Brick Lane

Brick Lane is a street in the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, known for its long association with successive immigrant communities and for its concentration of curry restaurants and street markets. The name derives from local brick and tile manufacture that established the area as a production zone from the early modern period onward.

The street and its side lanes form a compact cultural district about 1 kilometer in length, with a busy Sunday market, independent vintage and food vendors, galleries and nightlife. It is widely known for its large number of Bangladeshi restaurants, a strong tradition of Jewish and Huguenot businesses in previous centuries, and extensive street art that covers walls and shopfronts.

The street’s population and character changed several times over the last 300 years. Huguenot weavers arrived in the 17th and 18th centuries, followed by a significant Jewish community in the 19th and early 20th centuries. From the mid 20th century onward Brick Lane became a centre for Bangladeshi migrants and the street developed a reputation for curry houses and cultural festivals.

Brick Lane sits in the Spitalfields area of the East End, immediately east of the City of London and within walking distance of Liverpool Street station and Aldgate East station. The street connects with the wider market and gallery areas around the Old Truman Brewery and Spitalfields Market.

• Best times to visit: Weekend mornings are busiest for the market and street food; weekday evenings are best for restaurants and galleries when businesses open later.
• Transport: Closest London Underground stations are Aldgate East and Liverpool Street, and the street sits within the Borough of Tower Hamlets in London's East End.

What to See #

• Brick Lane Market: A multi-vendor market that runs along and off the street on weekends, with vintage clothing, international street food, and antiques stalls concentrated around the Old Truman Brewery complex.
• The Truman Brewery: A former 19th-century brewery converted into galleries, shops, bars and event space that forms a cultural hub on the north side of the street.
• Street Art: Extensive commissioned and informal murals, stencils and paste-ups that cover shopfronts, shutters and alleyways; new works appear frequently and many pieces are ephemeral.