Downtown Dubai
With chic new quarters in the edgy Dubai Design District, this concept boutique pushes the boundaries when it comes to fashion and accessories. Look for …
Must-see shopping in United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi
This small art gallery hosts exhibitions by emerging local artists. A good opportunity for fine-art fans to pick up a piece of original work. The gallery…
Downtown Dubai
A keen coffee radar is required to track down this boutique roastery, in a hidden alley amid the dusty warehouses of Al Quoz. The building houses not only…
Bur Dubai
Nirvana for design-minded home decorators, this airy showroom unites funky, innovative and top-quality items from dozens of international manufacturers…
Bur Dubai
Kamal Makhija and his army of tailors have had women looking good since 1971. They can create original designs, copy a beloved dress or even sew you an…
Bur Dubai
A potpourri of exotic fragrances hits you as you enter this small shop stocked to the hilt with oils, teas, dates and sweet treats such as Turkish delight…
United Arab Emirates
This big supermarket (with attached pharmacy, ATMs and a couple of fast-food outlets) is where you can pick up picnic supplies before heading out to bike,…
Abu Dhabi
A delightful browsing experience with old furniture and textiles hobnobbing with new paintings, ceramics and sculpture by local Gulf artists. It's a royal…
Downtown Dubai
These 100% cotton kurtas (tunics) from Pakistan are stunning, with beautiful designs and colours, some featuring flowers, others exotic patterns. Expect…
Centre of Original Iranian Carpets
Abu Dhabi
Spread over three floors, this carpet gallery has more than 4000 carpets to choose from, making it one of the largest collections of carpets in the Middle…
Bur Dubai
In business since 1976 and highly reliable, this outfit specialises in exquisitely tailored men's suits and has lots of fabrics to choose from. Turn…
Downtown Dubai
One of Dubai's raciest stores stocks push-up bras, high-heeled feathery slippers, slinky night gowns, seductive beauty products (we like the 'Booty Parlor…
Dubai
This concept store in trendy BoxPark stocks quirky gifts, gadgets, jewellery, clothes and accessories. Owner Hussein Abdul Rasheed curates an always…
Downtown Dubai
Translated as 'market of the sailor', Souk Al Bahar is a small arabesque-style mall next to the Dubai Mall that sells mostly tourist-geared items. It's…
Downtown Dubai
The cobble-stoned Courtyard Building has been reset as a hub of concept boutiques. Check out designer homewares at Georges of Dubai, ethnic handmade…
Dubai
This Emirati-owned urban boutique-cum-cafe with shiny concrete floors and ducts wrapped in gold foil is a routine stop for fashionistas in search of up-to…
Dubai
Aside from the usual kitsch souvenirs, Lata's also has some quality Middle Eastern items, such as Moroccan lamps, Omani khanjars (traditional curved…
Dubai
With roots in Beirut as a luxury-label purveyor, this slightly more casual branch of the fashion emporium has fashionistas in a headlock over trendy…
Bur Dubai
At the heart of Egyptian-style Wafi City district, one of Dubai's most architecturally striking malls is built around three stained-glass pyramids and…
Bur Dubai
Despite its visually unappealing concrete exterior, Karama’s bustling backstreet shopping area is a great place for bargains and crammed with shops…
United Arab Emirates
Despite the name, this strip of nearly identical stalls is actually a daily affair, though it's at its bustling best on its namesake day. Rugs, pottery,…
Dubai
With 140 stores, Mercato may be small by Dubai standards, but it's distinguished by attractive architecture that looks like a fantasy blend of a classic…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
If you love art but can't afford an original, pick up a highly decorative print by well-known Middle Eastern artists without breaking the bank at this…
Bur Dubai
This tiny shop tucked into the quiet lanes of Al Fahidi Historic District is a photogenic find. It's crammed full of spices like cloves, cardamom and…
Dubai
It's a mall, so don't go out of your way to get here, but if you happen to be in the area, it's not a bad place for a browse. Kids love the massive Magic…
Downtown Dubai
Millionaires to wallet-watchers shop at Daiso, Japan's equivalent of the '99 cents' or 'One Euro' store and nirvana for fans of fun, kitsch and cute…
Dubai
Enjoy a sip of rose water upon entering this quirky concept boutique run by a trio of free-spirited cousins from Beirut. They share a passion for unusual…
Downtown Dubai
An air-conditioned, less-atmospheric alternative to the Deira Gold Souq, this buttoned-up business mall houses some 90 purveyors of bling. No bargaining…
Bur Dubai
One advantage of this mall is that you are unlikely to get lost! With only 75 outlets, this mall, which opened in 2016, is small by Dubai standards and…
United Arab Emirates
If you need to stock up on snacks and picnic goods on your way out to the desert, the supermarket here is your best bet. There's also a food court and a…
Dubai
Behind a coated glass facade designed to reflect the heat sits this two-level mall that's popular with fashion-forward locals shopping for luxury abayas …
Dubai
Wallet-watching luxury lovers regularly pop by this stylish consignment boutique whose 'pre-loved' designer labels and accessories are in tip-top…
Dubai
The mother of Dubai’s electronics stores, this place stocks all the latest computers, cameras, mobile phones, games and gadgets under one giant roof.
Dubai
This small, well-displayed boutique specialises in genuine pashmina (cashmere). The finest are handmade by weavers, and you can expect to pay in the…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This indie shop in Ibn Battuta's India Court stocks an eclectic and rotating selection of colourful, whimsical fashion by high-spirited designers from…
Dubai
Mikyajy is Arabic for 'my makeup', and that's just what this popular Middle Eastern franchise specialises in. Go for the local bestsellers including…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This mall has an attractive waterfront setting and a manageable 140 stores on four floors, so you won’t get lost quite so readily as in its mega-size…
Sharjah
It's hardly 'mega' compared to Dubai mall-world standards, but it does come with a multiplex cinema and children's fun park, both good indoor diversions…
Dubai
At the original branch of this beloved local lit parlour, American bibliophile Mike McGinley has supplied readers with new and secondhand English-language…
Abu Dhabi
This higgledy-piggledy art shop, which started life mainly as a framing service in 1995, has local artworks for all tastes. A bit of a fossick around can…
