If you ask someone where to go thrifting in London, chances are they’ll say Brick Lane. It’s packed with vintage shops and second-hand spots, and on a weekend it’s one of the best places in the city to spend an afternoon digging.

A word of warning though: Brick Lane is popular, and the prices reflect that. If you want the bargains, we’ll show you where to go for those too - a short walk down the road, off the tourist trail.

Here’s the full guide.

The chimney of the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, East London

Brick Lane: The vintage heartland

This is the main event. Most of these are within a few minutes’ walk of each other, so you can hit the lot in an afternoon.

ATIKA London

One of the biggest vintage stores in the area, with a genuinely wide selection across eras and styles. Prices can be steep - but head for the £5-£20 section and you’ll do much better. Worth the trip for the quality of their stock.

Quatrième

Right next door to ATIKA on Hanbury Street, it’s a beautifully curated vintage shop too, so there’s no excuse not to pop in while you’re there.

The Brick Lane Vintage Market

A big indoor market with plenty of vintage sellers under one roof, so there’s something for most tastes. It is touristy, and the prices show it - don’t come expecting a steal. But if you’re hunting vintage on Brick Lane, it’s still worth a visit.

  • Address: 85 Brick Lane, E1 6QL

Rokit

A proper London institution for curated vintage. If you’d rather someone else did the digging and you just want good pieces, Rokit is the one.

Shop from Crisis, Brick Lane

Beautiful charity shop, curated to Brick Lane’s standards and rigth next door Rokit. It’s a nice browse, and every purchase supports Crisis’ mission to end homelessness.

Vintage Basement

A bit of a favourite, this one. Great selection, a clean and browsable layout, and - unusually for the area - genuinely reasonable prices. Just off Brick Lane on Cheshire Street.

Y2K Vintage

Does what it says on the tin: Y2K and 00s pieces, right on Brick Lane.

MSSY Vintage

Just around the corner on Bethnal Green Road, and worth the two-minute detour. Their customer service is great and their collection is a unique. Even if you don’t end up buying anything, it’s 100% worth a browse.

Off the tourist trail: Whitechapel’s charity shops

Here’s the bit most people miss. Walk a few minutes down Brick Lane towards Whitechapel and you’ll find charity shops that are far less glamorous than the Brick Lane vintage boutiques - and far, far better value. The stock is great and the prices are a fraction of what you’ll pay on the main drag. If you want to actually score something, this is where to do it.

Islamic Relief Shop, Whitechapel

A genuinely good charity shop on Whitechapel Road, and 100% worth the walk. Great stock, honest prices.

  • Address: 135-137 Whitechapel Road, E1 1DT

Spitalfields Crypt Trust

SCT’s Whitechapel shop supports their work with people recovering from addiction and homelessness. Another one where the stock punches well above the price tag.

A note on opening hours

Brick Lane is at its busiest - and most of the vintage shops and markets are in full swing - at the weekend, so that’s when to go if you want the full experience. Hours vary between the vintage shops, the market and the charity shops, so it’s worth checking a shop’s current times on Ganddee before making a special trip.

Brick Lane deserves its reputation - but the real trick is combining it with the Whitechapel charity shops down the road. Curated vintage when you want it, proper bargains when you don’t.

Find vintage shops, charity shops and second-hand spots near you by downloading Ganddee.