Top 10 Shopping Malls in Chennai That You Can Visit in 2024

Chennai is best known for its amazing cuisines, aromatic filter coffee, Tollywood, buzzing beaches, of course, the Style Mannan aka Rajinikanth. A key ingredient that makes this city a hot favorite of travelers, however, is its shopping centers. Strategically located for most traders with its propitious seaports in place, you can find anything from hairpins to home décor at slashed-down prices in this joyous city that can grease the wheels for the crazy shoppers. A bevy of wedding shoppers from all over the country throng this city every year during aadi, the offseason for weddings but a great season for wedding shopping.

And when we say shopping, we are talking not just about places like T. Nagar, Pondy Bazaar or Parry’s Corner, where you can shop while you walk. Chennai has a fine range of amazing malls to rely on for some serious sunrise-to-sundown spending. Our two cents? Don’t forget to take your credit cards because these malls mean serious shopping! So, are you all set to indulge in heavy doses of retail therapy? A handpicked list of Chennai’s shopping malls is given below to help you deal with your high dopamine levels. So, get, set, shooooop!!!!

Shopping Malls in Chennai:

1. Phoenix Marketcity, Chennai

Phoenix Marketcity | #1 of 10 Best Shopping Malls in Chennai

Located in the Velachery suburb of the city, Phoenix Marketcity is every shopaholic’s dream come true. Spread over five levels including the lower ground and the ground, the mall promises you an end-to-end shopping experience, ranging from clothing and accessories to electronics and grocery, and everything in between. Hosting a plethora of high-end brands like Lifestyle, Allen Solly, Croma, Poorvika, Steve Maden, Globus, Aldo, Adidas, and Manchester United, to name a few, this mall magnifique is sure to excite the shopaholic in you on any given weekday and two times more on weekends.

Are you looking for a heady mix of food and fun this weekend? Worry not! You can have lip-smacking food from Dominos, KFC, Moti Mahal Deluxe, and several other quick bite outlets, cafes, and fine dining restaurants. The interactive gaming zone at the mall, called IPlay, caters to your adrenalin rush while the mind-boggling 4D effects will keep you on the edge of your moving seats. Now, your freaky Fridays, trippy Saturdays, and serene Sundays are going to be notched-up on the fun frontier with all of the above plus the Luxe Cinemas and an IMAX theatre for those matinee weekends and blockbuster weekdays.

The mall also has an in-house boutique hotel for business meetings and accommodation. If you want to spend some time spotting Indian celebrities, Phoenix Mall in Chennai is the place!

• Location: Indira Gandhi Nagar, Velachery, Chennai
• Timings:
  • 11:00 am to 10:00 pm; Monday to Friday
  • 10:00 am to 10:00 pm; Saturday to Sunday

2. Express Avenue Mall, Chennai

Express Avenue Mall | #2 of 10 Best Shopping Malls in Chennai

How about experiencing luxury first-hand this weekend? Head to Express Avenue Mall, a popular shopping center in Chennai built by the Indian Express Group inside the historic Indian Express Estate. The mall houses the largest gaming arcade in South India, four floors of retail space, a corporate affairs block, and a luxury 4-star business hotel. Touted to be one of the fanciest malls in Southern India, Express Avenue has around 150 luxury stores, a spacious area for car parking, driveways, and amazing landscape. Read also – Picnic Spot in and around Chennai

That’s not all! Express Avenue, Chennai has everything to redefine your idea of fun and entertainment. The eight-screen multiplex at Escape Cinemas can accommodate 1600 movie-buffs while the entertainment area including the gaming arcade serves as every gamer’s paradise. The food court at the mall, called EA Garden, has food chains like KFC, Pizza Hut, Dominos, etc. dishing out their signature items. It houses the best of world cuisines from Italy, Mexico, China, North India, South India, and America.  If you want a different experience altogether, consider dining at Dialogue in the Dark, where dishes are served to you in pitch darkness and yes, you heard it right! Boredom becomes a thing of the past at Express Avenue Mall, where the fun and the shopping run never end.

• Location: Mount Road, Royapettah
• Timings:
  • 10:30 am to 09:30 pm; Monday to Friday
  • 10:00 am-10:00 pm; Saturday to Sunday

3. Ampa Skywalk Mall, Chennai

Ampa Skywalk Mall | #3 of 10 Best Shopping Malls in Chennai

Do you have wardrobe revamp on your mind? We suggest you hit Ampa Skywalk Mall without second thoughts. Hosting some of the best clothing brands, this mall is the party house of fashionistas in Chennai with a good blend of both modern and traditional clothing labels. Are you looking to indulge in other modes of leisure-seeking? Buckle up, for the mall also has a seven-screen multiplex, a grand food court serving international delights, and a gaming zone to spoil kids and adults alike. The most impressive sight here is the 25 meters long skywalk that extends from the ticket counters to the theatres. The mall’s food court named F3 has the capacity to seat about 650 people and is buzzing with foodies almost every day. This is one the most sought-after hangout venues of college students, tourists, families, couples, and even senior citizens.

A boutique hotel adjoining the mall provides a leisurely stay for guests who prefer mixing business and pleasure. A bonus to all of the above is the free Wi-Fi zone in the mall for the shopping netizens. Other facilities at Ampa Skywalk Mall include valet parking services, ATM kiosks, baggage counters, car SPA at the entry point, shoe and bag repairs, ambulance services, and special wheelchair assistance to shoppers, to mention a few. Now, that’s a world within a mall, isn’t that?!

• Location: Aminjikarai, Chennai
• Timings: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm; every day

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4. Chennai Citi Centre, Chennai

Chennai Citi Centre | #4 of 10 Best Shopping Malls in Chennai

Touted to be one of the most expensive malls in the city, Chennai Citi Centre engages local and expatriate crowds in some ultimate leisurely time, entertainment, and shopping spree. Centrally located and easily accessible from every corner of the city, the mall redefines your idea of fun with the gamut of dining, movie, and recreational choices.

For starters, the mall features some of the popular national and international brands such as Max, Indigo Nation, FBB, Giordano, Cookie Man, and Helvetica, and promises you a great shopping experience. It also has a special indoor entertainment area for kids, a cricket zone for sports enthusiasts, and the INOX multiplex for movie lovers. When you are done shopping and having fun, head to the mall’s food court named La Marina which features, among others, food chains like Barista, Pizza Hut, and McDonald’s.

Chennai Citi Centre is surrounded by many tourist attractions like the Marina Beach, Kapaleeswarar Temple, and the magnificent Santhome Basilica Church. If you want to club shopping with sightseeing, you know where you go. The summer shopping carnival and other events at this mall offer great seasonal discounts and offers. The Live music gigs lure music aficionados from around the city while the fashion shows hosted by the mall attract hysterical crowds that love à la mode trends.

• Location: Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, Mylapore, Chennai
• Timings: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, every day

5. Forum Vijaya Mall, Chennai

Forum Vijaya Mall | #5 of 10 Best Shopping Malls in Chennai

Vadapalani, one of the oldest suburbs in Chennai with lots of temples, small restaurants, and a large bus depot is now home to Forum Vijaya Mall that has a modern headway. The mall lodges more than a hundred stores occupying its four-storeyed building. When it comes to clothing and lifestyle, you are spoilt for choice and can choose from a wide range of brands such as Arrow, Hidesign, Puma, Wildcraft, Lifestyle, Max, and Fabindia, among others.

The Palazzo Multiplex by SPI Cinema with eight screens and an IMAX screen will cater to the real-time cravings of movie buffs. If you are visiting the mall with your little ones, the well-designed gaming and entertainment zone for kids, named Fun City, is where you should be heading to. The 7D cinema, Forum Express, and VR games at this shopping mall are also sure to keep you entertained for hours on end.

The third floor houses a food court that has a seating capacity of 650 persons with counters by KFC, Burger King, Krispy Kreme, Junior Kuppanna, McDonald’s, and other food and beverage brands. By offering premium parking facilities, prayer rooms, ATMs, baby prams, free Wi-Fi, and many other modern amenities, Forum Vijaya Mall will have you coming back for more, week after week.

• Location: Arcot Road, Vadapalani, Chennai
• Timings: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm; every day

6. VR Chennai Mall, Chennai

VR Chennai Mall | #6 of 10 Best Shopping Malls in Chennai

Virtuous Retail Mall, popularly known as VR Mall, is where the old meets the new in more ways than what meets the eye. The architectural beauty of this mall is so regal and Instagram-worthy, to say the least. The façade of the mall is built taking inspiration from traditional temple towers and multi-colored Madras checks. With periodic festoons from the bygone eras, the place makes you wonder if you have entered the sets of the epic blockbuster Bahubali.

Inside the mall, however, you can find a contrasting world of well-curated experiences divided into six plush floors accommodating 240 branded stores. From clothing, accessories, and footwear to gadgets and home décor, you will find everything. To keep the fun and entertainment quotient high, the mall has Fun City for kids and PVR Cinemas for movie lovers. When you want to fill your engine after a day’s shopping and fun, walk into one of the many food outlets spread across the floors or go straight to the Food Box located on the third floor. Momos, pizzas, burgers, juices, or grills, you name it and the food court has it all!

The swanky expanse of VR Mall, Chennai also contains a co-working space, an open-air amphitheater for live gigs, a boutique hotel, event spaces, and service suites. The mall also takes pleasure in hosting a farmer’s market every Sunday from 10:00 am to 07:00 pm and popadums, a food stall pop-up that dishes out scrumptious local and international cuisines on weekends.

• Location: Anna Nagar West, Chennai
• Timings: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm; every day

7. Fountain Plaza, Chennai

Fountain Plaza | #7 of 10 Best Shopping Malls in Chennai

This is one of the oldest all-under-one-roof places in Chennai where you can go shopping for anything ranging from apparels to electronics and from footwear to kitchenware. The location of the plaza is perfect for a few hours of after-office shopping or a full-fledged binge during the weekends after a great matinee show. Budget buyers and youngsters can make the most of the deals and offers at this mall. It is also a great place to have a fun time with a good dose of food, laughs, drinks, and ice-creams that provide solace during the heat waves of Chennai’s tropical summers. The eateries and food joints at the plaza are crowd pullers. Don’t forget to have a plate of chaat or desi snacks at Ajnabi, the air-conditioned restaurant inside the Fountain Plaza.

• Location: Egmore, Chennai
• Timings: 09:00 am to 10:00 pm; every day

8. Spencer Plaza, Chennai

Spencer Plaza | #8 of 10 Best Shopping Malls in Chennai

Located in the busiest area of the city i.e. Anna Salai is one of the oldest yet most visited malls of all times, the Spencer Plaza. Renovated in 1985, Spencer has eight floors of retailing splendor. Everything from apparels to aesthetic equipment can be found here. Music, food, health products, home décor, jewelry, confectionaries, footwear, gemstones, banking solutions, herbal products, toys, tea, porcelain, transportation services, travel solutions, you name it and Spencer Plaza has it all. Some of the popular brands housed within the plaza include Westside, Landmark, Adidas, Titan, Pantaloons, and McDonald’s, to mention a few. The first floor (third phase) of the building also houses the Sri Lanka Trade Center where you can buy Ceylon goodies, including leather products, gems, and Ceylon tea. Do not miss admiring the giant glass dome above the mall, it is just so worth it!

• Location: Anna Salai, Chennai
• Timings: 09:30 am to 10:00 pm; every day

9. Abirami Mega Mall, Chennai

Abirami Mega Mall | #9 of 10 Best Shopping Malls in Chennai

Known for its movie-going experience, the mall houses four multiplexes on its three floors; one of them even features a Spanish opera-themed décor. The state-of-the-art reclining seats, digital signages, high-quality screen, superior air-conditioning, luxe lobby, and on-call waiters make your silver-screen experience a golden one. The limo pick-up and drop services and the prepaid autorickshaw operations cater to the public until late in the night. The 3D movie experience at the mall solicits advance booking, but it’s worth every penny you spend. Movie-hopping can be an innovative weekend activity, what say?

The mall won’t disappoint shopaholics and foodies either. Touted to be the first commercial building in Chennai with a Seismic Zone 3 design, Abirami Mega Mall has a fine range of stores and food joints to keep you happy. While you are here, don’t forget to visit the Snow World, Kissing Car, fish spa, Horror House, and other attractions in the gaming zone.  

• Location: Purasalwakkam High Road
• Timings: 10:00 am to 10:30 pm; every day

10. Gold Souk Grande Mall, Chennai

Gold Souk Grande Mall | #10 of 10 Best Shopping Malls in Chennai

We always keep the best bit for the last! If you love gold jewelry or are looking for the best place to grab some irresistible deals on trinkets, then this should be your one-stop shop or rather a mall in Chennai. With five levels of retail therapy, this mall has the best of designs from the latest collections at the most competitive prices. The mall also houses branded stores for watches, footwear, men’s clothing, and travel equipment just so that men are not left behind on the shopping and trend aspects. Though the distance from the city center may concern you, great rates and even greater options will make your woes fade away, gold lovers!

• Location: Purasalwakkam High Road, Chennai
• Timings: 08:00 am to 11:00 pm; every day

Retail therapy is a way of life for shoppers coming to the capital city of Tamil Nadu. Remember, some of the best hotels in Chennai are located around these malls, so you don’t have to worry about commuting during the rush hours. Whether you shop for a wedding or indulge in some soul shopping for yourself, these malls can definitely give you an uplifting experience and a load of shopping points on your credit card. So, keep calm and shop on and on and on! also read – places to visit in Chennai