11 Best Bookstores in London (That You CANNOT Miss!)
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Bit of a bookworm? Me too! I’ve rounded up the best bookstores in London that are just truly magical.
11 Best Bookstores in London: The Lowdown
“She read books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live.”
Annie Dillard.
There’s nothing quite like that unmistakable scent of new books.
As a self-proclaimed bookworm, I love nothing more than browsing a bookstore’s shelves for hours on end. To me, finding a good new bookstore is an entire day trip out!
So, where better than to find some of the country’s most loved, quirkiest, independent bookstores than London? And trust me, London has some good ones.
I’ve rounded up some of the best independent bookstores for you to visit.
These 11 best bookstores in London are truly wonderful for anyone with a love for reading. Get ready to be transported into a world of hushed tones and creaky wooden floorboards!
Visiting London? Check out these posts!
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- Is London Safe? 11 Tips for Solo Female Travellers
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1. Daunt Books, Marylebone
Specialising in travel, walking into Daunt is every book-lovers dream. Surrounded by oak bookshelves and a large walk-in gallery, you can transport yourself to any country of the world whilst being in the heart of London.
Along with travel guides, stories and maps, Daunt Books also have a large selection of chart-toppers, modern fiction and a large stationery collection. Books and gifts can be ordered online, but if you take it from me, I’d recommend visiting the shop in person to get the real Daunt experience.
The original Daunt Books is located in Marylebone, but there are four others in locations across London.
Daunt Books Marylebone,
83-84 Marylebone High Street,
London W1U 4QW
https://dauntbooks.co.uk/
2. Hatchards, Piccadilly
If you’re a book lover visiting London, Hatchards is not one you’re going to want to miss. The oldest bookstore in London was established in 1797. This makes Hatchards a landmark on one of the most famous streets in the world.
Even though Hatchards is over 200 years old, it combines the best of the old world with the new. It sells limited edition timeless classics, the latest bestsellers and children’s books. Hatchards is known for being one of the best bookstores in London.
“From Oscar Wilde to Bette Davis, the literary, political, artistic and social lions of their day have bought their books here and, since its inception, a link has been forged between the fine booksellers of Hatchards and the royal households of Britain and Europe.” – Hatchards
You can find the original bookstore in Piccadilly, spread out over five floors, directly next to Fortnum and Mason.
187 Piccadilly, London , W1J 9LE
https://www.hatchards.co.uk/shop/piccadilly
3. Blackwell’s, Holborn
The first Blackwell’s bookshop was opened in Oxford, England in 1946, by a member of the Blackwell family. It has beentrading ever since and opening more shops all over the country.
However, the Blackwell London store has become one of the most well-known and best independent bookstores in the city.
A long-term family-run business, Blackwell’s has stood to tell the tales of history. Throughout the second world war, Blackwells donated hundreds of books to troops on the front line. It also saw the first publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling.
Selling books from every genre you can think of, as well as hosting authors for signing events throughout the year, the beautiful old-style bookstore is one of the best in London.
“A haven for the bookish from all parts of the globe.” – Blackwell’s
Blackwell’s is located in Central London, and is open every weekday (it’s closed at weekends – sorry!)
50-51 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6EP
4. Libreria, East London
Libreria is a bookstore in London like no other.
With a mission to nurture creativity and innovation, the space was designed by Spanish architects. It aims to immerse you in the world of reading and new ideas.
All with an intention of encouraging interdisciplinary thinking.
Step into a new world and lose yourself in a book. Oh, and leave your phone at home or tucked away in your pocket – technology in Libreria is strictly prohibited.
One for the book lovers who want to get lost between the pages with zero distractions.
“Browsing in our bookshop is a world away from the narrow algorithmic recommendations of Amazon.com.” – Libreria
65 Hanbury St, London E1 5JP
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5. Word on the Water, Regent’s Canal
London’s 100-year-old barge floating on the Thames is not just a place to buy books, it’s a book-lovers paradise.
If you fancy an erm, different, experience to your book shopping, head to Word on the Water on Regent’s Canal for a different way to find your new favourite title. Quite literally a book shop floating on the Thames, it’s more of an experience than a book shop!
With live music and events, a friendly parrot, poetry slams and a warm stove, Word on the Water attracts book lovers from all over the city. Family run, the quirky book store is open every day, offering a range of old and new titles.
Regent’s Canal Towpath, London, N1C 4LW
6. London Review Bookstore
Opened in 2003 in the heart of Bloomsbury, the London Review Bookshop has comfortably made itself to be one of the best bookstores in London.
A meeting place of book lovers who come to drink coffee, discuss new titles, eat cake from the delicious on-site cafe and of course, browse the shelves for their next read.
With a selection of over 20,000 titles, genres range from world literature to children’s books, natural history to politics, and crime to contemporary fiction.
And if you can’t find something you’re looking for, you can check out their website for a more specific search.
“Our aim has always been to represent on our shelves the distinctive character of the Review – intelligent without being pompous; engaged without being partisan; fun without being frivolous.” – London Review Bookshop.
A stone’s throw from the British Museum, this gem of a bookstore is one to add to any bookworm’s bucket list.
14 Bury Place
London
WC1A 2JL
7. Goldsboro Books, Leicester Square
Located in Central London, Goldsboro Books has a self-acclaimed passion for bookselling.
With a mission to sell the first edition signed hardbacks, Goldsboro has a hard-working, dedicated team to ensure the running of the shop and your book-buying experience is unbeatable.
Opened by two friends in 1999, Goldsboro quickly picked up a reputation for spotting quality books and an enthusiasm and passion for selling books from all over the world.
A global reputation grew when they were the only store in the world to have a signed copy of The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith, which of course turned out to be Harry Potter author, JK Rowling.
Now a much-admired book shop, Goldsboro has over 25,000 hardback first editions in stock, and pride itself on the care for each and every single one.
At no extra cost to you, every book’s dust jacket is wrapped in a protective clear film to preserve the book in its best condition.
“We aim to interest and inspire book lovers, readers and collectors and provide the finest quality signed books in the world.” – Goldsboro Books
23-27 Cecil Ct, London WC2N 4EZ
8. John Sandoe, Chelsea
It may have started off tiny, but John Sandoe has grown a reputation for being one of the best bookstores in London. Now occupying not just one, but three adjacent buildings for the bookstore, John Sandoe’s is a much-loved independent store full of the magic of reading.
With over 30,000 titles from a range of genres, spend your visit browsing each corner of the shop that has been crammed full of books.
From the chairs to the windows, every nook and cranny inside the store has been carefully designed to immerse you into a world of reading.
“An old customer, recollecting the shop’s earliest days, said that Sandoe’s had “all the books one could ever hope to find in one place”: the shop has grown but the ethos remains the same.” – John Sandoe’s
10-12 Blacklands Terrace, Chelsea, London, SW3 2SR
9. Brick Lane Bookshop, East London
Heading back over to the east side of London, the quirky and independent Brick Lane Bookshop has found itself among the list of the best bookstores in London.
Known as one of the first bookstores in the borough of Tower Hamlets, the small and cosy store was established in 1978. Stocking fiction, non-fiction, London books, poetry, essays, feminism, children’s books, classics, cookery books, philosophy, graphic novels, cards, our Brick Lane Bookshop tote bags and more, the Brick Lane Bookshop is a must for any book lovers.
You can shop online or in person, but in my opinion, it’s totally worth the journey to experience the bookish atmosphere instore.
“Forty years ago there were no bookshops in Tower Hamlets. When one of the largest high-street bookstores was asked why, their reply was that people in the East End didn’t read! Not so.” Denise Jones, Owner of Brick Lane Bookshop (an extract from Denise’s Introduction in the 2020 Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize Longlist.)
166 Brick Ln, London E1 6RU
10. Stanfords, Covent Garden
Although Stanfords may not be a quirky and independent bookstore like the others on our list, it’s still a book-lovers reading wonderland.
Known as the UK’s leading specialist retailers of maps, travel books and travel accessories, it’s the kind of place that I can spend the entire day in. Trust me, it’s wonderful.
Stanfords now is and remains as, a much loved and vital part of the travel landscape. Priding itself on its depth of stock sourced out by experts, it’s one not to be missed when visiting London.
“We have been an essential first port of call for adventure and armchair travellers alike for more than a century. Our roll-call of customers past and present includes such famous names as Amy Johnson, David Livingstone, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Florence Nightingale, Ranulph Fiennes, Bill Bryson, Michael Palin, and even Sherlock Holmes.” – Stanfords
7 Mercer Walk, London WC2H 9FA
11. Waterstones, Piccadilly
Regardless of the fact Waterstones is all over the country, the five-storey shop at Piccadilly is undoubtedly one of the best bookstores in London (and it’s the biggest bookstore in London!)
I have found myself browsing the shelves of Waterstones for hours on end. The peace, quiet and tranquillity of the store allows you to transport yourself into the world of your book, leaving the busy city at the door.
With genres from every corner of the world, there is something for everyone in Waterstones at Piccadilly. And they don’t just stop at books. You can find board games, stationery, maps, atlases and even treat yourself to a coffee in their cafe bar.
“There is truly something to be found for even the most discerning of readers, from our flagship Fiction, Travel, History and Art sections or from across the wider branch. We are especially proud of our Children’s section, modelled on a (Piccadilly) Circus theme and full of activities and events as well as the latest releases and old favourites.” – Waterstones Piccadilly.
203/206 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9HD
Best Bookstores in London: In a Nutshell
So there you have it. The 11 best bookstores in London, all ready and waiting to be explored! There’s nothing really quite like browsing the shelves for your new read. Plus, it makes for quite a cheap day out in London too!
Visited another bookstore in London that you think deserves to be on the list? Let me know in the comments below!
Happy reading!
Jennie 🙂 x
Looking to move to London? Check out my London expat posts:
- Is London Safe? 11 Tips for Solo Female Travellers
- How to Make Friends in London: (+Introvert Friendly Options!)
- Is Putney a Good Place to Live? A Local’s Advice (2022 Review)
- Where to live in London: The Ultimate Neighbourhood Guide
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