Hoxton guide: the square, Hoxton Street, the Museum of the Home

Hoxton is the patch north of Old Street in the London Borough of Hackney, usually drawn between Regent's Canal to the north, City Road and Wharf Road to the west and Kingsland Road to the east. It is mostly N1, with the Museum of the Home on its E2 edge. Until 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch. Three places define it: Hoxton Square for drinks after dark, Hoxton Street for its Saturday market, and Kingsland Road for the Museum of the Home. Old Street station is five minutes' walk from the square.

Hoxton Square

Hoxton Square was laid out in the late 17th century, alongside Charles Square. In the 1990s, when artists moved into the area, Joshua Compston's Factual Nonsense gallery held art fetes on it. Today it is where most nights in Hoxton start or end.

Happiness Forgets, in the basement at 8-9 Hoxton Square: a small cocktail bar open from 5pm every day, with a promise of "Great Cocktails, No Wallies". Book through its site for a table.
Colours, 2-4 Hoxton Square: the old Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, relaunched in 2019, with a Main Bar, a Live Room, private karaoke for up to 30 and club nights until 3.30am on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Hoxton Street Market

Hoxton Street runs north from Old Street towards Hoxton station, and its market was established in 1687, which makes it the oldest street market in Hackney. Saturday is the day: the general market trades from 9am to 4pm. In the week it is smaller and mostly street food, busiest between 11am and 3pm. The stalls were recently redeveloped. Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, the shop that sold tins of "Edible Void" to fund the Ministry of Stories writing centre since 2010, is closing as the charity moves to a bigger home in 2026.

Hoxton Hall

Also on Hoxton Street, Hoxton Hall began in 1863 as a saloon-style music hall and spent many years as a Quaker meeting house. Now it is a charity-run hall for music, dance, cabaret, theatre and comedy, with free community programmes for over-55s and teenagers. December is its big month: Hohnen Ford on Tuesday 8 December, James Yorkston on Wednesday 9 December, the Crick Crack Club Christmas Carols Show on Friday 18 December and A Christmas Carol from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 December.

Museum of the Home, Kingsland Road

The Museum of the Home at 136 Kingsland Road, E2, fills the almshouses the Ironmongers' Company built in 1714 with Robert Geffrye's money. They closed in 1911 and reopened as the Geffrye Museum in 1914. Today the restored rooms show London living rooms across four centuries, and the gardens out the back follow the same timeline. It is free, with no booking, open 10am to 5pm from Tuesday to Sunday. Almshouse 14 tours run on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. This winter Winter Past runs from Tuesday 17 November to Sunday 10 January, free, and there is a Winter Market on Saturday 28 November. From Wednesday 18 November, Almshouse 14 by Candlelight tours cost £8 to £10, and Ho Ho Home Late keeps the doors open after hours on Thursday 3 December, free.

Curtain Road and Rivington Street

The southern edge of Hoxton blurs into Shoreditch at Old Street, and that is where the later bars are.

Queen of Hoxton, 1 Curtain Road, EC2A: club nights, drag cabaret and a rooftop open all year, with a heated yurt in winter. Open until 2am Thursday to Saturday; closed Mondays.
Callooh Callay, 65 Rivington Street: cocktails until 3am from Thursday to Sunday.
The Old Blue Last, 38 Great Eastern Street: a pub with a seven-day gig programme and 300 years behind it. On weekdays there is an early-bird drinks offer from 1pm to 5pm, and it opens until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.