Columbia Road & Brick Lane

I have lived in London for nearly five years and it must be a crime that I was yet to visit Columbia Road Flower Market... fear not, I now have and even though not strictly a foodie thing felt that it was worth sharing (especially as food soon followed).

The market itself is manic! Both sides of the street are lined with stalls manned by cockneys calling out the price of their wares, all the tourists and local East Londoners file along trying to pick up a bargain (a 2ft banana tree for £12, anyone?) and take pictures. Behind the stalls are lots of independent shops selling everything from garden equipment to art prints to cakes. The illustrator, Rob Ryan has also set up shop along here. There is a great atmosphere especially as the sun was shining.

We then walked back to Brick Lane and Spitalfields to check out the Sunday market. Brick Lane is famous for its curry houses, there seems like hundreds all along the road and off the little streets around it. I have been to a few but none live up to the ones in the Midlands! So we decided to try out one of the many food stalls that pop up along the lane on a Sunday.

I just went for a really simple chicken fried rice which was delicious, it doesn't look like much in the photo but it tasted amazing, not too salty as quick chinese food often can be but still packed full of flavour and very fresh.

I also couldn't resist a chocolate and hazelnut cookie from the cake stand called 'Taste on the road'. The high stack of them called me from afar.

The great thing about this food market is the hustle and bustle and that there is somewhere to sit - just grab one of the camping stools around one of the communel tables and people watch or check out players of the traditional Indian game, carrom.