12 Best Shopping in London, England

This tasteful department store has been a beloved local institution since it opened in 1937, and the poet John Betjeman remarked that come the end of the world he would like to be in the haberdashery department of Peter Jones "because nothing bad could ever happen there." It's the traditional default wedding-list option of Kensington and Chelsea brides thanks to its outstanding selection of bed and bath linens (many from the in-house line of John Lewis, the store's parent company), flatware, ceramics, and glassware, with offerings at all price points. There's also an extensive and eclectic beauty department, as well as kitchenware and appliances, furniture, tech stuff, a florist, and clothing, shoes, and accessories for the whole family, plus pretty much everything else you can think of, along with a restaurant and a Clarins spa.

Exquisite leather bags and personalized, printed canvas totes are what made Hindmarch famous, and this store sells her complete collection of bags, several with a whimsical motif. You can also order a custom piece from the "Be A Bag" collection, with its totes and wash bags imprinted with your chosen photo, or from the "I Am A Plastic Bag" collection made from recycled plastic bottles. There are branches around the corner on Pont Street in Knightsbridge and in Notting Hill.

These well-made, well-priced Italian shoes hit the elusive sweet spot of being both fashionable and wearable. Styles range from sneakers, flatforms, and loafers to ankle boots, ballerina flats, and elegant suede heels.

The knitwear is cozy, but the style is cool in this contemporary Scottish cashmere emporium for men, women, and kids. There are stylish pullovers, wraps, cardigans, hoodies, and adorable baby ensembles, as well as non-cashmere items such as T-shirts and jersey, silk, velvet, or linen dresses. Other branches are in Marylebone and Covent Garden; plus there's a clearance store farther down King's Road.

This elegant yet comfortable store is like stepping into the linen closet of your dreams, complete with tasteful cotton sheet sets, wool blankets, quilts, fluffy towels, Indian silk holdalls, and cotton nightgowns and robes. There are also several items for kids, including sheets with prints of dolphins or whales, sleepsuits for babies, and charming soft toys from France. The "cologne" is from well-chosen niche brands (mostly from France) for her, him, and the room. Other branches are in Marylebone and Kensington. 

Tricia Guild's exuberantly patterned fabrics, wallpapers, paints, furniture, and bed linens have decorated design-conscious British homes for several decades, and her soft-furnishings book has taught many budget-conscious do-it-yourselfers how to reupholster a sofa or make lined draperies. The shop also stocks contemporary furniture, wallpapers, and home accessories by other designers like Christian Lacroix. There's another branch in Marylebone.

Relocated from its original fabulous cave on King's Road, this treasure trove of artists' materials, papers, art books, easels, and mannequins began life in 1927 as part of the Chenil Gallery, run by a distinguished group that included the artist Augustus John and the playwright George Bernard Shaw. Subsequent customers have included luminaries like David Hockney, Damien Hirst, Francis Bacon, and Lucian Freud. The shop also has a framing service, antique paint boxes, and craft supplies as well as an art gallery.

If Ralph Lauren isn't preppy enough for you, try Hackett, with additional branches in St. James's, Covent Garden, The City, Battersea, Savile Row, and Canary Wharf. Originally a posh thrift shop recycling cricket flannels, hunting pinks, Oxford brogues, and other staples of a British gentleman's wardrobe, Hackett now creates its own line and has become a genuine—and very good—men's outfitter. The look is traditional, and classic best buys include polo shirts, corduroys, and striped scarves. There's also a boys' line for the junior man-about-town, a made-to-measure service, and an in-house men's grooming facility.

The quality of fabrics and detailing belie the reasonable prices here, where clothes are classic yet trendy and elegant without being dull—and where cuts are kind to the womanly figure. The style is epitomized by the Princess of Wales, who, as Kate Middleton before her marriage, was a buyer for the company. Although there are numerous branches across London, no two stores are the same. Preteens have their own line, Jigsaw Junior.

This atmospheric warren that crams some 25,000 titles into an 18th-century building off King's Road is the antithesis of a soulless chain bookstore, so it's no surprise it has attracted equally idiosyncratic customers like Tom Stoppard and Keith Richards. Staff members are wonderfully knowledgeable (don't try to figure out how the stock is organized without their help), and there are a lot of them per customer—if a book isn't in stock, they will try to find it for you, even if it is out of print.

Chosen by top chefs Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal for their restaurants, L'Artisan raises chocolate to an art form, like a necklace made of chocolate-filled "pearls." "Couture" chocolates are infused with fruits, nuts, and spices (including such exotic flavorings as Szechuan pepper and tobacco). This is one of the few chocolate shops in the world that makes liquid salted caramels. There is another branch in Selfridges.

Blink and you'll miss the discreet sign that marks fashionista footwear central. Blahnik, the man who single-handedly managed to revive the sexy stiletto, has been trading out of this small shop on a Chelsea side street since 1973. It's a must for shoe lovers with generous budgets. If you decide to wear your new Manolos, hop on Bus No. 11 or 22 or grab a cab—the nearest Tube station is about a 20-minute totter away. There's another boutique in Mayfair and concessions in Selfridges and Harrods.