London Photo Gallery - Brick Lane

Brick Lane is named after the kilns set up here after the Great Fire to rebuild the city. During World War II, German bombers devastated the area as it was close to factories and docks. As the Jewish community moved on, the Bengalis from Sylhet took their place in the 1970s and 80s. Today, part of the street shows a strong Bengali influence with many shops and restaurants. All this is now under threat as gentrification looms. Within one of the former Truman Brewery buildings' basement is a vintage market. While the street is full of graffiti, there is a lively retail scene and it felt safe to walk around even in the early evening. The street has a wealth of eateries with many South Asian options and an increasing array of Chinese restaurants, such as a soup noodle shop from Hong Kong. Perhaps the most famous are 2 bagel shops. Beigel Bake (the white one) was established in 1974 by 2 Jewish brothers and operates 24 hours a day, with signature items including salt beef with mustard and chopped herring. The yellow one a few doors down has an even longer history going back to 1855.