West Yard, Camden Lock: what to eat and when to go
West Yard is the food courtyard at Camden Lock: free to walk into, cheap to eat in, and best before noon on a weekday.
By Only Camden Editorial
Free to walk in, street-food prices, roughly 10:00 to 18:00 daily. West Yard is the canal-side food-and-drink courtyard of Camden Lock Market, at Camden Lock Place, NW1 8AF. Go on a weekday before noon if you want elbow room. Stalls set their own hours, so check the one you are aiming for.
What West Yard is
Camden Market describes itself as three quarters: Lock, Stables and Hawley Wharf. West Yard sits in the Lock quarter. Do not confuse it with North Yard, which is in the Stables at Chalk Farm. Lonely Planet calls West Yard a good place to start for food, with cuisines running from French and Argentinian to Japanese and Caribbean.
Entry to the market is free, according to Tripadvisor reviewers, so you only pay for what you eat and drink.
A little history
The gin story is the one to know. In the 19th century the stretch from Camden Lock to the Roundhouse was industrial, full of distilleries and warehouses, mostly making gin. Camden Market says Camden Lock was one of London’s largest gin distilleries from 1869 to 1964. Not much is left apart from street names such as Juniper Crescent.
The market itself began on 30 March 1974 as a small Sunday craft market, according to Wikipedia. Camden Market says it started with 16 stalls beside Regent’s Canal in Dingwalls Yard, the former T. E. Dingwall builders’ yard. It marked its 50th anniversary in 2024.
What to eat
Traders change, so expect some stalls to differ from the ones below. These are named on Camden Market’s own pages.
- Oli Baba’s, the modern Middle Eastern pitch, for halloumi fries. Tripadvisor reviewers quote about £7 to £8 a portion, so treat that as a guide.
- The Cheese Wheel, fresh pasta finished in a giant wheel of parmesan. Camden Market lists it as a West Yard trader. Check the current price at the stall.
- Melt, West Yard Unit 17, which Camden Market calls the unmissable toasted sarnie spot in West Yard. Grilled cheese is the order. It lists 10:00 to 17:00 daily, so do not leave it late.
- Also on the West Yard page: Yorkshire Burrito, MeatHead Mexican (known for birria tacos), Stakehaus and Bad Vegan.
For a price band, think street food: typically under about £15 a dish. Look at the stall menu before you queue.
If you want something to take home rather than eat, Boom Cat, a second-hand and contemporary bookshop, is placed in West Yard by the market’s gift guide.
Gin, if you fancy a project
Half Hitch Gin is a micro-distillery at 53 West Yard, Camden Lock Place. It is flavoured with botanicals including Malawian black tea and Calabrian bergamot. The name comes from the knot used to tie barges at the lock. Mark Holdsworth launched it in 2014, and Camden Market says he was born and raised in Camden. A 70cl bottle was listed at £36.45 at Master of Malt, so shop prices may differ.
Camden Market says the distillery has an open doors policy, so you can watch the distilling. Its Gin School runs weekly: you see how the gin is made, taste it and make your own. It is ticketed, so book ahead. Prices quoted across listings run from around £70 to £75, so confirm on Half Hitch’s own booking page.
When to go
- Hours: Camden Market says it is open seven days a week, including bank holidays, and closed only on Christmas Day. Roughly 10:00 to 18:00 daily is the safe working line, though individual stalls vary.
- Quietest: one visitor guide says weekdays before noon. Weekend afternoons are packed.
- Booking: walk-up street food needs none. Only Gin School does.
For after: Lockside Camden
Stay put. Lockside Camden is a bar, restaurant and music venue at 78 to 89 Upper Walkway, West Yard, NW1 8AF, with a terrace overlooking the yard and Regent’s Canal. DesignMyNight says the terrace seats 100. It is open late at weekends, but check before going as listed hours differ.
Getting there
West Yard is at the Camden Lock end of the market, a short walk from Camden Town station on the Northern line. Chalk Farm is the other nearby station, about 400m from Lockside Camden according to Thatsup.
Read more on Camden Market’s West Yard page, the Gin School listing and Lockside Camden.
