Independent Christmas Shopping in Edinburgh

Christmas shopping can be a bit fraught – where to go, what to get, how to avoid walking around in endless circles. Well this year we have you covered, with our guide to some of Edinburgh's best independent shops. Whether you're looking for vinyl records, nice houseplants, a good book or some very good cheese, we have recommendations of stores across the city where you can grab your Christmas presents.

If you're elsewhere in Scotland, we have also put together guides to the best Christmas shopping in Glasgow and Dundee...

Independent Edinburgh bookshops

Rare Birds
Much-loved independent book shop championing women authors – their subscription service offers an ideal gift, and their advent calendar (inc. books) is an annual sell-out. 13 Raeburn Pl, rarebirdsbooks.com

Ginger & Pickles
A thoughtfully selected range of kids' books, with beautiful titles ranging from baby to young adult – plus a small stationery selection. 51 St Stephen St, gingerandpicklesbookshop.com

Argonaut Books
Leith’s community bookshop, with a diverse stock and programme of in-person events. 15-17 Leith Walk, argonautbooks.co.uk

Lighthouse Bookshop
Edinburgh’s radical bookshop – the place to find non-mainstream, politically engaged writing. 43-45 W Nicolson St, lighthousebookshop.com

Golden Hare Books
A cosy space filled with a finely chosen selection of writing, art books and children’s titles. 68 St Stephen St, goldenharebooks.com

Tills Bookshop
This secondhand bookshop overlooking the Meadows specialises in rare and antiquarian books. 1 Hope Park Cres, tillsbookshop.co.uk

Armchair Books
Family-run secondhand bookshop with the city’s best About page: ‘staffed by Edinburgh’s finest book people who brave the shop’s untraceable noises and unique microclimate.’ 72-74 West Port, armchairbooks.co.uk

Typewronger Books
Edinburgh’s smallest bookshop and Scotland's only typewriter repair shop! Selling books, independent publications, zines and associated merch. 4a Haddington Pl, typewronger.com

Homeware, design and gifts in Edinburgh

An Independent Zebra
A hub of independent designers/makers of homewares, prints, furniture and gifts from across the UK. 88-92 Raeburn Pl, anindependentzebra.com

Handsel
An independent one-stop-shop for art, homewares, jewellery, cards and zero-waste products. 336 Leith Walk, handsel.uk

Logan Malloch
Art, books, ceramics, greetings cards, plants, stationery and gifts mostly sourced in Leith, Edinburgh and wider Scotland. 13 Leith Walk, loganmalloch.com

Bard
A brand new shop celebrating Scottish craft and design, with the noble mission of sharing local work on a global stage to show there's more to us than tartan shortbread tins. 1 Customs Wharf, bard-scotland.com

Flamingosaurus Rex
A dynamic, multi-functional gallery, shop and art space. 22 Bruntsfield Pl, flamingosaurusrex.com

Blunt Knife Co
Centrally-located social enterprise shop selling zines, books, pamphlets, art prints, stickers, postcards and more, all made by independent artists and organisations. 41 Thistle St, bluntknife.co

Red Door Gallery
Long-standing hub for local artists’ prints, artworks, crafts and jewellery in prime sight-seeing location. 42 Victoria St, edinburghart.com

Curiouser & Curiouser
Art, framing and gift shop with two locations in the city. 93 Broughton St and 106 Bruntsfield Pl, curiouserandcuriouser.com

Independent food and drink shops in Edinburgh

George Mewes
Cheese! Excellent cheese! They sometimes give away samples and mulled wine when the Christmas queue is too long. 3 Dean Park St, georgemewescheese.co.uk

The Beerhive
A carefully-chosen selection of beers, wines and spirits with a local emphasis. 24 Rodney St, thebeerhive.co.uk

Winekraft
Organic, biodynamic and natural wine shop. 6 Brandon Terr, winekraft.co

I.J. Mellis
The OG of Edinburgh cheesemongers, Mellis focus on small-scale farmhouse producers alongside a range of wines and artisanal foodstuffs. 30 Victoria St; 6 Bakers Place; 330 Morningside Rd, mellischeese.net

Cork and Cask
Thoughtfully sourced wine, beer and whisky. 136 Marchmont Rd, corkandcask.co.uk

Cornelius
An Easter Road institution that has branched out to Leith Walk, Cornelius stock the very best wine, beer and spirits. 18 Easter Rd; 128 Leith Walk, corneliusbeers.com

Salt Horse
Centrally-located craft beer shop and bar for all your beer fan gifting. 57 Blackfriars St, salthorse.beer

Lupe Pintos
Specialist deli supplying Scotland with hard-to-find Mexican, American and Spanish ingredients, for all your hot sauce and taco needs. 24 Leven St, lupepintos.com

Locavore
A social enterprise selling a wide variety of local organic produce at affordable prices. 118-126 Dalry Rd, locavore.scot

Great Grog
Specialist in local and international craft beers and wines. 2 Dalkeith Rd, greatgrog.co.uk

Independent plant shops in Edinburgh

Grow Urban
A leafy haven for all your plant gifts inc. hand-painted pots, cards by local artists and terrariums for your low-maintenance plant gifting. 92 Grove St; 8B St Vincent St, growurban.uk

Moss and Fern
Plants and gifts, including dried floral arrangements, art, prints and homewares. 84 South Clerk St, mossandfern.shop

Rose and Ammi Flowers
Bespoke wreaths and beautiful pots. 2 Gillespie Cres, roseandammiflowers.com

Green. Meadows
A modern take on a tropical plant shop with social and environmental sustainability at its core. Sister shop Green. Leith at 55 Elm Row. 137 Buccleuch St, greenplantshops.co.uk

Edinburgh's independent record shops

Slow Progress Records
Old Town record store specialising in alt-rock, indie-rock, punk, hardcore, emo, post-rock and modern pop, plus coffee and plant-based doughnuts. 53 Blackfriars St

Ilium
A coffee shop also selling retro and vintage clothing, records and books. 100 Marchmont Cres, iliumshop.com

Underground Solu'shn
Edinburgh mainstay for dance music on vinyl, decks and DJ equipment – it could not be more centrally located. 9 Cockburn St, undergroundsolushn.com

VoxBox Music
An independent selling new and pre-owned vinyl discs and CDs, plus books and music memorabilia. 21 St Stephen St, voxboxmusic.co.uk

Assai Records
Staff-favourite specialists in vinyl, turntables and music merch in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. 1 Grindlay St, assai.co.uk

Good Vibes Neighbourhood Store
Sunny and friendly local store selling records, books and more in the ground floor of a Leith creative studios. 153 Constitution St