This post is part of my London Neighbourhood Guides series. Fancy visiting another area of London? Check out my other guides here, which all include information regarding the sights, history, charm, food and drinks of the area you’re curious about.
Tucked away in the heart of Hackney, London Fields is a vibrant neighbourhood that perfectly captures East London’s ever-evolving character. With its leafy park, buzzing markets, creative energy, and a rich mix of old and new, this area has become a magnet for locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re here for a weekend stroll, a flat white from a railway arch café, or a browse through independent shops and galleries, London Fields offers a snapshot of urban London at its most dynamic and eclectic.
Having lived about a 30-minute walk north of London Fields for six years, I really enjoyed my time here and am excited to share all its excitement and glory with you!
This blog post is part of my London Neighbourhood Guides series. Because the London Borough of Hackney is very large, I’ve split my coverage of Hackney into posts by neighbourhood. My first Hackney post was on Hackney Central, and this one is on London Fields. The border of the Borough of Hackney is marked with a bold purple outline below, and the specific neighbourhood of London Fields is highlighted in light green.
London Fields
Like Hackney Downs, London Fields is both a park and a neighbourhood. It’s one of Hackney’s most popular green spaces, and for me, it will always be the epitome of summer memories. That said, it’s also a great place to walk through when the leaves turn orange in autumn. I have many fond memories of grabbing a coffee nearby and soaking up the crisp air and rare winter sun, when it decided to come out!
London Fields has a council lido, which is one of the best in all of East London. The water is temperature-controlled so that you can go all year long. My favourite time of the year to go is actually spring, before everyone seems to rediscover the lido in the summer. The lido has a lovely community of swimmers, and it’s affordable, too. You can do one-day visits or buy a pass that gets you a small discount at your chosen pool or across all pools in the borough.
Broadway Market
Walking down through London Fields leads to Broadway Market. Broadway Market has been home to market traders since the 1890s. Today, it operates on the weekends and is a mixture of fresh produce, vintage clothes, flowers, coffee, books and grocery stands.
The street is still worth visiting during the week because it’s lined with plenty of shops, restaurants, bars and coffee shops. A good stop is Climpson & Sons. They started as a market stall on Broadway Market in 2002, they were pioneers in the UK specialty coffee scene. A few decades later, their ambition is to continue sourcing, roasting and crafting the finest coffees from the heart of East London.
Another lovely spot is just off Broadway Market, the Oren Deli. It’s from the same people who run Oren, a Mediterranean/Levantine restaurant on Shacklewell Lane in Dalston. The deli offers daily-made lunches, foodstuffs, ingredients, and wines. The freshly baked pitas are so good! As is their labneh.
The Arches
London Fields is also the name of an Overground stop, with elevated tracks running past the park, roughly parallel to Broadway Market. Beneath these raised tracks are a series of arches. In the 1980s and 90s, many of these arches were empty and derelict, but over time, they’ve become home to a diverse mix of small businesses. Today, you’ll find everything from car repair shops, cabinet-makers, and secondhand furniture dealers to brewers, bakers, and coffee roasters.
At the top of London Fields, just to the side of the arches, is the famous Pophams. They started as a bakery in Islington and indeed are incredibly famous for their baked goods. In fact, I would say Pophams is a London institution and a must-visit. They tackle classics like croissants and pain au chocolat, but also experiment with unique flavour combinations for their danishes, like rhubarb and pomegranate compote with almond and custard, or pistachio with blood orange. In 2019, they opened their second location in London Fields, where they also turned into a pasta restaurant in the evening. Check out my review of their pasta restaurant.
Now, as for the actual arches, one well-known resident, which is pretty much under the overground station, is E5 Bakehouse. You’ll always see plenty of East Londoners flocking to the bakehouse for delicious baked goods.
Further down the tracks is Climpson’s Arch, which is owned by Climpson & Sons. Since its beginning, Climpson’s Arch has been a home to innovation, both within coffee and food. They have leased out the arch for restaurant residencies for many years now and have quite the alumni list, like Som Saa and Smoking Goat. The current resident is Brat, a wood-fired restaurant. Their location in Shoreditch has one Michelin star, but this location is simply magical because of the setting. As Jay Rayner put it: ‘I love the rackety, freestyle vibe’.
Another great arch resident is Pockets. They started out as a shack in Netil Market (see below), and then finally were able to get their own spot just a few minutes up the road. They do delicious plant-based pitas that are moreish and stuffed full of goodness!
Further down the arches is Forest Road Brewing, a taproom and dive bar. Their brewery moved to Bermondsey a few years ago, but that means they can host more events at their London Fields spot.
A relative newcomer to the arches is Forno, an Italian bakery. They’re from the same team as Ombra, an Italian restaurant across the street. Forno became instantly famous because of their maritozzi, brioche buns scented with orange zest, vanilla, and honey, then filled with whipped cream. They have other great baked goods too, as well as Roman-style pizza!
Near the arches is one more spot I want to highlight simply because it’s incredible: the restaurant, Behind. They’re a fine dining restaurant that does a wonderful seafood and fish tasting menu, plus they have a Michelin Star. Their food revolves around the flavours and textures of sea vegetables, like seaweed, sea lettuce, and sea grapes. I went with my partner and mom, and we had an amazing time. It’s a really special experience, and in my opinion, really good value!
Netil
Right around the corner is the Netil House campus, which is home to several great spots. Netil Market is an outdoor stalls market featuring some delicious lunch options. Several famous places across London had their start here, including BAO, Sonora Taqueria, Willy’s Pies, and Pockets. The rotation changes fairly often, but somehow the market is always able to attract really great talent!
Since opening in 2009, the former 1960s office block Netil House has become a Hackney landmark, home to creative leaders who drive culture forward. It has private studios, workshops, and offices, as well as coworking and flexible workspaces.
Neil House is home to two great bars: Nt’s Loft and Netil 360. Nt’s Loft is a New York-style loft space with an outdoor heated terrace, an indoor open-plan bar and club room. I’ve been here a couple of times with friends, and there’s always good music and drinks at this warehouse-chic bar.
On the rooftop is Netil 360, a cosy rooftop with a bar, terrace, and beer garden. This is one of the best spots to hang out on a beautiful sunny day in London. They also have DJs every Friday and Saturday night.
Regent’s Canal
Between Broadway Market and the arches runs a section of Regent’s Canal. The runs under Broadway Market and then curves along the road with industrial views of warehouses, rail bridges and gasometers.
There are two great places to try along this part of the canal. The first to mention is Cafe Cecilia, one of my favourite restaurants in London. It has gotten a lot of hype since its opening in 2021, but I honestly think the hype is worth it. I love St John, a London institution, but unfortunately, I’m sometimes limited with my options because it’s ultimately a nose-to-tail restaurant. Places like Rochelle Canteen and Cafe Cecilia are much more fish and veggie heavy, so I can enjoy the whole experience! I think Cafe Cecilia has a way with flavour combinations that feel familiar, yet updated at the same time.
Another lovely spot along the canal is Yeast. They’re a French-Asian bakery that specialises in viennoiserie. I first came to know them when they were a resident under the arches, where Forest Road Brewing is now. They had very limited hours, but I still made the effort to get their croissants and kouign-ammans. They then moved to a spot along the canal, where they now have extended hours and offer some brunch options! They’re particularly famous for their kouign-amanns as they’re quite distinct from other kouign-amanns I’ve tried, and they do a variety of flavours.
Mare Street
The last piece of London Fields that I want to mention is the lively Mare Street. Just a short walk from London Fields, Mare Street is one of Hackney’s main arteries—bustling, eclectic, and full of character. It runs north to south through the borough, connecting different corners of East London, and serves as a kind of spine for the local community. Along its length, you’ll find everything from historic buildings and old-school pubs to trendy cafés, art spaces, and late-night takeaways. Mare Street captures the contrasts that define Hackney: the gritty and the polished, the traditional and the new, all sharing the same stretch of pavement.
An example of the new side is Facing Heaven, a Chinese restaurant. I first went thinking it was a mixed diet restaurant, but halfway through my meal realised everything is vegan! I had no idea, which just goes to show how authentic it felt. Facing Heaven is a mix of Cantonese, Yunnan and Shaanxi food, and it’s all delicious!
Just down the road from Facing Heaven is Mare Street Market, a stylish and spacious venue that blends food, drink, design, and retail under one roof. Housed in a converted warehouse, it features an artisan bakery, a wood-fired pizza spot, a podcast studio, and even a florist. The vibe is creative and relaxed—perfect for everything from a casual brunch to a late-night cocktail.
Tucked away at 69 Mare Street, Diddy’s is a vibrant cocktail bar that effortlessly transforms from a cosy daytime café to a lively evening hotspot. Founded by Diddy Varley in 2016, this female-owned establishment has become a beloved fixture in Hackney’s nightlife scene. With its eclectic décor, friendly atmosphere, and a menu offering both classic and inventive cocktails, Diddy’s provides a welcoming space for locals and visitors alike. I absolutely love their cocktails, they’re some of the best in all of Hackney.
And finally, there’s Five Points Brewery & Courtyard, a must-visit for craft beer lovers. The brewery offers a rotating selection of fresh, locally brewed beers on tap, including their popular Pale Ale and XPA. The courtyard is a lively, open-air space that fills up on weekends with locals enjoying drinks, street food, and occasional live DJ sets. It’s a laid-back, community-focused spot.
As you leave the south end of London Fields, you’ll be in Haggerston, which means another blog post! Hackney is a massive borough, but the above bits and pieces are really the heart of the area. It’s my favourite place to be, so I hope you enjoyed this guide to central Hackney.
Look out for more blog posts on other neighbourhoods in Hackney!
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[…] they opened a second cafe in a huge, wonderfully modern space, this time in Hackney, just north of London Fields. This firmly brings Pophams into the East London sphere of brilliant bakeries. However, they also […]