Top Rated Shopping in Baltimore

Come to the Sandarac Gallery that hosts a unique collection of contemporary and ethnic arts and crafts from all over the world. The Gallery includes a variety of ceramics, jewelry, fabrics and antiques, particularly from Asia and the Middle East. American art also finds place on the shelves of Sandarac Gallery. This fantastic gallery rents as well as sells art and selected crafts.

Founded in the 1780s before Baltimore was even chartered as a city, this market continues to thrive as one of the city's more accessible markets. Visitors will find a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, meats, seafood, as well as prepared foods and drinks. Over the years, the vendors' sheds have been reconstructed. At one time, they extended all the way to the waterfront. Not anymore. Today, the market is self-contained.

Although you'll find everything from cookbooks to travel guides here, this store specializes in old, rare and used books by well-known authors. If you're looking for a first edition or collectible book, this is the place to come. This four-story shop boasts some 85,000 titles, including a first edition of Moby Dick and relics from as far back as the 15th Century. The shop encourages browsing and offers something for every budget, from half-price paperbacks to rare and costly books.

Before all the mini-libraries popped up in neighborhoods all across the United States, the Book Thing of Baltimore had taken this idea to a whole new level with its store stacked floor-to-ceiling in books. The concept has always been simple, leave a book, take a book, and never, ever pay for one. Even if you try to pay for one, the volunteer workers will not accept your donation. It opened in 1999 and since then it has amassed a massive library of more than 150,000 books. It's located near the campus of Johns Hopkins University and it's definitely an impressively altruistic place to visit.

Normal's Books & Records shop offers a vast collection of small/regional press publications and second-hand titles. The inventory includes an impressive fiction and poetry section and children's books. You'll also find art books for the coffee table, and titles that cover a range of topics from African American culture to Zen. The store also stocks a large selection of records, compact discs, 45s and videos. The owners, a group of four men, also provide information on poetry readings and alternative music.

“Literary Finds for Mutated Minds.” This is the sign that welcomes visitors to this bookshop, a haven for counter-culture fans and would-be revolutionaries. The store's inventory includes comic books, magazines on conspiracy theories and body art, and B-film videos. You'll also find an odd collection of action figures, from Ozzy Osbourne to Kiss, and plastic replicas of Van Gogh's ear.