Must Visit Places in Chennai : Ask IMBB

Ask IMBB Gang

Praseena Asks

HI IMBB gang!

I am heading to Chennai for some work this week, please suggest some of the most happening spots for shopping- bazaars and malls for cotton dresses and fancy tops(affordable wear- pure cotton preferably), fashion jewelery, cosmetics and a tailor who can stitch fancy saree blouses(good fitting) and salwar suits(in 2-3 days promptly ). It’s my first time in Chennai and I am very excited to have a great shopping experience there. Also suggestions for a good hair stylist, please?
Thank you

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43 thoughts on “Must Visit Places in Chennai : Ask IMBB

  1. Praseena………I had been to chennai last year and it was for the very first time for me too :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: I did not have much time, just 6 to 7 hours in the city and I went to Marina beach and for shopping Pondy Bazaar….that’s all πŸ™ ….others might be able to help you out

    1. Jomol :woot: :woot: , i remembering see that wonderful post you wrote about it in here. I had gone through it twice too. It was toVellankani right, I want to go there too? how was your experience there? Is it far from Pondy Bazaar?…i might be staying around there itself. thank you so much for your help. :thanks:

  2. well there is “express avenue mall ” in royapettah …the “skywalk mall”in aminjikarai….other than that u can go to t.nagar for cheap kurthi’s and stuff …do try pothys in t.nagar too…and as for a hair stylist there is tony and guy in express avenue ..they are good but costly .naturals saloon is also there in express avenue…well that’s as far as i am aware and hope it has been a help…and most of the stuff except the tailor you can get in express avenue itself

    1. hi Asha, thank you for the lovely suggestions. I have heard alot about express avenue mall, will be sure to check out T.nagar and Pondy Bazaar. Pothy’s…will check it out πŸ™‚ I have also heard good things about Naturals. there’s one in t Nagar too, apparently but might check it out at the mall too. thank you for your help. Any tailors for saree blouse that you can recommend in Chennai that are good? thank you so much for all your help.

  3. Praseena, I have been for a year nmore in chennai..
    Let me try my best:
    most happening spots for shopping: Clothese, Fashion Jewelry and cosmetics
    Mall shopping: Express Avenue Mall and Ampa Skywalk, also try Spencer Plaza if you have time.
    Wholesale shopping or cheap shopping: Head to T.Nagar, where you can check all the big shops like Pothys, Saravana stores etc etc…Saravana stores carry cosmectis and clothes…And you can buy cosmetics in any of the Health & Glow outlets tehre
    For cotton dresses and fancy tops(affordable wear- pure cotton preferably): There is a street called Cotton Street in Egmore, where you can get cheap cotton tops and dresses.
    Tailoring: If you stay near T.Nagar, you can get it stitched in one of the numerous tailoring shops in North Usman road. Make sure to give them clear instructions though!

    Salons: Naturals is always a safe bet, you can find glitzy salons in Express Avenue [Toni & Guy has an outlet there]

    1. Hi Devilgal O:)
      I do have time so I will check out all the malls you suggested. Express and Ampa Skywalk are favourites, I will do spencer too πŸ™‚
      ooh yes, i will be living near T Nagar, can’t wait to go for bargain shopping there..yaaaay!!
      Pothy’s seems to be a big favourite. Will def check out Saravana.
      oooh cotton street in Egmore…yaaaay :woot: :woot: :woot: sounds just like what i really want. YES!!!
      NOrth Usman Tailors…got that down. hope they stitch within four days, i will be there for a week so i will give them that much time :yahoo:
      Naturals is on my list. :thanks: so much for the clear instructions and taking out so much time to explain everything in great details. :yes:

      1. Hi!
        I’m a chennaite.
        The tailors in T.Nagar will get things stitched within an hour but if u want it to be neat goto Ranganathan street. Gani Complex there is a Punjabi aunty’s shop (i dont remember shops name). She stitched neatly and fashionably but takes a days time.
        Since car parking is an issue in TNagar. I usually pick my materials goto 1 hour tailors give clear instructions to them on what u want with proper measurement else u will endup in a total waste of time and money. Then go for other shopping. finally collect my stitched clothes and return home.

        1. hi Shajeela, thank you for the information. I do want things stitched soon but for neatness i will head to Ranganathan street as you said. oooh the Gani complex tailor aunty sounds really cool! i must check her out. good idea! that’s called being very efficient :))

  4. wow…welcome Praseena…. its showering and the climate is actually good….you will miss the sun but πŸ˜‰

    People here have given you great options πŸ™‚ let me try and add something too…
    kurtis….kalpastree(cathedral road), Sundari Silks(t nagar)…check their silk/silk cotton/raw silk collections too, Rekha’s botique(Alwarpet)…they stitch too and try Egmore’s Cotton street like how devilgal suggested πŸ™‚

    fashion jewelry…if you like silver/temple jewelry kinds of stuff, visit Sukra in Mylapore or for fancy artificial ones Narayana Pearls and jhilmil in T Nagar would be good….

    See one of the beaches at the most, hope it doesn’t rain when you come here…. apart from that Mahabalipuram, Dakshin Chitra through ECR will be very good…., there is a park at the center of the city and of course there are plenty of temples and churches too πŸ™‚

    Ho and eat at least once in any of the Saravana Bhavan hotels across the city….

    1. Ramya, HI! :thanks:

      oooh good climate…excellent for shopping then, but i will need a raincoat, right? Too much rain by any chance? I will brave it all for the sake of shopping hehe

      Yes, everyone has helped me so much in here that i am feeling overwhelmed and even more excited to shop :yahoo:

      ok noting Kalpastree, Sundari, Rekha’s.oh, i definitely need a tailor.thanks for that. Egmore’s cotton street…am really looking forwarded to that :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot:

      thanks for the name of shops in T Nagar for fashion jewelery.definitely will check those out. it’s always nice to get the names of fav shops, can keep an eye out for them.

      Saravana Bhavana without a doubt. i want to have filter kaaapi!! :waytogo: :waytogo:

  5. saravana stores
    subah 8 am jana O:) O:) O:) O:)
    jokes apart i just moved to chennai a year bk n the ppl here are AWESOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
    :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot:
    U WILL HV GREAT FUN

    this is where i go to shop:
    EA mall
    city cntre mall
    spencer plaza
    health n glow are in all these
    saravana only for colorbar’
    ampa skywalk

    n ispahani centre due
    there is a good hair stylist there i hv heard

    1. The one at Ispahani is “Bounce” πŸ˜€ … Awesome stylists.. bit on the expensive side but worth it.!!!

      I havent tried the chennai one but have been to Bounce in Bangalore! :pigtail:

    2. hi Neha, i am getting so excited I feel like bouncing inside this page. Rati has done me such a huge favour by posting my query here. :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot:
      Saravana stores lol 8am hahah yeah I will try to go as early as possible.
      Naturals is 1000 bucks eh. wooh! heavy hehe Bounce must be more expensive then. But as long as the stylist is good, it’s ok I guess.
      thank you so much for listing out everything for me, Neha :rose:

  6. hi praseena,
    Welcome to chennai. There are certain must visit palces in chennai depending on your preferences.
    1) If you want to cover most number of places in short time then head to the ECR. It has theme parks like MGM, VGP and Mayajaal, crocodile park, mutukaadu boat house, kovalam beach, mahabalipuram and the best of all one viewing spot from which the bay of bengal looks amazing. :waytogo:
    2) For shopping there are malls like Express avenue in Royapetah and Spencer’s in Mount Road. In EA you will get all major brands but pretty expensive :nonono: . Where as in Spencer’s you will get a mixed range. :pompom: :pompom: .
    3) If you want a further shopping place then try Pondy Bazaar near T Nagar. Here you get brands also and there are local shops also. PS: Please avoid the huge textile shops as you can quite get lost in them!!!!!!!!!!! :nono: :nono: :nono:
    4) For further reduced price tags you can try parrys corner.
    5) If silk saree is in your agenda try Kumaran Silks or Nalli in T Nagar.
    6) Finding a tailor to stitch in three four days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is very close to impossible :nababana: You can try Balaji tailor in Eldam’s road teynampet which is closer to T nagar.

    Hope you find all this useful! Hope you enjoy Chennai too as there is not too much sun! But be surre to carry umbrellas as it is raining cats and dogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    :yes: :yes: :yes:

    1. Hi Sandhya πŸ™‚ :rose:

      wow that was such an indepth reply and I am just reading it all over again to note all the information done. :stars:
      I guess I will look at all the expensive things at the high end malls and shop at the discounted places hehe I am so scared to carry so much money around on me. But Chennai has such an explosive choice for variety, i am quite thrilled. I had no idea that there was so much shopping to do, how cool!! you guys are lucky, eh :victory2:

      Is Royapetah and mount road very far from T nagar, i will be staying there mostly. Was wondering if it’s safe to take the auto rides there as I will be alone. I would like to do ECR first. I was thinking when it rains, I can head to malls and on sunny days, I can do the bazaars.

      oh lord! I surely don’t want to get lost. I am so good at that hahahhahah :yikes:

      Parry’s corner, ok, noted that down too.

      oh so i won’t be able to stitch in four days, hmmm, thanks for the name of Balaji tailor, i will go ask him to give me good fittings.

      yes, all this information is too too useful, you have been so sweet to take so much time and list everything out for me, thank you so much :)))))

      1. Hi praseena,
        Its ok to take auto rikshaws but be careful about the rates. The best option out is share autos as they are standard priced and you will be travelling with 4 or 5 others. Look for tata magic vehicles in the bus stop. They are very common in T Nagar.

        Royapetah and Mount road are ok distance from T nagar. Will take about 30 min to reach in an auto!

        1. oh wow! there are shared autos. cool! now there is not much to worry about safety and also being ripped off :yahoo: tata magic vehicles in T nagar…sandhya, thank you so much for the timely reply πŸ™‚

          ok 30mins is fair, not too bad, eh πŸ™‚ i think i should take two suitcases instead of one, one empty and one half filled and come back with two full suitcases hahahhahahahhahah Chennai here I comeeeeeeeeeee :teeth

  7. Hi..Iam from chennai but rite now livin in Mumbai..Bounce style lounge is the best in chennai..it is located at ispahani centre in nungambakam….there is a spa called Oryza at Chamiers road,alwarpet which is a must visit..very relaxin..Cotton street is also called as pantheon road..go to sowcarpet for cheap designer clothes and accessories..Prince plaza,egmore for bangles n bindis

    1. Hi Preetha, thank you so much, i am writing all this down. the spa and salon really sound too good. Any idea what a body massage would cost me there?
      I do want some relaxation for sure before I head back.
      ok Cotton street +Pantheon road. you saved me confusion there πŸ™‚ :thanks:

  8. Dont miss Damini…its located off a residential colony (S.S. Mohamed Sikkander, No: 20, Arunachalam Road, Kotturpuram OR Odyssey Towers, 45 & 47, First Main Road, Gandhi Nagar,
    Adyar) but amazing jewelry colelction..!! also Surya jewelry on Ranganathan Street has the BEST temple jewelry…i had a blast last time i was there!!!

    1. oooh , Vaishnavi, thanks for that. got that down too. thanks for the detailed addresses, love checking out jewelry and accessories. :rose:

  9. Express Avenue,Ampa Skywalk,Citi Centre for high end brands and movies,Besant nagar beach(Elliots beach),Marina beach,Ranganathan street and pondy bazar for street shopping and adyar has many fashion shops πŸ™‚
    Thn visit theme parks like the ones mentioned by sandya πŸ™‚ And yes parrys corners is gud..u can get new designs of chudis and sarees at cheap prices and also awsum accesories.
    Also try gng to burma bazzar and ritchie street for electronic guds πŸ™‚
    I have been living in chennai for 10 years πŸ™‚

    1. hi Shweta, so sweet. thank you for all the shopping suggestions. :yes:
      Parry’s sounds tempting, do want to see new designs for sure and at good rates πŸ™‚

      Burma bazaar and ritchie- yes, i need some accessories for my pod. will go there.

      you must be in love with chennai, lucky girl :star:

  10. hairstylist- tony and guy at express avenue or bounce at ispahani centre.no one i have been to does a better job than tony and guy :yes:

  11. i went to chennai just once, express avenue and spencers mall are very nice, also i shopped like crazies from Pothy’s :toothygrin: very reasonably priced range there.

  12. Hi Shivani, thank you, i think i have to take a wad of cash to Pothy’s , considering it’s reasonable I might still have some money left for food hahahhaha thank you, dear.

  13. i would recommend you to hav a visit at dora’s bag mall in besant nagar,if u want to buy cool collection of slippers and bags.and besant nagar beach is a must watch place in chennai .and so is mahabalipuram shore temple..

  14. Have fun Praseena! Most part of my life I lived in Chennai, so it is quite dear to me too.
    Great suggestions up here πŸ™‚

    Btw, I may sound a bit cheeky for saying this, but this came out of a north indian only – some of the best chat is available Gangotree either on Cathedral Road or Spencers Plaza πŸ˜€

    1. Gae, thank you! i love chat so I have to try Gangotree for sure now :yahoo: I got such awesome suggestions in here, thank you to everyone

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