Zurich | The Shopper’s Paradise

Zürich has a huge offer in terms of shopping. It goes from big and expensive international brands you’ll find on the Bahnhofstrasse and around, to local clothes designers selling their stuff in small, cool and trendy shops (Districts 4 and 5 mainly), for a view of what Zürich has to offer in terms of alternative shopping.

Big shopping malls also exist, biggest are: Letzigrund, Glatt, Sihlcity.

Flea market Kanzlei

Art students love it for inspiration, students love it to get cheap clothes, and to earn a little pocket money by selling their stuff. Everyone loves it to meet friends, stroll and negotiate. The crowd is mixed, and so are the goods, with clothes and accessories dominating.

The crowd is friendly and especially the sellers have a lot of time since many of them sit there all day long. This makes plenty of room for interaction, and you might even find your new favourite hat here. If you get tired, there’s plenty of places to get a coffee or drink nearby.

 Kitchener Plus

This shop, that you can only find in Switzerland, has a wide selection of stuff you never knew you needed. But once you see it, you’re going to need it. At Kitchener, you can find sustainable clothes as well as Kitchen tools or even a Beer Brewing kit, aside with books on various cities or how to cook cupcakes in a fancy way.

Visit it just to have a look at tall the random stuff they have. Some pieces are incredibly unexpected and you can find an unforgettable souvenir from Zürich there or the perfect gift for your relatives. Watch your wallet, it’s not cheap and you can quickly get to the stage where you just want to buy everything they have.

The mall that has it all: Sihlcity

You can get everything you need here: all kinds of shops and services, a gym, dentist, restaurants, hotel, cinema, daycare, the club even a “church” (prayer room open to all faiths). There are also seasonal activities on the square like a beach bar in Summer or a fondue hut in Winter.

Lilli Tulipan

Ever imagined a shop that has every single thing dotted? Here you are. Zurichians come here to shop for gifts mostly for their ladies, but you’ll also find lots of toys, so the kid in you will rejoice. The bigger part of Lilli’s wares is also affordable so that you can pay with your pocket money.

Lilli Tulipan’s assortment is very wide. It ranges from chocolate over balloons to tea accessories. Some of the things are so original you’ll need a moment to figure out, what they are. But the assortment is also very focused: did we mention that everything has dots?

Gemüsebrücke

On Saturday mornings from 6 am to noon this bridge hosts a market where residents come to buy mostly vegetables, but also flowers, bread and some fine food delicacies. It’s surrounded by cafés, so after you’ve done your shopping you can stay to do some people watching, too.

Even if you don’t need groceries this bridge presents the best location in Zurich to be right in the midst of old town both with a view of the Limmat river as well as the Lake Zurich. The square has been a market since the early 14th century and is adjacent to the city hall, resulting in its official name “Rathausbrücke”.

Café Noir

This place roasts its own blends of coffee just inside a coffee connoisseurs’ shop that’s probably also the smallest café in Zurich. It’s only got 10 seats behind a single shop window! The coffee’s so yummy that many restaurants and, again, cafés purchase from here.

Go and try their differently roasted coffees, if the few tables are not taken by the bicycle mech from next door or the hipster couple from Langstrasse, getting their morning caffeine. Also taste their hand-made brownies and chocolates. They serve small savory salads for lunch.

Bücher Brocky

This is the most magical place in Zurich if you’re a bookworm. The second-hand bookshop behind Enge train station is filled with books that are looking to find a new home. You can find books that have been read many times, but also books that have been brought there brand new.

It’s the perfect place to get a souvenir for your friends and family who are avid readers and enjoy a good book more than chocolate. The shop also sells music and movies. All books range from 2-5 francs and board games cost just 2 francs

Jo Brauer

The perfect address for the fashionable woman who wants to find everything in one place. It’s a rather small shop and still, you can find everything: beautiful shoes, cool clothes, nice accessories and much more from brands such as Essentiel and Selected Femme. As if someone has pre-picked the best stuff for you and you just want to buy it all!

Bambus

This shop is basically hidden in plain sight – a shabby facade on an otherwise “chic” street in the centre of Zurich. It actually took me a long time to even consider going in, but the vintage rack and super friendly service were worth it.

If you are looking for something special to wear, you should try Bambus. Some of their clothes are actual military surplus from real uniforms, others are more for the outdoor kind of people. They also have vintage clothing.