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Whether you go for Baroque antiques or cutting-edge fashion, the variety of goods available in Amsterdam’s boutiques, street markets, and concept stores is mind-boggling, and hunting for that special purchase akin to grand entertainment.
If you enjoy the thrill of the chase, explore the charming, mazelike streets of the Jordaan and The Nine Streets, in the Western Canal Ring, where you'll stumble upon a surprising number of vintage fashion boutiques, high-end denim brands, art galleries, local design outlets, and specialty-food stores.
For high-end shopping, Amsterdam's priciest street is the P.?C. Hooftstraat, in the Museum District–-affectionately called "the P.?C." (pronounced “pay say”). Porsches and Range Rovers are parked on the street, and many shop interiors mimic stately Dutch mansions, replete with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and antique furnishings. Don't neglect the nearby Van Baerlestraat, Willemsparkweg, and Cornelis Schuytstraat, where you're likely to discover a hyperchic home accessory or premium investment piece for your wardrobe. At the other end of the scale, join the crowds on the Leidsestraat, Kalverstraat, Damrak, Rokin, and Nieuwendijk, where flagship stores, major chains, and department stores stand shoulder-to-shoulder with inexpensive fashion outlets and cheesy souvenir shops.
If that's all a bit too noisy and crowded, head to the Spiegelkwartier for a quieter, more refined shopping experience, with proportionately escalated prices. You’ll find elegant antiques shops whose beautiful displays include antique art, maps, furnishings, jewelry, and clocks. Collectors, museum curators, and antiques dealers routinely shop here for old Delft and Makkum treasures. If you have time, visit one of the daily outdoor markets: the bustling Albert Cuypmarkt in De Pijp is one of the oldest and best known. Be sure to explore the neighborhood’s many concept stores and hip indie boutiques as well, and make a pilgrimage to nearby Utrechtsestraat for its fantastic food, fashion, and lifestyle stores. There are lesser-known Sunday markets, like the organic Pure Markt at Frankendael Park and the Maker Market at De Hallen, or check out the Sunday Market and Neighbourfood Market at Westergasfabriek.
At this beloved chocolaterie, patisserie, and tearoom, the civilized congregate for afternoon tea in the elegant parlor with its 18th-century wood paneling. The front of the store attends to a steady stream of chocoholics—no less cultivated, just on the go.
Chocoholics, take note: this Oud-Zuid institution not only sells handmade bonbons in sophisticated flavors like Earl Grey, cranberry-caramel, and black sesame-lychee, but will also custom-design just about anything you can imagine in chocolate. Several options are available for those with lactose, gluten, or cacao allergies. There is also a shop on Molsteeg 11, offering ArtiChoc's most famous in-house specialty, Hemelse Stenen or ''Heavenly Stones," meltingly soft chocolate squares with nuts.
This popular chocolatier sells handsomely sized bonbons, handmade using only the finest natural ingredients. Flavors range from classic (caramel, cognac, or walnut) to rather unusual (prune, pepper, and tamarind). Don't forget to stock up on cocoa, sprinkles, and other chocolate delights, too. Its other location is at Staalstraat 17.
This chocolate-box-size shop specializes in premium international chocolate brands, such as Amsterdam-based Chocolate Makers and Original Beans, Blanxart from Barcelona, and Mexican chocolate specialist Taza. There are also handmade chocolate bonbons in flavors such as almond brûlée, salted peanut caramel, and lemongrass.
