New York is a shopping city like no other, from the flagship-lined luxury of Fifth Avenue to the cobbled boutiques of SoHo, the food halls of Chelsea Market and the vintage stalls of the Brooklyn Flea. Whether you want designer labels, discount deals at Century 21, ten floors of everything at Macy's, or fresh produce at the Union Square Greenmarket, there's a district to match. Here are the best places to shop across every style and budget — and a reminder that 8.875% sales tax is added at the register, though clothing and shoes under $110 are tax-free in New York City.
Luxury DistrictFifth Avenue
Area
Midtown
Type
Luxury District
“The flagship strip — Apple's glass cube, Tiffany & Co., Bergdorf Goodman and Saks. Open Sundays; magical at Christmas.”
Boutique DistrictSoHo
Area
SoHo
Type
Boutique District
“Cast-iron streets full of independent designers and brand flagships. Open Sundays; busiest on weekend afternoons.”
Food MarketChelsea Market
Area
Meatpacking District
Type
Food Market
“A former Nabisco factory (where the Oreo was invented) now packed with 35+ food and craft vendors. Open Sundays.”
Designer OutletCentury 21
Area
Financial District
Type
Designer Outlet
“The famous designer discount department store, with markdowns of up to 60% on labels. Reopened downtown after closing; open Sundays.”
Flea MarketBrooklyn Flea
Area
DUMBO (Brooklyn)
Type
Flea Market
“A weekend vintage and antiques market, roughly April–October. Come for one-off finds and the DUMBO setting.”
Department StoreMacy's Herald Square
Area
Midtown
Type
Department Store
“Billed as the world's largest store — 10 floors of everything. Home of the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Open daily, including Sundays.”
Concept StoreDover Street Market
Area
Murray Hill
Type
Concept Store
“Comme des Garçons' avant-garde concept store, spread over several floors of high fashion and installations. Open Sundays.”
Farmers' MarketUnion Square Greenmarket
Area
Union Square
Type
Farmers' Market
“The city's flagship farmers' market — regional produce, flowers and artisan food. Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat, 08:00–18:00.”
New York shopping in detail
1.Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue is New York's most famous shopping street, the Midtown stretch roughly between 49th and 60th Streets that gathers the city's grandest flagship stores. Here you'll find the glass-cube Apple Store (open 24 hours), the Tiffany & Co. flagship of 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' fame, the century-old luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman facing Central Park, Saks Fifth Avenue, and international houses from Louis Vuitton to Cartier. It is as much a sight as a shopping destination — the architecture, the window displays and the sheer scale are part of the spectacle, whether or not you buy a thing. The avenue is at its most magical around Christmas, when the store windows are dressed for the season and the lights go up, drawing crowds to the displays and the nearby Rockefeller Center tree. Most stores keep long hours and open on Sundays. Remember that New York City adds 8.875% sales tax at the register, though clothing and shoes under $110 are tax-free. For flagship-store browsing, luxury shopping and one of the great retail streetscapes in the world, Fifth Avenue is the obvious first stop.
Hours
Most stores ~10:00–20:00 (Sun too)
Price
Free to browse
Getting there
Subway E/M to Fifth Av–53 St or N/R/W to Fifth Av–59 St
Insider tip: The flagship strip — Apple's glass cube, Tiffany & Co., Bergdorf Goodman and Saks. Open Sundays; magical at Christmas.
2.SoHo
SoHo — 'South of Houston' — is one of New York's best shopping neighbourhoods, its cobbled streets and 19th-century cast-iron buildings home to a dense mix of independent designers, concept stores and global brand flagships. Along Broadway, Spring Street, Prince Street and the streets between, you'll find everything from luxury fashion houses and streetwear labels to homeware, beauty and one-off boutiques, interspersed with cafés and galleries. It is a district made for wandering, camera in hand: the architecture is as much a draw as the retail, and the whole area is walkable and photogenic. Weekends bring crowds and a street-market energy, with vendors selling art and jewellery along the pavements. Most stores open on Sundays and keep late-morning-to-evening hours. As everywhere in the city, expect 8.875% sales tax added at the register, with clothing and shoes under $110 exempt. For a mix of high fashion and independent design in one of Manhattan's most characterful neighbourhoods — and a shopping trip that doubles as a walk through one of the city's prettiest districts — SoHo is hard to beat. Give it a leisurely half-day with coffee stops along the way.
Hours
Most stores ~11:00–19:00/20:00 (Sun too)
Price
Free to browse
Getting there
Subway N/R/W to Prince St or 6 to Spring St
Insider tip: Cast-iron streets full of independent designers and brand flagships. Open Sundays; busiest on weekend afternoons.
3.Chelsea Market
Chelsea Market occupies a full block of a former Nabisco factory in the Meatpacking District — the very building where the Oreo cookie was invented in 1912. Today the ground floor is a bustling indoor market of more than 35 food and craft vendors, from tacos, lobster rolls and ramen to bakeries, cheesemongers, a fishmonger and specialist grocers, alongside boutiques selling books, crafts and gifts. The industrial architecture — exposed brick, pipes and old factory fittings — gives it real character, and it makes an ideal stop for lunch, a snack or a browse, especially when combined with the High Line, which runs directly above it, and the Whitney Museum a short walk away. It is open daily, including Sundays, and gets busy at peak times. For visitors who want to eat their way through a slice of New York food culture under one roof, pick up edible souvenirs and enjoy the atmospheric setting, Chelsea Market is one of the city's most enjoyable food destinations. Come hungry, graze from several vendors, and time it with a walk on the High Line for one of the best half-days in the neighbourhood. A reliable, atmospheric favourite.
Hours
Daily ~07:00–22:00 (Sun too)
Price
Free to browse
Getting there
Subway A/C/E to 14 St or L to Eighth Av; at 9th Av & 15th St
Insider tip: A former Nabisco factory (where the Oreo was invented) now packed with 35+ food and craft vendors. Open Sundays.
4.Century 21
Century 21 is New York's famous designer-discount department store, long a fixture of the Financial District, where you could find big-name fashion labels marked down by anywhere up to 60%. It built a devoted following among locals and visitors alike for the thrill of the hunt — designer shoes, clothing, accessories and homeware at a fraction of full price, if you were willing to dig through the racks. The original store closed during the pandemic and the brand has since returned downtown, once again offering the same discount-designer formula near the World Trade Center. It is open on Sundays and keeps long hours. For bargain-minded shoppers who want designer labels without designer prices, it is one of the best-known destinations in the city, and it pairs naturally with a visit to the nearby 9/11 Memorial, the Oculus and the Financial District. As everywhere in New York, expect 8.875% sales tax at the register, with clothing and shoes under $110 tax-free — a genuine saving on top of the discounts. Come with patience and time to browse, and you can find real value. A New York shopping institution reborn.
Hours
Most days ~10:00–21:00 (Sun too)
Price
Free to browse
Getting there
Subway R/W to Cortlandt St or 1 to WTC Cortlandt; Financial District
Insider tip: The famous designer discount department store, with markdowns of up to 60% on labels. Reopened downtown after closing; open Sundays.
5.Brooklyn Flea
The Brooklyn Flea is a weekend market for vintage and antiques, running roughly from April to October in the photogenic DUMBO neighbourhood beneath the Manhattan Bridge. Dozens of vendors sell vintage clothing, furniture, records, jewellery, antiques and collectibles, alongside independent makers and the occasional food stall, in a lively, browsable open-air setting. It is the place to hunt for one-off finds and genuine vintage pieces rather than mass-produced goods, and the DUMBO location — all cobbled streets, brick warehouses and that famous view of the Manhattan Bridge — makes the trip worthwhile even if you don't buy anything. It is open at weekends during the warmer months, so check the dates and location before you go, as they can vary by season. For visitors who want a taste of Brooklyn's creative, second-hand culture, and a chance to combine shopping with one of the borough's most atmospheric neighbourhoods and its riverside park, the Brooklyn Flea is a great half-day out. Bring some cash for the smaller vendors, come ready to rummage, and pair it with a walk to Brooklyn Bridge Park and Jane's Carousel nearby.
Hours
Weekends ~10:00–17:00 (seasonal, ~Apr–Oct)
Price
Free to browse
Getting there
Subway F to York St or A/C to High St; in DUMBO
Insider tip: A weekend vintage and antiques market, roughly April–October. Come for one-off finds and the DUMBO setting.
6.Macy's Herald Square
Macy's Herald Square is billed as the largest department store in the world — ten floors of fashion, homeware, beauty, accessories and more, filling a full block at 34th Street and Broadway. It is a New York institution, and its wooden escalators (still running in parts of the store) date back over a century. It is best known worldwide as the sponsor and endpoint of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the giant-balloon procession that draws millions of spectators and TV viewers each November, and for its elaborate holiday window displays. As a shopping destination it covers every price point under one roof, from affordable basics to designer concessions, and it is open daily including Sundays. It sits right by Herald Square and Penn Station, an easy walk from the Empire State Building and Times Square, with subway lines converging beneath it. As everywhere in the city, 8.875% sales tax is added at the register, with clothing and shoes under $110 tax-free. For one-stop shopping, a slice of retail history and a name known around the world, Macy's is a classic New York stop — busy, vast and quintessentially of the city.
Hours
Daily ~10:00–22:00 (Sun too)
Price
Free to browse
Getting there
Subway B/D/F/M/N/Q/R/W to 34 St–Herald Square
Insider tip: Billed as the world's largest store — 10 floors of everything. Home of the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Open daily, including Sundays.
7.Dover Street Market
Dover Street Market is the avant-garde concept store created by Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, occupying several floors in Murray Hill. It is retail as art gallery: designer fashion — Comme des Garçons itself alongside a carefully chosen roster of luxury and cult labels — is displayed among rotating art installations and sculptural fixtures, so that browsing feels closer to visiting a museum than a shop. The mix changes regularly, keeping it fresh for repeat visitors, and the atmosphere is deliberately curatorial and creative rather than commercial. It is a destination for fashion enthusiasts and anyone interested in cutting-edge design and how clothing can be presented, and it is open on Sundays. There is a small café to pause in as you move between floors. As everywhere in New York, 8.875% sales tax is added at the register, with clothing and shoes under $110 exempt. For visitors who want a more experimental, design-forward shopping experience — one that rewards looking as much as buying — Dover Street Market is unlike anywhere else in the city. Give it time to explore floor by floor, and treat it as much as a gallery visit as a shopping trip.
Hours
Most days ~11:00–19:00 (Sun too)
Price
Free to browse
Getting there
Subway 6 to 33 St; in Murray Hill
Insider tip: Comme des Garçons' avant-garde concept store, spread over several floors of high fashion and installations. Open Sundays.
8.Union Square Greenmarket
The Union Square Greenmarket is New York's flagship farmers' market, running on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays in the plaza at the north end of Union Square. Founded in 1976, it gathers regional farmers and producers from across New York State and beyond, selling seasonal fruit and vegetables, flowers, plants, bread, cheese, honey, meat, fish and artisan foods directly to the public. It is a genuine slice of everyday New York life rather than a tourist attraction, popular with local chefs and residents alike, and it changes with the seasons — apples and pumpkins in autumn, berries and tomatoes in summer, greenhouse greens in winter. It makes a lovely stop for edible souvenirs, a fresh snack or simply the atmosphere of a busy, local market, and it sits in one of the city's great public squares, surrounded by shops and restaurants and with subway lines converging beneath it. For visitors who want to see how New Yorkers shop and eat, and to pick up local produce and treats, the Greenmarket is a delightful, free and very authentic experience. Come in the morning for the best selection, bring cash and a reusable bag, and graze as you browse.
Hours
Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat 08:00–18:00
Price
Free to browse
Getting there
Subway 4/5/6/L/N/Q/R/W to 14 St–Union Square
Insider tip: The city's flagship farmers' market — regional produce, flowers and artisan food. Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat, 08:00–18:00.