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Delhi is a shopper’s paradise. Besides the famous street markets, Delhi has fabulous places to shop for everything from designer fashion to specialty books. The key is knowing where to go to make the most of your shopping excursion.
In this article I’m going to give you the low down on the best places to shop in Delhi. These are places I go and take friend to, many of which were introduced to me by locals.
Best Places to Shop in Delhi & What to Buy
Delhi has everything. You can literally shop until you drop…into an auto rickshaw. All of these places are centrally located where you’ll find a mix of locals and visitors. To help you navigate and figure out where they are, I’ve created this map you can use:
1. State Emporiums on Baba Kharak Singh Road
Best for regional crafts and souvenirs
My landlady told me about these remarkable shops a few years ago. They are a series of stores, each operated by a state of India, which sell locally produced handicrafts and cultural items.
Want pearls from Telangana, tea from Assam, wool sweaters from Himachal Pradesh? You’ll find them all here and much more.
Prices are usually very reasonable. The emporiums are easy to get to – they’re located between Block P of Connaught Place and the Shivaji Stadium metro station, all along one side of the road.
About halfway between the stores there’s a casual but decent spot for lunch or coffee, Coffee Home, which has a large outdoor terrace (if it’s not too hot).
👉 Insider Tip: This area is rife with touts – ignore them all! They will try to get you to shop at more commercial emporiums where they earn a commission. Also skip the Delhi Emporium (the first one closest to Block P) – it’s over-priced.
2. Connaught Place
Best for first time visitors
Connaught Place is the commercial and retail hub built by the British in the 1930s. It’s the unofficial centre of Delhi, and a major destination for tourists and locals.
This is a great place to shop if you’re looking for western or Indian fashion, books, souvenirs and electronics in an organized and relatively calm environment.
Because it’s easy to navigate and laid out with wide colonnaded sidewalks, it’s great for anyone still getting acclimatized to Delhi.
Connaught Place is comprised of 3 concentric traffic circles, but the inner circle and it’s radial roads is where most of the shops are located. There’s also plenty of restaurants, cafes, street food and a metro station.
3. Dastkar Nature Bazaar
Best for authentic handicrafts
This is a great place to buy authentic handicrafts. It’s an outdoor bazaar which features artisans from across India selling a diverse range of handmade products.
The bazaar is a joint project between the NGO Dastkar and Delhi Tourism to promote and support crafts people who otherwise would not have access to a retail market.
The market is usually closed on Wednesdays, but open every day during the fairs it regularly hosts. You can check the Dastkar Nature Bazaar FB page for current events.
There’s a small food court onsite. Dastkar is very close to Chhatarpur Temple Complex, one of the most important temples in Delhi. Check it out while you’re in the area.
4. Select Citywalk
Best mall with international brands
This is an excellent mall that has all the major western brands, including the most recent ones to open in India.
Nike, the Body Shop, Apple, Pret a Manger, Tim Hortons (for my Canadian readers) and Sephora are all here, as well as known Indian brands like FabIndia and Modern Bazaar.
The mall is very centrally located and connected to another mall, DLF Avenue Saket which has excellent restaurant options.
You’ll be able to find everything you need here, and if your arms get tired you can hire a shopping assistant to carry your bags. No wonder this is the most popular of Delhi’s shopping malls.
5. Greater Kailash M Block Market
Best all around Delhi market
This is actually one of my favourite places to shop in Delhi.
GK M Block Market has a great variety of shops selling clothing, shoes, housewares, jewellery, fabrics and restaurants, but there’s also street vendors and some fabulous street food options too.
Don’t come looking for Western brand stores, it’s predominantly Indian names, but you will find some Western fashion.
To boot, it’s located in a very desirable South Delhi residential neighbourhood and close to the metro. You won’t find many tourists here, but locals and expats in the know all frequent this market.
After shopping have a meal at one of the restaurants, or head to Hunger Strike and get their delicious chicken tandoori momos!
👉 Insider Tip: Smaller shops, food stands and businesses may be closed on Tuesday.
6. INA Market
Best for foodies
This is the foodie market of Delhi. Whatever you need for your cooking, this is where to buy it (I come here to replenish my maple syrup supply).
INA Market has the freshest of everything, including many produce items you won’t see in the neighbourhood markets, plus fish, shellfish and meat.
It’s also an excellent spot to buy Indian spices. They’re just as good as the ones in the famous spice market of Old Delhi.
If you’re visiting Delhi, you’re probably not doing a lot of cooking, but INA is a really good place to buy dried nuts and fruit, spices and namkeen (dry, savoury snacks); things that make great gifts and souvenirs to bring home.
The market is pretty big, but divided into sections so easy to navigate. There’s a bunch of shops and stands just outside, but make sure you head inside the market for the best selection. INA Market is closed on Mondays.
7. Sarojini Nagar Market
Best for bargain shoppers
Bargain hunters will love this market. This is the place to go for super cheap clothing and accessories in Delhi.
Most of the stock is seconds, knock-offs and excess stock, but you can find some high quality branded clothing here too if you have the patience to look around. Jeans and blouses for INR 100-300, rock bottom prices on purses and belts – you really can’t go wrong.
Not all stalls have change rooms, so be prepared to try clothes on over whatever you’re wearing, and bring a bag because not every vendor has them. This market is closed on Mondays.
👉 Insider tip: When you’re done shopping, have a meal at one of the best places to eat on a budget in Delhi, Haldiram’s (in the plaza next to the market). That’s where I always go after shopping – the food is delicious.
8. Shahpur Jat
Best for trendy Indian wedding fashion
Shahpur Jat is an urban village in South Delhi that is slowly becoming gentrified. Even though it looks a little rough, there are wonderful and unique designer studios, boutiques and cafes within the village.
Lately it’s become a shopping destination for Indian brides because of the beautiful wedding outfits. If you are attending an Indian wedding, this would be a good place to buy something traditional, but a little different.
After shopping, have lunch at one of Delhi’s best cafes, Potbelly Rooftop Cafe. They serve delicious Bihari food on a rooftop terrace.
👉 Insider Tip: Ruins from Delhi’s second medieval city, Siri, are located in Shahpur Jat. The city wall built in 1303 still forms part of the perimeter of the urban village.
9. Khan Market
Best upscale market
Khan Market is a favourite spot of well to do Delhiites and expats. The market is pedestrian friendly and has all sorts of shopping and dining options. In fact, it’s very much a dining destination as well as shopping.
It’s in South Delhi, very close to Lodhi Garden and a metro station, so super easy to get to.
You can buy Indian and western fashion and accessories, jewellery, stationary, specialty food items and there’s loads of restaurants and cafes. Even Ladurée has a shop and cafe in Khan Market.
Book lovers will especially enjoy this market, two of Delhi’s top bookstores are here, Faqir Chand and Bahrisons.
10. Bazaar at Sunder Nursery
Best organic market
Sunder Nursery is a heritage park in South Delhi that operates an organic bazaar every Sunday morning.
The bazaar is unique in Delhi, not just for the high quality of organic products and farm produce it sells, but because of the park itself, which has a number of Mughal era monuments from the 16th century.
If you want to do some organic shopping, come here and explore one of Delhi’s historic treasures at the same time. The park has earned UNESCO awards for heritage conservation and sustainable development.
This is also a great spot for kids, there’s plenty of room to run around and a fantastic children’s play area. There’s an entrance fee of INR 200, children under 5 are free.
11. Dilli Haat INA
Best for seasonal handicrafts & souvenirs
Dilli Haat is a popular tourist destination, but locals also like this market for seasonal handicrafts. It’s not quite as authentic as Dastkar Nature Bazaar, but it has a huge selection of Indian cultural items.
I think it’s a great place to come, especially if it’s your first day or two in Delhi. The market is well organized and laid out like a traditional Indian village.
There’s no traffic, it’s a closed pedestrian only zone. And there’s an excellent outdoor food court with foods from all across India. It’s also very close to the Delhi metro.
Prices may be a little higher than at the street markets, but you can bargain. Even though there’s a small admission fee of INR 100, it’s still one of the best places to shop in Delhi.
👉 Insider Tip: There are 3 Dilli Haat markets in Delhi, but the best by far is Dilli Haat INA – that is the most popular one. There’s also a Delhi Haat, don’t go there by mistake!
The Wrap-up on Best Places in Delhi to Shop & What to Buy
Whatever you are looking for, Delhi has it. Some of the top shopping in South East Asia is in Delhi, and now you know where the best places are.
Looking for More? You Might Also Like…
- Where to Buy Authentic Gifts and Souvenirs in Delhi
- How to Buy a Real Pashmina
- Best Coffee Shops in Delhi: Where to Get Seriously Good Java
Don’t forget travel insurance! It’s always a good idea to carry travel insurance just in case something goes wrong. I really like and use SafetyWing
