The biggest shopping area to my home without traipsing into Central London is Kingston, which has a…read moregood selection of shops, a small market on Saturdays and the river with some good eating options with a view. The Bentall Centre is the large shopping centre in Kingston with Bentalls, unsurprisingly, being the anchor department store and backed up with a good selection of 80 chain stores. These are mainly your medium level high street stores. There is a food court, again with chain eateries but I would recommend eating out of the centre as there is a nice variety of eating places in Kingston town. Similarly, I would suggest parking outside as there are cheaper options though they may not be as convenient. I love their super-escalators where you go up 2 floors rather than 1 and there are frequently events taking place in the main foyer area. Also watch out for some good buskers just outside the centre's main entrance.

Kingston upon Thames. I grew up here, by the time I turned 16 I was sick of it. Sick of the same…read moreshops, bumping into the same people, the same routine. I was ready to start my next journey and chapter of my life, where the grass was greener. So when I was 18 I moved to Brighton for university.... This review has a point !!!! Now I'm a bit older, better looking and wiser. I have fallen back in love with Kingston and what it has to offer. It's rich with culture and the shopping is really, really good! The Bental centre being a excellent hub for highstreet fashion and gifts, not to mention the variety of cuisines it has to offer. Although, it's south west London and slightly on the border. It's a got a lot to offer and many people near and far will come to Kingston to shop.

I remember when I was at school and Kingston had undergone its transformation and the store first…read moreopened. There was a time the store would have had a 5 star rating. Now I give it a three star rating as its still better than many other places but not what it used to be due to inconsistencies. I always buy electricals from here as large domestic appliances come with an automatic two year guarantee and televisions with a five year guarantee. Due to challenging circumstances in the space of over six weeks have had to purchase a Bosch washing machine, Sony TV and Bosch dishwasher. The washing machine salesman was excellent, managed to match the Bentalls offer (the other large department store in Kingston) and all was done. The TV was a hassle because I spoke to three people and none had the authorization to take payment over the phone so I had to go into the store, wait for an available salesperson just to make payment as I knew what I wanted and then wait for ages to collect the TV. Previously could phone up, place the order and then just go to collect it as it would be ready. Most recently ordered a dishwasher, the salesman was happy to match the Bentalls offer but then he couldn't process this through the till and so he asked an older grumpy looking colleague who then asked the department manager who said no. I was disappointed because the salesman had agreed and it was only because he seemed inexperienced that he didn't know how to process the discount through the till so the transaction cost me an extra 45 pounds unnecessarily. Its only because I like the idea of the profits being shared amongst the workers of the John Lewis Partnership that I placed the order otherwise would have gone back to Bentalls. When I queried that a few weeks earlier the salesman had matched their offer he just said "you were lucky", I thought no you agreed to it too its just didn't know how to process it through the till. The delivery service is first class with all delivery drivers cheerful, polite and helpful.

Lifts a bit confusing to the restaurant. We use one from riverside walk to floor 1r for "the place…read moreto eat". Named this as it is this. U can look over river from table. Leather sofas or normal seating. Bit expensive but my partners paying. :) Fresh soup, fish, crepes and good coffee n cakes. Loads more too. And nice big shop to drag your partner into after and show dresses and handbags too.

I am beyond grateful that they have H Mart in London! Being from Hawaii I absolutely have to have…read moremy asian foods! Although this location is a little of a trek for me it is completely worth it. I just wish they had ALL the Melona ice cream flavors like coconut and mango, but they have everything else so I'll take it!! Can you guys stock Rose Tteokbokki please and thank you!!!

As an expat from the States, I was wildly surprised to find an H-Mart in London. Wildly surprised…read morebut pleasantly relieved - I mean, where else can I buy good quality udon, kim chee, noodle mixes, frozen dumplings, super thin sliced beef/pork for hotpot and fresh shiitake for a good price? I know Japan Centre has similar quality but the price point is not always right. Chinatown is good for some things (fresh veggies, fresh rice noodle rolls, ramen, etc.) but it's hard to beat the selection at H-Mart. There is good lighting and sufficient aisle space so carts going in opposite directions don't have to awkwardly back out of the aisle so the opposing cart can go first (kind of like the naughty London roads!) - in most grocery stores in Chinatown, you are elbow to elbow with someone else trying to get a damn jar of Hoisin sauce in your overflowing basket. Customer service is lacking, especially when something is out of stock and no one in the store seems to know what is going on or when they will get more. Aside from the cashiers, most people working the floor do not speak English very well. The employees are mainly Korean and Chinese. However, most items are translated to English on labels and signage. I will continue to shop here for quality groceries and I hope they open more locations so that it is easily assessable to more people in London.

Always liked M & S , this was a resting point for me as I love the toasted sarnies they do combined…read morewith a coca cola and nana.

A large but not overwhelming branch of UK perennial High Street favorite M&S. Considered one of…read moretheir more significant stores, it usually has decent stock levels, along with a handy ordering desk to help you track-down the item you're seeking. My preferred section is Limited Collection - for stylish on-trend clothes and accessories - which could often compete happily with designer brands. The top floor has all their renowned lingerie ranges, categorised in relatively easy-to-find themed display units. However, in some respects it can get confusing here, from time-to-time, as they do like to move departments around. Perhaps it's a good thing to have the menswear together with home and interior items, in a separate store across the road; you have to be pretty determined to want to visit both on the same day, so it could be one way of limiting your expenditure or avoiding a battle with the other half

The stars of the show here, for fashionistas, are the shoes; if you're in need of some retail…read moretherapy, and you're on a budget, you won't be wasting your time. Bring that little black dress bang up-to-date with some patent party peep toes. The classic black four inch heels will make you look more like Sex in the City's Carrie than Imelda Marcos. At a mere £12, they'll even have the Bank Manager smiling. For a seasonal colour highlight, the strappy mauve patent peep toe heels are on trend and the same happy price. Keep your head warm and stay stylish with a sequinned beret for just £3. Interior design fans can pick up a pretty, wholesome american-pie-style patchwork cushion to brighten a dull corner for £8. Kitchen accessories are funky and cheap, including a pastel pink roasting pan for a trifling £2.50.

This store is spread over three floors, they are always competitive on price and have many offers…read moreon a variety of things. Great for all house hold items and DIY tools, they also sell food and sweets in this one. They have a quite large toy section as well as seasonal items all at a good price. In the basement they sell furniture for bed rooms bathrooms etc not that great looking but would do a job if you are on a budget. If you are in gardening then they do many items and plants all cheaper then in other stores

Not the place to visit when you're after glamour or luxury but seriously useful for household…read morebasics or DIY bits and bobs. Prices here are very competitive whether it's a phone extension lead you're after, handy storage boxes or basic toiletries and household items. In the spring and summer you can find some surprisingly stylish garden furniture here that suggests you've been far more extravagant than the till receipt shows.

Oh my good God. Diamonds and Pearls renders me a little bit speechless, which is pretty unusual…read more Imagine, if you will, Claires Accessories deciding that they were going to go all classy and sophisticated, and then paired up with QVC. The result would be Diamonds and Pearls. This shop landed in Kingston a few months ago, and I checked it out last week. And let me tell you girls, have I got some Christmas pressies for you! May I tempt you in some diamante? Some sparkly plastic jewellery that looks like it came from down the market? Hello? girls? Some bright spark has decided that the jewellery is going to be colour coordinated in the shop, so instead of saying, 'I fancy some earrings', you can say 'I fancy some pink jewellery'. Well, it's an inspired idea, if nothing else. I'm sorry, and if the owners are reading this, I don't mean it personally, but please, this is tat! And I know that there is always a time and place for tat, but I am struggling to find a place for this.

If bling is your thing, then this is the shop for you. At the lower end of the price spectrum,…read morethere's plenty of sparkle for those on a budget, perfect for glittery little impulse purchases. Although much on display here was too in-your-face for me, I thought the heart shaped 'gem'-style key-rings were pretty (I was quite tempted to see how they would work transformed into a pendant). I also liked the pretty crystal encrusted mirror compacts and key-rings. There's plenty of room to browse in this busy new outlet - useful for gift-shopping - highly appealing for youthful pocket money purchases and super-tempting for imploring twinkling favours from parents.