The Best Places to Go Shopping in Edinburgh

An emporium for edible treats, Valvona & Crolla is a local institution dating back to the 1930s. Found on Elm Row close to the Edinburgh Playhouse, the intimate deli store is run by the Crolla family – local culinary luminaries. It’s not the place for cheap ‘scran’ but offers a wide range of Scottish and international food and drink specialities. With a royal warrant for the supply of cheese to HM the Queen, you can be sure to find the best products and lip-smacking mementoes.

Famed as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s go-to clothing brand, this all-Scottish fashion label boasts a notably individual style from designers Lynsey Blackburn and Holly Mitchell. The brand sells high-end garments from its boutique in the affluent area of Bruntsfield and has other celebrity fans including Kate Moss, Sandi Thom and Gok Wan. Its signature piece is the Totty Rocks Mac, made to measure in a variety of colours.

The vibe at Paper Tiger is cool and arty but very approachable. It’s been in business since 1981, established in the New Town (and later, with another shop on Lothian Road) by retail entrepreneur John Johnson. Showcasing Lothian-based artists and designers, the store stocks creative cards, stylish stationery, journals, imaginative gifts, toys, wrap and a full range of official Tintin merchandise.

Avoid the tourist tat and purchase sustainable, original souvenirs at Cranachan and Crowdie on Canongate. An Aladdin’s cave for authentic gifts, the traditional shop is named after two delectable native dishes. There are products to suit all budgets, including popular shortbread boxes and elaborate homewares crafted from whisky barrels and porridge spurtles based on 15th-century cooking tools. The friendly staff offer a personal service with frequent food and drink tastings. There’s an adorable resident dog, too.

Upcycled furniture and one-off handmade homewares can be found at the award-winning Edinburgh Remakery in the vibrant neighbourhood of Leith. Here, items dodge landfill to be remade and recycled, while disadvantaged members of the community have the opportunity to learn hands-on skills. Its hyperlocal ethical shopping meets social enterprise, with an array of unique and on-trend items available at affordable prices.

Browse mid-priced vintage clothing, pop-culture cards, accessories, keyrings, fridge magnets, pins and patches at Pie in the Sky. It’s located on Cockburn Street, a serpentine link between Waverley Station and the Royal Mile that’s home to many interesting independent stores. The eclectic, hippy-style shop has been selling a wide selection of alternative goods since the 1970s. Look out for their funky bestselling dungarees.

Based in upmarket Broughton, this sophisticated little boutique has been in business for a decade. It’s run by Laura and Ian and is staffed with enthusiastic creatives (some of whom have designed in-store products). Curiouser and Curiouser solve the problem of finding a classy gift for the person who has everything – there’s sleek jewellery, imaginative homewares, arty stationery and unusual contemporary prints of the city skyline.