The Coolest NYC Souvenirs and the 10 Stores to Find Them
Forget the “I <3 NY” keychains. If you’re visiting New York (or just want to shop like you are), the best souvenirs are the ones you’ll actually use, wear, or keep on display long after your trip is over.
From vintage finds to quirky trinkets to personalized gifts, these are the best gift shops in NYC for finding something cooler than your average tourist souvenir.
1. Friends NYC
If your dream souvenir is something weird, funny, colorful, or impossible to explain to your parents, Friends NYC is the stop. Their shelves are packed with novelty gifts, cool design objects, candles, accessories, and one of the best curated collections of NYC-themed gifts in the city.
Best for: NYC made candles, quirky claw clips, colorful novelty gifts
2. Colorful Natalie
For the girls who want their NYC souvenir to be wearable. Colorful Natalie has become known for their adorable colorful sweatshirts, graphic apparel, and accessories that somehow feel both touristy and actually cute.
Best for: cute NYC sweatshirts, unique baby tees, cozy souvenir shopping
3. MoMA Design Store
The gift shop that makes you feel smarter just by walking into it. The MoMA Design Store is full of art books, sleek home decor, design objects, games, and gifts that feel elevated without being intimidating. Even if you don’t visit the museum itself, the store is worth the stop.
Best for: art lovers, design gifts, elevated souvenirs
4. The Niche Shop
If you want a souvenir that feels personal, The Niche Shop’s Italian charm bracelets are basically made for documenting your NYC era. You can build a bracelet with charms that actually represent your trip — taxis, martinis, hearts, broadway playbill, initials, coffee cups, pizza, whatever fits the vibe.
Best for: customizable NYC souvenirs, Italian charm bracelets, matching gifts for friends
5. Moleskine Upper East Side
For the person who romanticizes their life a little. The Moleskine store on the Upper East Side offers customization to any Moleskine Journal, and is perfect for documenting your NYC trip while you’re actually in it.
Best for: journals, stationery lovers, practical souvenirs
6. Strand Bookstore
A bookstore souvenir always hits. The Strand is one of NYC’s best women owned bookstores, with curated books, magazines, journals, tote bags, and gifts that make you feel like the main character. They have multiple locations so no matter where you are there is likely one close by!
Best for: book lovers, literary NYC gifts, aesthetic tote bags
7. A Shop of Things
Equal parts internet humor and maximalist dream world. A Shop of Things is packed with playful trinkets, accessories, home decor, funky gifts, and things that feel extremely “cool girl apartment.”
Best for: trendy trinkets, Gen Z gift shopping, fun accessories
8. Casey Rubber Stamps
One of NYC’s most charming hidden gems. Casey Rubber Stamps has been around forever and feels like stepping into a tiny old-school craft world in the middle of Manhattan. You can customize stamps, browse quirky office supplies, and find small paper goods that make surprisingly perfect souvenirs.
Best for: stationery lovers, unique keepsakes, old NYC charm
9. Abbode
If you want a truly personalized NYC souvenir, Abbode offers custom embroidery on hats, sweatshirts, tote bags, and more. You can embroider your initials, your neighborhood, your favorite phrase, or something subtle that reminds you of the trip.
Best for: personalized gifts, embroidered souvenirs, custom NYC keepsakes
10. Fishs Eddy
An NYC classic. Fishs Eddy is famous for its quirky dishware, vintage-inspired glassware, and extremely New York home goods. You’ll find illustrated skyline mugs, funny plates, deli-inspired kitchen pieces, and gifts that somehow feel both nostalgic and iconic.
Best for: NYC kitchen gifts, apartment decor, iconic New York souvenirs
The best NYC souvenirs aren’t the obvious ones. They’re the pieces that remind you of a specific afternoon, a neighborhood you wandered into, or the version of yourself you became while you were here.
Whether it’s a charm bracelet, a classic mug, a perfect sweatshirt, or a notebook you swore you’d journal in every day — New York is full of gifts that feel a little more personal.