Shopping · Houston · United States
Shopping in Houston
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Shujianyang, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Houston has major malls, Texas boutiques in the Heights and Rice Village, and large international markets in Chinatown and the Mahatma Gandhi District. There is no state income tax, but sales tax applies. Best souvenirs: NASA merchandise, Texas boots and hats and Houston sports gear.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- NASA merchandise
Where to shop
The Galleria
Texas's largest mall, with department stores and luxury brands around an ice rink.
Rice Village
An older shopping district of boutiques, bookshops and restaurants near Rice University.
19th Street, the Heights
Vintage, gift and home stores in small historic storefronts.
Harwin Drive
Wholesale and discount shops selling clothes, accessories and electronics.
Markets
Urban Harvest Farmers Market
Houston's biggest farmers' market, usually on Saturday mornings.
Asian supermarkets on Bellaire Boulevard
Huge grocery halls with bakeries, food courts and imported goods.
What to buy
NASA merchandise
Mission patches, space food and models from the Space Center Houston shop.
Texas boots and hats
Western-wear shops sell boots, hats and belts, especially during rodeo season.
Houston sports gear
Astros, Rockets and Texans merchandise from stores and stadiums.
Spices and teas from Chinatown
Vietnamese coffee, teas and spice mixes from Asian supermarkets.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Uptown
The Galleria
Texas's largest shopping mall has hundreds of stores from department stores to luxury boutiques under glass vaults, built around an indoor ice rink.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Kids
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | $$$ | Skyscrapers, Discovery Green, the theatre district and ballpark |
| Montrose | $$$ | Bungalows, the Menil campus, cocktail bars and Houston's LGBTQ+ heart |
| The Heights | $$$ | Victorian cottages, 19th Street shops and a bike trail on an old railway |
| Uptown and the Galleria | $$$ | Texas's largest mall, luxury hotels and the Waterwall |
| EaDo (East Downtown) | $$ | Warehouse breweries, murals and the soccer stadium |
| Chinatown and Asiatown (Bellaire Boulevard) | $ | Strip malls packed with Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean restaurants |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in USD. Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, $1–$2 per drink at a counter, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars per bag for hotel porters.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in June–September and December–January; the busiest months are the peak holidays.
- July: Independence Day festival and fireworks downtown (4 July)
- October: Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission (weekends, usually October–November)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for shopping, luxury and families
Uptown and the Galleria
Texas's largest mall, luxury hotels and the Waterwall
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Houston?
NASA merchandise, Texas boots and hats, Houston sports gear and Spices and teas from Chinatown.
+Where is the best shopping in Houston?
The Galleria: Texas's largest mall, with department stores and luxury brands around an ice rink.
+What are the best markets in Houston?
Urban Harvest Farmers Market and Asian supermarkets on Bellaire Boulevard.