The Best Stores in Amsterdam (2026): Independent Shops We Love
The short answer: The best shopping in Amsterdam is independent, and most of it is in the Nine Streets, the Jordaan, and Haarlemmerstraat, not on the chain-heavy Kalverstraat. For Dutch design and home goods, go to The Frozen Fountain and X Bank. For women, start at Summum and Rain Couture in the Nine Streets. For men, Tenue de Nîmes is the essential denim stop and Ogér is the tailoring destination. With kids, don't miss De Kinderboekwinkel, the oldest children's bookshop in the Netherlands, and Concerto, the city's biggest record store since 1955. Plan on one full day for the Nine Streets and Jordaan, and another for Utrechtsestraat and De Pijp.
We spent a week in Amsterdam with our kids, based at the Pulitzer right in the Nine Streets. Most days ended with a detour into a shop we'd walked past that morning. Amsterdam is one of Europe's best shopping cities precisely because so much of it is still small, owner-run, and specific. This guide skips the chains. With one exception for kids, everything here is independent or a homegrown Dutch label with its own store.
Where to Shop in Amsterdam
The Nine Streets, or De Negen Straatjes, are the heart of independent shopping. These nine small cross streets link the main canals between Raadhuisstraat and Leidsestraat, and they're full of boutiques, vintage, and cafés. The Jordaan, right next door, is quieter and more residential, with galleries and specialist shops.
Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmerdijk, running west from Centraal Station, are a local favorite with a more neighborhood feel. Utrechtsestraat, south of Rembrandtplein, has Concerto and a strong run of design and food shops. De Pijp has a cluster of concept stores around Gerard Doustraat. P.C. Hooftstraat is the luxury street, and the Spiegelkwartier, opposite the Rijksmuseum, is home to more than 70 antique and art dealers.
Skip Kalverstraat for anything but the LEGO store. It's almost entirely international chains.
Kids Stores in Amsterdam
Be sure to check out our full guide to Amsterdam with kids here.
De Kinderboekwinkel
De Kinderboekwinkel is the oldest specialist children's bookshop in the Netherlands, open since 1975 on the Rozengracht in the Jordaan. It's a proper neighborhood bookshop, with shelves organized by age and staff who give real recommendations.
There's a good selection of English books alongside the Dutch ones. It's also the place to pick up Dutch picture books as souvenirs. Miffy (Nijntje) is Dutch, and a Dutch-language copy makes a lovely keepsake.
Le Flaneur
Le Flaneur is a secondhand bookshop on the Prinsengracht, a short walk from the Anne Frank House and the Pulitzer. Its shelves hold books in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Turkish, plus curios, vintage objects, and art.
It's a browsing shop, not a tidy one, and that's the charm for older kids who like a hunt. Give each child a small budget and a mission to find one book. The shop's focus is literary fiction and history, so it's best for confident readers and the grown-ups.
Henk Comics & Manga
Henk is one of the biggest comic shops in Amsterdam, set in a narrow townhouse on the Zeedijk between Nieuwmarkt and Chinatown. From the outside it looks tiny. Inside, it runs across two floors, with European and American comics downstairs and manga, figures, and collectibles upstairs.
It's a paradise for comic-obsessed kids and teens. One honest note: the Zeedijk borders the Red Light District. Go during the day, and approach from the Nieuwmarkt side.
For vintage and rare comics, Lambiek is also worth a stop. It opened in 1968 as Europe's first comic book shop.
Concerto
Concerto is Amsterdam's oldest and biggest record shop. It opened in 1955 on Utrechtsestraat and now spans five connected shopfronts, with new releases, secondhand vinyl, 7-inch singles, and CDs.
It's surprisingly good with kids. There's a relaxed café with comfortable seats, and letting a child pick out their first record is one of the best souvenirs in the city. Concerto also hosts regular in-store performances.
Donsje
Donsje is an Amsterdam-born, high-end baby and childrenswear brand known for its soft leather shoes and whimsical accessories. Its first flagship store is at Willemsparkweg 26 in Oud-Zuid, a short walk from Vondelpark and the Van Gogh Museum.
The animal-detailed slippers and first-walker shoes are the signatures, and they make beautiful gifts. There's also a Donsje shop at Schiphol, after security in Lounge 1, if you run out of time in the city.
LEGO Store Amsterdam
The LEGO flagship on Kalverstraat is the one chain on this list, and it earns its place. It was the first LEGO flagship in the Netherlands, with big sculptures of Dutch landmarks, a Pick & Build wall, a Mosaic Maker that turns your child's photo into a LEGO portrait, and a Minifigure Factory that prints custom figures while you wait.
It's free to visit and an easy stop near Dam Square. Set a budget before you walk in.
Women
Summum
Summum is a homegrown Amsterdam label founded in 1998 by Jos and Jorien Wijkers. Its store sits in a loft-like historic building on Hartenstraat in the Nine Streets. The look mixes classic tailoring with streetwear, known for signature prints and fits designed around the Dutch body type, in sizes XS to XL.
It's the easiest way to shop the effortless Amsterdam look. Best for wardrobe staples with a local twist.
Fabienne Chapot
Fabienne Chapot started in 2006 as a leather label and has grown into a colorful, B Corp-certified Amsterdam lifestyle brand. Its Nine Streets store is right across from Summum on Hartenstraat. Expect floral blouses, playful knits, and statement shoes, in sizes XXS to XXL.
Best for women who like fun, feminine, and a little bold.
Rain Couture
Rain Couture solves the most Amsterdam problem there is. Founder Daphne Gerritse couldn't find a raincoat that kept her dry on a bike without being too hot or cold, so she designed her own. The coats are stylish enough to wear to dinner and practical enough for a canal-side downpour.
It's the most useful souvenir you can buy in this city. Best for anyone visiting in spring or fall.
Anna + Nina
Anna + Nina began when two neighbors in De Pijp started importing eclectic finds. It grew into one of Amsterdam's most distinctive concept stores, known for jewelry and homeware displayed like cabinets of curiosities.
Best for gifts, charm necklaces, and one-of-a-kind trinkets.
Men
Tenue de Nîmes
Tenue de Nîmes is Amsterdam's essential denim store, with two locations at Elandsgracht 60 and Haarlemmerstraat 92-94. It stocks everything from Levi's and Lee to Japanese specialists like Momotaro and iJiN Material. The Haarlemmerstraat store has a huge denim wall built from 19th-century wooden beams, plus separate men's and women's sections.
It's the place to buy the best pair of jeans you'll ever own. Staff know their fits and fabrics deeply.
Ogér
Ogér is the tailoring destination. Founder Oger Lusink opened it in 1990 as the first luxury men's boutique on P.C. Hooftstraat. It focuses on formal and business wear from Italian houses like Loro Piana, Kiton, and Isaia, alongside its own made-to-measure shirts.
Best for a serious suit, a sport coat, or a special-occasion buy. Expect prices to match.
Mr Marvis
Mr Marvis is an Amsterdam brand known for trousers and shorts designed in the city and handmade in Portugal. The details are clever, including hidden pockets and partially elasticized waistbands. Its store is at P.C. Hooftstraat 21.
Best for travel-friendly trousers you'll actually wear every day.
Four
Four is the pick for streetwear. Founded in 2012, this independent store near P.C. Hooftstraat mixes street fashion with contemporary designers and luxury labels.
Best for younger men and teens with a strong sense of style.
Home Goods
The Frozen Fountain
The Frozen Fountain is the benchmark for Dutch design in Amsterdam. It has championed Dutch designers since the 1980s, and it was among the first to sell early pieces by names like Piet Hein Eek, Marcel Wanders, and Hella Jongerius. The shop on the Prinsengracht is full of furniture, lighting, textiles, and experimental objects from established and emerging designers.
Even if you're not buying furniture, the smaller objects make wonderful gifts. Best for design lovers.
X Bank
X Bank is a Dutch design department store and gallery inside a historic bank building next to the W Hotel, near Dam Square. It showcases more than 180 Dutch design labels, from Viktor & Rolf and Marcel Wanders to small local studios, plus rotating exhibitions.
It covers fashion, art, and home in one place, which makes it ideal if you only have an hour. Best for high-end souvenirs.
Pols Potten
Pols Potten started as a quirky design store for ceramics and glassware and grew into a broad lifestyle brand. The owners oversee the design and production of their own collection. Its warehouse store in the Eastern Docklands has a constantly changing mix of colorful décor.
It's worth the trip out of the center if you love playful, bold design.
Studio HENK
Studio HENK makes minimalist, built-to-last furniture. Its flagship occupies three floors of an 18th-century building on the Rozengracht that once housed the Bols jenever distillery. The building alone is worth seeing.
Best for serious furniture shoppers. Most pieces can be shipped.
Dille & Kamille
Dille & Kamille is a small Dutch chain, and it's the best place in the city for affordable kitchen, home, and garden essentials. Think linen, enamelware, wooden utensils, and seasonal decorations. The speculaas spice and Dutch bakeware make great, inexpensive souvenirs.
Best for easy gifts and anyone with limited suitcase space.
Where to Stay for Shopping
Stay in the Nine Streets or the Jordaan. You'll walk to most of this list, and it's easy to drop bags at the hotel between shops. Our top pick is the Pulitzer Amsterdam, which sits right in the Nine Streets on the Prinsengracht. For more options, see our guide to the best hotels in Amsterdam.
Luxury rooms in the canal ring typically run around €500 to €1,200 a night, plus a tourist tax of about 12.5 percent.
Shopping Tips for Amsterdam
Most shops in the center open around 10am or 11am and close around 6pm. Many independent stores open late on Mondays, often around 1pm. Sunday shopping is common in the center, usually from noon.
If you live outside the EU, ask about tax-free shopping when you spend a larger amount in one store. You'll need your passport, and you claim the refund at the airport. Pack a foldable tote, since most shops charge for bags.
For lunch between shops, see our guide to the best restaurants in Amsterdam.
Best Time to Shop in Amsterdam
May and September are the best months for walking the canals and browsing. The weather is mild and the crowds are lighter. Late April is the busiest time of year because of King's Day on the 27th, when the whole city becomes a giant flea market. It's a fun spectacle, but many regular shops close.
November and December bring Sinterklaas and holiday windows. It's a lovely time for gift shopping, especially at the kids' shops and home stores.
FAQ
Where is the best shopping in Amsterdam? The Nine Streets and Jordaan for independent boutiques, Haarlemmerstraat for a local feel, and P.C. Hooftstraat for luxury.
What should I buy in Amsterdam? Dutch design objects, a Rain Couture raincoat, quality denim from Tenue de Nîmes, Dutch children's books, and vinyl from Concerto.
What are the best shops in Amsterdam for kids? De Kinderboekwinkel, Henk Comics & Manga, Concerto, Donsje, and the LEGO flagship store.
Are shops open on Sundays in Amsterdam? Yes, most shops in the center open on Sundays, usually from around noon.
What is the best Dutch design store in Amsterdam? The Frozen Fountain for curated Dutch design, and X Bank for the widest range under one roof.