New Orleans Shopping

  1. A&P Market

    Smack in the heart of the French Quarter, this is an economic alternative to the 'minibars' that commit hotel-room robbery in so many accommodations around town. A&P is convenient for cold beer, bottled water and snacks along with various sundry items. Best of all, it's open 23 hours a day (closing at for just an hour of cleaning and restocking). A&P is also a fine place to go to stock up on Cajun spices and pepper sauces at lower prices than those at the Farmer's Market.

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  2. Aidan Gill For Men

    Metrosexual headquarters for Orleans Parish, Aidan Gill has a very traditional feel to it. Smartly dressed mobsters of the Prohibition era would have felt at home in these clubby environs. The business is all about looking not just neat, but stylish - in a well-heeled, masculine sort of way. High-end shaving gear, smart cufflinks and colorful silk ties are sold in front, and there's a very popular barber shop (around US$35 for a trim; reserve a week ahead) in back.

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  3. Arcadian Books & Art Prints

    In the French Quarter, is a small, crowded little shop that's filled with Southern literature and history, as well as many volumes in French. Owner Russell Desmond speaks French fluently and is a wonderful, yet cynical, ambassador to New Orleans.

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  4. Artists' Market

    With a back entry on antique-mad lower Decatur St, this sizable emporium is a conglomerate of consignment dealers and artists who sell their own work. A walk-through is like snorkeling through a dense reef of art. You'll find yourself surrounded by paintings, prints, handmade glass beads, original lamps, candle holders, cast-iron designs and one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras masks. A few of the artists work on site. In all, the works of some 70 artists is sold here.

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  5. Bacchanal

    Flouting the rules of wine snobbery, this laid back little Bywater shop specializes in a good deal. The owner, Chris Rudge, is a sommelier who seeks out great wines that he can put a fair price tag on - for under around US$10 , say. He does the research and the buying so his customers don't need to ask themselves 'Should I go with the around US$10 cabernet or should I take a chance on this around US$18 pinot noir?'

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  7. Beckham's Bookstore

    In the French Quarter, across the street from House of Blues, this large, neatly organized store has two floors of used books. The store also sells used classical LPs. It's definitely worth a browse.

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  8. Big Fisherman Seafood

    If you' re in New Orleans in the spring, when it's crawfish season, you may have developed a taste for the little mudbugs. But you haven't really had the full-on crawfish experience unless you've been invited to a crawfishboil in someone's back yard. If that hasn't happened for you, send some crawfish back home and invite your friends over. This busy little shop will pack and ship crawfish to anywhere in the USA. The price fluctuates widely from season to season, so call ahead for prices.

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  9. Big Life Toy's/Winky's

    Toys and retro clothing for childish adults. We mean that in the best possible way, of course. Fun stuff sold here includes tiki paraphernalia, tools of the cocktail hour and actual toys. The swinging casual duds for men and women and even children are worth trying on.

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  10. Bourbon Strip Tease

    If you've just asked to be excused while you 'slip into something more comfortable,' but haven't actually packed anything more comfortable, sneak on down to this shop. It has all manner of dainty things to put on before you take 'em off, starting with lacy lingerie and progressing to edible undies and sleazy toys.

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  11. Bywater Art Market

    A good place to seek out original works of art at reasonable prices. The number of local artists on hand ranges from 50 to 120, with some of the city's finest artists setting up shop next to unheralded folk artists. Rest assured, the artists are juried in, so none of the works offered here are by your Uncle Rufus' dog Elroy. No prints are sold.

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  13. Central Grocery

    A hyper-busy store offering many of the cooking ingredients typically found in Louisiana kitchens: Zatarain's Creole Seasoning and Crab Boil (even Chef Emeril uses it), McIlhenny Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce, chicory coffee and filé for making gumbo. While you're here, grab a jar of Central Gro Co's famous olive relish, the not-so-secret weapon of the muffuletta sandwich.

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  14. Christopher's Discoveries

    Time spent in here might inspire you to rethink the layout of your pad back home. The shop has a loosely connected inventory that can only be attributed to the owner's cool sensibilities. Two large rooms in an old converted house are filled with choice artefacts, paintings, groovy lamps and exotic art (mostly of olive-skinned women) from Asia and the Middle East.

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  15. Collectible Antiques

    Some people love this sort of place simply because the possibilities seem limitless. You never know what you'll find between the piles of old furniture stacked along the walls of this large, garage-like emporium of tantalizing junk. Perhaps you collect old photographic portraits from long defunct studios, the subjects looking dapper or frilly or severe in their Victorian finery.

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  16. Crescent City Books

    You'll want to include this two-story concern in your tour of the city's book shops. Crescent City stocks a healthy blend of hard-to-find out-of-print titles and newly published volumes. Prices are generally reasonable.

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  17. Crescent City Farmers Market

    There are a series of popular green markets around town several days a week. Most accessible and fun is this Saturday morning market. Farmers and bakers from all over Southern Louisiana sell fruit, produce, tasty snacks, flowers, potted plants, and coffee. Arrive before the 10 am chefs' cooking demonstration. There is also a Tuesday Market near Audubon Park in the Uptown Square parking lot (200 Broadway).

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  19. David's

    Squeezed in amongst the numerous antique stores and clothing boutiques along lower Decatur is this small rummage shop is filled with found objects, collectibles, funky lamps, swanky duds, bar accoutrements, jewelry and other odds and ends. Worth checking out.

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  20. Dr Bob's Studio

    Self-taught folk artist Dr Bob is a fixture in the Bywater, and you're sure to recognize his signature work - the 'Be Nice or Leave' signs that appear in restaurants and bars around town. Dr Bob's work also turns up in the House of Blues and museums throughout the South. In addition to the signs, he's known for his alligator carvings and sculptures of assembled found objects.

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  21. Electric Ladyland

    New Orleans is an old port filled with bars, right? It follows that a tattoo is just about the coolest souvenir you can get here. Strolling Decatur St day or night you'll spot people whose florid and lurid body art indicates business is not at all bad here at Electric Ladyland. It's a clean, brightly lit spot where young tattoo artists can set you up with a classic set of dice ('born to lose'), a growling wolf or a naked woman sashaying beneath a coconut palm. Customized designs can be arranged.

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  22. Faubourg Marigny Book Store

    The South's oldest gay bookstore is a ramshackle, intellectual spot, and a good place to pick up local zines and catch up on the local scene.

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  23. Faulkner House Books

    Both a business and a bonafide literary attraction, Faulkner House is an essential stop for any book lover. It's a pleasant space, with beautifully crafted shelves packed from floor to ceiling, lending it the quiet atmosphere of a private library. The shop is a bit of a literary hub, and local authors (Richard Ford, Andrei Codrescu, etc) regularly stop by.

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  25. Fleur De Paris

    Some of the stores in New Orleans exist simply to indulge the most eccentric and particular interests a person can possibly have. This boutique is a case in point. The woman who wants to appear ready for the 1904 St Louis World's Fair need look no further. The custom hats are bouquets of plumage, fur felt, lace and here and there a snatch of black netting, which, once selected and paid for, are packed into extravagant hat boxes with loving care.

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  26. Flora Savage

    In town for an anniversary? Met someone you want to impress in a hurry? Take care of your floral needs here. You'll soon be festooning your hotel room with romantic aromas and colors, and your sweetheart will be swooning with romantic feelings for you.

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  27. French Market

    Truth be told, from a shopping standpoint, the French Market is a bit of a disappointment. It no longer plays a vital role in French Quarter life, and locals do not rely on it as they once did for their foodstuffs. For the most part the French Market caters to tourism. Still, it's an atmospheric old market with a range of shops and vendors and bustles with activities most days, but especially on weekends.

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  28. Funky Monkey

    Vintage attire for club-hoppers is what's sold in this funhouse of frippery. Worth a stop if you're making the rounds. The shop also sells wigs, shades and cheap jewelry.

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  29. Garden District Bookshop

    In the Rink, this bookshop offers a select collection of first-edition works and also books on the region, among mostly new titles.

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