Smithfield Market
Smithfield Market
4
12:00 AM - 7:00 AM
Monday
12:00 AM - 7:00 AM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 7:00 AM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 7:00 AM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 7:00 AM
Friday
12:00 AM - 7:00 AM
Tours & experiences
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Top ways to experience Smithfield Market
The area
Address
Neighborhood: Clerkenwell
Owing to its proximity to Smithfield Market – the site of an ancient meat market which remains in operation today – Clerkenwell boasts a plethora of globally renowned restaurants, fabulous local eateries, and some of London's favorite pubs. This isn't merely a focal point for all things foodie though. Spend enough time wondering through the area's maze of streets and you might become accustomed to the litany of slinky models passing between Clerkenwell's handful of fashion houses. Far outnumbering the models are craftspeople and designers, many of them are more than happy to welcome visitors into their studios and showrooms.
How to get there
- Barbican • 4 min walk
- Farringdon • 4 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
10,000 within 3 miles
Attractions
2,838 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
92 reviews
Excellent
31
Very good
51
Average
6
Poor
3
Terrible
1
C P
3 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
Avoid ABBIJOE Ltd number 47, me and my partner visited Smithfield Market for the first time and was completely shocked and disappointed at the utter rudeness of the staff at Abbijoe Ltd. The gentleman had absolutely no customer service skills and when enquiring about the cost per kg for lamb cutlets was exceptionally rude. I did not want to purchase from them as I refuse to let my hard earned cash go to the hands of people who have no manners or human decency. We decided to walk away and the man serving us shouted at us to not come back and we definitely will not and I do not recommend anyone else to purchase from them either. I hate to think that we was treated in such a way because we were black but there are many other polite and helpful butchers in Smithfield Market. It is a shame one bad butcher can tarnish your experience which was the case.
Written August 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HolidaymakerfromHove
Brighton and Hove, UK2,858 contributions
Oct 2020
Still very much a working meat market. We visited as part of a walking tour in the area.
Get there before 10.00 if you want to see the meat sellers in action.
Great architecture.
Recommended if in the area.
Get there before 10.00 if you want to see the meat sellers in action.
Great architecture.
Recommended if in the area.
Written October 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sonzzell
Stoke Poges, UK94 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
Great experience. Opened to the public at 12 midnight until 7am We went to get the Christmas Turkey and a Fore-rib of Beef both delicious.
This market did get very busy so to avoid disappointment I would recommend you get there before 1 am , as once its gone its gone .
This market did get very busy so to avoid disappointment I would recommend you get there before 1 am , as once its gone its gone .
Written January 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
soinic
Lux.2,924 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
October 2024: Huge, noisy, dirty ... construction work going on. Plenty of sidewalks and streets are blocked.
Keep on walking, nothing to see. Circulez, rien à voir.
Keep on walking, nothing to see. Circulez, rien à voir.
Written October 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Morgan
London, UK98 contributions
Dec 2019 • Friends
I am not the biggest meat lover, some stalls were not for me.
All traders are very friendly but it’s really about choice.
At Christmas it was hectic with customers. Be patient you will get served.
There were a lot of stalls with pre orders.
- I will visit again for meat (BBQ, Christmas, Occasions)
I brought from:
James Burden Ltd
The guys were so helpful, really knowledgable, they have multiple stores in the market, very clean.
I was happy thank you.
All traders are very friendly but it’s really about choice.
At Christmas it was hectic with customers. Be patient you will get served.
There were a lot of stalls with pre orders.
- I will visit again for meat (BBQ, Christmas, Occasions)
I brought from:
James Burden Ltd
The guys were so helpful, really knowledgable, they have multiple stores in the market, very clean.
I was happy thank you.
Written January 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicki
London, UK7 contributions
Nov 2018 • Solo
Went here yesterday at 5am . Got a 2.7kg of fillet beef which was vacumn packed . Got home and opened it up to cut up and freeze and keep some fresh for dinner . On opening the smell was over welming but looked fine . Froze main bit and put the fillet steaks I cut in the fridge for the next morning. This morning I've gone to cook and the steaks I have cut are now bluey green and smell awful . Can anyone tell me if this is normal for fresh vacumned beef or have I been robbed of my hard earned cash
Written November 10, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Iain D
Phnom Penh, Cambodia28 contributions
Jan 2017 • Solo
It was my 4th visit last week, and it just gets better. This is because I have got to know where to buy what I want, I have a few favourite traders and have learnt a few rules.
#1 Know what you want
#2,walk up and down the entire length before buying anything.
#3 Ask prices per KG - and walk away
#4 Be very careful of anything with a flat price - insist on a per KG price
#5 Know what the supermarket prices are.
The bulk of the trade is done early and at the back doors, the inner walkway is where retail punters go, and the prices go up to reflect that. BUT... find a trader that has too much of something and it can get cheap in a big hurry. So, follow the above rules and you will have a good chance of finding a bargain.
A recent example... 3 x Huge T-Bones @ 1 kilo EACH and 1.5Kg of fillet steak. £50 the lot.
#1 Know what you want
#2,walk up and down the entire length before buying anything.
#3 Ask prices per KG - and walk away
#4 Be very careful of anything with a flat price - insist on a per KG price
#5 Know what the supermarket prices are.
The bulk of the trade is done early and at the back doors, the inner walkway is where retail punters go, and the prices go up to reflect that. BUT... find a trader that has too much of something and it can get cheap in a big hurry. So, follow the above rules and you will have a good chance of finding a bargain.
A recent example... 3 x Huge T-Bones @ 1 kilo EACH and 1.5Kg of fillet steak. £50 the lot.
Written January 15, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patrick C
Eastbourne, UK8 contributions
Oct 2018 • Business
I deliver meat to Smithfield market daily and some of the meat shops are the best around and alot cheaper than supermarket prices kilby is the best shop for beef also warman and gutteridge pork from James burden and chicken from Peter Thompson I must have saved 1000s by shopping here over the years 5 stars
Written October 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
M4tthewuk
15 contributions
Feb 2015 • Solo
The building itself is pretty interesting and populated by almost exclusively male traders you certainly get to experience proper London if you pay the market a visit. Traders are arranged down one long corridor, they have a stall at the front and behind is a large chiller area with in many cases hanging carcasses and so on. Best to get there by about 7am, although some stalls are open later you will get the best variety if you get there early. This is a commercial market aimed at restaurants and butchers but you can buy in smaller quantities too. Just keep in mind that small by Smithfields standards is still pretty large in most cases, so you are talking about chicken fillets in multiples of 5kg, whole sirloin, ribeye and fillet steaks (i.e. 5kg+), bacon in 2kg packs, sausages in 1.5kg packs. There are one or two stalls that sell meat cut to portions but I would imagine you pay a premium for this.
Some example prices: british chicken fillets £18 for 5kg, sirloin/ribeye steak £8/kg, whole duck £7+, dry cure bacon £9 for 1.5kg
Some example prices: british chicken fillets £18 for 5kg, sirloin/ribeye steak £8/kg, whole duck £7+, dry cure bacon £9 for 1.5kg
Written February 12, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The honest customer
London, UK1 contribution
Jun 2017 • Solo
I went to Smithfield's for the first time this morning around 05:45.
90% of the stall were still open and I picked up some great deals.
10kg box of chicken legs £13
5.6kg Pork spare ribs £17
3kg lamb chops £20
I did not even pay too much attention to the beef products as I would have spent way too much!
if you have not been get yourself down there.
Don't forget to shop around
90% of the stall were still open and I picked up some great deals.
10kg box of chicken legs £13
5.6kg Pork spare ribs £17
3kg lamb chops £20
I did not even pay too much attention to the beef products as I would have spent way too much!
if you have not been get yourself down there.
Don't forget to shop around
Written June 30, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Have visited and bought meat on a few occasions, but not really sure which day of the week is best to go. Have arrived early (2.30 am) but sometimes things "sold out". Are there days when there are more supplies than others?
Written August 28, 2019
Is this a place for tourists to eat? (That is, should I plan to be here at lunch?...I see it opens at 2 am.... :-O ) Or is it all retail market, to buy stuff to make/cook at home? Are there shops besides food (souvenirs, jewelry, knick knacks, bric a brac, and such)? Thanks!!
Written March 10, 2017
No it's not the kind of place you go to eat, try Borough market for that, this is more for your raw produce. Individuals can buy but mostly for trade buyers.
Written May 24, 2018
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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