Your Guide to Reading Shopping, Restaurants & Businesses
Best reviewed in Reading
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Opening hours in Reading
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Retail chains in Reading
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Discover Reading
Looking for store reviews, restaurant recommendations, and opening times in Reading? We’ve got you covered! Find the best local shops, top dining spots, and reliable services in Reading.
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Reading Shopping Centres & Retail Parks
Explore the top shopping centres and retail parks in Reading. Whether you’re looking for fashion, home goods, or dining options, find the best shopping areas nearby.
Discover Reading: Shops, Restaurants & Highlights
On the river Thames in the south of England, the large town of Reading is a short train ride away from London but that’s not all it's got to offer. Local attractions include the 12th century Reading Abbey and the annual Reading Festival, while the shops and restaurants lining the river make for a lovely place to spend the day.
Mainstream shopping
The Oracle is the main shopping centre in Reading, with parking and shops including Oliver Bonas, H&M and Next. There’s also the Broad Street Mall, which has stores like TK Maxx and Iceland.
Luxury shopping
The Oracle has some higher-end shops, including Boss and the Apple store, but for more you would need to head to nearby outlets such as Bicester Village, a one hour drive away.
Markets
The popular Hosier Street Market in the town centre sells clothes as well as flowers, fruit and veg every Wednesday to Saturday. Bracknell Market, which takes place in Princes Square on Fridays and Saturdays, does homewares, clothes and food.
Boutique Shops
Simon Dowling Bespoke is the place for tailored mens’ clothing, while Sheabutter Cottage is an independent fair trade shop offering handmade products, and RISC World Shop is another fair trade shop which claims to be one of the UK’s largest. Harris Arcade is a 1930s arcade full of independent shops in the town centre. Crunch Comics is the place to go for new and vintage comics, while Flamingos Vintage is the best spot for vintage clothing.
Traditional Cuisine
Sweeney & Todd on Castle Street is an acclaimed pie shop that’s been around for 40 years. The Griffin is a cosy pub whose menu features classic British dishes as well as some more adventurous fare, and the Moderation does a great fish and chips as well as non-British dishes like Thai Curry.
High-End Dining
Reading doesn’t have as many high-end restaurants but The Reading Room is fancy European fare with a tasting menu while London Street Brasserie in a former 18th century Tollhouse next to the river serves local produce and does a good-value lunch menu. Buenasado is an Argentine steakhouse which provides high quality meat, although the surroundings may be too casual for the most special occasions.
Casual or Trendy Spots
Bill’s is a British restaurant chain which does great breakfasts, cocktails and classic British food. WingStop in the Oracle is a casual chicken wing chain popular with the teen crowd and Comptoir Libanais does healthy Middle Eastern food. Thai Corner does fresh Thai food in a relaxed atmosphere, and House of Flavours and River Spice are both great for Indian food.
Food Markets
Blue Collar Corner was set up in 2022 in a formerly abandoned yard and features drinks and street food. Reading Farmers Market takes place on Great Knollys Street on the first and third Saturday of the month until midday.
Reading Abbey Ruins
The ruins of this Abbey founded by Henry 1 date back to the 12th century. The building has a rich history, serving as Jane Austen’s schoolroom and the gaol for writer Oscar Wilde.
Reading Museum
This museum features a Victorian replica of the Bayeux tapestry as well as more modern artefacts like a Reading Festival poster from 1980.
Thames Lido
This gorgeous outdoor swimming pool had been derelict for almost half a century before being reopened a few years ago, and features a sauna, spa and restaurant as well as a 25m heated pool.
Highclere Castle
If you’re a Downton Abbey fan, this castle which acts as the set for the show is well worth a visit, and is a 40 minute drive from Reading.
Walk along the Thames Path
You can walk from Reading along the Thames path to several lovely villages, with the picturesque village of Sonning ideally situated to stop for lunch.
Reading Town Centre
Reading’s town centre is home to high street shopping, pubs, restaurants, museums and music venues.
Caversham
A suburb north of the town centre, Caversham plays host to a farmers market and a good selection of cafes, pubs and restaurants.
West Reading
This area of Reading has its own train station, Reading West, and lots of independent shops and cafes.
The Elizabeth line connects central London with Reading, while trains from Paddington also serve the main train station and take less than 30 minutes. Reading is also easy to reach by car, just off the M4 motorway. Once you arrive, Reading is a pedestrian and bike friendly town, with the relatively flat streets and canal paths easy to walk and cycle along. It is also well served by a network of local buses.
There are a lot of pay and display car parks around the centre of Reading, as well as multi storey car parks. Residential areas often have permit only parking so may be harder to park in.
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