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 one of those neighbourhoods that captures East London’s constantly evolving character. Its leafy park and lido sit alongside busy markets, railway-arch businesses, independent shops, rooftop bars and some of the best places to eat in the area.
Having lived around a 30-minute walk north of London Fields for six years, I spent a lot of time here. I have summer memories of the park at its busiest, but also plenty of quieter visits involving coffee, long walks and the occasional appearance of the winter sun.
Because the London Borough of Hackney is so large, I’ve split my coverage into separate neighbourhood guides. This one follows London Fields from the park and Broadway Market through the railway arches, Netil, Regent’s Canal and Mare Street.
The border of the London Borough of Hackney is marked with a bold purple outline on the map below, with London Fields highlighted in light green.
Planning Your Visit to London Fields
How long to spend: Allow at least half a day, or a full day if you want to stop for lunch and drinks.
When to visit: Visit at the weekend if Broadway Market is a priority. During the week, the street is quieter but still worth exploring for its shops, cafés and restaurants.
Nearest station: London Fields Overground station is beside the park and railway arches.
Suggested route: Start in London Fields park, continue through Broadway Market, walk beside Regent’s Canal and the railway arches, then finish around Netil House or Mare Street.
London Fields Park and Lido
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 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.
Under the Railway Arches
London Fields Overground station sits on elevated tracks running roughly parallel to Broadway Market. Beneath them is a long series of railway arches that have gradually become home to an eclectic mixture of businesses. In the 1980s and 1990s, many of the arches were empty or derelict. Today, you’ll find everything from car-repair workshops and furniture dealers to bakeries, breweries, coffee roasters and restaurants. This mixture of older trades and newer food businesses is one of the things that gives the area its distinctive character.
At the top of London Fields, just beside the arches, is Pophams. It began as a bakery in Islington and has since become something of a London institution. Alongside classics such as croissants and pain au chocolat, Pophams experiments with seasonal flavour combinations for its danishes. The London Fields branch previously transformed into a pasta restaurant in the evenings. Sadly, the pasta restaurant has now closed, but I have kept my original review as a record of a place I genuinely loved. You can read it here.
Under the station itself is E5 Bakehouse, where you will nearly always find East Londoners queuing for bread and pastries.
Further down the tracks is Climpson’s Arch, owned by Climpson & Sons. Since opening, it has provided a home for a succession of inventive restaurant residencies, including Som Saa and Smoking Goat. Its setting beneath the railway gives meals here a loose, lively atmosphere that feels particularly suited to London Fields. 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 Market and Netil House
Right around the corner is the Netil House campus, which is home to several excellent places to eat and drink. Netil Market is an outdoor market featuring a rotating selection of independent food stalls. Several businesses that are now well known across London began here, including BAO, Sonora Taqueria, Willy’s Pies and Pockets. The line-up changes, but the market has a remarkable ability to attract exciting new food businesses.
Since opening in 2009, Netil House has transformed a former 1960s office block into a Hackney landmark. It contains private studios, workshops, offices and flexible workspaces, as well as two popular bars.
Nt’s Loft has an indoor bar and club space alongside a heated outdoor terrace. I’ve visited several times with friends, and there has always been good music and a relaxed atmosphere.
On the rooftop is Netil 360, with its bar, terrace and beer garden. It is one of my favourite places to spend a sunny afternoon in London.
Along Regent’s Canal
A section of Regent’s Canal runs between Broadway Market and the railway arches. The canal passes beneath Broadway Market before curving alongside warehouses, rail bridges and gasometers, giving this stretch a more industrial character than some of London’s prettier waterways.
There are two places along this part of the canal that I particularly recommend.
Cafe Cecilia is one of my favourite restaurants in London. It has attracted plenty of attention since opening, but I genuinely think the praise is deserved. I love restaurants such as St John, but its nose-to-tail approach can limit my options. Café Cecilia is much more fish- and vegetable-focused, allowing me to enjoy the whole experience. Its flavour combinations feel familiar and comforting while still being interesting.
Yeast is a French-Asian bakery specialising in viennoiserie. I first discovered it when it operated beneath the railway arches, where Forest Road Brewing is now. Its opening hours were limited, but I still made the effort to seek out its croissants and kouign-amanns. It has since moved beside the canal, with longer opening hours and a broader brunch offering.
Food and Drinks on Mare Street
Just a short walk from London Fields, Mare Street is one of Hackney’s main arteries. Running north to south through the borough, it brings together historic buildings, old-school pubs, independent businesses, restaurants and late-night spots. It captures many of the contrasts that define Hackney: the traditional and the new, the polished and the slightly rough around the edges, all sharing the same stretch of pavement.
One of my favourite newer additions is Facing Heaven, a vegan Chinese restaurant drawing inspiration from Cantonese, Yunnan and Shaanxi cooking. I first visited thinking it served a mixture of vegan and non-vegan food, only to realise halfway through the meal that everything was plant-based. I genuinely had no idea, which says a lot about how satisfying and full of flavour the food was.
Just down the road from Facing Heaven is Mare Street Market, a large converted warehouse bringing together food, drinks, retail and creative businesses under one roof. With its bakery, restaurant spaces, florist and bar, it works particularly well for a casual brunch, coffee or evening drink, especially when visiting with a group.
Tucked away at 69 Mare Street, Diddy’s changes from a relaxed daytime café into a lively cocktail bar in the evening. It has an eclectic, welcoming atmosphere and has become a much-loved part of Hackney’s nightlife. I particularly love the cocktails, which are among my favourites in the area.
Five Points Brewery & Courtyard is another good stop for drinks. The brewery serves a rotating selection of locally brewed beers, while the open-air courtyard becomes particularly lively at weekends. It has a relaxed, community-focused atmosphere and is a great place to finish a walk through London Fields.
As you leave the southern end of London Fields, you begin to move into Haggerston, which deserves a guide of its own.
London Fields is one of the easiest Hackney neighbourhoods to explore in a day. The park, Broadway Market, railway arches and excellent independent food businesses are all close enough to discover on foot, while each part of the neighbourhood still has its own distinct character.
Visit at the weekend for the full energy of Broadway Market, or come during the week for a quieter wander through one of my favourite parts of East London.
Looking for more of Hackney? Continue exploring with my guides to Hackney Central, Clapton and Stoke Newington, or browse the complete London Neighbourhood Guides series.
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[…] The towpath passes colourful houseboats, waterside cafés and pockets of greenery, with plenty of places where you can stop for coffee, brunch or lunch. Walk east, and you will eventually reach Broadway Market and London Fields, which I cover in my separate London Fields guide. […]