Things to Do in London Fields (E8): A Local Guide
By the Islington Local Guide team. Last walked and updated June 2026.
London Fields is the triangle of green at the heart of E8, and the streets that fan out from it. The park gives the area its name and its rhythm, but the real draw is everything pressed up against it: a heated lido open all year, the Saturday sprawl of Broadway Market, a row of pubs and bakeries that locals are quietly protective of, and the railway arches where the bread is milled on site. It runs down to the Regent’s Canal at one end and up towards Hackney Central at the other.
I spend a lot of my weekends here, and the honest truth is you do not need a plan. A swim, a coffee, a wander through the market and a pint by the park is a full day. Here is how I’d do it, with everything checked and current.
The short version
Where is London Fields, and how do I get there?
London Fields is in E8, between Hackney Central to the north and Bethnal Green to the south. The easiest arrival is London Fields station on the Weaver line, which drops you a couple of minutes from both the park and Broadway Market. Hackney Downs is a short walk north, and Bethnal Green(Central line) is about fifteen minutes on foot. Buses 26, 48, 55, 106, 254, 388 and D6 all run nearby along Mare Street.
London Fields park: the green heart –Things to Do in London Fields
Address: London Fields, E8 3EU
Good for: picnics, sport, a sunny weekend with no plan at all
On the first warm Saturday of the year it can feel as if all of east London has decamped onto this one patch of grass, and that is part of the charm. Under the plane trees there are tennis courts, a cricket pitch, an outdoor gym, two children’s playgrounds, a table tennis table and a wildflower meadow that is left to grow for the birds and insects. There is a dedicated barbecue area in summer, which keeps the smoke in one place. Bring a blanket, grab a coffee from the market end, and you are sorted.
London Fields Lido: the best swim in Hackney
Address: London Fields West Side, E8 3EU
Hours: daily, usually 6:30am to 9pm, floodlit for evening swims
Entry: modest day rate, book lane slots via the Better app
This is the one I send everyone to. A 50-metre Olympic-length outdoor pool, heated to around 25 degrees and open every day of the year, which means a swim under floodlights in January is genuinely one of the nicest things you can do in the borough. It is run by Better, with lane swimming through the day, a café kiosk and a sundeck for the warmer months. Slots fill fast once the weather turns, so book ahead on the app rather than turning up on a hot Saturday and hoping.
Broadway Market: the Saturday institution
Where: Broadway Market, E8, between London Fields and the Regent’s Canal
When: Saturday 9am–5pm (main day, 150+ stalls); smaller Sunday market roughly 10am–4pm; shops open daily
Broadway Market has been a trading street since the 1890s, and on Saturdays it still does the job better than almost anywhere in London. Food stalls run the length of it, from churros and birria tacos to oysters and cheese, alongside flowers, vintage and crafts. It is busy, but it never tips into the tourist crush of Borough. Come early, eat your way down towards the canal, and duck into the permanent shops and cafés that trade all week. A smaller market now runs on Sundays too if you want the calmer version.
Where to eat and drink –Things to Do in London Fields
Climpson & Sons
Address: 67 Broadway Market, E8 4PH
Hours: Mon–Fri 7:30am–5pm, Sat 8:30am–5pm, Sun 9am–5pm
One of the names that helped build east London’s coffee reputation. They roast their own beans, the baristas know what they are doing, and the breakfast and lunch menu leans on local suppliers. On a busy Saturday, look for their market stall nearer the canal end, which is often quieter than the café.
E5 Bakehouse
Address: Arch 395, Mentmore Terrace, E8 (beside London Fields station)
Good for: sourdough, pastries, a calm coffee under the arches
Started by Ben Mackinnon in 2011 in a railway arch, E5 has grown into one of the best bakeries in the area while staying true to itself. The bread is organic and the team mill their own flour on site, in the arch next door. There is a garden out the back, a proper brunch, and bread-making classes if you want to get your hands floury. My standing order is an almond pastry and a flat white.
Pavilion Cafe
Where: in London Fields park
Good for: brunch with a view of the grass
Sitting inside the park itself, Pavilion does a seasonal all-day brunch from the team behind Soho’s Ducksoup, and it is my pick for breakfast on a clear morning. Get a table outside, watch the dogs and the joggers, and ease into the day.
The Cat & Mutton
Address: 76 Broadway Market, E8 4QJ
Good for: Sunday roast, a pint on the corner of the park, late DJs
The pub on the corner where Broadway Market meets London Fields, dating back to 1729 when drovers walked their sheep past the door towards Smithfield. Restored in 2014 and now a Young’s pub, it spreads over two floors with a cocktail bar up a spiral staircase. Sunday roasts are the headline, there are DJs on Saturday nights and a quiz on Tuesdays, and the benches outside fill the moment the sun is out. The Dove, a little further down the market, is the long-standing alternative if you want Belgian beer and a quieter room.
Netil Market and the rooftop saunas
Where: Westgate Street and Netil Corner, E8 (a minute off Broadway Market)
Just off the main drag, Netil Market is the smaller, craftier sibling to Broadway: a courtyard of independent food traders and designer-makers, busiest at weekends. Above it, on the roof of Netil House, sit the Rooftop Saunas at Netil Corner. You book a private Finnish cabin by the half hour, with cold plunge barrels and cool-down space, and views across the city while you cook. Sessions start at around 11 pounds, it is over-18s only and reached on foot. Afterwards, Netil360 on the same rooftop does pizza and drinks. It is the most enjoyable hour in the area when the weather is grim.
Walk the Regent’s Canal
The bottom of Broadway Market runs straight down to the Regent’s Canal, and the towpath is the easiest way to extend a visit. Turn west and you can walk towards Hackney Road and Islington, turn east and you reach Victoria Park in about fifteen minutes. On a Saturday it is the natural way to walk off everything you have just eaten.
How to spend a perfect day in London Fields
London Fields FAQ –Things to Do in London Fields
Is London Fields worth visiting?
Yes. Within a short walk you have a year-round heated lido, one of London’s best Saturday markets, a strong run of pubs and bakeries, and the Regent’s Canal, all centred on a well-used park.
Is London Fields Lido heated?
Yes. It is a 50-metre outdoor pool heated to around 25 degrees and open all year, usually from 6:30am to 9pm, with floodlit evening swims. Book lane slots via the Better app.
When is Broadway Market on?
The main market runs every Saturday, 9am to 5pm, with around 150 stalls. There is a smaller Sunday market too, and the shops and cafés along the street trade daily.
What is the best pub in London Fields?
The Cat & Mutton at 76 Broadway Market, on the corner of the park. It dates to 1729 and is known for its Sunday roast and weekend DJs.
Can you swim outdoors in London Fields in winter?
Yes. Because the lido is heated, you can swim outdoors comfortably year-round, including under floodlights on winter evenings.
A note on how we put this together – Things to Do in London Fields
Every venue here was checked against current listings and the businesses’ own pages before publishing, and nothing goes in unless it is open and worth your time. We live and work across North and East London and visit these places ourselves. If something has changed since we last walked the park, tell us and we will fix it.
Best Things To Do in Hackney Central: The Ultimate Guide 2026
Best Things To Do in Hackney:The Ultimate Guide (2026)
Best Things To Do in Hackney Wick: The Ultimate 2026 Guide
Best Things To Do In Hackney This Weekend
Best Things To Do In Dalston: The Ultimate Local Guide (2026)
Best Things to Do in Broadway Market: The Ultimate Guide 2026
Best Things to Do in Clapton:The Ultimate 2026 Guide
The Best Nightlife in Hackney Wick: A Local’s Guide to East London’s Late-Night Playground 2026
Best Things To Do in Victoria Park: The Ultimate Guide 2026
Best Things To Do in Haggerston: The Ultimate Guide 2026
Best Things To Do in Hoxton: The Ultimate Guide 2026
Best Things to do in Shoreditch this weekend | 2026
:A%20Local%20Guide%202026){kind=link}