More than a market.. (Camden Town)

Member Name: vhart

Product:	Camden Town
Date:	03/09/00 (183 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Vibrant, trendy without being intimidatingly so!

Disadvantages: Lots of people, dodgy pizzas

Camden, or rather Camden Town (to distinguish this area from the whole borough!), is most famous for the markets which cover whole swathes of Chalk Farm Rd, from Camden Tube Station, past the Lock to the Stables Market. The markets each have their own particular characteristics and specialities and are open at different times during the week, some, such as the lock and stables markets are open all week, but the Electric Ballroom market and the Canal Markets are only open at the weekend.

As for the district itself, Camden town stretches roughly from Mornington Crescent Underground Station, now, happily restored, to Chalk Farm station, and up to the edges of Regent's Park and the zoo.

Quite a trendy spot, with not many of the snobbish overtones, there are many good eateries, pubs and venues in the vicinity. Up Chalk Farm road or just off it, there are a number of restaurants, from Wagamama's (cheapish Japanese noodle bar), Belgo Noord (more expensive Belgian restaurant, mussels from brussels and chips with mayonnaise!) but also Silk and Spice which is a nice little Indonesian Restaurant and the increasingly ubiquitous Nando's, as well as a large Safeway if you just want a sandwich!

There are a number of good clubs, like the Camden Palace, up by Mornington Crescent, or the Electric Ballroom on Chalk Farm Rd, and the Jazz Cafe, which has live jazz, but also doubles up as a club with a slightly older, less.. energetic clientele! (good for late-20s to late 30s crowd if they don't fancy somewhere filled by stoned 18 year olds!).


As for pubs, there are some with live music, such as The Monarch, the Fusilier and Firkin, opposite the Lock Market, as well as the famous Black Cap, a gay pub with a drag show at the weekends.

Further down the high street, towards Mornington Crescent, there are more 'regular' shops, a woolies and high street-style shops and a lot of charity shops that usually have some
interesting stuff in them, and as most people just head towards the market, they can be worth looking around if you want a bit of space!

Camden is one of the more vibrant spots in London, and has a bit of a buzz to it, but try not to let the 'trendy' label put you off, it's easy to find far less intimidating/cheaper places to go out than if you go into the centre, and though it is still quite touristy, it isn't as expensive.. generally... but try to stay away from the dodgy pizzas they sell on the streets, they really are highly unpleasant.

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