51 Best Shopping in South Africa

If you need some classy retail therapy, stop off at this upmarket lifestyle center. Once a rambling mango estate, it's now home to art galleries, pottery and sculpture studios, and quirky boutiques selling designer clothes, jewelry, and much more, all set in lovely manicured gardens. The White River Art Gallery always has interesting local and national exhibitions, and when you've shopped till you dropped, tuck into a good meal at one of the eateries that serve everything from tasty pub fare and fine dining to wood-oven pizza. If wheels are your thing, pop into the vintage White River History & Motor Museum and feast your eyes on immaculately restored past motoring beauties. You'll even find Mpumalanga's first green hotel here, the Cambridge Hollow Boutique Hotel.

Open since 1957, Clarke's specializes in African literature and non-fiction works, with a specific focus on Southern Africa. There are new and second books to browse including contemporary current affairs and historical rare finds. 

Faan Smit Park on 4th Avenue has been converted into a landscaped urban space with 27 Boxes as its central feature. Stacked shipping containers (19ft x 6ft in size) make up this retail center, which contains 50-odd stores and eateries. From art, design, and décor to fashion and specialty gifts, you can find it all here—there’s even a craft gin distillery. Be sure to check out Krag Drag clothing for a retro South African souvenir that is hard to find elsewhere like T-shirts emblazoned with emblematic South African brand logos like Chappies bubblegum or clothes and accessories made from vibrant shweshwe fabric. Have a look at the website for details about their pop-up weekend markets and events, which regularly include a green market and a vegan market.

The dappled sunshine courtyards of this 1930s industrial block are lined with ateliers, galleries, family-owned cafés and restaurants, as well as one-of-a-kind stores. On the border of Melville, 44 Stanley is the kind of place where you can easily spend half the day—getting a custom T-shirt printed or a dress tailored, flipping through vinyls, picking out a limited edition print, choosing a holiday memento, or simply window shopping. It's also the newfound home of a few businesses that have relocated from Maboneng, such as the independent Bioscope cinema that screens independent documentaries and film festivals, and hosts live music performances as well as stand-up comedy. While there are many options to choose from for a bite to eat at 44 Stanley, the much-loved Little Addis Café is a must if you want to give authentic Ethiopian cuisine a try. There is free street-side parking with car guards directly outside this leafy lifestyle complex, an off-street parking lot (R10) on Owl Street, or in the underground parking lot at Stanley Studios vis-a-vis. 

If you aren't crazy about traditional African artifacts à la Greenmarket Square, you might want to visit this store, which stocks contemporary and elegant African art and jewelry.

Africa Now, which is loaded with objects from just about every inch of Africa—in bone, bead, wood, and resin—has a big warehouse in town. The store closes for lunch daily from 1 to 2.

Look here for contemporary and funky African art and township crafts, colorful cloth from Nigeria and Ghana, plus West African masks, Malian blankets, and beaded designs from southern African tribes. Local and international collectors, as well as local institutions such as the South African National Gallery and the Standard Bank Collection of African Art, buy goods here. It's a top-notch place offering fair-trade pricing. They also have a branch at the Watershed Market in the V&A Waterfront.

The people who work here are passionate about African music and eager to pass on their love to anybody who lends them half an ear. You could easily spend a couple of hours listening to any and everything in the store. With a listening booth to sample any CD in the shop, you're bound to find something here that captures the heart of the country for you.

The gift shop at Big Hole has Kimberley's best assortment of postcards, slides, books, videos, and knickknacks as well as a wide range of ethnic souvenirs such as T-shirts and pillow covers. (Postcards mailed in the pre-1902 Victorian mailbox outside the shop will receive a Kimberley Mine Museum postmark.) You can also buy diamonds and diamond jewelry here, but it may be useful to compare pieces and prices with the Jewel Box, down the road.

Art Africa brings together a dazzling selection of ethnic arts, crafts, and artifacts from across the continent and also sells funky items, such as tin lizards made from soda cans, wood-carved animals, and beaded keychains, that are produced in community empowerment projects, which uplift and benefit the craftsmen and their communities.

Located in Cape Town's Bo-Kaap neighborhood, Atlas Trading is famed for its array of spices, as well as rice and hard-to-find international products. Established in 1946, the family-run business ships anywhere in the world, and can assist guests with items to bring home. 

This funky market in Hout Bay's working harbor offers more than 100 stalls selling everything from great food and drinks to clothing, crafts, and some truly worthwhile "made in South Africa" memorabilia. With good-quality live music performances, a wide and affordable selection of tasty treats, and a kids' play area, this all-weekend shopping spot is a great place for the whole family to shop, eat, or just hang out—by day or night—in the Hout Bay Harbour area.

If you're into healthful living, visit the Bryanston Organic and Natural Market. More than 140 stalls feature artisanal, organic, and naturally sourced fresh produce. There's a dairy section, delicatessen and bakery, choice of five coffee shops, flowers, crafts in wood, leather, glass and metal, handmade clothes and shoes, and many other products clamoring for your clean-living attention.

This company provides more than 65% of ostrich leather products sold around the world. If you're looking for a pair of fancy boots, dress shoes, or a purse, this is the place. Check out the little Karoo angels with ostrich feather wings.

The Chameleon Village is a lively African market with more than 200 vendors offering jewlery, home products, and artwork, as well as four restaurants with live music on weekends. There's also the Lion and Tiger Park (R100) and the Reptile and Snake Park (R100).

Charles Greig is a reputable jeweler with a long-standing record, and a reputation for excellence, making this shop a good choice if you wish to buy a special South African piece, such as a ring or necklace containing diamonds.

As you enter the gardens of Culamoya Chimes, in the Dargle District, your ears will be gently assailed with harmonious chimes of every description. There's a 13-foot chime in the garden as well as other chimes inside the shop that mimic the sounds of Big Ben and St. Paul's Cathedral down to gentle tinkles of fairy magic. The chimes are handmade and can be shipped to your home.

Established over three decades ago, this pottery is where renowned potter Ian Glenny, whose work is in private collections and galleries worldwide, founded the Midlands Meander in 1983. The pottery has an earthy, rugged appeal and you can choose from porcelain, stoneware, or terra-cotta pots, bowls, and vases—or even invest in a fireplace.

Established in 1913, the gallery is one of the oldest commercial art galleries in South Africa. The privately-owned gallery acts as an agent for several important South African and African artists and sculptors, and it specializes in modern and contemporary artworks, particularly wildlife paintings and sculpture.

The biggest bookstore chain in the country, this well-stocked branch carries a wide selection of local and international periodicals and books, all the best sellers making literary waves around the world, an extensive magazine selection, and also has a nice coffee shop. You'll find branches at all the big malls and the airports.

The highly successful, five-plus-decade-old Goodman Gallery presents exciting monthly exhibitions by the stars of contemporary African and African diaspora art, including William Kentridge, David Goldblatt, Kudzanai Chiurai, and Sue Williamson. Its website also hosts online viewing rooms.

Visit this historic square to find a plethora of African jewelry, art, crafts, and fabrics, as well as good buys on clothing (especially T-shirts), and locally made leather shoes and sandals. It's one of the best places in town to purchase souvenirs and gifts, but it's lively and fun whether or not you buy anything. More than half the stalls are owned by people from other parts of Africa, and if you stop to chat, you'll find political and economic refugees from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo trying to eke out a living. Bargain, but do so with a conscience.

This is a great place to buy handmade leather goods, especially shoes, beautiful bags and briefcases.

This craft and farmer's market is held every Saturday, 8 am to noon. It’s a great place to stop for breakfast or lunch, to go or to stay, with options ranging from coffee and pastries to dried fruit and nuts, seasonal fresh fruit and veggies, and prepared meals. The craft market has unique hand-crafted items and there’s music and place for kids to play.

The Jewel Box & Big Hole Diamond Cutting Factory specializes in diamond jewelry and can custom-make a piece if you will be in town for a day or two. Although the Jewel Box doesn't boast about its prices, they are among the country's most reasonable, and they draw customers from as far as Johannesburg. On weekdays you can watch goldsmiths at work in the on-premises factory.

Kimberley Jewellers, around the corner from and a sister store of Africa Now, carries Euro-African jewelry, specializing in tanzanite and antique jewelry. It's open by appointment only.

This small workshop manufactures ostrich handbags, wallets, and belts in a plethora of gorgeous colors, as well as smaller items such as key rings. These can be bought in the shop on the premises.

A new market on the cruise terminal, Maker's hosts numerous vendors showcasing some of the most delicious food businesses in Cape Town. With its incubator program, Maker's Landing gives neighborhood favorites a place to launch their business successfully and aims to promote pride in African foods. Here you'll find intriguing bites, drinks, and views of docks.

Near Culamoya and Granny Mouse, 8 km (5 miles) south of Nottingham Road, Mole Hill, established in 1997, has a good reputation for high-quality, hard-wearing men's and women's shirts with an African twist. If you've always fancied a colorful Mandela-type, mandarin-collared shirt, you may well find one here, and both ladies' and men's shirts come in a wide range of sizes. Custom shirts can also be made to order.

Mynhardts Diamonds sells diamonds and jewelry, and specializes in women's and men's rings, especially engagement and wedding rings. The company makes up the rings from loose stones on demand and even offers a 3-D rendering so you can see how your ring will look. An appointment is required.