This is by no means a comprehensive post about Herne Hill market. It’s so big and ever-changing that it’ll take a good couple of outings (and another pay packet) to get the full feel of the place. Nevertheless, the below should so far give a good idea of what the weekly market has to offer, to those who are yet to visit.

Located on the pedestrian paved area outside Herne Hill station and across from Brockwell Park, the market takes place every Sunday from 10am-4pm. The umbrella company is City & Country Farmers’ Markets Company, and together with Lambeth Council the Herne Hill Market was born.

There’s a good mixture of ready-to-eat dishes, deli foods (think huge slabs of cheese and charcuterie and there’s a stall pretty much dedicated to olives and beans), pop-up butchers and craft, records and interiors stalls. Basically, if you’re not careful, you could spend a LOT of money here (and gain a few weighty pounds in the process).

Some of the stalls are fairly regular, but every now and then a new one pops up. We spied a couple of fish stalls past The Commercial selling a great mix – you can happily walk away with a lobster, monkfish, whole salmons, huge mussels…

There were at least three fruit and veg stalls, not to mention the grocer’s shop on the concourse. Prices were very average but the quality and size of what was on offer puts supermarket fare into submission. We picked up a bunch of beetroot and carrots for £2, and spied HUGE courgettes (which we thought were marrows, ahem) for 80p.

Another great find was this stall selling all manner of homemade scotch eggs – chorizo, haggis, haddock, all with a rich, melting yolk in the middle. At £3.50 each they’re a treat but split in half and served with salad, they made a great lunch.

Next time we go we’ll grab a couple of boxes of salads from Rainforest Range, a Caribbean stall with colourful veggie flans, lentils and salads that makes healthy eating actually look fun.

One interiors stall we enjoyed poring over was Dolly Did It, who specialise in homemade, vintage and upcycled goods. We picked up a blue desk chair for £35 and if we had enough room, that gorgeous drinks trolley would be ours, too. Their website is still in construction but once it’s up, we reckon it’ll be worth a look.

 

On the other end of the homewares spectrum is Joan Longley, a botanical artist who creates beautiful cards and gift wrap in, well, botanical prints including this festive holly and ivy. You can pick up two sheets of paper with two gift tags for around £2.50 or thereabouts. She’s there every other week.

As mentioned earlier, this post is one that will be added to over time – there’s a lot more to offer than what we’ve mentioned here so far.

Herne Hill market, every Sunday.