A short guide to my favorite areas for shopping in London

There is something fun about making shopping a purposeful part of a trip.

Looking for that specific something while traveling- especially if it’s known for being made in the region you’re visiting- can add a playful sense of discovery when exploring a new city. There are SO many lovely little shops and alleyways I would never have taken the time to venture into unless I was on a mission to find that certain something.

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I find that the best souvenirs are the little treasures I find and immediately wear while traveling. Needless to say…

I love shopping in London.

The city seems like it was built for shopping. Street after street leads you to alley after alley of shopping for all tastes and budgets- you’ll find H&M and Zara close to Burberry and Barbour, all just around the corner from a street that has featured the world’s finest bespoke tailoring shops since the 1700s. Whatever you’re looking for- you’ll find it in London.

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The thing about shopping in London is that the vibes and offerings vary by neighborhood.
I’ll explain…

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The West End:
Piccadilly, Mayfair, and Covent Garden

Piccadilly– stretching just under a mile from Hyde Park to Piccadilly Circus, Piccadilly Road (known locally just as ‘Piccadilly’) has been a popular London thoroughfare under various names since medieval times (let that sink in for a minute.) 

Piccadilly also features two charming ‘arcade-style’ shopping alleys: Piccadilly Arcade and Burlington Arcade.

Originally a residential street, tailors such as Henry Poole & Co (reportedly the first tailor on the Row and the inventor of the classic dinner jacket) began to fill the Row’s vacancies with skilled craftsmen and fine fabrics as residents moved away in the 1800s.

Since then, and still today, London’s high society, celebrities, royalty, and some ambitious citizens trek to Savile Row from all over the world to the un-contested mecca of the finest in bespoke British suiting. Interestingly, (for the nerds like me) in the late 1800s and early 1900s, No.1 Savile Row was also home to the Royal Geographical Society, where historic expeditions to map and explore the South Pole, Asia, and Africa were planned.

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(Old & New) Bond Street is the only street in the maze of Mayfair connecting Piccadilly to Oxford Street. Bond Street became popular in the late 1700s as a place for the upper class to shop and socialize.  Today it remains full of high-end retailers such as Tiffany & Co., Hermès, Prada, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and the like, and holds the title of the most expensive retail street in Europe after the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Many today refer to it just as “Bond,” but don’t be confused when you see both Old Bond Street and New Bond Street on the map- it’s simply two ends of the same street. The name changes to “New” shortly before the street becomes entirely pedestrian for one tiny section, which features a chummy statue of Churchill and Roosevelt sitting on a park bench and another of a naked man riding a horse (?)

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Regent Street-  Known for its unbroken line of creamy curved buildings hugging either side of the busy pavement, Regent Street was the first purpose-built shopping street in London, first conceived around 1813 and named in 1819.  Just under a mile long and named for the Prince Regent at the time, (George IV, uncle, and predecessor of Queen Victoria) it has been considered one of the major shopping streets of London since its conception.

Today, Regent Street retains its status as the venerated home to a vast number of major high-end flagship stores, restaurants, and wellness brands, conveniently acting as a connecting street between Oxford Street and Piccadilly.

Other historic Regent Street spots include Hamley’s (opened 1881 and known as the world’s oldest toy store), and the infamous Hotel Cafe Royal (opened 1865).

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Oxford Street– Over a mile long and known as Europe’s busiest shopping street, Oxford Street has more than 90 shops on offer and half a million visitors daily. Its history began early as part of a Roman road and has developed through the centuries into the shopping metropolis it is today, settling into its name as Oxford Street in the 18^th century. 

A range of fashion brands from Zara and H&M to Reiss and All Saints sit alongside a selection of electronics and homeware brands such as Dyson and Nespresso. Historically, some of Britain’s first modern department stores, including Selfridges (founded in 1909) and John Lewis (founded in 1864) began on the street and remain there today. Always busy and always buzzing, you’ll likely find anything you’re looking for and more- on historic Oxford Street.

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Covent Garden- Neighboring Mayfair’s grand shopping streets, Covent Garden (originally called Convent garden, when Westminster Abbey monks grew produce in the area 500+ years ago) has developed steadily over the centuries as an integral part of London’s culture. The center of Covent Garden features St. Paul’s Church (not to be confused with the much larger St. Paul’s Cathedral) and its Piazza (built around 1633), the Royal Opera House (opened in 1732), and the iconic Market Building (opened in 1830).

Originally, the Market Building housed the fruit, vegetable, and flower sellers Covent Garden was known for. These original market vendors vacated the building in the 1970s, and the structure was redeveloped to house craft markets, stores, and cafes.

Today, the central Covent Garden piazza is famous for street performers, while the surrounding streets such as Floral Street, Neal Street, Long Acre, and Mercer Street feature some of London’s best shopping, food, and entertainment venues. Winding the streets of Covent Garden, you’ll find cute boutiques alongside large brands such as & Other Stories, Radley and Mulberry, and Ted Baker.

Fun fact for geeks like me: Covent Garden was the site where Eliza Doolittle first met Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady. In the 1964 film, the scene features Audrey Hepburn (as Eliza) selling flowers and singing “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” in the piazza between St. Paul’s Church and the Market Building.

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West of Hyde Park:
Chelsea, Kensington, Knightsbridge, and Notting Hill

Sloane Square– Situated in the heart of London’s Chelsea neighborhood at the intersection of Sloane Street and Kings Road, Sloane Square is known for its mix of upmarket boutiques, high-street shops, and restaurants.  Originally mapped out in the 1770s as an integral part of Chelsea, the central square features a fountain statue of Venus and a Cross of Sacrifice war memorial.

Peter Jones department store (7 floors of high-end fashion and homeware popular with royals such as Catherine, Princess of Wales) is a bookend of the square along with the Royal Court Theatre (opened 1888). Cafes for lunching (Colbert is my favorite!) and offerings such as Club Monaco, Kate Spade, Cartier, Rag & Bone, and Ralph Lauren fill the surrounding storefronts.

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King’s Road- Serving as the Chelsea neighborhood’s high street, King’s Road is very near the British Royal Family’s London palaces and known as one of the most fashionable shopping streets in London.  Sometimes referred to as ‘the King’s Road’ (it was a private road for King Charles II in the mid-1600s and remained a private royal road until 1830), the street runs for 2 miles through west London from Sloane Square in Chelsea to Fulham.  In the 1960s, the area became the center of British fashion, with everyone from wealthy fashionistas to funky punk rockers mingling in the streets to see and be seen.  The area has had its ups and downs in recent decades, but today provides everything from art galleries to cafes and fine dining alongside department stores, well-known boutiques, and small bookshops.

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Kensington High Street – Functioning as the main shopping street in Kensington, Kensington High Street runs from the corner of Kensington Palace Gardens into central Kensington. One of London’s most popular shopping areas and serving the surrounding upscale neighborhood, the street features a mix of upmarket shops and boutiques such as Zara, Jigsaw, COS, and Massimo Dutti and a variety of dining options for hungry shoppers, wanderers, and locals. While you’re there, take a detour down Kensington Church Street– another excellent area for browsing some of London’s top boutiques. It intersects with Kensington High Street near Kensington Palace Green- just across from Whole Foods. Another of my favorite things about the posh neighborhood of Kensington is its proximity to the palaces of the British Royal Family- providing occasional royal sightings for the eagle-eyed royals watcher.

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Knightsbridge– A beautiful part of London nestled between Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park, Knightsbridge (along with Kensington and Chelsea) is known as one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the world. Often frequented for luxury shopping, major attractions in the area include department stores Harrod’s (founded in 1849 and the site of Britain’s first escalator in 1898) and Harvey Nichols (founded in 1831).

While these two historic giants bring droves of tourists to Knightsbridge, the area also offers a wide variety of luxurious shopping options such as the glittering boutiques and cafes along Beauchamp Place (pronounced “beecham”), and the high-end shops around Brompton Cross, Draycott Avenue and Walton Street.

Keep moving a block or two southeast and you’ll find yourself on the tidy streets of Belgravia, another posh London neighborhood offering high-end shops, cafes, and fashion boutiques such as Philip Treacy (hat-maker to the Royals) and Les Senteurs Perfumery, both on Elizabeth Street. Even if you’re more of a starry-eyed browser than a luxe-goods shopper (hi, it’s me), strolling the lovely streets of Knightsbridge and Belgravia is still an inspiring way to spend an afternoon.

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Notting Hill– A one-stop for antiques and vintage treasures, Notting Hill is most famous for its neatly kept neighborhood of classic townhomes and cozy pubs. Just a few blocks north of Kensington, some trek to this corner of London just to enjoy the picture-perfect rows of charming flats and scenes from the classic 1999 movie Notting Hill. (BTW- the bookshop from the movie- now called The Notting Hill Bookshop- is still there at 13 Blenheim Crescent, just off Portobello Road. It even has a blue plaque outside denoting the spot.)

Though there are a smattering of cute boutiques and cafes in the area, Portobello Market is the real shopping star of Notting Hill. Boasting a history stretching over 150 years, Portobello Market has become one of the most famous street markets in the world.  With outdoor stalls and shop fronts stretching for a mile along Portobello Road and around the corner onto Golborne Road, Portobello Market is a wonderful place to spend a day browsing al fresco. 

My shopping excursions in Portobello have yielded gorgeous (nearly perfect condition) vintage Burberry coats, furs, antique tableware, and unique old books. A plethora of vendors sell everything from a quick bite to eat on the go, to jewelry, furniture, vintage clothing, fresh produce, and so much more. Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest days with the most open stalls, though some version of the market exists every day but Sunday.

Need a Map?
Click below to open my Google Map noting all of the London shopping locations mentioned in this post.