
Why Visit: For shopping, The Maker’s Market will showcase homeware and lifestyle products as well as offering a series of interactive craft workshops from the makers themselves. These include an arm knitting class with Chap + Darling, and a gingerbread decorating workshop for the little ones, run by The German Wholegrain Baker’s Shop. And Deptford Market Yard’s very own florist, The English Flowerhouse will also be hosting a wreath workshop.
Eat and Drink: The food offering will be the best yet; from hearty Indonesian dishes from Kaki Lima and The Toasty Badger’s ultimate cheese toasties to vegan hotdogs and rösti potatoes by the Nooch, and chicken and waffle cones by Matilda’s Waffle Boutique. Sweet tooth? Dig into one of Crepe Kings’ Smores crepes with toasted marshmallows and caramel or Humble Crumble’s mulled wine crumble.
Where: Deptford Market Yard, London SE8 4BX
2. For a One-Stop Gift Shop: The Hackney Christmas Market
The Lowdown: The Hackney Christmas Market, located on Bohemia Place, (opposite Hackney Central Overground Station), takes place on the 8th-9th and 15th-16th of December from 11am-6pm, offering all you could want from a Christmas market, including warming food and drinks, top-notch entertainment and a heap of merry gifts, all set in Hackney’s most charming venues.
Why Visit: Featuring over 50 independent traders and makers, the markets will see a multitude of Christmas gifts and goodies with everything from trees, cards and decorations to vintage clothing, streetwear, craft beers, prosecco, jewellery, ceramics, arts and crafts, photography, health and beauty products and plants. You name it, it’s probably there.
Eat and Drink: Working in partnership with some of Hackney’s coolest venues, including indoor/outdoor hotspot Night Tales, the markets will see festive food and drink from the award-winning ABQ London “Breaking Bad” Cocktail Experience and St. Johns at Hackney Brewery.
Where: Bohemia Place, Hackney Central, London E8 1DU
3. For Independent Brands: Wild by Tart Christmas Fair
The Lowdown: On Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th of December, TART London will launch their inaugural Wild by Tart Christmas Fair at their new space in Eccleston Yards, Victoria. Created by Jemima Jones and Lucy Carr-Ellison, and Wild by Tart partner and Tom Warren (Lock Studios), the Fair will bring together the very best of the festive seasons’ shopping, eating and drinking to celebrate Christmas abundance with a cornucopia of their favourite brands, designers and artisans.
Why Visit:A beautiful selection of Christmas gifts will be available at a host of stalls, curated by Jemima and Lucy, from homeware to fashion, pantry fillers to pet presents, beauty to handbags and beyond. Highlights will include apparel from Être Cécile, Poplin, Madeline Thompson and Fitz and Fro in their signature styles, as well as ethical beachwear from Cloe Cassandro.
Food and Drink: Jemima and Lucy will be providing the fare throughout the day from the Wild by Tart kitchen, with street food bowls and indulgent grilled cheese sandwiches. At the bar, Christmas cocktails will be on hand to provide a break from shopping, alongside winter warmers of mulled wine, cider, and warm spiced apple juice.
Where: 3-4 Eccleston Yards, Belgravia, London, SW1W 9NF
4. For Food and Drink: The Pear Tree Cafe
The Lowdown: After the success of their market last year, the Christmas Market on Pear Tree Cafe’s outdoor terrace is bigger, with over 50 vendors selling artisan food and drink products as well as luxury gifts. Taking place across two days (8th and 9th Dec), the market will welcome carol singers as well as a selection of independent retailers all in attendance.
Why Visit: Vendors have been hand selected by founders Annabel Partridge and Will Burrett, with foodie favourites such as Rococo Chocolate, award-winning artisan cheese from Paxton & Whitfield, loose leaf tea from Good and Proper Tea and sparkling English wine from Wiston Estate. For design lovers, luxurious cashmere blankets from Zanula, playful gentlemens boxers from Pandoras Boxers and whimsical stationery from South London Letter Press will be on offer.
Eat and Drink: Pear Tree Cafe will be serving a festive menu alongside Christmas themed crepes and mince pies. There will also be a raclette stand serving molten cheese with charlotte potatoes, cornichons and pickled pearl onions and a marshmallow fire pit rolling out smores. And spiced mulled wines, warming cocktails and hot chocolate will be served from the hatch to help you stay toasty.
Where: The Pear Tree Cafe, Lakeside Cafe, Battersea Park, London SW11 4NJ
