118 Best Places to Shop in London, England

There are approximately 100 dealers here, specializing in everything from Bakelite items to Mughal art. The majority focus on jewelry, ranging from contemporary to antique. Bargains are not out of the question, and proper pedigrees are guaranteed. Be sure to go on a weekday as the store is closed Saturday and Sunday.

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.

Established as a fruit-and-vegetable market in 1700, the covered market now offers around 120 mixed stalls of art and crafts on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and weekends, and vintage antiques on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. You can buy food on each day, although the offerings are usually best on weekends. Shopping for handicrafts is a pleasure here, as in most cases you're buying directly from the artist.

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.

When British children visit London, this institution—the oldest toy store in the world—is at the top of their agenda. Its six floors hold 50,000 lines of the latest dolls, soft toys, video games, and technological devices, as well as old-fashioned items like train sets, Subbuteo soccer games, drum kits, and magic tricks, plus every must-have on the preteen shopping list (some parents may find the offerings to be overly commercialized, as they're heavy on movie and TV tie-ins). Hamleys is a bit of a madhouse at Christmas time, but Santa's Grotto is one of the best in town.

While visiting tourists flock to Harrods, local fashionistas shop at Harvey Nichols, aka "Harvey Nicks." The womenswear and accessories departments are outstanding if pricey, featuring top designers like Tom Ford, Loewe, Bottega Veneta, Valentino, Tory Burch, and just about every fashionable name you can think of. The furniture and housewares are equally gorgeous and pricey, although they become somewhat more affordable during the biannual sales in January and July. The Fifth Floor bar is the place to see and be seen, but if you're in search of food, the same floor also has an all-day modern European café, a branch of Burger & Lobster, the carnivore-friendly Zelman Meats, or Kenyan-Punjabi fusion from Madhu's Brasserie. To keep you looking as box-fresh as your purchases, The Beauty Lounge features a menu of treatments from brands such as La Prairie, Sisley, and La Mer, plus makeovers, LED facials, cryotherapy, thermotherapy, laser treatments, and blow-dry, nail, and brow bars.

The first London store from Marant, a favorite of French fashion editors, this airy skylit space is full of her signature slim-cut pants, slouchy knits, wedge sneakers, and rock-chick miniskirts, all exuding Left Bank boho cool. There is a separate stand-alone store in South Kensington.

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.

Although mundane items like colanders and clothespins may not sound like ideal souvenirs, this shop (something of a hipster heaven selling both new and vintage items) will make you reconsider. The owners are on a mission to revive retro, functional British household goods, such as enamel kitchenware, genuine feather dusters, bread bins, bottle brushes, and traditional Welsh blankets. There's another branch in Marylebone.

The idea behind this stylish store is to help readers discover new and forgotten books, providing an alternative to the unimaginative suggestions turned up by the algorithm of a certain online bookseller. To this end, titles are arranged thematically on the floor-to-ceiling shelves, with no distinction made between fiction and non-fiction. Curated shelves by authors like Bernardine Evaristo provide further inspiration. Check the website for author events, screenings, book clubs, and more.

Long established in England's Midlands and a provider of boots to the British armed forces in both world wars, this family-run firm specializes in classic handcrafted men's shoes. Whether you're after brogues, loafers, or deck shoes, the staff will take the time to ensure you have the right fit. In terms of quality and service, Loake represents real value for money, though they definitely aren't inexpensive. There are other branches in London: three in The City and one by Old Spitalfields Market.

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.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a Brit who doesn't have something in the closet from Marks & Spencer (or M&S, as it's popularly known). This major chain is famed for its classic dependable clothing for men, women, and children—affordable cashmere and lamb's wool sweaters are particularly good buys—and occasionally scores a fashion hit. The food department at M&S is consistently good, especially for frozen food, and a great place to pick up a sandwich or premade salad on the go (look for M&S Simply Food stores all over town). The flagship branch at Marble Arch and the Pantheon location at 173 Oxford Street have extensive fashion departments.

This carefully curated boutique carries fashion from a selection of 400 designers both rising and established, including Christopher Kane, Erdem, J. W. Anderson, Proenza Schouler, Vetements, McCartney, McQueen, Balenciaga, Balmain, Valentino, Saint Laurent, Marni, and Duro Olowu. There's also an equally stylish menswear department, plus jewelry, lingerie, footwear, and accessories. Other branches can be found in Mayfair and Wimbledon.

Housed within a beautiful six-story Mayfair town house, Matches Fashion's flagship store is so much more than just a retail destination. Designed to create a bricks-and-mortar location that delivers the ultimate contemporary shopping experience, this is a multifaceted emporium in which the ground-floor fashion retail space is complemented by an in-house garden, exhibition spaces, multimedia studios, and a calendar of curated talks and events. Whether this is the future of fashion retail is still to be seen, but at the very least it's a lovely place to shop for brands from Gucci to Jil Sander.

Owner Lina Kanafani has scoured the globe to curate an eclectic mix of conceptual statement furniture, art, ceramics, glassware, textiles, and home accessories. Mint also showcases avant-garde works by an international selection of up-and-coming designers and sells plenty of specially commissioned limited edition and handcrafted one-off pieces, for a price. If you don't want to ship a couch home, consider a miniature flower vase or a hand-painted plate.

Staying true to its rural Somerset roots, this luxury goods company epitomizes le style anglais, a sophisticated take on the earth tones and practicality of English country style. Best known for highly desirable luxury handbags—such as the Lily, Chiltern, and Bayswater models—the company also produces gorgeous leather accessories, from wallets to luggage, as well as shoes and clothing for men and women. Aside from the New Bond Street flagship, there are branches in Knightsbridge, Covent Garden, Stanstead airport, and the Westfield centers, along with Mulberry concessions in most of the major upscale department stores. The small store on St. Christopher's Place in Marylebone stocks accessories only.

If you don't want to leave London without buying something for your pet, Mungo & Maud has something for your furry friend. Pick up a well-designed coat, leash, harness, bowl, toy, or comfortable bed that will make your dog the snazziest pooch in town (some collars are hand-stitched), or select from collars, beds, blankets, and toys for your cat. Owners themselves will enjoy browsing the luxurious blankets and quilts (soon to be covered in pet hair), pet-themed jewelry, and leather "poop bag" pouches.

This store is a music collector's treasure trove, with a constantly changing stock refreshed by customers selling and exchanging as well as buying. The ground floor focuses on rock, pop, indie, and punk, both mainstream and obscure, in a variety of formats ranging from vinyl to CD, cassette, and even minidisk. Don't miss the classical music in the basement and the soul, jazz, house, techno, reggae, and more upstairs. Like movies? There's a wide variety of Blu-ray and DVD box sets, as well as bargain classic and cult films. Keep an eye out for rarities—including first pressings and one-offs—in all departments. Similar exchanges for comics (No. 32) and books (No. 30) are on nearby Pembridge Road (also a destination for vintage clothing for men [No. 28] and women [Nos. 16 and 20]). Just keep in mind that stock depends on what customers bring in to exchange, so you’ll surely find many more DVDs with European (PAL) formatting than the North American--friendly NTSC format, but the store does get the latter occasionally.

This London institution (there are other branches in Notting Hill) carries a remarkable range of secondhand vinyl records, with everything from bargain 25-pence records to treasured first editions costing more than £1,000.

The artisans creating fashion, jewelry, home accessories, textiles, prints and photographs, furniture, and other design items have to pass rigorous selection procedures to set up shop in these prime riverside studios, where they make, display, and sell their work. The OXO Tower Restaurant & Brasserie on the top floor is expensive, but with its fantastic view of London, it's worth popping up for a drink. There's also a public terrace where you can take in the view.

The dapper menswear by Ozwald Boateng (pronounced bwa-teng) combines contemporary funky style with traditional Savile Row quality. His made-to-measure suits have been worn by the dandyish likes of Jamie Foxx, Mick Jagger, and Laurence Fishburne, who appreciate the sharp cuts, luxurious fabrics, and occasionally vibrant colors (even the more conservative choices have jacket linings in bright silk).

This small shop is full of well-made yet fun footwear, ranging from wedding shoes and school shoes to sneakers in baby size 16 and kids' size 45. Your budding influencer will love the boots, Mary Janes, and ballerina pumps in leopard print or silver glitter. The store also sells socks and tights, plus a small range of hats, gloves, and hair accessories. There's another branch on King's Road near Parsons Green.

In business for more than 200 years, this venerable and aromatic London shop stocks hundreds of the world's greatest artisan cheeses, particularly British and French varieties (a homesick General de Gaulle shopped here during World War II). The cheeses are laid on straw on refrigerated shelves, with tasting samples set out on a marble-top counter. You can pick up some ham, pâté, condiments, preserves, wine, or port, as well as cheese-related accessories like boards or knives. There's another branch in Chelsea.

Still considered the best all-around market in town by many fans, and certainly the most famous, Portobello Market stretches almost 2 miles, from fashionable Notting Hill to the lively cultural melting pot of North Kensington, changing character as it goes. The southern end, starting at Chepstow Villas and going to Elgin Crescent, is lined with shops and stalls, and, on Saturday, arcades selling antiques, silver, and bric-a-brac. The middle, from Elgin Crescent to Talbot, is devoted to fruit and vegetables, interspersed with excellent hot food stalls. On Friday and Saturday, the area between Talbot Road and the elevated highway (called the Westway) becomes more of a flea market, specializing in new household and mass-produced goods sold at a discount. North of the Westway up to Goldborne Road are more stalls selling even cheaper secondhand household goods and bric-a-brac. Scattered throughout but mostly concentrated under the Westway are clothing stalls selling vintage pieces and items from emerging designers, custom T-shirts, and supercool baby clothes, plus jewelry. New and established designers are also found in the boutiques of the Portobello Green Arcade.

Some say Portobello Road has become a tourist trap, but if you acknowledge that it's a circus and get into the spirit, it's a lot of fun. Perhaps you won't find many bargains, but this is such a fascinating part of town that just hanging out is a good enough excuse to come. There are some food and flower stalls throughout the week (try the Hummingbird Bakery for delicious cupcakes), but Saturday is when the market in full swing. Serious shoppers avoid the crowds and go on Friday morning. Bring cash—several vendors don't take credit cards—but also be sure to keep an eye on it.

Specializing in traditional English style for boys and girls, Riley's luxurious, vintage-inspired collection includes classics like duffel coats and hand-smocked floral dresses. Mothers who love the Riley look (including the Duchess of Cambridge, who has put her royal offspring in Riley clothes) can pick up 1950s-inspired coordinating outfits for themselves here or at the Marylebone High Street location.

With an in-house design team whose experience includes stints at Gucci and Calvin Klein and customers like Beyoncé and Catherine, Princess of Wales, who wore a Reiss dress for her official engagement picture, this reliable chain brings luxury standards of tailoring and details to mass-market womens- and menswear. The sleek and contemporary style doesn't come cheap, but does offer value for money. There are branches in Knightsbridge, The City, Covent Garden, Chelsea, Hampstead, Islington, Soho, Kensington, and basically all over London.

Now in the modernist landmark known as the Trellick Tower and favored by the likes of Kate Moss, Rellik began as a stall in Portobello Road Market. Vintage hunters looking to splurge can find a selection of YSL, Dior, Vivienne Westwood, and Ossie Clark as well as items from lesser-known designers.