The West End
Specialising in lesser-known literature by mostly women writers from the mid-20th century, Persephone Books has carved out an interesting and valuable…
Must-see shopping in London
Notting Hill & West London
The heady smell emanating from the Spice Shop says it all: from run-of-the-mill curry powder and herbs to Sichuan pepper (£5.99), other rare spices and…
Notting Hill & West London
Achieving an almost surreal level of quaintness, Biscuiteers is a Notting Hill cafe specialising in hand-iced treats, ranging from biscuits to cupcakes to…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
This small bohemian bookshop grew out of community initiatives and has been a fixture on Brick Lane for more than 30 years. Among the usual popular titles…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
If you love the feminine silhouette of the 1940s and the pin-up look of the 1950s, you will swoon over Collectif's vintage-inspired dresses, shirts, coats…
The West End
Make a beeline to this place for all your fastening needs. It’s been in business for more than 60 years and is creaking under the weight of an absurd…
Notting Hill & West London
Once home to the eponymous post-punk label, this compact shop offers vintage and alternative vinyl and puts on the occasional gig too. Head downstairs for…
Notting Hill & West London
A nirvana for vinyl junkies, the erstwhile Record & Tape Exchange has been around since three years before Jimi Hendrix died (a short walk away in…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
The world's first pop-up mall, Boxpark is a shopping and street-food enclave made from upcycled shipping containers. Fashion, design and gift shops…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Before checking out of the V&A, stop by the ground-floor shop facing the Cromwell Rd entrance and rummage through a stirring and very sharp display of …
Kensington & Hyde Park
Over three floors, Peter Harrington has a huge collection of first editions, signed modern art prints (Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Bridget Riley,…
Notting Hill & West London
A lovely spot for colourful, eclectic and handsome crockery, imported from more than a dozen countries. There are Japanese eggshell-glaze teacups, serving…
North London
One of London’s leading wine shops, this brilliant place allows you to sample up to 80 different wines before buying. Just load up a smart card and use it…
Notting Hill & West London
Owner Juyan – from Zhejiang in southeastern China – offers pointers in the world of Chinese tea at this bijou specialist shop in Portobello Green Arcade…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Turn past the smoky food stalls and the cavernous Tea Rooms to find the hidden-in-plain-sight Backyard Market. Stalls selling clothes, jewellery and…
Notting Hill & West London
Lutyens & Rubinstein is a tremendous, discerning and compact (ground floor, slender mezzanine and basement) bookshop. It's a squeeze, but its small size…
The West End
Follow your nose through the historic Burlington Arcade to this classic British perfumery. Attendants enquire about your favourite smells, take you on an…
The West End
Set in a grandiose column-flanked Grade II–listed structure, Selfridges has been innovating since its doors opened in 1909. Its wacky, ever-changing…
Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court
As you come down – or head up – Richmond Hill, stop by this cheesemongers that packs a veritable smorgasbord of cheesy delights into a small space. Over…
Notting Hill & West London
Incongruously located opposite one of London’s most notorious tower blocks – the grimly iconic concrete Trellick Tower – Rellik is a fashionista-favourite…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Ladies get their kicks at this female-run trainer boutique, which was the first in the UK to offer a women's-only selection of premium sneakers. In…
Notting Hill & West London
With a humongous cousin in Stratford (and one pencilled in for Croydon), this full-on retail mecca was London’s first mall and is now, after an extension…
The West End
Made in England with rare, exotic ingredients from around the globe, fabulously fragrant natural-beauty brand Molton Brown is the toiletries choice for…
The West End
A stone’s throw from the British Museum, this bookshop has been running for almost a century and specialises in the occult. The shop stocks a variety of…
Notting Hill & West London
More secondhand than vintage, but very popular, Retro Woman has racks upon racks of hand-me-down fashion and big-name designer goodies, including a galaxy…
Kensington & Hyde Park
At London’s temple of high fashion, you’ll find Chloé and Balenciaga bags, the city’s best denim range, a massive make-up hall with exclusive lines and…
The West End
Some 200 specialist stallholders selling antique jewellery, costumes, military collectables, Oriental works and much more can be found in two buildings,…
The West End
Fab Four guitar picks, Abbey Road fridge magnets, Ringo T-shirts, mop-top mugs, Magical Mystery Tour bags, Yellow Submarine Christmas lights, Help!…
The West End
A fabulous, fragrant cheese house that would fit in somewhere in rural England, this place is proof that Britain can produce top-quality cheeses in most…
The West End
More books than you can shake a dreamcatcher at on subjects as wide-ranging as the afterlife, tarot, the Kabbalah, shamanism, spirituality, astrology,…
The West End
Stella McCartney is known for her sharp tailoring, floaty designs, accessible style and ethical approach to fashion (no leather, fur or modern slavery)…
The West End
Nobody makes and stocks such elegant umbrellas (not to mention walking sticks and canes) as this place. It's been fighting the British weather from the…
Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court
Helena Richardson's charming bookshop – fighting off a leviathan Waterstones around the corner – is a mainstay of Richmond reading life. With a terrific…
The West End
Named after a court case in Charles Dickens' Bleak House, this antiquarian bookshop is opposite the British Museum in a building dating from the early…
The West End
This small independent record store has hardly changed since it opened in 1984. Even this far into the 21st century, Reckless is still stuffed with people…
Brixton, Peckham & South London
Brixton Market showcases the richness of this neighbourhood nearly every day of the week. Jamaican fish and fruits are stacked high, and halal butchers…
North London
If you've ever dreamed of owning a pair of Manolo Blahniks, Stella McCartney sneakers or a Pucci dress, but have always baulked at the prices, Exclusivo…
The West End
Beyond the quality of leather and fabrics and gorgeously chic styling, a frequent motif of these beautifully made and elegant British couture women's…
South Bank
Suck UK's artsy, quirky gifts are so funny that you'll want to keep them for yourself. London's weather will likely call for an umbrella that changes…
North London
This operation inhabits multiple stores on Upper St, including Gill Wing Cookshop with kitchenware at 190 and Gill Wing Jewellery at 182, but our…
