The best things to buy in London

July 1, 2026

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Have you spent months planning a trip to London? In all your research about things to do and places to eat, you may not have yet thought about the best things to buy in London.

Finding a souvenir in one of the most famous cities in the world is not difficult. Each attraction will have a gift shop. Chances are you’ll come across at least one during your trip to London.

The most popular things to buy in London

In any big city you can find T-shirts, key chains, fridge magnets, snow globes and postcards. In London, popular iconic souvenirs include Big Ben figurines, little red buses, metal telephone boxes filled with bad tea bags, items from Harrods and umbrellas. In central London you will find countless trinkets emblazoned with a Union Jack.

But why not aim for something with a more local feel? Consider bringing home some London souvenirs that real Londoners would buy, enjoy and generally desire. Or maybe buy souvenirs created by local artists?

After living in London for over a decade as an American married to an Englishman, I’ve had the time to really explore and learn about the best things to buy in London.

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Best things to buy in London: tea and hampers

Tea in England
Drinking tea all the time isn’t just a British stereotype. That’s what people do here. For real. All the time.

But, to be honest, most drink very cheap PG or Yorkshire tips on a regular basis. You can grab a box here or opt for something a little more regal and classy like Fortnum & Mason’s tea.

This iconic British luxury department store currently holds Royal Warrants from His Majesty the King and the Prince of Wales. Famous British chefs who love Fortnum and Mason include Nigella Lawson and Mary Berry. Charles Dickens was also a fan.

The great thing about choosing Fortnum and Mason tea is that you can find many of their popular products at World Duty Free at Gatwick and Heathrow Airport. Keep this in mind in case you don’t have time on a short trip to London to visit the flagship or satellite stores.

It won’t necessarily be cheaper, but you can save it for the last minute without worrying about finding space in your checked bag.

Buying a bone china teacup made in England is an option, but I always worry that such a delicate item will break on a long international flight. However, you can find many beautiful coffee and tea accessories online. I have the tea timer and use it daily.

Fortnum and Mason baskets
The ultimate Christmas gift from London that you could send to yourself or someone else is a Fortnum and Mason hamper. They also feature prominently on the royal list.

Scarves and team jerseys
It is not as common for Brits as it is for Americans to wear clothing displaying their team’s colors or logo. But they are ready for the match. Rather than a team jersey, most will likely have a scarf to throw around their neck so they can make sure their vocal cords are nice and warm when they need to sing for their team.

During my visit to Madrid, I bought a Real Madrid hat after taking a tour of the stadium. You can take stadium tours in London and also collect souvenirs at the end.

Stadium tours
There are plenty of London teams to choose from and iconic stadiums to visit.

Some I suggest are:

Recipe books from restaurants and regional chefs

Restaurants
Depending on where you eat in London, you may be able to purchase one of the restaurant’s or chef’s cookbooks.

Cooks
If you haven’t followed British cuisine over the last decade, you may not realize how far we’ve come. London has around 80 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Popular British chefs and restaurants with books include:

Best Things to Buy in London – Travel Gifts

The ultimate gift shop for London travel enthusiasts is Stanfords in Covent Garden. Inside you will find stationery, globes, notepads and paper. You’ll find tons of gifts for London lovers, gifts for travel addicts, and gifts for map lovers.

You will also see that they organize events every month for travel enthusiasts.

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Christmas gifts from London

Ornaments
If you’ve visited London for Christmas, you know how beautiful it is here. There are tons of souvenirs you can buy for yourself or for anyone who loves London and Christmas.

The Tower of London actually has a nice selection of Christmas decorations. Additionally, the Harrods Christmas store is one of the first to open each year in early autumn. Selfridges and John Lewis also have lovely embellishments.

Traditional cuisine
If you’re a foodie like me, perhaps the ultimate Christmas food gift would be Christmas pudding. But even though it’s stereotypical here, it’s not necessarily something everyone eats.

However, that’s because they don’t know the best place to go in London to enjoy a delicious Christmas pudding.

If you can make it to Borough Market, visit Mclaren’s Christmas Pudding. This can take place at any time of the year. Like fruitcake, Christmas pudding keeps for a very long time.

You can learn about their history as a small family business and what makes their offering so different and charming. Believe me, I didn’t like Christmas pudding until I tried their recipe. And you MUST also follow the instructions to eat it correctly, like a Brit. It’s quite spectacular!

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Best Things to Buy in London – The Most Unique

And then there’s the one memory you can be sure no one else has… your photos.

I think the best idea to commemorate your trip to London is to display something your experiences. What if you created a calendar of all your best photos? This way, every day you will be able to remember something special that you did during your visit to London.

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London Trip Planner & Weekly London News

If you’re getting ready to plan your trip to London, here are some resources that will help make it memorable and easy.

My London travel guide has prepared itineraries for you, more information on what to pack, pub and afternoon tea etiquette, information on shopping, day trips to do and much more.

London Trip Planners

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1:1 travel consultations

Iconic London 2026 3 Day Trip Planner

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Ultimate Guide to Christmas in London

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London Restaurant Guide

Best Things to Buy in London – What NOT to Buy

For shopping, there are some British brands or clothing, shoes and handbags that I recommend in my American’s Guide to Shopping in London.

However, I will quickly point out some things to buy in London that I would skip! Tons of websites suggest you head to the M&Ms World store in Leicester Square. It just doesn’t make sense to me. You can get the candy at any convenient store in America.

Plus, Harry Potter products are easily accessible on Amazon, so I wouldn’t take up space in my suitcase either. But taking this photo during the Warner Bros. studio tour. Making of Harry Potter or at St. Pancras International Station is a photo to put in the photo calendar I suggested.

Itinerary Harry Potter Studios Tour in London Transport

What memorable souvenirs have you bought in a destination? Have you ever taken a photo and printed it to remember your trip?

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