Shop
Glaswegian Gregg Boyd, the man behind Auld Hag, has been flying the flag for Scottish food in the capital for the past few years, and now he’s opened London’s very first Scottish deli. The Shoap (from the Scottish slang for ‘shop’) is stocked with the best produce from across Scotland, including Glasgow’s Bare Bones Chocolate; charcuterie from East Coast Cured in Leith; preserves from the Isle of Arran; and a range of cheeses salts, cakes, biscuits, Mackie’s crisps, haggis, square sausage, Stornoway black pudding, and Scottish beers. The counter is filled with Dundee cake, Ecclefechan tarts, shortbread and tablet for all your sweet treat needs. And if you’re eating in, you can choose from Glasgow morning rolls with square sausage, tattie scones, macaroni pies, and toasties in the daytime, with small plates on in the evenings. Basically it’s your one-stop-shoap for all things Scottish.
Nail your at-home grazing boards with products from Aga’s Little Deli. Pick up fresh British and French cheese, sourdough bread, eggs, butter, salami, and wine, and while you’re at it, make a quick pit-stop for coffee and a cake or a sandwich.
If you’re up for spending big bucks and looking for a real shopping experience, head to LN-CC. Recently re-opened after a four-year closure, the shop’s various different rooms, including their iconic, 2001: A Space Odyssey-esque tunnel, have been reimagined by designer Gary Card. And, for the first time, you’ll be able to drop by on weekends without an appointment so you can browse womenswear and menswear pieces from major fashion houses like Alexander McQueen, Chloe, Burberry, and Prada alongside up-and-coming designers, plus luxury lifestyle and homeware items.
Welcome to the farm — we mean farmshop. Wilfred Emmanuel Jones, the first black farmer in the UK, opened the Black Farmer Farmshop in Brixton complete with life-size cows, a deli counter, homeware, and premium wine. You can also grab a bite to eat inside the shop with a menu of freshly made sandwiches, desserts, and more.
A New Part-Restaurant, Part-Floristry Has Opened in the City
Stem & Stem is fusing British cuisine and locally-grown flowers in Central London
Michelin-trained chef Edward Boarland teamed up with floral and fashion industry veteran Dee Reid to create this fine dining, wine bar, and nature experience. As business — and life — partners, the pair combined their passions and opened Stem & Stem in November 2023, which prioritises sustainability and freshness by using local produce and ingredients from South East farmers. A constantly evolving menu by Boarland, who trained under Alain Roux, Clare Smyth, Gordon Ramsay, and Simone Zanoni, showcases British cuisine inspired by his everyday life and seasonal produce. Along with the evolving menu comes a changing wine list focused on European wine appellations.
Reid is responsible for the floristry side of things and uses British blooms to elevate the Stem & Stem experience into a sensory one. As well as popping in for lunch, dinner or drinks, the space, located near St Paul’s Cathedral, also hosts themed workshops for occasions like Mother’s Day, where you can learn how to create the perfect bouquet while tasting Stem & Stem small plates and drinking champagne.
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FLASHBACK RECORDS
An outpost of the city-wide franchise, Flashback Records in Crouch End is the ideal spot for some neighbourhood vinyl shopping. The original N8 location had been the site of a record shop for a while, having been home to Listen Records before Flashback took over in 2006, so music was pretty much in the bones of the place. They’ve since moved to a bigger space to make more room for their wide selection of used and new vinyl – and we’re not complaining!
WAPPING DOCKLANDS MARKET
The Wapping Docklands Market is open every Saturday, located along the edge of the Shadwell Basin. As well as stalls packed with fresh produce, there are indie brands selling specialty coffee, flowers, wellness products, fresh bread, cheese, craft German beers, wine, cocktails and more. Plus, there’s seating for up to 100 people, live music and a range of street food vendors so you can really make a day of it.
UMIT & SON
Since the 80s, cinema enthusiast Ümit Mesut has been running his video and film shop in Clapton, surviving the proclaimed death of analogue film through the sheer power of personality and nostalgia. Ümit & Son’s collection is the kind of expansive mass that’s clearly taken many years to bring together and every corner of the shop is covered in posters, tapes, reels and merch. As well as selling his wares, Ümit runs the 16mm movie club Ciné-Real alongside director Liam Saint-Pierre, as well as projection workshops, and rents out the 15-seater cinema at the back of the shop for £250 (just over £16 per person for a full house). Stop by – or bear this spot in mind for your next birthday party – if you love watching classics as they were intended to be watched.
BIG. BEAUTY
The first in-person shop of its kind, big. is dedicated to showcasing conscious beauty products at its flagship location in Victoria Park Village. There are plenty of cult brands on sale at the shop, some you may already recognise, including the likes of Mirror Water, Votary, Haeckels, Pelegrims, Sans[ceuticals], Horosoaps, Salt & Stone, Wild Source and The Seated Queen. As well as promoting the use of sustainable and cruelty-free skincare and wellness products, big. has designed its first bricks-and-mortar site to be totally circular by incorporating furniture made from discarded plasterboard (the most frequently wasted product in London), panels made from algae biomaterial, fixtures grown from mycelium (mushroom) biomaterial and more.
LO'S NOODLE FACTORY
As the name suggests, Lo’s is a noodle factory, but not just any noodle factory – this tiny backstreet spot, opened by owner Wai-keung Law’s great-uncle in 1978, is where 95% of Chinatown’s restaurants, as well as Hakkasan, get their ho fun and cheung fun noodles from. You can pick up your own bags of fresh noodles or baked goods like steamed buns from the bakery upstairs.
Founded by Cathal McAteer, London-based label Folk launched back in 2001 and after making a name for themselves in menswear, the brand dived into the world of womenswear in 2012. You can shop both ranges on Lamb’s Conduit Street, where there’s a Folk mens and a Folk womens store just a couple of doors apart (plus there’s another mens store in Shoreditch). Known for its pared-down aesthetic, Folk brings together high quality fabrics and considered detailing to create an understated style that focuses on shape and colour. Instead of following seasonal trends, Folk design high-quality timeless pieces that will stay in your wardrobe for years.
THE PEOPLE'S SUPERMARKET
The People’s Supermarket is inspired by food co-ops, so customers can work up to four hours worth of shifts a month at the shop in exchange for reduced food prices. They aim to keep produce affordable throughout the supermarket for non-members as well.
WEST HAMPSTEAD FARMERS' MARKET
The fact that West Hampstead farmers’ market has its very own mention on Goop says a lot – what exactly it says, is up to you. Expect to find hot food, seasonal herbs, flowers, and knowledgeable stall holders (with regulars who include Eden Farm veg, Wild Country organics, Brambletye and Millets Farm) here every Sunday.
MARYLEBONE FARMERS' MARKET
Being the land of the boujie, it’s no surprise that Marylebone’s farmers’ market was one of the first in London. It was established in 2003, around the time when the word ‘organic’ was gaining serious traction among certain demos and Madonna’s songs began centring around soy lattes, mini coopers and yoga (see ‘American Life’) – so, farmers’ markets were very much the vibe. And Marylebone’s farmers’ market is still going strong now, occupying Aybrook, St Vincent and the top of Moxon Street every Sunday without fail, stocked with the freshest fruits, veg, fish, meat, poultry and more.
ISLINGTON FARMERS' MARKET
The farmers’ market in Islington was not only the very first in London, but is also frequently voted the best. Head to Chapel Market on Sundays between 10am and 2pm to pick up some fruits & veggies from Perry Court Farm, salads & herbs from Nigels’ Lettuce, seasonal flowers from Grange Nursery and much, much more fresh produce. And why not make a day of it and go for a stroll along the canal afterwards?
NOTTING HILL FARMERS' MARKET
It may be home to the famous Portobello Road Market, but Notting Hill’s farmers’ market deserves some love too. It pops up at Fox Primary School every Sunday – rain or shine – with a selection of excellent, seasonal produce. Expect the likes of unpasteurised milk and cream from Hurdlebrook; herbs and salads from Nigel’s Lettuces and Lovage; fruit and vegetables from Perry Court Farm; flowers from Grange Nursery; local honey from Bee Friendly; and more.
PIMLICO ROAD FARMERS' MARKET
Held on the leafy Orange Square every Saturday from 9am – 2pm, Pimlico Road Farmers’ Market boasts one of the most pleasant locations of all the markets across the city. Around 25 – 30 stalls, including Windrush Valley Goat Dairy, Jam Mothers, Lord Pesto, Beatbush Farm Foods, Greens Made Easy and Honeypie Bakery, pack in each week bringing with them fresh fish and shellfish, organic veg, free range poultry, cakes and breads, local honey, eggs, flowers and more.
WALTHAMSTOW FARMERS' MARKET
Browse over 20 stalls at every Sunday from 10am – 2pm at the top of Walthamstow High Street. You can pick up everything from honey to organic veg to fresh pasta, from traders including The Flour Station, Ted’s Veg, Giggly Pig Co., Happy Bees and The Tomato Stall.