The 100 best shops in London

Best for: a vast array of page-turners

One of London’s most charming bookshops, Daunt’s Marylebone flagship is pretty as a picture. The Edwardian building is literally packed to the rafters with books. From the vaulted ceiling to the William Morris accent walls and stained-glass windows, the store’s fixtures and fittings are delightfully old-fashioned. Particularly worthy of a browse is the vast travel section: ordered by country, it’s enough to induce wanderlust in the most homely of homebodies.

Best for: rare vinyl and in-store gigs

It’s one of the youngest stores in the Rough Trade stable, but Rough Trade East has become the company’s definitive London outpost. Located in the bustling Old Truman Brewery, it boasts an expertly curated collection of vinyl, CDs and books, as well as a café and a stage for the ever-popular in-store gigs. The sets are generally shorter than regular gigs, but we’re certainly not complaining.

Best for: all things caffeine-related

A Soho institution, this shoebox-sized shop on Old Compton Street has been trading since 1887, long before coffee got cool. Buzz seekers can choose from more than 80 blends which are all available as beans or ground. Those into their coffee gadgets can marvel at electronic grinders, thermometers, tampers, milk frothers, while those living the decaf life will be impressed by the selection of caffeine-free blends. Despite the name, ACS also stocks a vast array of quality teas for all over the world.

Best for: streetwear with a sense of humour

Game-changing concept shop The Goodhood Store on Curtain Road is s pread over two floors: the interior boasts little exhibition spaces, a basement café and a gnarly log cabin. The upscale, leftfield stock is hand-picked for Goodhood’s very East End customers, from hand-carved skateboards to cheap-as-chips mugs, badges and stickers. A very good ’hood, indeed.

Best for: coffee table books galore

Artwords has its finger firmly on the pulse when it comes to contemporary visual arts publications. Stock relating to fine art dominates, but there are also plenty of architecture, photography, graphic design, fashion, advertising, music and film titles, plus an excellent range of industry and creative magazines.

Best for: unique archive pieces 

Brick Lane is a go-to for vintage clothing, but Serotonin is one of the neighbourhood’s standouts. Inside the cool showroom – where leopard print chairs meet neon pink walls – you’ll find designer bargains, retro accessories and one-off items with a punky emo edge. Browsing the racks here is always an eye-catching experience.

Best for: stunning scents

The minuscule London outpost of the famed Florentine pharmacy, founded by Dominican friars, sells beautifully packaged lotions, perfumes, eaux de colognes, exfoliating powders, pot pourri, scented paper and soaps. The shop can’t compete with the Italian version, located in a 13th-century frescoed chapel, but the products from one of the world’s oldest herbal pharmacies (the company was officially founded in 1612, though its origins date back as far as 1221) are the same.

Best for: satisfying takoyaki cravings 

Japan doesn’t feel quite so far away when you’re surrounded by miso in this subterranean supermarket. Grab some takoyaki with dancing bonito flakes to fuel your shopping from the upstairs café, before browsing more noodles, very sharp knives and Kewpie mayo than you can shake a Pocky stick at. It’s the closest you can get to Japan without the 12-hour flight.  

Best for: stocking the larder

When it opened in 1965, Loon Fung was one of the UK’s first Chinese supermarkets. It’s since become a Chinatown institution where home cooks and professional chefs alike flock for the best Chinese ingredients, tableware and cooking tools. Now a mini-chain, you’ll also find Loon Fung stores in Alperton, Colindale, Stratford and Tottenham.

Best for: beaut houseplants

One visit to Conservatory Archives’ urban jungle and you’ll be lusting after its hanging greenery and climbing vines. The shop on Hackney Road is one lavish indoor garden, a stark space with peeling plaster walls and big windows, stuffed full of weird, wacky and wild vegetation. Prepare to fall hard for the green stuff.

Best for: beautiful things you don’t need, but absolutely must have

Laughing in the face of rainbow rubbers and giant pencils, the Tate Modern’s gift shop is full of lovely things that you would actually want: David Shrigley dominoes, Guerrilla Girls tea towels, Yinka Shinobare crockery, Hockney tote bags, Grayson Perry’s silk scarves. Artfully positioned at the museum’s entrance you don’t even need to pretend to be interested in the art to shop there.

Best for: really, really good flatbreads

Specialising in global food – think Mediterranean flavours from Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, and Spain as well as a few Iranian and Moroccan groceries thrown in for good measure – TFC Supermarket caters for eclectic tastes. Products from Eastern European countries including Poland and Bulgaria are on offer, too. The chain has several branches across North London, including outposts in Edmonton, Enfield, Tottenham, Wood Green, Palmers Green and Highhams Park.

Best for: natty wines with all the trimmings

This lovely Highbury deli is the place to go for natural wines and accompanying meats and cheeses. Whether you’re a wine buff or don’t know your Pinot from your Riesling, the friendly staff will help you find a top tipple. If you’d rather make an evening of it, head to neighbouring Top Cuvée for glasses and small plates. 

Best for: dancefloor-ready vinyl

The doors are always flung open at this lively electronic and dance vinyl hubbub. Recline on the battered leather sofas and egg-shaped chairs that give the chic space a 1970s feel, or finger through rack upon rack of pristinely selected records favouring the deeper and edgier side of club music. The balanced selection journeys around the world taking in nu jazz, krautrock, minimal techno, exotica, dubstep, drum and bass and nu disco flavours, but fluorescent-clad kids best head for the front rack of French electro labels. The staff – DJs-about-town – are happy to help you dig out a hard-to-find release.

Best for: alcohol-free beveraginos

As the first permanent UK site for mindful drinking collective, Club Soda, this cute Covent Garden shop and tasting room sells more than 150 low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks brands. Expect cocktails, zero-percent beer on tap and masterclasses for those looking to explore a ‘low and no’ lifestyle. 

Best for: avant-garde international fashion

One for the real fashionistas, Dover Street Market is more atune to an art gallery than a store, with impressive pieces by flaming hot designers standing out against in-store installations and white walls. Carrying a truly comprehensive stock, it has fashion dons like Gucci and Valentino, the Commes labels, as well as streetwear heros and up-and-comers like Chopova Lowena. A true fashion mecca, it houses collections from some of the capital’s brightest stars.

Best for: bargain good quality furniture

Now located in Bow after several years in neighbouring Bethnal Green, this East End furniture warehouse specialises in liquidation stock, cancelled orders and samples. This means it’s the place to go for quality household names (John Lewis, Made.com, etc.) at prices you’d never get anywhere else. If you’ve a new flat to fill, Lofty's should definitely be on your radar.

Best for: bagels and other essentials

This much-loved Jewish deli has been doing roaring buisiness in St John’s Wood since 1944. It’s had something of a glow-up in recent years, and as well as stocking a vast array of global goods, fancy grocery bits, kosher essentials and their own pies, soups and baked goods (AKA some of the best bagels in town) – there’s also a coffee bar. Hit up the outdoor terrace too for a slap-up breakfast featuring their famous smoked salmon with a toasted bagel, cream cheese and pickles. A London landmark. 

Best for: unique home pieces

This cute design and homeware shop in lower Clapton features all sorts of indie makers with a good range of prices. From gorgeous crockery to lovely lamps and soft furnishings, you’ll find a variety of statement pieces to brighten up your dreary flatshare in no time. Don’t forget to explore the downstairs, too. 

Best for: real-life wizardry

This delightful family-run shop, in operation for over 60 years, is an Aladdin’s Cave for wannabe and professional magicians and those who just want to learn a few party tricks to impress and baffle their friends. Impromptu tricks and gimmicks include a huge range of playing cards and coin tricks, while the large selection of stage tricks range from floating lightbulbs to vanishing cabinets. Arcane books and tutorial DVDs will show you the ropes, and, for those who want to go one step further, there’s the opportunity to undertake courses, catered for a range of different levels, plus hear lectures by professional magicians. 

Best for: serious spices 

This Brixton institution moved from its previous spot on Market Row to a larger space in neighbouring Granville Arcade. Run by Saja Shareen and her family for more than 30 years, it’s become a go-to destination for hard-to-find global ingredients and rare spices. It’s the very embodiment of a global grocer, right in the heart of south-west London.

Best for: second-hand gems

Popular with sustainable fashion enthusiasts and the Depop girlies, this Angel charity shop has a reputation for yielding designer bargains. It’s filled with fabulous shoes and retro accessories as well as quirky clothing items, so allow yourself enough time to scour the racks and rummage through the jumble.

Best for: umbrellas that are built to last

There’s one essential accessory for life in London, and it’s not a Burberry mac, a Mulberry tote or a corgi-print tea towel: it’s an umbrella. James Smith & Sons have been selling them from this charming New Oxford Street shop for over 150 years. The gilt front has remained unchanged, and the customer service is old school, too. As well as an array of ceremonial umbrellas, there are high-tech folding models and beautifully designed everyday styles. Just don’t leave your new purchase on the tube.

Best for: delicious Italian delicacies 

Founded by the Salvino brothers, Antonio and Stefano, back in 1979, this popular deli offers Camden wanderers authentic Italian produce and home-cooked meals from family recipes. Drop in to bag a bottle of wine (from a choice of over 50) or sit down for handmade ravioli, pizza and arancini. You can also pick up delicious homemade Italian pastries and fresh-made sandwiches. No one goes hungry at Salvino.

Best for: clunky, old-school tech

A retro tech lover’s dream located close to Edgware Road tube, Vintage Wireless sells, repairs and hires out classic and collectible music kit dating from the 1930s to the 1970s. It’s the place to go for vintage amps, tuners, turntables, record players, speakers, cassette decks, 8-tracks and spare parts, plus vinyl records and books and magazines on hi-fi culture. In other words: it’s a veritable treasure trove and a heady step back in time. 

Best for: top quality cheese

Neal’s Yard Dairy began championing small cheesemakers when the shop opened in 1979 and has been central to creating a huge community of high-quality cheesemakers in Britain and Ireland. Like Monmouth Coffee, NYD has larger branches in Borough and Bermondsey, but this tiny, fragrant nook wins hands-down on character. When they offer taste after taste, don’t say no!

Best for: covetable stationery

Youll find all the stationery you could ever need – plus more that you’ll convince yourself you do – in the small but perfectly formed Present & Correct. With leather pencil cases and lovely notebooks galore, their collections blend the latest designs from Japan and Scandinavia. 

Best for: little-known vineyards

Starting life as a stall in the drool-inducing Borough market, this independent wine shop is a testament to London’s boozy ways.  Their original postbox-sized outpost of the brilliant wine shop carries an excellent edit of plonk from smaller producers and family firms, plus a wine and beer refill station. Cheers!

Best for: independent magazines

Print lovers, rejoice! Here’s a shop dedicated to perfectly-bound paper and it’s absolutely brilliant. Located on the Islington end of St John Street, magCulture stocks hundreds of independent magazines from all over the world. Whatever your niche, you’ll find a publication to interest you – from art and football magazine ‘OOF’ to ‘DOG’, a magazine about, erm, dogs. Even if you aren't going to read them, go bag a few mags to brighten up your coffee table.

Utilitarian chic is the name of the game at this stylish shop located in an emerald-tiled former pub on Shoreditch’s Redchurch Street, which sells functional, durable and aesthetic domestic goods that one might imagine everyone having in their kitchen or pantry 60 years ago. There is also a small range of classic vintage clothing (work jackets, aprons) and some old-fashioned gifts for children – think pinhole cameras and wooden den-building kits –  plus a range of notebooks and stationery that wouldn’t look out of place in a 1950s classroom. Be warned: you may end up dropping £42 on a ‘tube wringer’. 

Labour and Wait is in our list of the 100 best shops in London.

Best for: all-out Gatsby glamour

Since 1998, this New Cross costume hire store has been supplying exquisite handmade garments and accessories to performers and partygoers alike. Because each item is hired out as many times as it’s asked for – as you can imagine, Gatsby and Game of Thrones-style outfits have historically been very popular – it’s a business model rooted in sustainability. And they supply corresponding props, too. 

Best for: proper chops (and proper tunes)

A small herd, whole-carcass butcher shop on the corner of Newington Green, Stella’s is known for its excellent quality produce, eye-catching neon signs and the fact that on Thursday and Friday evenings it turns into a very trendy listening bar called System, which serves up natural wine and craft beers while a rotation of local DJs playing their favourite vinyl on a Tannoy speaker system from 1976. Conceptually it probably shouldn’t work – a subtle whiff of meat still lingers in the air as you sip your low-intervention Cabernet Franc – but Hackney audiophiles go mad for it.

Best for: bagging a bargain

Want to nab yourself some heavily discounted designer goods? You’ll probably want to follow The Box on Instagram, where they post all the deets about their upcoming sample sales, and then plan to wait in a pretty long queue (the earlier, the better). We promise it will be worth it: The Box hosts massive names like Prada, Matches, Liberty and Martine Rose, all at up to 80 percent off.

Best for: gifting (while gifting some good)

This social enterprise on Stokey high street sells nifty homewares and one-of-a-kind artworks created by local young people with learning disabilities. In other words: if you’re planning on buying ceramics, paintings, cards and crafts anyway, you should probably get it from here and help out a good cause at the same time. 

Best for: rare whiskies

There’s an Old World charm to London’s oldest whisky shop, and the small, low-lit space is lined with enough bottles of the glorious amber stuff to make you feel a bit sozzled just by entering. There are fabulously rare and fiendishly expensive bottles, but there's also a big selection of more affordable options, perfect for a posh, boozy gift. Somehow they've squeezed a couple of bars in – one in the main shop that functions during opening hours and one swish, speakeasy-styled basement bar, Vault, serving cocktails in the evenings.

Best for: quality art supplies

Whether you’re a keen novice, a seasoned professional or just easily pleased by shelf upon shelf stationery, you’ll find plenty to suit at the flagship branch of one of London’s major suppliers of art and graphics materials. Arty books and magazines, lightboxes, modelling clays and spray paint are clearly and thoughtfully arranged, along with a reliably good selection of arty gifts – think wind-up tin toys and tiny notebooks adorned with cartoon Warhols and Dalis.

Best for: cinematic shopping

Walls looking a bit bare? Here you’ll find an awesome selection of posters and frames to brighten up them the hell up. Reelstore specialises in old movie posters and film prints – you’ll be just as likely to find some obscure indie cinema advert as you would a 1960s Jungle Book flyer. If you’re a film buff, it’s worth popping in to browse their cinema-related books and other memorabilia.

Best for: hot furniture and home accessories

Housed in an impressive Victorian concert hall, Aria is one of London’s best design destinations. The painstakingly restored original features contrast beautifully with the contemporary homewares. As well as kitchenware, clocks and lighting from big names like Alessi, you’ll find glorious prints by Oliver Taylor, plus plenty of quirky treasures. There’s also a tempting selection of posh toiletries, including old-style apothecary and Scandi skincare brands.

Best for: glorious groceries with a conscience

If you’re after organic, locally-sourced food products – while supporting ethical dairy, local and biodynamic farmers – then this is the place for you. Grab one of their well-priced vegetable boxes, some gluten free pasta or next-level sourdough, or treat yourself to a delicious handmade empanada. They have branches in Islington, Walthamstow and Finsbury Park.

Best for: supernatural page-turners

A boutique bookshop and suitably atmospheric cultural centre for those with an interest in witchcraft, magic, spirituality, culture, religion, divination and more. Treadwell's have both secondhand and new books on offer, and rare and unusual editions too. They also host a regular lecture series and workshops for people interested in various aspects of magical thinking and esoteric arts. On top of all that, you can swing by for a tarot reading with one of their six tarot consultants.

Best for: record shopping with a community feel

Founded by adopted local Craig Jameson shortly after he moved to Peckham in 2014, this eclectic indie vinyl label-slash-record shop based in Rye Lane’s Bussey Building is considered a proper south east London institution thanks to its devotion to championing the area’s vibrant local music scene. 

Best for: top-tier kids clothing

This children’s clothing shop stocks well-made pieces and accessories which will have your little humans dressed to the nines. The shop is adult and kid-friendly and the clothes themselves are made of genuinely high quality fabrics and have a timeless feel. You’ll leave wishing they made them in grown-up sizes. 

Best for: a surprisingly brilliant variety of condiments and produce

The most pimped grocery shop youll ever step into, the Homerton branch of Eat17 (and Spar) is housed in an art deco picture house and has a dedicated organic and craft beer section, sushi bar and a boutique florist. Total foodie heaven, youll go in for a pint of milk and a loaf of sourdough bread (this is Hackney, now) and you’ll leave with beetroot hummus, homemade salted caramel brownies, a jar of bacon jam and rainbow trout from the fresh fish counter. Of course, that’s why we love it.

Best for: bespoke bikes

A Gray’s Inn Road stalwart since 1948, family-run Condor Cycles is the store of choice for those in search of top-notch cycling kit: Condor’s beautiful bikes have tackled the Tour de France and won world championships. Bikes can be built to order on a bespoke basis or purchased off the rack, while the range of accessories for the more casual rider is one of the best in town.

Best for: legendary leathers

With Kate Moss parading around in its tough-ass boots and every rocker worth their salt (The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Ramones) having worn its biker jackets, Lewis Leathers is a true Brit heritage brand. Just a stone’s throw from its original site, and still using the same phone number it had in the 1930s, this icon of bikerwear cool sells 15 classic vintage designs from the ’60s and ’70s. It’s not cheap – most jackets are over £800.

Best for: classic cuts

This small-but-perfectly-formed Marylebone boutique is home to understated, incredibly wearable labels. Founders Kate Allden and Jane Ellis track down soon-to-be cult classics before they become so by sourcing more under the radar brands, and then fill the store with stylish yet timeless pieces and wardrobe classics. Its eponymous own-brand is predictably great as well.

Best for: unusual fragrances

This unisex fragrance store, with branches in Shoreditch and the West End, is not to be sniffed at. If it’s a cheap scent you’re after, go elsewhere. But if you want to enjoy the process of trying out high-quality, unusual perfumes and hearing from knowledgeable staff about how they’ve been created, this is the place for you. Bloom stocks niche perfumes from brands including Arquiste, and also runs regular events and courses so you can find out more about what you’re buying. 

Best for: crate-diggers 

This isn’t any record shop – this record shop is owned by Jack White (of The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather). Located on a busy Soho street, it has an eye-catching bright yellow exterior and sells White’s trademark pressing in obscure, limited-edition vinyl formats and often holds intimate gigs in the basement, which doubles as a label HQ. You can also press your own vinyl in-store and dig to your heart's content. 

Best for: niche craft beer

‘Bottle shop’? Is that not just a fancy new term for an off-licence? Well, step through the door of this dedicated beer shop and you'll be forced to admit that ‘off-licence’ doesn’t quite cut it. You’ll find an enormous selection of bottles and cans of beer from London, the UK and beyond. 

Best for: edgy new labels

Offering a platform for the capital’s most exciting and emerging designers, ever since its birth Machine-A has been a tireless champion of independent brands. Housing avant-garde brands that you know and love – the likes of Raf Simons, Maison Martin Margiela and Craig Green can all be found in there – what makes this Soho store unmissable are actually the names that you’ve never heard of but will be incredibly happy to discover. Expertly curated by founder and buying director Stavros Karelis, this buzzy boutique is an absolutely integral part of Soho.

Best for: pretty home decorations

The new centrally-located branch of Petersham Nurseries (the original is in Richmond) comes fit with two restaurants, a deli, a florist and a wine cellar, but it’s the shop that’s the main draw for us. Set in a Grade II-listed Victorian building, covetable antique furniture, fragrant candles, ceramics and other hand-crafted homewares sit amidst lush green foliage. In a nod to its roots, there’s also an array of potted plants and gardening accessories. If your purse strings are tight, just wandering around this shop is a delight.

Best for: scaly, slithery animals 

Also known as Crystal Palace Aquarium, this specialist pet shop is the place to go for unusual and hard-to-find reptiles, amphibians and fish. You can also pick up all the live food you’ll need to keep them happy, plus books and magazines offering tips on how to care for them.

Best for: haute homewares

Modernist pioneer Terence Conran has always had an impressively sharp eye for the decorative, and nowhere is this more evident than at his Fulham Road flagship store. The Conran Shop presents a knowledgeable edit of investment pieces like Jacobsen and Eames chairs alongside an unusual and beautiful collection of decorative wares from international designers.

Best for: weird and wonderful cheeses

If you’re not from the area, it’s worth making the pilgrimage north to this local cheese haven. Opened in the early eighties by owner Morgan McGlynn, it stocks a vast range of artisan products from independent dairies. The shop’s less traditional offerings are a real draw too, like the Choco 21, an Italian blue cheese aged in chocolate liqueur. While samples are aplenty, the shop can also host bespoke cheese tasting sessions.

Best for: future home classics

Britishness runs through every stitch and paintbrush swirl at House of Hackney’s flagship. The store flicks two fingers at minimalism; it’s decked out in the deliberately over-the-top juxtapositions of print-on-print-on-print that have made the brand’s name. From the dusky gothic Dalston Rose to the heady '70s Palmeral, all of HoH’s beautiful prints are here, on everything from armchairs to oven gloves. Look out for the collaboration with the estate of their aesthetic forefather and fellow east Londoner, William Morris.

Best for: retro specs

General Eyewear is a far cry from Specsavers. The Camden showroom is a true insider’s secret that’s found on the speed dial of every major fashion mag and costume director in the land – Eddie Redmayne recently wore custom-made General specs for his Oscar-bothering turn as Stephen Hawking. The ’70s and ’80s frames on display hail from larger-than-life fashion houses like Versace, Moschino and Christian Lacroix, boasting a glamour and eccentricity that today’s mass market-courting designer specs often lack. 

Best for: an international edit of beauty brands

After two centuries of curing London’s maladies, age was starting to wither this venerable pharmacy. Cue a multimillion-pound revamp back in 2015, which balanced the store’s imposing heritage with an exhaustive range of new products. Antique apothecary bottles and Queen Victoria’s prescription book are dotted amongst a globetrotting selection of beauty brands.

Best for: handsome headgear

Lock & Co Hatters has been a St James’ fixture since 1759, making it one of the oldest hat shops in the world. It’s also possibly one of the most famous. Inside, you’ll find one of the most comprehensive selections of classic headgear to be found in the capital: from bowlers to berets via top hats, panamas and a whole host of other fancy head-coverings. Whatever you decide upon, though, it's sure to be an investment piece: Lock & Co offer a comprehensive aftercare service, and have been known to repair and reshape hats up to 50 years old.

Best for: gigs and garments

Although this vintage treasure trove for retro finds has been around for years, it still lies undiscovered by many. Spread over two floors, the spacious shop offers women’s and men’s clothing and accessories from the ’20s to the ’80s. There’s a particularly good selection of flowery summer dresses, and a fair range of shoes, handbags and gloves displayed on mismatched, kitsch sofas, chairs and tables. It’s not just about the clothes, though – Paper Dress Vintage also operates as a bar by night with a late license on Fridays and Saturdays. Music events are held regularly here, too.

Best for: treats for big kids of all ages

Purveyor of quality goods for monsters of every kind, this little curiosity shop is just the ticket for vampires, werewolves and humans on the prowl for Earwax (AKA fudge) or a pot of Creeping Dread (AKA boiled sweets) containing short stories by the likes of David Nicholls, Nick Hornby and Zadie Smith. Proceeds support the Ministry of Stories – an initiative that sees professional writers mentor young people in the art of story writing.

Best for: classic sneakers brands

Tucked under a railway arch on Atlantic Road, the second branch of men’s streetwear store Article is a welcome addition to Brixton’s indie shopping scene. Under the corrugated metal roof (like a hipster Anderson shelter), you’ll find a careful edit of understated styles from brands like YMC, Edwin and Nixon. Tucked around the corner is the beautifully arranged shoe room, stocking an impressive array of trainers that’s almost too pretty to shop from. Almost.

Best for: quality vintage stock that spans the decades

This Covent Garden gem has been peddling vintage threads for well over 20 years – long before retro became fashionable. Here you’ll find a wonderful array of dress-up clothes, from ’30s cocktail frocks and Downton-esque beaded slips to slinky ’80s numbers. Home to a mind-boggling 1,000 pairs of vintage shoes, the basement is well worth a careful rummage: the knowledgeable staff will help you pinpoint the perfect decade.

Best for: booze and beats 

Run by the folks behind Dalston drinking den Brilliant Corners, this Columbia Road emporium offers a well-curated assortment of records and audio equipment, plus wine and other drinks – definitely a winning combination. After all, crate-digging can be a thirsty business.

Best for: releasing your inner Mystic Meg

We’ve been looking into our Time Out crystal ball, and we predict a boom in astrology – if it’s not already here, that is. If you’re want to learn how to cleanse your crystals, swot up on the moon’s movements or pick up a deck of tarot cards, all signs point to the London Astrology Shop. This institution has specialised in astrological books since 1989; now you’ll find over 1,500 titles lining the shelves. Consider your esoteric needs met. 

Best for: carb lovers

Did someone say ravioli? Head to this cute Canonbury deli for fine, fine Italian food and drink. From charcuterie to gelato, antipasto, wine, hand made pasta, burrata, ricotta from Sardinia and other cheeses, this stuff is imported directly from the motherland so you know it’s the real deal. 

Best for: picture-perfect homewares and accessories

This petite store looks like the drawing room of a smart country house scaled to the size of a Shoreditch studio flat. It’s a tight squeeze, but there’s plenty packed into Ben Pentreath and Bridie Hall’s dinky boutique. Design and architecture books sit alongside vintage maps and china mugs, and there’s a pretty range of decoupage crockery from designer Hall. It’s an ideal gift destination, but you’ll inevitably find yourself stocking up on Pinterest-ing additions for your own pad, too.

Best for: filling hungry bellies

Books for Cooks runs on a simple but very successful formula. From the small open kitchen, co-owner Eric Treuillé puts recipes from the cookbook(s) of the day to the test. There’s no choice – until it comes to pudding, when there’s an array of must-try cakes (lemon victoria sponge, raspberry and pear cake, or chocolate and orange cake, say) – but the standard of cooking is high. You can also take a cookery class in the demonstration kitchen upstairs.

Best for: actually good charity shop finds

This charity shop run by Crisis, who specialise in offering help to homeless people, ranks among London’s best. Come to browse the racks packed with clothes, homeware, accessories, music, books and bric-a-brac, then grab coffee and a snack at the on-site café. Crisis also has numerous other charity shops dotted across London, including Elephant, Camden, Camberwell, Kilburn and Dalston.

Best for: boujie skate hoodies

Where do skater boys go when they’re all grown up and have well-paid media jobs? Browsing the rails at Palace. A marble temple to the wooden thing on wheels, this luxe London-based brand has grown into a high-fashion player, with an empire built on limited-edition hoodies and T-shirts. It’s not cheap – around £140 for a hoodie, if not more – but that’s a small price to pay for street cred.

Best for: rubber fetish wear

If you spy a glossy starlet stepping out in latex, chances are it’s from Atsuko Kudo, whose rubber styles have been sported by everyone from Lady Gaga to Kim Kardashian. Holloway Road’s latex specialists are known for fine filigree details, custom prints and perfect tailoring. You may have to take a deep breath to afford these designs, but the investment is reflected in the superb quality. Attentive staff and a surplus of talc are on hand to help relax rubber virgins.

Best for: brilliant luxe basics

Spot a gaggle of well-dressed yummy mummies nursing soya lattes in a Stokey café and chances are they’ll have picked up their Armorlux Breton tops and Ally Capellino totes at a branch of Hub. No. 49 on Stoke Newington’s swish Church Street houses womenswear – think stompy shoes from Grenson, Scandi-chic by Wood Wood and lovely denim from Bethnals – while No. 88 stocks many of the same labels but for chaps.

Best for: screamo 

This Hackney record shop is a metalhead's dream. In addition to more than a thousand used and new heavy metal records, including all the usual subgenres, it stocks merch, zines, T-shirts and more. It’s open Thursday through Sunday (and by appointment only on Tuesday and Wednesday).

Best for: a cuppa and a good read

Having opened in 2016, this Haggerston book emporium sells new and second-hand titles with a specialism in indie presses. Locals also come for the coffee and chat, plus regular ‘in person’ events with authors and other book world luminaries. Get involved.

Best for: designer chairs and home accessories

A champion of functional but beautiful design for decades now, SCP does a brilliant job of blending contemporary exhibition and retail space. The ground floor features artfully displayed, aesthetically pleasing furniture from design giants like Terence Woodgate and Matthew Hilton, as well as pieces from SCP’s in-house brand. Downstairs, the basement showcases jewellery, accessories and stylish but tongue-in-cheek knick-knacks for the home. Find a new store on Pimlico Road too. 

Best for: on-trend vintage pieces

If you're into your retro clothing then stopping by this vintage stalwart should be top of your to-do list. The biggest of all Beyond Retro’s stores, this is a vast warehouse of second-hand and vintage fashion, including both men and women's denim, shoes and accessories. It’s never old jumble here, however – every piece is hand-selected for the store and ranges always reflect current trends.

Best for: innovative wines

This comprehensive wine shop has been a family affair ever since it began trading in 1698. And while BBR still operates from its original premises on St James Street, where dark wood-panelled walls and low-hanging chandeliers exude grandeur, they have a shiny new shop around the corner on Pall Mall. It’s here that vino virgins and oenephiles alike can browse fine and rare wines from all over the globe and slurp on samples from their enomatic dispensing machines.

Best for: leisurely book browsing

Just a few paces from Brick Lane, Libraria’s dinky black shop front is deceptive – once through its small door and you'll discover books for days. A tunnel of double-height canary yellow walls is lined with rows and rows of books, making room for the occasional cushion-filled nook for visitors to sit and get cosy. Libraria isn't just the place for covetable hardbacks on philosophy, architecture, food and design, it hosts regular evening talks with authors and cultural speakers, screenings, performances and crafty workshops.

Best for: crafty cards and gifts

This rustic gift shop on Exmouth Market is straight out of a home counties village high street, and that’s why it’s a treat to find it in Zone 1. All products here are hand-crafted and hand-selected by owner Alice, with many of the store’s products being made on-site, either at the shop counter or in the downstairs studio. Alongside cards, textiles, jewellery and ceramics, Botanique offers bespoke floristry too, with same-day delivery available across the country. There’s also second branch on Church Street, Stoke Newington.

Best for: sustainable womenswear that actually looks good 

Finding ethical fashion is a tricky business, so let 69b Boutique do the hard work for you. This friendly little store near London Fields curates on-trend brands with eco-friendly and sustainable values. Amongst the rails you’ll find a pick ’n’ mix of high-end fabrics and contemporary cuts, with brands ranging from Veja trainers to cosy wool jumpers by Maska.  

Best for: niche local brews

Hop Burns & Black on East Dulwich Road sells three things: beer, hot sauce and vinyl, with the former available to carry out in one-litre flagons (what similar operations call a ‘growler’, inevitably with a bit of puerile nudge-winkery). Thanks to a nifty counter-pressure filling machine, the grog stays fresh for weeks – although with breweries on offer including London’s finest, US legends and Kiwi trailblazers like Yeastie Boys, you’ll do well not to see it off in a single sitting.

Best for: understated style 

Maybe you’ve heard of Folk, the London-based casual brand. It’s stocked in boutiques around the world, but here in London they’ve got three stores that are temples to their effortlessly cool clothes. At first glance it might not look like much, but Folk is all about the details: expect pillow-soft cotton T-shirts and sturdy denim. One for the casualwear geeks.  

Best for: original and stylish gifts

The contents of this three-storey boutique are flawlessly curated. On the lower level is Ian Paley’s marvellous menswer label The Garbstore; every item is made using old-school techniques from the 1940s and ’50s and gets the nod of approval from even the snootiest of dapper gents. The upper floors are home to Couveture, which stocks an enticing range of homeware, plus a beautiful selection of women’s and children’s fashion.

Best for: enviable eyewear

Since 2001, the Klasik folks have been supplying Londoners with vintage eyewear from a bustling stall at Old Spitalfields Market. Now, they also have a bricks and mortar store just up the road in Bethnal Green. If you want your specs and sunnies to make an authentic retro statement, it's definitely the place to go.

Best for: an array of exceptional booze

This glass-fronted shop in deepest Mayfair isn’t just for vino fans – it’s a haven for fine spirits too. The ground floor of this two-storey venue is a sleek, wooden-clad showroom of wine and liquor, but head down stairs to the MI5-like cellar and you can pine over hundreds of stored vintage bottles and sip 75cl samples from their ever-changing wine tasting menu. If you don’t drink, you’ll still be captivated by the oh-so Instagrammable wine glass chandeliers that hang from the store's ceiling.

Best for: serious Scandi furnishings 

Opened in November in a massive Bow warehouse, Aelfred is a gorgeous new emporium of vintage Scandinavian furniture. Prices are capped at £2,500, with smaller items like crockery starting at £15, so grabbing a slice of Scandi style doesn’t have to break the bank.

Best for: plants, pots and all things nice

You’d maybe not expect to find a fully-fledged garden centre nestled into one of De Beauvoir’s house-lined streets, but hey, here we are. N1 might be compact but it has everything you’d ever need to get green-fingered: house plants, garden plants, seeds, soil, pots and tools. Walk past it and you’ll be greeted with the most wonderful smell – and be lured in to treat your patio to a new flower (or three). 

Best for: furnishing your flat across the decades

There are 20 dealers selling across four storeys at this warehouse-style showroom. Each floor has its own character: if you like artily arranged mid-twentieth-century furniture, head down to the basement; if it's Victorian antiques you’re after, negotiate the tangle of chests, tables and accessories on the first floor. There are hundreds of pieces to consider, including vintage and modern design items, so leave plenty of time to roam around.

Best for: kitchen essentials 

Cooks will salivate in this fantastic store. If you need something with which to blanch, zest, grate, glaze or dust, then you’re almost guaranteed to find it here. There’s a good range of top-quality kitchen classics from the likes of Kitchenaid Artisan, a dazzling array of knives and attractive chunky earthenware. Venture downstairs for staggeringly pricey cookers by La Cornue, plus copper pans, enormous mortar and pestles, super-thick wooden chopping boards and old-fashioned ice-cream scoops. The baking section is exhaustive. If you don’t think you merit fancy cooking tools yet, then enlist in its cookery school to hone your skills.

Best for: book recommendations

The Owl has been owned by Daunt Books for some years, but you’d never know it: this greatly loved Kentish Town local retains its independent feel. Staff are very keen on books, and they take advice on good new books from their customers, who in this area are a pretty well-read bunch. The kids’ section encourages flop-down-and-read sessions; fiction and biography are probably the best of the adult sections.

Best for: green-fingered purchases

The Nunhead Gardener is a local gem. Staffed by a knowledgeable team of keen horticulturists, it stocks indoor and outdoor plants, pots, barks and soils, plus tools and feeders and garden decorations. Candles and diffusers are available, too, making it a must-visit for anyone looking to improve their flat’s zen quality. Since it opened, The Nunhead Gardener has blossomed into a small chain with outposts in Mayfair, Elephant Park and Camberwell, which has its own floristry department.

Best for: records, gigs and a bit of booze

The vinyl revival is still going strong and this Uxbridge Road shop is the latest place to get your wax fix. Not an audiophile obsessive? The café, bottle shop and live performances at Nextdoor Records mean it’s likely to be your new favourite hangout – whether you know what a 45 is or not. They also host some pretty decent supper club residencies. 

Best for: handpicked furniture gems

In the secret address book of many interior designers, Retrouvius is a salvage shop that specialises in sourcing quirky reclaimed goods. You might find everything from a perfectly preserved lute to a painted timber surveyor’s pole here. But there’s more than just novelty goods: owners Adam Hills and Maria Speake have been finding glorious old mirrors, farmhouse tables and lab worktops since 1993, and have a real knack for spotting the beauty in industrial fittings and other people’s cast-offs.

Best for: getting inked

This small but sleek tattoo shop in Tottenham – with walls all decorated with prints and all the inspo you could need – has a real warmth about it: the staff will go out of their way to make sure you feel welcome and to get your design just right. We’re talking next-level attention to detail executed by proper professionals. 

Best for: photo-worthy cakes and clothing

Housed on Shoreditch’s increasingly glossy Redchurch Street, Modern Society is a destination boutique. With a lovely selection of fashion, jewellery and homeware from across the globe, it’s the perfect place to pick up gifts – or for some more selfish shopping. Its dinky little café serves top brews, plus a host of Instagrammable snacks.

Best for: bras fit for a queen

If it’s good enough for Her Majesty, it’s good enough for us. Rigby & Peller was granted a royal warrant in 1960, and has been making Queen Elizabeth II’s smalls ever since. Book an appointment to be expertly fitted for ready-to-wear lingerie, or measured for a bespoke brassiere. The Mayfair boutique (there are also outposts in Chelsea, St Jonh's Wood, Bow Lane and Knightsbridge) also stocks other premium brands such as Aubade, Simone Perele and Cosabella.

Best for: big time bargains

Located in Worcester Park, south west London, Think Vintage is a veritable second-hand paradise. Because the owners team with a local property clearance company, they’re able to fill their warehouse store with everything from clothes to furniture and household items to bric-a-brac. They count numerous TV production companies among their regular customers, but everyone is welcome to come in, rummage and hopefully pick up a bargain.

Best for: sorting out storytime

For accompanying adults, the cosy café area is a serious draw at this children’s bookshop in Crouch End. Along with storybooks for babies to teens, there’s an excellent selection of non-fiction for kids. There are weekly baby and toddler activities and an after-school bookclub for older children, plus regular author events, children’s book art exhibitions, and family theatre events at weekends. 

Best for: minimal Scandi furnishings

Set over two spacious floors, the sleek lines and muted colours of Islington’s Twentytwentyone display minimalist furniture and accessories at their most appealing. Beloved of local architects and designers there’s a Scandi-slant to the carefully sourced stock, and sound advice on investing in classic retro furniture is always on hand. Look out for artful kids’ gifts and the timeless mid-century designs of Eames and Robin Day.

Best for: cool casualwear for him and her

Brit brand YMC (otherwise known as You Must Create) shines with its lines of contemporary, wearable style for men and women, which have remained quietly relevant for more than 20 years now. It’s glass-fronted Shoreditch store is light and airy, and is the perfect environment to browse (and then buy) YMC's chic designs, on-trend shoes and quirky accessories.

Best for: controversial homeware

Taxidermy specialists Get Stuffed have been providing their services for over four decades, and are based in North London. They specialise in pet work and are ‘run under the umbrella of The International CITES Regulations and the European Wildlife Legislation’.