Tucked up in the suburb of Waltham, Aji Chocolateria and International Grocery is a little taste of the exotic, offering delicious servings of hot chocolate in an inspired space …

• speciality food stores

With its grungy good looks and innovative features, Revival is a low-key inner-city bar with a good live music scene and hip, young staff. As its name suggests, this place is big into renewal and rebirth …

• bars / clubs / pubs

In his interview with Monocle, Alain de Botton talks about the benefits of a 24 hour society where shops stay open throughout the night. By breaking with the traditional shopping ritual, de Botton believes cities will be in a position to celebrate the “poetry of the night”. Luckily for us, Ed Hopper in Riccarton, is such a shop …

• books & magazines
• café

With an impressive collection of films ranging from art house, film noir, war and western to classic adventure, documentary and everything in between, Alice in Videoland should be the only place you go for the latest (and not so latest) DVDs …

• film

Foragers offer an unmissable opportunity to pick up some of Christchurch’s best vintage furniture and homewares without paying over the odds. The owners recently transformed this large warehouse space into a more intimate department store-style shop …

• antiques
• vintage clothing

Located in the beautiful, high-ceilinged, wooden floored splendour that is the NG Space, The National showcases some of New Zealand’s and Australia’s best new and emerging jewellers …

• art gallery
• clothing boutique