Anarkali Bazaar, off the Mall in central Lahore, is one of the oldest markets in South Asia and one of the easiest to fit into a day of sightseeing. It splits into two parts: Old Anarkali, narrow lanes of food and everyday goods, and New Anarkali, wider streets of clothes, shoes, fabric and jewellery. Most people spend an hour or two here, longer if they are shopping seriously.
This guide covers the two halves, what each is good for, roughly what things cost, how bargaining works, and where to eat while you are there.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Location | Off the Mall, near the Lahore Museum, central Lahore |
| Nearest metro | Anarkali station, Orange Line |
| Typical hours | Late morning to around 10 pm daily; quieter on Friday until early afternoon |
| Old Anarkali | Food, snacks, everyday shopping, narrow lanes |
| New Anarkali | Clothes, fabric, shoes, jewellery, books |
| Payment | Mostly cash; bargaining expected outside fixed-price shops |
| Nearby | Lahore Museum, Data Darbar, Fort Road |
Old Anarkali and New Anarkali: what's the difference?
Anarkali is named after the legendary courtesan said to have been buried nearby under Mughal-era Lahore, and the bazaar itself has stood on this site for generations, long enough to be counted among the oldest markets in South Asia. Over time it split into two distinct halves.
Old Anarkali is the older, narrower section: food stalls, snack shops and small everyday traders packed into lanes that fill with people from late afternoon. It is the part most visitors mean when they talk about eating in Anarkali, and it is covered in more detail, alongside Lahore's other food streets, in our comparison of Fort Road, Lakshmi Chowk and Old Anarkali.
New Anarkali is wider and more shopping-focused: clothes, ready-made suits, fabric by the metre, shoes, bags, books and costume jewellery, laid out along broader streets than the old lanes. This is where to go if buying, not eating, is the point of the visit.
What to buy
- Fabric and ready-made clothes. Anarkali is a serious clothes market, not just a tourist stop, with shops selling everything from everyday lawn suits to wedding wear.
- Shoes and bags. Rows of shops sell local footwear at prices well below the malls.
- Jewellery. Costume and artificial jewellery, sold by weight or by piece, is a specialty here.
- Books. Second-hand and discounted new books turn up in and around the bazaar's lanes.
- Everyday household goods. Kitchenware, small electronics accessories and general items, mostly in Old Anarkali.
If you are comparing Anarkali with Lahore's other markets before deciding where to shop, our guide to the best shopping places in Lahore sets it against Liberty Market, Ichhra and the malls.
Breakfast before you shop
Old Anarkali is also a good place to start the day rather than end it. Riaz Halwa Puri, a small street-side shop in the bazaar, is a well-known stop for the classic Lahori breakfast of puri, chana and semolina halwa, best eaten before the lanes fill up. Our guide to Lahore's best nashta covers this and other breakfast spots across the city.
Bargaining
Almost nothing in the small shops and stalls has a fixed price. The first figure you are given is a starting point, not the price. A few basics:
- Ask a few shops the same question before you commit to buying anything, so you have a sense of the going rate.
- Bargain calmly and without urgency. Walking away, even slowly, is often what brings the price down.
- Fixed-price and branded shops inside the bazaar don't negotiate; you can usually tell which these are from the signage and the way goods are displayed.
- Carry cash, mostly in small notes. Card payment is uncommon at the stalls.
Timings
Anarkali runs roughly from late morning until around 10 pm, seven days a week, with shops staying open later during the wedding season from November to February and around Eid. On Fridays, many shops close or slow down for a couple of hours around midday for prayers and reopen in the afternoon. The bazaar is busiest from late afternoon onwards; if you want to shop without crowds, go in the late morning on a weekday.
How much things cost
Anarkali is one of the cheapest places to shop in Lahore, cheaper as a rule than Liberty Market and well below what the same category of item costs in a mall. Street food and snacks in Old Anarkali cost only a little more than a nashta shop elsewhere in the city. Clothes, fabric and jewellery in New Anarkali vary enormously by quality and how well you bargain, so it is worth comparing a few shops before settling on a price, especially for anything you plan to spend a meaningful amount on.
Getting there
Anarkali sits just off the Mall, close to the Lahore Museum, and the Orange Line metro has a station named Anarkali right at the bazaar's edge, which is the easiest way in if you are coming from elsewhere in the city. Parking near the bazaar is difficult, especially in the evening, so a rickshaw or ride-hailing car dropped at the entrance is usually quicker than driving in yourself.
Eating in Anarkali
Old Anarkali is as much a food stop as a shopping one. Fruit shakes, pani puri, chaat and roadside karak chai are all part of the walk, and fried fish appears at stalls through the winter months. If you want the fuller picture of how it compares with Lahore's other food streets, our guide to Fort Road, Lakshmi Chowk, Old Anarkali and Gawalmandi covers what to order at each.
Who Anarkali suits
Anarkali suits anyone who enjoys a proper bazaar: crowded, informal, and better for browsing and bargaining than for a quick, predictable purchase. It works well combined with the Lahore Museum next door, or as an evening stop after Data Darbar. It suits families reasonably well in the early evening, though the lanes get very crowded later on, and it is not the place for anyone who wants air-conditioned, fixed-price shopping; for that, the malls covered in our shopping comparison are the better choice.
Keep bags close and be aware of your surroundings in the busiest, most crowded stretches, as in any dense market anywhere in the world. Beyond ordinary care, Anarkali is a normal, well-used part of central Lahore and not somewhere that calls for particular caution.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Old and New Anarkali?
Old Anarkali is the narrow, older section known for food and everyday shopping. New Anarkali is wider and focused on clothes, fabric, shoes and jewellery.
Is bargaining expected at Anarkali Bazaar?
Yes, at almost every small shop and stall. Branded or fixed-price shops inside the bazaar are the exception, and this is usually obvious from how they are set out.
What time does Anarkali Bazaar close?
Most shops run from late morning until around 10 pm, later during the wedding season and around Eid. Fridays see shorter hours around midday.
How do I get to Anarkali Bazaar?
The Orange Line metro has a station at Anarkali. By road, a rickshaw or ride-hailing car dropped at the bazaar's edge is easier than trying to park nearby.
Is Anarkali Bazaar good for families?
Yes, particularly in the early evening. It gets very crowded later at night, which is harder going with young children, and the malls are a more comfortable option if you want a quieter shopping trip.
