East London Street Art & Food Tour
Walking TourFood Tour3.5 hours
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Why we love it
Most Shoreditch tours feel like a greatest hits of Instagram locations. This one goes deeper — the guide lives in the area and adjusts the route based on what's new. The food stops are excellent (the Bengali curry house alone is worth the ticket price).
Best for
FoodiesArt loversSolo travellersReturn visitors
Our tips
- Come hungry — there are four food stops and the portions are generous
- Wear comfortable shoes; the tour covers about 2 miles on mostly flat ground
- Brick Lane Market operates on Sundays — combine the tour with a market visit if your schedule allows
- Bring a camera with decent zoom — some of the best pieces are high up on buildings
In detail
East London moves fast. The street art in Shoreditch is famously ephemeral — a mural you saw last month may already be painted over. That's part of the appeal, and it's exactly why having a local guide matters. No printed guidebook can keep up with what's on the walls this week.
This tour starts near Shoreditch High Street and weaves through the backstreets that most visitors walk straight past. The guide — who lives in the neighbourhood — adjusts the route based on what's new, which means no two tours are quite the same. You'll see work by established names (Stik, Ben Eine, ROA) alongside newer pieces, and the guide explains the culture and economics of street art in a way that makes you see the walls differently.
The food stops are the other reason to book. Brick Lane is famous for its curry houses, but the guide takes you to the ones that locals actually eat at rather than the ones with men standing outside trying to drag you in. The Bengali food stop alone — a no-frills family-run place on a side street — is worth the price of the tour.
Between the art and the food, you'll learn about the neighbourhood's layered history. Huguenot silk weavers, Jewish immigrants, the Bangladeshi community, and now the tech startups — Brick Lane has been London's arrival neighbourhood for centuries, and each wave has left its mark on the buildings, the food, and the culture.
By the end you'll have eaten well, seen art you couldn't have found on your own, and understood a part of London that most visitors only scratch the surface of.
What's included
Included
- Expert local guide who lives in the neighbourhood
- 4 food tastings at local favourites (Bengali, Vietnamese, bakery, and more)
- Street art walking tour covering Shoreditch and Brick Lane
- Small group size (max 12 people)
Not included
- Additional food and drinks beyond the included tastings
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities (optional)
Frequently asked questions
The four tastings together are roughly equivalent to a light lunch — generous enough that you won't be hungry afterwards, but not so heavy that you'll want to lie down. We recommend having a light breakfast beforehand and skipping lunch plans.
Vegetarian options are available at every stop, and the guide can usually accommodate vegan and gluten-free requirements with advance notice. Let the operator know when you book — they are used to handling dietary needs.
The price includes four food tastings, which account for most of the cost. A standard walking tour without food stops typically runs £15–25 per person. When you factor in the food, the small group size (max 12), and the specialist guide, the value is actually strong.
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