Famous bustling Sunday morning Columbia Road Flower Market 08:00-14:00: specialist Plant Growers and Nursery owners set out an enormous range of well priced flowers and plants for home and garden: traditional and popular varieties alongside unusual and contemporary choices per season: flower bulb, Mediterranean plants, topiary, palm trees, bamboo, tree ferns, perennials and herbs. A wonderful array of cut flowers that all have to be sold by the end of the day as real bargains...there is a frenzy of selling at incredible prices towards the close of the market with stall holders competing and bantering with each other to get the attention of the crowd.

Lining the flower market and occupying some of the nearby side streets, Columbia Road has lots of unusual shops, fashionable boutiques, designer studios, and galleries, cafes and restos. The historic setting and progressive attitude to design make this area well worth a visit.
If you need something to interest children and adults alike – Hackney City Farm (1a Goldsmith's Row E2 8QA) admission free. Tue - Sun 10 - 4:30. The café (Frizzante) serves organic food and is open weekends and some weekdays. 
For a post market stroll in the park - about a mile to the east is Victoria Park. The park has a café and Victoria Park Village nearby has a many interesting shops, pubs and restos.

The nearby Geffrye Museum at Kingsland Rd, displays furniture styles and how people lived throughout the centuries and includes a nice cafeteria.

Within ten minutes walking distance of Columbia Road is London's Brick Lane – an entire street devoted to authentic Bangladeshi Cuisine. The restaurants are extremely popular and open all day until late in the evening. Perfect for a quick bite or a multi course meal – the choice is extensive and the menus reasonably priced.
The Brick Lane Market (tube Aldgate East) is centred around the junction with Cheshire Street and Sclater Street and sells bric-a-brac as well as fruit, vegetables and many other items. Nearer to the junction with Hanbury Street are two indoor markets: Upmarket and Backmarket. Brick Lane is world famous for its graffiti.

Truman Brewery (world food & shopping)

Sunday Up-market (only Sundays shopping) 

Café Naz, curry resto, 46 Brick Lane

Vibe bar, 91 Brick Lane

Rokit, vintage, 101 & 107 Brick Lane, www.rokit.co.uk

Laden design, 45 independent designers, 103 Brick Lane,www.laden.co.uk

LCB surf store & coffee shop (internet café, fair-trade coffee/tea) 121 Bethnalgreen Rd

Hookah lounge, Lebanese café, 133 Brick Lane

City spice restaurant, curry resto, 138 Brick Lane

@work, silversmiths, 156 brick Lane

Brick Lane Beigel Bake, 159 Brick Lane

NOG gallery, 182 Brick Lane

Luna & curious, vintage and new, 198 Brick Lane

very exciting escape from the cloned high streets and discover 'hidden gems' from fashion, arts to interiors and property, as you wander through areas steeped in history but recently immersed in creativity and cutting edge style. visitspitalfields.com, is your independent guide to discover the most interesting shops, bars and restaurants. 

Thu:Antiques & vintage, Fri: Fashion & art, Sun: Busiest day - all shops & all stalls
opening times: stalls: Th & Fr 10:00-16:00 , Su 09:00-17:00; shops: Mo-Su 11:00-19:00

Canteen, terrace in the markethall, 2 Crispin Place (off Brushfield Str)

A. Gold, delicatessen, fresh sandwiches, Verde & Co, 40 Brushfield Str

Market Coffee House, 52 Brushfield Str

Ten Bells, nice pub, trendy & relaxed locals, 84 Commercial Str

Appletree, young fashion design,104 Commercial Str

Golden Heart, nice pub with artists, 110 Commercial Str

Absolute vintage, top vintage fashion,15 Hanbury Str, www.absolutevintage.co.uk The Big Chill, old Truman Brewery, Dray Walk, www.bigchill.net

Café 1001 bar, resto/take away, 1 Dray Walk/91 Brick Lane

Storz deli, bizar lunchresto, fresh take away!, 3 Dray Walk

Gloria”s, sneakers, 6 Dray Walk Public beware, women wear, 7 Dray Walk

Vision, hair cut, etc, 8 Dray Walk,

A Butcher of Distinction, men wear, 11 Dray Walk

eat at Carluccio´s at St. Christopher´s Place, Market Place or Fenwick of Bond Street

Marylebone Farmers Market, SO 10-14 with about 30-40 producers at Cramer Str car park

The Cabbages & Frocks Market, SA 11-17 at St. Marylebone Parish Church Grounds offers a colouful bio food & young designer´s & cottage industries fashion market organised by London Fashion Designer Sales

La Fromagerie (cheese and Italian products), Moxton Str 2-6

Ginger Pig (meat), Moxton Str. 8-10

Marylebone High Street often wins praise for its character and the ideal mix of shops and restaurants.

Cafe Luc, Marleybone High str. 50 (upbeat Belgian brasserie)

Divertimenti (kitchen tools), Marleybone High Sr 33-34

VV Rouleaux (offering the broadest and most creative ranges of ribbons, trimmings, tassels, tie-backs, flowers, display and decorations, as well as interior and fashion accessories), Marleybone Lane 102

and don´t forget nearby Chiltern Street, a quieter street notable for the high number of specialist women's outfitters and other specialty shops..