Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu and South India's gateway on the Bay of Bengal, a hot, humid coastal city known for Dravidian temples, colonial-era buildings, the world-famous Marina Beach, Carnatic music and classical dance, and filter coffee and banana-leaf meals.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Kanchipuram silk sarees
Heavy silk sarees with zari borders woven in nearby Kancheepuram; look for the Silk Mark and the Handloom Mark.
Price: ₹5,000-200,000 (approx $52-2,083 USD)
Where: Nalli Silks, Pothys, Co-optex, T. Nagar
Bronze statues and Thanjavur art
Lost-wax Chola-style bronze figures, Thanjavur gold-leaf paintings and dancing dolls.
Price: ₹500-100,000 (approx $5.20-1,042 USD)
Where: Poompuhar, Anna Salai
Filter coffee powder
Roasted and ground coffee-chicory blend for making South Indian filter coffee.
Price: ₹250-600 per 500 g (approx $2.60-6.25 USD)
Where: Madras Coffee House outlets, Mylapore shops
Mysore pak and sweets
Ghee-rich sweets sold boxed from vegetarian restaurant chains.
Price: ₹300-800 per 500 g (approx $3.10-8.30 USD)
Where: A2B and Sangeetha counters, T. Nagar
Tamil literature and travel books
Books in English and Tamil, including translated classics.
Price: ₹100-1,500 (approx $1-16 USD)
Where: Higginbothams, Anna Salai
Temple jewellery and silver
Gold-plated and silver temple jewellery based on South Indian temple designs.
Price: ₹500-100,000 (approx $5.20-1,042 USD)
Where: T. Nagar jewellery shops, Mylapore
Kalamkari and handloom cottons
Natural-dyed hand-painted or block-printed cotton from Kalakshetra and cooperative shops.
Price: ₹500-10,000 (approx $5.20-104 USD)
Where: Kalakshetra Foundation, Co-optex
Chettinad masala and pepper
Ready-ground Chettinad spice blends and whole peppercorns.
Price: ₹150-500 per 250 g (approx $1.56-5.20 USD)
Where: Sowcarpet and Mylapore grocers
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Pondy Bazaar
A pedestrian-friendly street market in T. Nagar with stalls and small shops.
Where: T. Nagar, Central Chennai
Hours: Daily approx 10AM-10PM; busiest 5PM-9PM
Nalli Silks - Usman Road
The flagship store of a long-established Chennai silk brand, selling Kanchipuram silk sarees with fixed prices.
Where: T. Nagar, Central Chennai
Hours: Daily approx 9AM-9:30PM
Pothys - T. Nagar
A multi-storey textile store with several T. Nagar buildings covering silk, cotton and daily wear.
Where: T. Nagar, Central Chennai
Hours: Daily approx 9AM-10PM
Higginbothams
One of India's oldest bookshops, founded in 1844, on Anna Salai.
Where: Anna Salai, Central Chennai
Hours: Mon-Sat approx 10AM-7PM; closed Sunday
Poompuhar (Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation)
The state government handicrafts emporium, selling Tamil Nadu craft with fixed prices.
Where: Anna Salai, Central Chennai
Hours: Mon-Sat approx 10AM-8PM; confirm closing day on +91 44 2852 0624
Mylapore Mada Streets Market
The four streets around Kapaleeshwarar Temple, with flower sellers, vessel shops and traditional textile stores.
Where: Mylapore, South Chennai
Hours: Daily approx 6AM-9PM
Sowcarpet and George Town Wholesale Market
An old wholesale quarter with narrow lanes and Gujarati and Rajasthani trading houses.
Where: George Town, North Chennai
Hours: Mon-Sat approx 10AM-8PM; many shops closed Sunday
Kalakshetra Foundation Handloom Centre
The arts campus runs a handloom unit selling its natural-dyed cotton textiles and craft items.
Where: Thiruvanmiyur, South Chennai
Hours: Mon-Sat approx 9AM-5PM; confirm before visiting
Co-optex (Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers' Co-operative Society)
The Tamil Nadu weavers' cooperative with fixed-price showrooms across the city.
Where: Citywide
Hours: Mon-Sat approx 10AM-8PM; confirm closing day
Spencer Plaza
One of India's oldest malls, spread across a historic Mount Road site.
Where: Anna Salai, Central Chennai
Hours: Daily approx 10AM-9PM
Shopping districts
Neighbourhoods known for retail.
T. Nagar (Thyagaraya Nagar)
Chennai's biggest shopping district, built around Usman Road, Ranganathan Street and Pondy Bazaar, with multi-storey silk and jewellery showrooms.
Best for: Silk sarees, gold jewellery, textiles, kitchenware
Pondy Bazaar
A pedestrianised street market beside Usman Road with clothing, accessories, handbags and street food.
Best for: Street fashion, accessories, souvenirs
Mylapore
A temple-centred neighbourhood around Kapaleeshwarar Temple with flower, brass, puja-item and traditional sari shops on the Mada Streets.
Best for: Temple items, flowers, brass lamps, traditional textiles
Anna Salai (Mount Road)
The city's historic spine with Spencer Plaza, Higginbothams and government emporia such as Poompuhar.
Best for: Books, handicrafts, government emporia
George Town and Sowcarpet
A dense wholesale district for dry fruit, spices, stationery, books and fabrics.
Best for: Wholesale goods, spices, stationery
Anna Nagar
A residential district with a tower-park shopping belt and neighbourhood boutiques.
Best for: Clothing and everyday shopping
Nungambakkam and Khader Nawaz Khan Road
A boutique-lined road with fashion, jewellery, galleries and cafes.
Best for: Designer boutiques, home decor
Kancheepuram (day trip)
The silk-weaving town famous for Kanchipuram sarees with real zari borders, reachable by road in about two hours.
Best for: Authentic Kanchipuram silk sarees
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
Phoenix Marketcity
Chennai's largest mall, with international brands, a multiplex and a food court.
Hours: Daily 11AM-10PM
Express Avenue
A central mall with high-street brands, cinemas and a food court.
Hours: Daily 10AM-10PM
Spencer Plaza
A historic mall with small shops, handicrafts and clothing.
Hours: Daily 10AM-9PM
VR Chennai
A large mall in Anna Nagar with brands, cinemas and dining.
Hours: Daily 11AM-10PM
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
Bargaining works in Pondy Bazaar, street stalls and Sowcarpet; start near half the first price and settle around 60-70 percent.
Prices are fixed at Nalli, Pothys, Co-optex, Poompuhar, Higginbothams and mall stores; ask about the festival discount instead.
For silk, ask for the Silk Mark and check the zari with the shop's purity certificate; compare two showrooms before buying.
Do not bargain at the temple-side puja shops for small items under ₹100 (approx $1.04 USD).
Bargain with a smile and walk away politely if the price does not drop; sellers often call you back.
Carry small notes (₹100, ₹200, ₹500) to avoid change disputes.
Auto-rickshaws without meters should be agreed on price before boarding or booked through Uber, Ola or Rapido.
Sunday afternoons and festival weeks (Diwali, Pongal) are very crowded in T. Nagar; shop on weekday mornings.
Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
Payment: Cards are accepted in malls and large showrooms; street markets run on cash. UPI is widespread but needs an Indian bank account, so foreign visitors rely on cash and cards. ATMs are plentiful in T. Nagar and Anna Salai.
Opening Days: Most showrooms open daily; Poompuhar and many government outlets close on Sunday or have a weekly holiday, and George Town wholesalers close on Sunday. Shops close for Pongal and Diwali.
Haggling Etiquette: Haggling is acceptable at street stalls only. In showrooms the price tag is final. Be friendly and avoid insulting offers.
Touts And Commissions: Drivers and guides may steer visitors to commission-paying shops; politely insist on a named showroom such as Poompuhar or Co-optex. Do not pay in advance for anything.
Taxes And Refunds: GST of 5 percent applies on most garments and 12 percent or 18 percent on some goods; there is no general tax-free refund scheme for tourists. Keep bills for customs.
Shipping: Large showrooms and Poompuhar can arrange parcel shipping within India and abroad; ask for insured shipping and keep the consignment receipt.
Export Restrictions: Antiques more than 100 years old cannot be exported without clearance from the Archaeological Survey of India; ivory, sandalwood chunks and wildlife products are restricted. Bronze reproductions are fine with a bill.
Footwear And Dress: Remove shoes before entering temple shops inside Kapaleeshwarar Temple's grounds; wear modest clothing in Mylapore and George Town.