St Nicholas Market, known locally as St Nick's, is Bristol's oldest market, trading on the same site in the Old City since 1743. The main indoor market is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30am to 5pm, and closed Sundays, with more than 60 independent stalls selling street food, crafts and everyday goods across three linked sections. It's the easiest place in Bristol to eat a cheap, good lunch, and worth a browse even if you're not buying anything.
Where it is and what's there
St Nicholas Market sits between Corn Street and Wine Street in the Old City, Bristol's historic commercial heart. It's made up of three connected areas: the Exchange Hall, the Glass Arcade and the Covered Market, all under one roof, so you can wander between them without going back outside. Inside you'll find a genuine mix rather than a single theme: food stalls covering Caribbean, Sri Lankan, Middle Eastern and British cooking sit alongside independent traders selling vintage clothing, records, jewellery, books and crafts. The market has been recognised nationally for this mix, named one of the UK's 10 best markets by The Guardian and, more recently, Britain's Best Large Indoor Market.
The three markets, not just one
St Nicholas Markets is actually three separate operations under one name, each with its own hours:
| Market | Days | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| St Nicholas Indoor Market | Monday-Saturday | 9:30am-5pm |
| Bristol Indies' Market | Monday-Saturday | 10am-5pm |
| Street Food Market | First Friday of the month | 11am-2:30pm |
The Indoor Market is the main draw and the one open every trading day. Bristol Indies' Market runs alongside it with its own line-up of independent traders. The Street Food Market is a monthly add-on, so if you're visiting specifically for it, check the date lines up with the first Friday of the month before you plan around it. Trading days and times for the outdoor elements can shift, so the market's own Instagram or Facebook pages are the place to check for last-minute changes.
Eating there
If you want one reason to visit, it's lunch. The food stalls are where St Nicholas Market earns its reputation: a genuinely international spread of cheap, well-made food in a city centre location, from Caribbean patties to Sri Lankan curries, bao buns to Middle Eastern wraps. It's consistently the place locals point visitors to for an affordable, interesting lunch rather than a chain sandwich shop, and it gets busiest on weekday lunchtimes with office workers from the surrounding Old City.
Shopping there
Beyond food, the stalls lean independent and often quirky: think vintage and second-hand clothing, vinyl and books, handmade jewellery, and gifts you won't find on the high street. It's a good stop if you want a Bristol souvenir that isn't mass-produced, and because the market has traded continuously for nearly 300 years, several stallholders have been there for decades, which is part of the appeal over a newer, more polished food hall.
Getting there
The market is right in the Old City, a short walk from Bristol Harbourside and the Clifton-bound bus routes, and it's well served by the city centre's main bus corridors if you're coming from further out. There's no dedicated market car park, so if you're driving in, check our Bristol parking guide for the nearest options, since this part of the Old City is mostly paid, short-stay parking. It also sits close enough to Wapping Wharf and the harbourside food scene that you can treat the two as a single food-focused afternoon.
When to go
Weekday lunchtimes are the busiest and most atmospheric time, with the full range of food stalls open and trading at pace. If you'd rather browse without the lunchtime crowds, a mid-morning visit on a weekday is quieter, though fewer food stalls may be in full swing that early. Saturdays bring a different, more weekend-shopping crowd rather than the office lunch rush.
Frequently asked questions
What are St Nicholas Market's opening hours?
The main Indoor Market is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30am to 5pm, and closed on Sundays. Bristol Indies' Market runs Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and the Street Food Market is a monthly event on the first Friday of the month, 11am to 2:30pm.
How old is St Nicholas Market?
It's been trading on the same site since 1743, making it Bristol's oldest continuously used market.
How many stalls are there at St Nicholas Market?
More than 60 independent stalls across the Exchange Hall, Glass Arcade and Covered Market, the three linked sections that make up the main Indoor Market.
Is St Nicholas Market good for lunch?
Yes, it's one of the best cheap lunch spots in central Bristol, with food stalls covering Caribbean, Sri Lankan, Middle Eastern and British food, all in a short walk of the Old City's offices and shops.
Is St Nicholas Market open on Sundays?
No, the main Indoor Market and Bristol Indies' Market are both closed on Sundays, trading Monday to Saturday only.
Is there parking at St Nicholas Market?
There's no dedicated market car park. The surrounding Old City has paid, short-stay parking; see our Bristol parking guide for the nearest options, or use public transport given the market's central location.