Must-see shopping in Sydney

  • Top Choice
    Strand Arcade

    Constructed in 1891, the beautiful Strand rivals the QVB in the ornateness stakes. The three floors of designer fashions, Australiana and old-world coffee…

  • Top Choice
    Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre

    This extraordinary vintage and antique market is a warehouse full of retro chic, whether you are after original 1970s Lego, pre-loved rocking horses, a…

  • Top Choice
    Dinosaur Designs

    This tiny shop is a visual treat. Richly coloured, translucent resin bangles and baubles sit among technicoloured vases and bowls, and chunky sterling…

  • Top Choice
    Carriageworks Farmers Market

    Over 70 regular stallholders sell their goodies at Sydney's best farmers market, established to connect small NSW producers with consumers in the big city…

  • Top Choice
    Artery

    Step into a world of mesmerising dots and swirls at this small gallery devoted to Aboriginal art, particularly from the central and western deserts…

  • Top Choice
    Australian Wine Centre

    This shop, with multilingual staff, is packed with quality Australian wine, beer and spirits. Smaller producers are well represented, along with a…

  • Top Choice
    Abbey's

    Easily central Sydney's best bookshop, Abbey's has many strengths. It's good on social sciences and has excellent resources for language learning,…

  • Top Choice
    Gannon House Gallery

    Specialising in contemporary Australian and Aboriginal art, Gannon House purchases works directly from artists and Aboriginal communities. You'll find the…

  • Top Choice
    Craft NSW

    This craft association gallery at the quiet end of the Rocks is full of beautiful and original creations. It's the perfect spot to pick up a unique gift…

  • Top Choice
    Queen Victoria Building

    The magnificent QVB takes up a whole block and boasts nearly 200 shops on five levels. It’s a High Victorian neo-Gothic masterpiece – without doubt Sydney…

  • Little Bottleshop

    One of Sydney's best bottle shops for those interested in Australian wine, this unassuming place features an excellent curated selection of small-vineyard…

  • Paddington Markets

    Originating in the 1970s, when they were drenched in the scent of patchouli oil, these markets are considerably more mainstream these days. They're still…

  • Gleebooks

    Gleebooks is one of Sydney’s best bookshops, with its aisles full of politics, arts and general fiction titles, and the staff really know their stuff…

  • Berkelouw Books

    Expecting the dank aroma of second-hand books? Forget it! Follow your nose up to the cafe, then browse through three floors of pre-loved tomes, new…

  • Faster Pussycat

    Inspired by ‘trash pop culture, hot rods and rock and roll’, this cool cat coughs up retro clothing and accessories for all genders and ages (including…

  • Grounds Markets

    Alexandria's favourite factory-garden-farm-cafe hosts these excellent markets, with a rotating crop of crafty stallholders and delicious baked treats.

  • Zimmermann

    Chic and cheeky women's street clothes and swimwear from sisters Nicky and Simone Zimmermann. There are other stores around town.

  • Birkenhead Point

    This harbourside former brickworks and factory is now a major shopping complex composed principally of outlet stores. It gets packed at weekends, so visit…

  • Paddy’s Markets

    Cavernous, thousand-stall Paddy’s is a covered market of mostly low-quality mass-produced tat, including stall after stall flogging cheap souvenirs –…

  • David Jones

    DJs is Sydney’s premier department store, with high-quality clothing and a highbrow food court. A revamp has added a flashy new designer shoe floor on…