So many things in my home have come from this fantastic little gem of a store! They import…read morewell-made, unique, and beautiful home décor accents sourced directly from their makers in both Cambodia and Viet Nam... I'm not sure if it exactly qualifies for "fair trade" but I like to think it does when I'm making purchases... Fine woven floor mats in a multitude of colours, lacquered cups and bowls, and some unique sculptural pieces are just a few of the things that you can find (and that I've purchased) here. Everything has a very Asian-minimalist clean-line feel to it - which I find extremely appealing. Beyond the distinctive aesthetic of the pieces, everything is also extremely well-priced. I guarantee sticker-shock... of the pleasantly low variety. Also, the people who run this shop are total sweethearts... I don't think there's a smite of greed in their souls... this shop really seems to be more their labour of love... which, if you ask me, is just one more reason to spend your money here!

I really lIke this store, which like many of the shops on Columbia Road probably has limited…read morestrange hours, so make sure to check before you head out this way. Basically, this is an upscale Vietnamese housewares shop. So, sure, that coconut laquered bowl, bamboo spoon, or soy sauce pourer that would cost 50p in Vietnam might set you back ten quid here, but at least you don't have to buy the plane ticket? Trying to think positively here. Anyhow, this is a fantastic shop for small gifts, pretty little things of a practical nature (artistic cookware, serving trays, condiment bowls... hand-crafted items of all sorts). If you like beautiful Asian handmade items, this is a place for you. Plus, even with the import upscale markup, this place is still quite affordable. Make sure to sniff the cinnamon boxes. So neat!

I absolutely love 'In...'. If you're not careful you may miss it but if you work your way through…read moreall the stalls in Spitalfields you'll fihnd this gorgeous home furnishings shop. They have beautiful furniture (dinning room tabels, chairs, cabinets and shelving) all of which have great individual style. My favourite items in here are the trinkets and decor. They have beautiful bird cages for decor that you can put candles in as well as beautiful lighting and ornaments. It's a brilliant place if you're looking for gifts as they have stuff for men, women and children. The prices are reasonable and the staff are great.

I love this unique shop. They sell mainly quirky home decor items, as well as a small selection of…read morebooks (pop culture, fashion etc), jewellery, cards and gifts. It's a great place to head for an unusual gift or for someone hard to buy for. A lot of the stuff is a bit pricey but you can tell it's good quality. I'll definitely be popping in here when I move house to get some of the kitsch lighting and kitchenware they stock.

My family has been coming here for years! Well before I was born. We're not local-we're Americans,…read moreand on every visit this was a must stop. There are many antiques from Alfies in my home that we inherited from my mother and smaller special keepsakes from my time living in London in my 20s. My husband & I spent part of our honeymoon in London, and it was his first time in the city (September/October 2024) and this was a nonnegotiable stop for me. Plan to spend a few hours wandering around and exploring-it's humongous! Also, generally speaking not on the inexpensive side but you can always find some gem's. I can remember on one visit when I was 19, we stumbled on a vendor that didn't realize what he had, it was a 20 year old authentic bubblegum pink Kelly (Hermes) and he had it priced under $1000. I still to this day regret not buying it for resale alone (bubblegum pink is not for me lol)

It would be an understatement to say that I am besotted with antiques. I love them. Can't get…read moreenough of them. Know London's antique and vintage purveyors like the back of my proverbial hand. And Alfie's is one of my favourites, a veritable antique market located in trendy Marylebone. With dealers selling clothes, fine and costume jewellery, furniture, textiles and collectibles, Alfie's should satisfy the needs of even the most ardent collector. And with a surprisingly accessible atmosphere at odds with the sometimes rarefied world of antiques and vintage, Alfie's is perfect for a browse for the expert and neophyte alike. I visited Alfie's just before Christmas last year and spotted cute as a button Mark Owen from Take That looking incredibly dapper. This is the place for vintage/antique fans to find unique Christmas presents without recourse to the high street.

What's up, Diamond Jubilee?!?!…read more I just bought a lovely mug commemorating the Queen's 60 year reign for 20 quid. It was terribly costly, but I don't care; I wanted it. There were St. George mugs, bird and flower mugs, starry mugs, and personalised mugs, jugs, and tea pots on display. 'Keep Calm and Fork Over the Cash' should be another motif Emma Bridgewater pottery could have emblazoned across it! Hee hee. Not just spotty tea mugs anymore, Emma Bridgewater has branched out to include textiles and melamine ware all bearing likenesses made well known by her ceramic ware. Suffice it to say, it's a lovely shop filled with products made up in the Potteries. I'm glad EB is there doing her thing.

Emma Bridgewater's is a beautiful shop which sells crockery and household goods with lovely…read morepatterns on them. Her spotty mugs and cute 'I dreamt of Daniel Craig last night' tea towels are very kitch without being tacky. However, if you want to buy something from this shop it won't come cheap. During my Christmas shopping I came across a sweet little milk jug in Emma Bridgewater's. It was in the shape of a cow and had the word 'Mooo' written across it. I thought about getting it for my parents as a funny little extra to their present until I turned it over to see that it was priced at £70. £70! For a milk jug. Who has that milk jug cash to spend? I would recommend Emma Bridgewater's to anyone looking for a wedding present or a house warming gift. Everything in here is beautifully made and I'm sure most people would really appreciate her designs. Maybe stick to the cups and saucers though, the milk jug might just blow your budget.

The Hands down, surefire, absolute, undoubtedly, without question best thing about this place was…read morethat one of the sales staff matched the wallpaper. Her shirt bore the exact same color and pattern and part of the decor. It was incredible. Besides this delight, I have little feeling for the Blue Door - it failed to catch my eye, make me swoon, whisper sweet nothings into my ear and so forth. This place sells a lot of slightly upper end, touristy and non-touristy dishwear. If you're feeling like your tea set is a bit boring, you might find something here to jazz it up. It won't be cheap, but it won't put you out an arm and a leg either. The mugs of touristy type are different than those you see in every souvenir shop, but they're still just mugs with bobbies and Big Bens. Towards the back there are some purses, pillows and gift items. My friend bought some London-y mugs for her grandmas and we skit-skedaddled out of there.

I just came back to Toronto yesterday from a 10-day Europe trip in London, UK and different parts…read moreof France. My husband was attending a conference near the Imperial College so I was tagging along and sightseeing on my own in the city. It was my first time in London, UK. We stayed at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt hotel, a fantastic hotel by the way. Most importantly, the WIFI service was swift with no hiccups. Since it's right across the Tube station Gloucester, it was relatively easy for me to get around. I was in London for a total of 3 days. I spent the first two days covering the majors attractions and shops including the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum (my favourite), the Twin Towers, the Tower of London, the Westminster Abbey, the Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden, Harrods ... I'm sure you know the rest. I reserved my last day in London for more souvenir shopping. Before the visit, I aimed to get a couple of English fine china tea sets, one for my mother, and one for myself. Both of us are big fans of red teas. We are not coffee drinkers, so breakfast tea in the morning has been a staple for us. As a first time visitor in London, I found it difficult to find affordable English china tea sets with traditional prints. There were the overpriced ones but very pretty royal collection chinaware at the official boutique near the Buckingham Palace Gate. But I think most tourists like me would unlikely be willing to drop a few hundreds British pounds on a teapot. I started googling in the hotel for places nearby that sell affordable chinaware. I came across the Blue Door in Notting Hill. I decided to bid on the Blue Door for my last chance to get the tea sets that I desired with the limited time that I had. The store did not disappoint and I was so glad that I found it. Most items in the store were reasonably priced. I was attracted to Notting Hill not just because of the store, but also the large number of antique shops and the flea market there. The location was also very convenient. Hop onto the Tube and get off at the Notting Hill Gate station and you'll find your way. The staff at the store was super helpful. The lady who helped me package my teapots took great care of the merchandises. Since I bought two sets of teapots, cups and saucers, one with a traditional red & pink rose pattern, the other one with classic blue floral prints, she also tossed in a English telephone booth magnet for me. I regret that I did not get the silver plated toast holders. They were used in the hotel for serving toasts in the hotel which I thought was very British. You don't see them very often in North America so they were new to me. If you are tired of visiting landmarks, museums and monuments, give the Blue Door in Notting Hill a try. I'm sure you'll find something you like there. It definitely satisfied my chinaware needs.

A hidden gem in Hampstead. The Hampstead Antique and Craft Emporium is easy to walk past as you…read morewalk down the main road. And looking down the section that it is located doesn't look like there is much there but there is. They have a lovely little coffee shop outside, then once inside there are rows of antiques, furniture, collectibles, and jewelers. I also found the people working there to be very friendly.

I passed by Hampstead Antique Emporium when we were there for lunch at Villa Bianca (reviewed…read moreseparately). When I walked in I was stunned at the lovely things you can buy there and such reasonable prices! There are about 20 traders & stalls here offering antiques and crafts; textiles, art deco jewellery, glass, china, miniatures and so much more. I especially liked 3D greeting cards, depicting miniature worlds produced by Karrie Barron cards. At another stall, they sell some stunning miniature boxes. I especially loved the art deco and Victorian style jewellery - and will go back to buy!! There are some lovely porcelain pieces for avid collectors. It is such a hidden place that you can easily miss it. I was really happy I found this place - it's such a collector's heaven and the prices are so much better than what you would pay in Portobello market or elsewhere in London. Also all the stallholders are so friendly and helpful! This is one of those secret London attractions that you have to discover for yourself and I highly recommend you do! It's amazing!

From Chinese painted tea pots, monster-like stuffed dolls to glass and silver jewellery and…read moreJapanese placemats, Frontiers stocks a varied collection of products but all shockingly affordable. The items on sale are not always totally cohesive with each other but there are some very nice things alongside some slightly less nice things. The absolute highlight of the shop for me are the display cases of antique eastern foreign jewellery. I have not seen such stunning and unique pieces this side of Marrakech, and fell absolutely in love with them. Unfortunately this part of the shop is not in keeping with the price range of the other products, The Jewellery is expensive but well worth its price and beautiful beyond belief.

Frontiers has a really classy and stylish look to it. They offer quite a mixed bag of gifts,…read morejewellery, home furnishings and decorative items. There's quite an ethnic feel to the collection of goods they sell. The home ware ranges from gorgeously made things to hang in a room ( i don't think they serve any purpose other than to add some spice to the decor and liven up a room) as well as their window decorations and partitions are quite reasonably priced. The other things like the incredible eastern jewellery is a little more pricey. They really do have an amazing and well organised and displayed treasure trove of the modern and antique. If you're in the area I highly recommend taking a closer look.

I used to work close by to the market, not many people notice this but if you after a cheap eat try…read moreupstairs. There are about 4-5 stall type eateries offering a range of world cuisines. If I remember correctly they had Indian, Chinese, Jamaican, Italian and something else. The market itself is quite quirky and if I'm honest a bit of a tourist trap. In the sense that prices don't quite beat other markets such as Camden or Portabello. But I guess it depends what your after. Atmosphere though is fantastic. Especially in the summer, you can sit down with a ice cream or coffee and people spot whilst enjoying some of the free street performances. There is also a band located in the basement which fills the air with familiar classical tunes. In the winter the atmosphere is very different, warm, cosy and bustling.

Covent Garden Antique Market is certainly worth a visit, particularly if you are on holiday in…read moreLondon and want to see the sights. Tere are lots of little shops and stalls to wonder around, but most enjoyably yu can spend time in central London just enjoying the atmosphere. There are quite often street performers at one end of the Market and it is just possible that you will find something nice to purchase too. Covent Garden is the closest tube station.