The Best Shopping in Dublin

Southside

Dawson Street. Just east of Grafton Street between Nassau Street to the north and St. Stephen's Green to the south, Dawson Street is full of lively cafés and bars. It's also the address of Hodges Figgis, the best bookstore in the country.

Drury Street. A few streets over from Grafton Street, you'll find one of Dublin's coolest "Indie" streets, home to independent coffee bars, gems like the Irish Design Shop dedicated to top quality Irish design, and interiors and gift stores like Industry and The Printmakers Gallery.

Francis Street. Part of the Liberties, the oldest part of the city and the hub of Dublin's antiques trade, Francis Street and surrounding areas, such as the Coombe, have plenty of shops where you can browse. If you're looking for something in particular, dealers will gladly recommend the appropriate store to you. It's also home to a couple of hot new galleries.

Grafton Street. Dublin's bustling pedestrian-only main shopping street, Grafton Street has two department stores: down-to-earth Marks & Spencer and très chic Brown Thomas. The rest of the street is taken up by shops, many of them branches of international chains, such as the Body Shop and a Disney Store, and a few British chains. This is also the spot to buy fresh flowers, available at reasonable prices from outdoor stands. On the smaller streets off Grafton Street—especially Duke Street, South Anne Street, and Chatham Street—are worthwhile crafts, clothing, and designer housewares shops.

Nassau Street. Dublin's main tourist-oriented thoroughfare, Nassau has some of the best-known stores selling Irish goods, but you won't find many locals shopping here. Still, if you're looking for classic Irish gifts to take home, you should be sure at least to browse along here.

Temple Bar

Temple Bar. Once dubbed Dublin's hippest neighborhood, Temple Bar is still dotted with small, precious boutiques—mainly intimate, quirky shops that traffic in a small selection of trendy goods, from vintage clothes to some of the most avant-garde Irish garb anywhere in the city.

Cow's Lane. Technically a short lane and not a street, Cow's Lane offers cute cafés, tattoo parlors, the Gutter Bookshop, and an arts and crafts market on Saturday.

Northside

Henry Street. Running westward from O'Connell Street, Henry Street is where cash-conscious Dubliners shop. Arnotts department store is the anchor here. Henry Street's continuation, Mary Street, has a branch of Marks & Spencer and the Jervis Shopping Centre.

O'Connell Street. The city's main thoroughfare, O'Connell Street is more downscale than Southside city streets (such as Grafton Street), but it is still worth a walk. Eason's, a very large book, magazine, and stationery store is the flagship shop, and there are a few Irish gift shops plus a much loved donut stand