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Souq Madinat Jumeirah
The ersatz Arabian architecture with its arched wooden ceilings feel very Disney-esque, but it's entirely worth a look to see how the enormous Madinat Jumeirah fits together. Outside, abras float by on manmade canals; dozens of al fresco bars and restaurants overlook the scene.
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Tape À L'oeil
A refreshing alternative to Gap Kids, Tape à l'Oeil carries fun kids' clothes that look like miniature adult wear. Denim features prominently, as do skirts and sweaters that look best on kids who keep their hair combed.
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Tehran Persian Carpet & Antiques
The largest carpet retailer in the country, Tehran carries a big selection of handmade Persian carpets and Oriental rugs from Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Kashmir. The antiques selection, though small, includes some cool old gramophones, radios and telephones. There's a bigger branch, called Persian Carpet House, on Sheikh Zayed Rd in the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
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The Camel Company
Your one-stop camel-souvenir shop stocks cute camels in every conceivable texture and form - fluffy camels in Hawaiian shirts, pink camels in tutus, and plush ones so huggable you won't want to let them go - along with camel-themed notebooks, mouse pads, greeting cards, t-shirts, coffee mugs and more.
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Topshop
The jewel in the crown of British high street fashion, Topshop's snappy ready-to-wear should be your first choice if Emirates lost your luggage in transit. The diverse selection runs from denim and jumpers to handbags and jazzy earrings.
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Toys-R-Us
You won't believe the size of this warehouse-like toy store. But the best reason to come is to see the Burj Al Arab built entirely of Lego.
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Villa Moda
The sexy 2001 Space Odyssey interior is reason enough to visit Kuwait 'Sheikh of Chic' Majed al-Sabah's one-stop-designer-shop. It's an added bonus that its curvy capsule-like boutiques are home to the hottest fashion, including Alexander McQueen, Easton Pearson, Stella McCartney and Marni.
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Vintage 55
Dress like dead celebrities in replicas of clothing they made famous. Vintage 55 creates limited-edition sets of drag worn by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. Love those vintage Nikes.
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Virgin Megastore
Despite branches all over Dubai, this is still our favourite for its mind-boggling selection of Middle Eastern music (traditional oud, Um Kalthoum, Fairouz, Oriental lounge and chill-out) and good selection of regional DVDs (from Egyptian musicals to Iranian arthouse to Palestinian Elia Suleiman's Divine Intervention . A cafe and DJ booth keep things lively.
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Wafi City Mall
This vast Egyptian-themed shopping centre has a wide range of exclusive designer boutiques, shoe, accessory, cosmetic and jewellery shops, and homeware and interior design stores. It is also home to a number of wonderful restaurants and bars, fitness centres and spas, and attractions such as the Encounter Zone playground, which will keep the kids amused for ages.
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Wafi Gourmet
Dubai's best Arabian deli counter brims with juicy olives, pickles, peppers and cheeses, velvety hummus, muttabal and tabouleh, and crispy Lebanese pastries. This is the place to pack a picnic in the cooler months: assemble a mezze plate and head to the Creek. Any of the packaged foods make great gifts, but we particularly like to take home the dried fruits and baklava, which both keep well for several months.
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Whistles
An antidote to Dubai's overly glam-focused shopping scene, Whistles carries smart, understatedly sexy women's wear - think outfits for a girls' night on the town.
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Women's Secret
This sassy Spanish label thrills girls with its global-pop-art-inspired underwear, swimwear and nightwear. Expect anything from cute Mexican cross-stitched bras and pants sets to Moroccan-style kaftan-like nightdresses. There are other branches, but this is the best.
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Zara
Stylish Spain-based Zara has stores all over Dubai, but this is the original and still has the biggest selection of smart-looking affordable clothes and accessories. They never stray from their black, white and grey colour palette, but their cuts and styling feel very now and look expensive - even if the tailoring is cheap.
