From Kareem Block goods to Paan Gaali sarees, every Lahori shopaholic needs to know these markets

No one can beat Lahoris at finding budget-friendly markets in every nook and cranny of the city. Where Packages Mall and Emporium made shopping easy, they took away the fun of bargaining from dusk till dawn with a stubborn shopkeeper who will keep reminding you of your age by constantly calling you a ‘Baji’. From casual t-shirts to Benarasi sarees, Lahore’s market offered everything way before the brands came in. If you have your mother’s potential for spotting high-quality clothing and buying for half the price, you’ll love this article.  Here are some of the best shopping areas in Lahore: 

1. Export quality clothing from Kareem Block 

Every Lahori knows that Kareem Block is the ‘it’ place for buying export quality t-shirts, jeans, socks or anything your mind can think of. Best part? You can get your mother’s duppatas pico and shirts overlocked while you’re there shopping for some export quality underwear. Once you get there, you’ll see massive piles of clothes either on the floor or on a cart. It’s your job to dive into them and find the most appropriate piece for you. If you want to experience boujee on a budget you can go inside the market and discover brand outlets of outfitters, breakout and many more.  Here’s the pin location of Kareem Block Market.

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2. Paan Gali is the spot to find authentic Indian imports 

Known for selling goods imported from India, Paan Gali or Indian Market is located within Anarkali Bazaar.  This three-lane market comprises hundreds of shops and vendors selling paan, ayurvedic medicine, sarees and beauty products.  As you enter the market you will be welcomed with a sweet smell of paan that won’t be able to resist, so get yourself a Meetha Paan, put it in the corner of your mouth and get on with your shopping spree.  People from Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta come to the Paan Gaali to buy Kamdani, Benarasi, Kataan, Chicken and Cotton Sarees. Unbelievable, but I managed to find a saree for Rs. 900 three years ago from the Paan Gali.  Click here for the pinned location!

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3. If you transport yourself to the 80s and get an urge of buying a suit, drive straight to Panorama Centre.  

Located at Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam on the Mall Road Panorama Centre was the Packages of the 70s and 80s. They won’t stop you from eating inside the shops so get yourself some Ice Cream from Chaman to bring up your sugar levels for endless amounts of shopping you will be about to do.  Panorama Centre is a Mall that has a variety of retail shops for men clothes and shoes as well as accessories.  From Sherwanis to shorts, you can find anything and everything here.  Here’s how you can get there!

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4. Thrifting is cool but Landa is not??

If you exit Mayo Hospital from its gate outside the Emergency Department you will find yourself in front of a huge market. This Landa Bazaar has existed years before thrifting was cool.  You can get anything including toys, clothing, shoes, handbags and even curtains. If you’re lucky, you can find brand new items. Don’t forget to dry-clean these items before using them.  Click here for the location!

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5. Bano Bazaar – an entire market dedicated to accessories for girls

No market in Lahore gets a piece of jewellery earlier than Bano Bazaar. Hidden in the streets of Anarkali, Bano Bazaar is a heaven for anyone obsessed with traditional jewellery.  Entering the Bazaar, you will see the place is decorated with colourful fairy lights and have countless shops for jewellery and Chooriyan.  Apart from jewellery, you can find makeup shops, wig shops and even the shops from where you can get wedding formals but all you have to do is roll up your sleeves and bargain with the dukaandar as much as you can. Click here to get to Anarkali!

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6. Kashmiri Bazaar – a shopping experience in one of the oldest parts of Lahore

Situated inside the Delhi Gate, Kashmiri Bazaar is home to artificial jewellery shops, shoes and clothes both embroidered and casual. This is also one of the most Instagram-able bazaar in Lahore.  With its old architecture and narrow streets, Kashmiri Bazaar is an escape to the Mughal Era.  It is also one of the cheapest markets in Lahore. This is how you can get there!

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7. Ichhra Bazaar for anything wedding related

If you’re getting married, it’s not possible that no one has suggested you visiting Icchra Market. Keep in mind to bring a bottle of water to cool down with you because you’re expected to get annoyed with the traffic and rush. Keep driving on the Ferozepur Road until you see series of tile and sanitary shops.  Icchara is a hub for anything wedding related and also a market to get traditional Punjabi handicrafts from.  Along with the shopping, you can also enjoy street food here such as samosas, chaat and pakoras.  Here’s the location!

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