Best Shopping Places in Chennai for Tourists
Chennai, the vibrant capital city of Tamil Nadu is well known for its beautiful beaches, majestic temples, and thriving shopping destinations. So, whether you want to shop for unique souvenirs, or traditional silk sarees from the traditional street markets, or designer dresses from the sleek aisles of modern shopping malls, this city offers you a wide range of options for different budgets and tastes.
Starting from local stores selling traditional items like metal works and Pattamara mats from Thanjavur, traditional jewelry, bronze, and brass castings from Kumbakonam, stone carvings from Mamallapuram, silks from Kanchipuram, leaf handicrafts from Tirunelveli to enormous and well-equipped malls, which features both leading domestic and global brands, Chennai never disappoints the visitors when it comes to shopping.
In this blog, we will take you through some of the best shopping places in Chennai for tourists including bustling streets, vibrant markets, and modern shopping malls.
Top 10 Shopping Places in Chennai
- Pondy Bazaar
- T. Nagar
- Sowcarpet
- Ritchie Street
- George Town
- Phoenix Market City
- Express Avenue
- Spencer Plaza
- Fountain Plaza
- Abirami Mega Mall
1. Pondy Bazaar
If you are looking for one of the best places to street shop in Chennai without burning holes in your pocket, then this is a place that you must not miss. Also known as the “Mecca” of shopping destinations in Chennai, it is not only a major commercial hub, it is also one of the busiest markets. Here you will find a complete collection of fashion accessories, apparel like kurtas and salwar materials, fragrances, handbags, footwear, trendy outfits, jewelry, mobile phones, electronics, household items and appliances, and accessories for different age groups at affordable prices. Popular brands, which you will find here are Woodland, Nike, Raymond, Fastrack, Lee, etc. The availability of products makes this destination a favorite shopping place among college-goers. Apart from that, this place is also popular because of the street food stalls there.
2. T. Nagar
Also known as Thyagaraya Nagar, this is one of the most popular and cheap shopping places in Chennai. The main attractions of this place are silk sarees and gold and stone jewelry stores where you will get a complete variety of items within different budgets. Apart from that, there are many other shops, which sell different types of products starting from crockery and cutlery to clothing, cosmetics, footwear, and toiletries. The list is just endless. Another remarkable thing about this market is that here some of the items are expensive while you can get other items at good deals. This market is thronged by people on special events of the year like New Year, Pongal, and Diwali.
3. Sowcarpet
This market in Chennai is known as Mini North India and it is a hub for different types of dresses, which are native to North India. Located in the Northern part of Chennai, this place is a kaleidoscope of sounds, colors, and smells. Here you will find a complete range of items like heavy jewelry sets, hutch blouses, different types of dress materials, chart items, lassi, etc. Other attractions of this place are designer lehengas, suits, and anti-set jewels. Apart from the North Indian market, the Sowcarpet market is also renowned for its stores selling traditional handicrafts and cotton handloom garments. Besides, the bustling shops and vibrant streets of this market will leave you mesmerized. Don’t forget to try the mouth-watering street foods when visiting this market.
4. Ritchie Street
If you are in Chennai to buy electronic goods at the best price, then this is the market to visit. Being the second largest electronic hub of India, here you will find different types of imported electronic products from Korea and China, different types of personal use electronic products and their peripherals, CCTV cameras, LED lighting, computers, TV, robotics, phone batteries, etc. Besides, there are several electronic goods repair shops here. One of the things that make this best street shopping in Chennai market popular among the locals and tourists is that it offers a steal deal on different types of electronic items and imported goods.
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5. George Town
This street market in Chennai is known for being one of the most crowded marketplaces in this city. Walking through this wholesale cloth market in Chennai will mesmerize your soul. The main attractions of this market are Kanchipuram Silk and Mulberry Silk, which are available here in different varieties, styles, and designs. Apart from sarees, other things that you will find in this market are electronic goods, perfumes, toys, fabric, jewelry, stationary items, readymade garments, traditional handicrafts, gift items, bags, clothes, shoes, mobile accessories, junk jewelry, etc. The best part is everything is available here at the most reasonable rates.
6. Phoenix Market City
This is one of the largest shopping malls in Chennai spread across an area of 1.5 million square ft. and well equipped with the latest facilities allowing people to spend quality time with their friends and family members. This place houses several leading international brands like L’Occitane, Parcos, Diesel, ONLY, Zara, etc. Apart from shopping, there are several eateries in this mall like Nalas Appakadai, Rajdhani, Cha Republic, Bombaysthan, Gelato Italiano, etc.
7. Express Avenue
This is another best place to shop in Chennai that has the perfect amalgamation of shopping, entertainment, leisure, and business. This mall houses 220 stores of different international and domestic brands. Therefore, when you are here for shopping, you will be spoilt for choice. Some of the elite brands, that have their outlets in this mall, are Peter England, Allen Solly, Splash, Pepe Jeans, Jashn, etc. One of the major attractions of this mall is that here you will find a customer assistant robot, namely EA Bot.
8. Spencer Plaza
This is the oldest shopping mall in India as well as one of the most popular shopping malls in South Asia. As this place showcases several International and local brands, this thing has made it one of the popular destinations in Chennai for shopping, entertainment, and dining. So, when you are in Chennai and looking to shop in the oldest shopping mall in India, then you must visit Spenser Plaza.
9. Fountain Plaza
If you are looking for a place in Chennai, where you will get anything and everything under a roof, then you must visit this shopping mall. Here you will find a complete range of products starting from electronics to clothing and from footwear to kitchenware at budget-friendly rates. Besides, this place also has several jewelry showrooms. Other major attractions of this mall are several food joints, a spa and massage center, and an entertainment zone.
10. Abirami Mega Mall
Located in Pursawalkam, this is one of the best places for shopping in Chennai. Here you will find stores of many leading brands, which ensure you will have a fine shopping experience in this mall.
Although most of the above shopping places are open from 10:00 AM-9:00 PM daily, It’s advisable to check the specific operating hours of individual shops or malls before planning your visit.
Conclusion
If you love to shop when traveling, Chennai is a magical destination for you. In this city tradition meets modernity. Besides, it includes everything that a shopper might desire, starting from classic marketplaces to modern shopping malls. Therefore, whether you are a street shopper or a luxury brand lover, you will find something in this city that fits your budget and style. Just book a car rental in Chennai service and explore these markets. Make sure to take a local person while visiting these markets as the vendors of some of these markets only speak Tamil.
