There’s nothing wrong with mall shopping for the holidays. But if you’re looking for local flavor, several of the towns in our area boast a rich assortment of specialty shops, offering a more personalized shopping experience. To give you a break from the mall crowds, we bring you a shopping guide to one of these charming downtowns, Westwood. We also include insider parking tips and information about eateries where you can take a break or unwind at the end of your local shopping spree.

Coming up: Ridgewood.

Westwood’s shopping district is a hidden gem in North Jersey. The downtown, centered around Westwood Avenue, boasts a healthy mix of national chains and small businesses. Walk into a store like Westwood Prime Meats and you’ll hear a customer bantering with the apron-clad owner. "Hey, Sal," said a shopper on a recent afternoon. "I want to make a rack of lamb for Christmas dinner."

As you continue to cross items from your holiday gift list, keep this charming business district in mind as a shopping destination.

You’ll notice Westwood’s downtown has a unique layout. Its planners wanted to give visitors the feel of strolling through an outdoor mall. Most new restaurants are restricted to the fringes of downtown, next to the municipal parking lots. The effect is a denser shopping experience. You can hop from a record store to an independent book shop, to a jewelry shop, to a chocolatier, all within minutes.

Here we offer a quick glimpse of some holiday shopping ideas in town, but we also encourage you to venture out and explore on your own.

1. Society Men

256 Westwood Ave.; 201-722-9300; societymen.com Everything a man needs to dress like one of the guys from HBO’s “Entourage”: 7 For All Mankind and AG jeans, Jacks and Jokers vintage-inspired T-shirts and Café Bleu button-down shirts. Great last­minute gifts include pro-sports-themed money clips and college team T-shirts.


2. You’re So Invited

260 Westwood Ave.; 201-664-8600; youresoinvited.com Sorry techies, but paper is prettier. To add a personal touch to your holiday celebra­tions, check out this shop’s selection of handmade holiday cards, customized invi­tations and unique wrapping papers.

Elegant hostess gifts include serving trays, candles, picture fames, soaps and lotions, and a full stock of Vera Bradley’s colorful, cotton handbags.

3. Irish Eyes Imports

162 Westwood Ave.; 201-445-8585; celticpride.com You don’t have to trace your ancestors to the Emerald Isle to appreciate this well­curated shop. Relocated from Ridge­wood in 2010, the boutique has a wide selection of hand-knit wool sweaters, Celtic jewelry, books, music and Nicholas Mosse pottery from County Kilkenny. And, of course, kilts.

4. Conrad’s Confectionary

107 Westwood Ave.; 201-664-2895; conradscandy.com The seductive scent of melted chocolate envelops you the minute you walk through the door of this Westwood insti­tution. Inside is a holiday-themed candy land, with snowmen, candy canes, Christmas trees, menorahs and dreidels — and they’re all made of chocolate. In­dividually wrapped bags of candies make for great stocking stuffers.

5. The Rolling Pin Café

341 Broadway; 201-666-4660; therolling pincafe.com This café is the epitome of small town charm, with French country kitchen table­cloths and antique rolling pins adorning the walls. Take a break from shopping with a hot bowl of soup, a healthy salad or tasty sandwich. The desserts look too tempting to skip. Try a fresh-baked scone, a slice of cheesecake or a lemon bar.


6. Mount Everest Ski and Snowboard Shop

318 Third Ave.; 201-664-2500; ridemteverest.com An impressive variety of gear for the winter sports enthusiasts in your life: hip beanies from Neff headwear; fleece Denali gloves from North Face; and high-tech thermal underwear from Hot Chillys.


7. Ginger N’ Cream

350 Center Ave.; 201-664-2440 Looking to get a trendy holiday outfit with­out trudging to the mall? This boutique has a great selection of flowy blouses, party dresses, boots, flats, high heels and designer jeans. Popular holiday gifts in­clude jewel-encrusted iPad cases and Hamsa good-luck charm bracelets.


8. Melting Pot

250 Center Ave.; 201-664-8877; meltingpot.com An ode to the Swiss national dish. Enjoy a multi-course meal of cheese, meat and chocolate fondue paired with selections from an award-winning wine list.

9. PJ Finnegan’s

274 Fairview Ave.; 201-664-7576; pjfinnegansnj.com An authentic Irish pub with a neighbor­hood feel; stop in for their Red Reuben or sliced steak sandwich, washed down with a frothy pint of Guinness.

Parking:

Parking in Westwood is very shopper-friendly. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., metered spots on the street are 10 cents an hour or 25 cents for two hours maximum. There are also four metered municipal parking lots that surround the central business district (on Washington Avenue, two on Center Avenue and on Fairview Avenue). Here you can park up to eight hours for one dollar. According to the borough’s website, the Washington Avenue lot next to the municipal complex is the easiest place to park on Saturdays.

E-mail: fujimori@northjersey.com