Shopping near the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

This Paris-based gourmet chocolate shop has multiple locations in New York.

This UES family-owned shop has been in the haute couture–recycling business since 1954 and is the place to go if you want to score Dior, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana dresses for 70 to 90 percent off retail price. While you shouldn’t schlep your bags of less-than-luxe stuff here expecting a trade (they only buy first-tier designer labels that are less than two years old and in great condition), come here if you want to treat yourself to something luxurious without breaking the bank.

For the past 40-odd years, father-and-son team Lal and Harry Bhambi have been making sure every single hand-sewn garment under their banner is made precisely to look attractive. When you pick up garbs from them, you have the advantage of their veteran touch.

Ranking among the city’s top tourist attractions, Bloomie’s is stocked with everything from bags to beauty products, homewares to designer duds. The cosmetics hall, complete with an outpost of globe-spanning apothecary Space NK and a Bumble and bumble dry-styling bar, recently got a glam makeover. The compact Soho outpost concentrates on young fashion and cosmetics.  

An initiative of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, Albertine is devoted to works—both in its original version and in translation—and offers the largest selection of French literature in the United States, with more than 14,000 titles from 30 French-speaking countries. The two-floor space is truly an escapist's dream, with a designated reading room with lush sofas and armchairs, all housed in the French embassy.

For nearly half a century, Fred Kooby has been running this prim-and-proper stationery boutique, and though he’s watched as paper companies shrink their lines and e-cards replace formal invitations, his own business has grown from a single storefront to the better chunk of the block. Attribute this to his loyal clientele, who appreciate proper etiquette and classic taste—tenets that are best represented by the wall of Crane & Co. place cards (ten for $9–$100), and selection of Caspari greeting cards ($3–$9) and Charing Cross leather-bound calendars ($32–$49). Kooby’s daughter, Vanessa, oversees the custom-design department, whose shelves are jammed with sample books from lines as mid-range as William Arthur and as elaborate as C’est Papier. Aside from paper products, the store also stocks Kolo photo albums ($17–$50), Tizo picture frames ($17–$150) and fine writing instruments ($39–$495) from Waterman, Parker and Cross.

Stocked with a wide variety of foodstuffs and organic products, this large, health-conscious grocery store on the Upper East Side offers a huge selection for most dietary needs. Besides offering staples and specialty items, take-away meals include fresh smoothies and juices, soups and made-to-order salads perfect for a quick and easy bite.

Credit cards feel right at home at this luxury Upper East Side boutique catering to avid shoppers. Gowns seen on runways worldwide are for sale along with more casual daytime dresses for the ladies-who-lunch crowd.

This charming boutique is filled with preppy accessories, nearly all of which can be personalized. There are more than 50 monogram styles—from single letters to full names—and the work is complimentary with any purchase. Make your mark on seersucker duffles ($38), dopp kits ($58) and portable bar buckets ($45), or bring in your own towels, totes or apparel (the shop can embroider any item within a week, starting at $10 per piece).

The mammoth housewares chain has been importing eclectic goods from around the world since the company was founded in 1962. Manhattan’s second location (the other is in the Flatiron District) is also the largest one with three floors chock-full of ethnic-inspired and budget-friendly wares. On the main level, you’ll be greeted with rows of candy-colored dishware, including printed dinner plates ($8) and mosaic-tiled serving platters ($45), as well as displays featuring bronze champagne flutes ($8). The basement level holds bedroom necessities such as gold-and-white painted chests ($500) and ombré shag area carpets ($300). The upper level reveals a plethora of decorative pillows covered with metallic beads ($30) and done up in chevron prints ($30), plus oversize foil vases ($45) and elephant-shaped candleholders ($10).