Main image: Aran Bakery
Mount Street Printers, Mayfair, London
Mount Street Printers, in the heart of Mayfair, combines over three decades of artisanal craftsmanship with cutting-edge design, producing bespoke stationery that is both timeless and luxurious. Family-run, it is renowned for its meticulous attention to detail and personalised service, making it a go-to destination for high-quality, custom-made invitations, business cards, and letterheads. Plus, the shop itself is a masterclass in how to do things properly. Explore more.
Petersham Nurseries, Richmond, London
South-west London’s worst-kept secret, the ever-charming (though always-crowded) Petersham Nurseries stands out for uniting a horticultural haven with beautifully patinaed interiors and sublime food – all housed within a series of historic and elegantly rustic greenhouses. Visitors are as enchanted by the nursery's emphasis on organic gardening practices as they are by the café’s farm-to-table menu that celebrates seasonal ingredients sourced locally and from the nursery's own gardens. Explore more.
Pentreath & Hall, Bloomsbury, London
Pentreath & Hall is a Bloomsbury-based beacon of elegance and eclecticism. Founded by renowned architect Ben Pentreath and decorative artist Bridie Hall, it marries a captivating melange of antique treasures, contemporary homeware, and bespoke designs. Come for the handcrafted ceramics, luxurious textiles and unique furniture and stay for the whimsical curiosities, each chosen for their craftsmanship and aesthetic appeal. Beyond its curated offerings, Pentreath & Hall is celebrated for its commitment to preserving traditional craftsmanship and supporting emerging artisans. Explore more.
Freight HHG, Lewes, East Sussex
Freight HHG, in the East Sussex market town of Lewes, is the brainchild of mother-daughter duo, Helene and Adele Adamczewski who, when it comes to restrained, simple perfection, are unerring. As they say, ‘The designs we create and the materials we use are considered and carefully sourced to ensure we are manufacturing items which are going to last well and wear even better. Our hope would be for a Freight product to be used repeatedly with no reason to consider an alternative.’ The definition of quiet luxury and a shop whose beauty is well worth making a special trip to the town that William Morris once described as ‘like a box of toys under a great amphitheatre of chalk hills... on the whole it is set down better than any town I have seen in England’ for. Explore more.
Richard Scott Antiques, Holt, Norfolk
With the distinction of being, hands down, the prettiest shop in the prettiest Georgian town of Holt in North Norfolk, Richard Scott Antiques is as tightly packed with charm as it is with Georgian glassware, lustreware and many, many treasures besides. Beloved by locals and visitors alike (Alan Bennett is said to be a fan), they come for the beautiful homeware and stay for the invariably charming chat and reminiscences with Richard, to whom this beautiful shop is testament. Explore more.
Papadeli, Bristol
The delectable Papadeli in Bristol offers a mouth-watering array of artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, and homemade pastries. The rustic interior, complete with wooden shelves stacked with gourmet products, is warm and endlessly inviting. The perfect place to while away the hours while scoffing as many gourmet treats as is humanly possible. Explore more.
Much Ado Books, Alfriston, East Sussex
There are, praise be, dozens of bookshops that could make this list (Heywood Hill in London, Toppings in Bath, Barter Books in Alnwick to name but three). One of our very favourites, though, must be Much Ado Books in the pretty village of Alfriston in East Sussex (which is also worth a visit for The Star, its Olga Polizzi hotel, as well as the National Trust-run Alfriston Clergy House). Much Ado Books is a beauty, thanks to its owners, Cate Olsen and Nash Robbins and their onus on resurrecting classics that have fallen into neglect with readers, which they do alongside championing new writers too. We also love the barn, which is where Much Ado’s many, varied and often winningly niche craft workshops take place (a spot of felted slipper making, anyone?). Everything is beautiful – and if you’re buying presents, they’ll even wrap them handsomely for you. A knock-out. Explore more.
The Hambledon, Winchester
The Hambledon is a lifestyle store that seamlessly blends old and new. Housed within a Victorian townhouse in the historic town of Winchester, this department-style store offers an eclectic mix of fashion, homeware, and gifts. The beautifully curated displays and friendly staff make shopping here, whether for womenswear, menswear and kids, homewares, beauty or stationery, an endlessly tempting. Explore more.
Leakey's Bookshop, Inverness
Established in 1979, Leakey's is crammed with books as far as the eye can see – and that is saying something in the context of a cavernous Gaelic church, which has capacity to hold upward of 100,000 tomes. Best of all, though, there’s a wood-burning stove, which is perfect for when the cold bites (as it so often does in Inverness) and all you want to do is curl up with a book by a roaring fire. Explore more.
Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, Hoxton, London
Hoxton Street Monster Supplies combines a whimsical, imaginative retail experience with a meaningful social mission. This quirky shop caters to monsters of all kinds, offering fantastical products such as tins of ‘Fear’ and jars of ‘Daylight’ that delight customers with their creativity and humour. Beyond its playful facade, the shop is a front for the Ministry of Stories, a non-profit organisation that supports young writers through free workshops and mentoring. This unique blend of fantasy retail and genuine community impact makes Hoxton Street Monster Supplies a beloved and one-of-a-kind destination that inspires both laughter and literacy. Explore more.
Egg Trading, Knightsbridge, London
Simply, there is nowhere like Egg Trading, which is tucked away down a cobbled mews in Knightsbridge, which feels about as far from nearby Harrods and Harvey Nichols as you can get. Founded in 1994 by the late Maureen Doherty, her beautifully articulated vision was to bring together radical simplicity with high fashion (before opening the store, she cut her teeth working for Issey Miyake and it shows). The minimalist aesthetic, meanwhile, with its whitewashed walls and arresting displays, allows the exquisite craftsmanship to sing. Known for its commitment to sustainable practices and artisan collaborations, Egg Trading pieces do not come cheap – but they are built to be worn and adored forever. Explore more.
Aran Bakery, Dunkeld, Perthshire
This beautiful bakery is housed within a formerly derelict 200-year-old building – not that you’d know it to look at it now. Lovingly restored by in 2017 by Flora Shedden, who rose to prominence on GBBO, simply we could spend all our time and money in this monument to cosy simplicity, mainlining cakes, sandwiches and all of life’s most delicious things. Explore more.
