Our Mumbai shopping guide will help you get the best deals and show you the best places to shop in Mumbai. We also have general shopping information for what to buy in India. And once you've worked up a hunger shopping in Mumbai, make sure to relax in one of the tasty Mumbai restaurants along the city's shopping streets.

Mumbai Shopping Guide

Mumbai is a total shopper’s haven. Most of Mumbai’s handicraft bazaars and emporia are in south Mumbai. Avante, located opposite Regal Cinema, is a good place to find souvenirs at reasonable prices. Mahatma Jyotibhai Phule Market, more commonly called Crawford Market by the locals, was built in 1867 and is a large wholesale market for fruits, flowers, vegetables, meat, fish and a variety of other items. Crawford Market is a fascinating combination of several trades and is definitely worth a visit. Don’t miss the fountain built by Lockwood Kipling, Rudyard Kipling’s father, located at the centre of the market.

If you’re looking for cheap trinkets, clothes, shoes, bags or perfumes, head to Colaba Causeway or Fashion Street that stretches across the Azad and Cross Maidans. There are great deals at these spots, but be sure to bargain down to about 20% of quoted prices. Most shopkeepers expect you to bargain, so don’t be diffident about it. In general, fixed prices showrooms do not reduce prices, although they may offer a reduction if you are buying in bulk.

For trendy designer clothes, head to the boutiques dotting Breach Candy or Kemps Corner, which lies below Hanging Gardens. Most of these boutiques are quite popular with Indian socialites and stock a variety of Indian and western outfits. Besides intricate designer wear, you can find ethnic inspired home décor items and curios at these boutiques.

Antique lovers must visit Chor Bazaar or Thieves’ Market, where it is possible to find everything from brass doorknobs and silver hookahs to rare books. Beware of fakes as they are also on display alongside authentic pieces. For certified antiques, head to shopping arcades of five star hotels like Taj Mahal Hotel or Oberoi, where the merchandise is sure to be genuine, although prices will probably show more than a 100% mark-up. The Indian Government does not permit any antique over one hundred years to be taken outside the country, so check the history and age of all items before buying. The Archaeological Survey of India will help if you have any doubts.

For a local flea market experience, visit Mutton Street where you can find a diverse choice of products from furniture, crockery, paintings, porcelain, to masks, beads, lamps and anything else that you might think of. Do remember to bargain as it is expected.

Head to Zaveri Bazaar or Jewellery Market for buying gold, silver and diamond jewellery. It is also the city’s oldest bullion marketplace and there are scores of jewellers lining its narrow lanes. It would be a good idea to take a local friend along to help in bargaining, if you feel embarrassed about doing it yourself!

Besides old-fashioned specialised markets, Mumbai also has plenty of modern shopping stores as well. Department stores such as Eternia in Breach Candy, Shoppers’ Stop located on S.V. Road Mulund, Chembur and Andheri, and Crossroads at Tardeo near the famous Haji Ali Dargah are good options to shop at if you’re in a hurry.

Eternia is one of the trendiest shopping destinations for women in Mumbai, along with Premsons Bazaar, stocking a wide range of international brands. Shoppers’ Stop is spread over three floors and 75,000 sq ft and stocks everything for men, women and children. Crossroads is probably the largest department store in the city and also stocks a large selection of famous international brands.

Dharavi is the place for leather goods at a bargain. Most products are very good imitations, with prices varying according to quality. A jacket that would cost $300 in the market can be bought at Dharavi for $100. Bargaining is a must and if required take advantage of free alterations. Asia’s largest shoe store The Loft is in Mumbai’s eastern suburb of Powai.

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