Founded here in the 17th century, Truman's Black Eagle Brewery was, by the 1850s, the largest brewery in the world. Spread over a series of brick buildings and yards straddling both sides of Brick Lane, the complex is now completely given over to edgy markets, pop-up fashion stores, vintage clothes shops, cafes and bars – it's at its busy best when market stalls are set up on Sundays. Beer may not be brewed here any more, but it certainly is consumed.
After decades of decline, Truman's Brewery finally shut up shop in 1989 – temporarily as it turned out, with the brand subsequently resurrected in 2010 in new premises a bit further northeast in the neighbourhood of Hackney Wick.
Several of the brewery buildings are heritage listed, including the Director's House at 91 Brick Lane (built in the 1740s), the old Vat House directly opposite (c 1800) and the Engineer’s House at 150 Brick Lane (dating from the 1830s).