Where to shop in Nairobi – the best Nairobi shopping

Where to shop in Nairobi?  Good question. Shopping in Nairobi can at first appear daunting, the sprawling city lacks a real shopping hub or downtown in the manner of European and American cities. What we have instead are large malls and markets dotted in various areas. All newcomers will end up visiting Westgate and the Sarit Centre. You may even venture out to The Hub in Karen or Two Rivers. But which are the best and what about those hidden gems outside the malls.

About to move here and want to what you should be packing in your suitcase?  Check out my expat packing list blog to find out what’s hard or expensive to find here

Best furniture shops in Nairobi

Odds and Ends

Odds and Ends along the Mombasa Road is my go to furniture shop. Their massive stores ranges from expensive antiquities to more reasonably priced modern items.   They often have great sales too. You can pick up most furniture items here; beds, wardrobes, sofas, dining tables even curtains and lighting. Now and then you’ll find a real gem of an items. Secreted away on the top floor you will find bookcases made from Dhows, antique armoires and other one off items that will transform a house from mediocre to magical.

Mr Price was my go to store for cushions, covers and quirky little ornaments when I lived in South Africa .  Mr Price has several outlets int he larger stores here and the same cute little nicknacks but for 4 times the price.  It’s a good place to get towels, bedding houseware.. the quality is average but you’ll get your shopping fix.

White Elephant Trading Company

If you have loads of money and a love of antiques then the White Elephant Trading Company is the place to head. They take antiques from all over the world and reupholster repolish and relove them. If you want a piece of furniture with heart and soul (and who wouldn’t) then head here.  White Elephant Trading Company is located down a little leafy lane in Karen. It’s worth joining their mailing list as they have the occasional very good sale.

Wilmers

Wilmers along Karen road is both a second hand shop and a shop that makes furniture from the off. You can find sofas, beds, shelves and outside seating for very reasonable prices. If they don’t stock it there’s a chance they can make it for you. They also sell mosquito nets complete with frames that are great quality.

Ngong Road

The infamous Ngong road is lined with craftsmen selling their wares. The prices are the cheapest you’ll find in town and the quality can vary, but a walk along the road is a must if you are looking for wooden furniture. Every stall is different so walking the road is a great idea if you are bargain hunting.   Beds, chairs, sofas and bookcases galore.  Literally hundreds of them.  

House of Treasures

This shop is what my house would look like if I had endless pots of money.   They sell the most gorgeous range of architectural pieces, kids furniture, home decor and household accessories, ladies, men’s and children’s fashion & fashion accessories, jewellery,  silverware, Africana artefacts as well as soft, wooden & creative educational toys.  It’s a great place for gifts and clothing as well. 

Best place to buy household essentials

Carved day beds and priceless antiques are all very well but sometimes you just need a kettle or a new ironing board. The large supermarkets like Carrefour have a wide range of household essentials, but the best all rounder is Game. They have fridges, vacumn cleaners, microwaves, tents, kettles and irons amongst other stuff.  Located at The Waterfront mall in Karen and Garden City Mall, Thika 

The best clothes shops in Nairobi

Langata Link Shops

These shops along Langata South road are a huddle of different designers under one roof. Products include kanga beach wear, gorgeous soft Indian cotton designer pieces, skin care, jewellery, gifts, home furnishings and bags there’s heaps of opportunity to pick up something completely unique. Some of the brands include Kitengela Glass, Cinnabar Green, Kenya Kanga, Ubuntu, Wild Rose, Gilgil Weavers and Shuka Duka. A cute café sits centrally with a fab playground for the kids. 

LC Waikiki

A great place to shop for kids clothes and throw away fashion.  LC Waikiki has average quality clothes at average prices, a wide range and hip designs. I love kitting the kids out from here. I often pick up a few bargains from the women’s section. This is disposable fashion at its best.  There are outlets across most big malls including The Hub, Two Rivers and Junction.

The Shop at Hardy Shops

This little shop perched on the second floor of the Hardy shops, stocks lots of little niceties and gifts. Of a similar ilk to the Langata link shops the small clothing selection veers more towards beach wear than high fashion. Indian cotton clothing, fabulous kaftans and swimwear for the whole family vie for space with snuggly cashmere jumpers, slippers and socks.

Credit: The Shop

Kache by Angie at The Hub

Easily overlooked, it’s on the second floor next to Mac and looks like the sort of elegant lady shop I’d usually pass by. Occasionally I’m beset with angst that at 42 I should dump the shorts and converse and buy something silky and glamorous and so I wandered it. Whilst it does indeed stock glamorous older lady clothes in the form of ball gowns and tailored trousers there are some wonderfully quirky items to be found, I particularly love the jewellery.

Mr Price Clothing 

Woolworths

Best food shops in Nairobi

I wrote a blog a while ago about the best organic, locally sourced food companies in Kenya.   There are some wonderful companies doing a great job of providing delicious and sustainable food, so please take a look here, some are included below. 

Carrefour

The supermarket giant from France is the most well stocked supermarket we have in Nairobi. As well as local produce and a decent meat and fish counter you can find (often astronomically expensive) French products such as proper cheese, pate and cold meats.

Greenspoon

Whilst this is an online shop it’s included because it really does stock the best meat in Nairobi. If you order online you can pick up from Langata Links shops or orders over 10,000 KSH are delivered free. They also do dairy, wine and other pantry goods. They quality is apparent in every carefully sourced product.

KPS (Karen Provision Store) and HPS (Hardy Provision Store)

These two shops are run by the same people and follow a similar format. Stocking local and imported goods in a somewhat haphazard manner, you can probably find anything you want in their rambling stores. (HPS is much more organized than KPS). This is where I do most of my shopping. The meat counter at both is good, they stock a wide range of cheese, bread and vegetables and the odd much missed English brand of crisps or chocolates. Yum

Prime Cuts

Another vote for meat. If you didn’t get round to ordering via Greenspoon then head to Prime Cuts for the best quality meat you can get. They do meat of all kids and fish, fresh and frozen. Located opposite Karen Provision Store at the Ngong Road/Karen Road crossroads.

Brood

Where to shop in Nairobi for the best bread in town?  Hit up Brood – their cornbread is personally responsible for the spare tyre that’s refusing to budget from my waistline. Various outlets throughout the city. 

Where to shop for fabric in Nairobi

Biashara Street in the centre of town is the best place for fabric.  You will find 20 + shops piled high with fabrics from all over the world.  The shops sells fripperies and crafts as well as mosquito nets.   You will find tailors here too, or ask the shops to recommend a tailor.

Where to shop for crafts and curios in Nairobi

I have written a blog that details the best place to shops for curios here.  If you are looking for an unusual piece for your home or a gift for a friend then my first stop would be Spinners Web a vast store filled with fabulous furniture, fashion, antiques and crafts 

Best place to buy books in Nairobi

There are a limited number of good bookshops. My go to store is the Textbook Centre which is in most major malls and has decent range of kids books but is sadly lacking in adults books.  The Elysium bookshop at the Hardy Post in Karen is fabulous or try the Prestige bookshop in Lavington.  Sadly, as I love the feel of a good book, I have resorted to a Kindle e-reader where you can get any book in the world you like.  Amazon have some great prices on e readers, they are considerably cheaper than they used to be.  Shop for an e reader here and get it delivered within days via Something Random 

The best online shopping in Kenya 

Why write it twice? The full blog on the best online stores in Kenya is right here.

Got any other shops that you think should be listed or categories you want explored? Drop me a line. For my top favourite Kenyan brands who care… check out this blog. 

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