20 of the Best Bookshops to Visit in London
Here are 20 of the best bookshops to visit in London.
For anyone who loves books, London is a dream come true.
The city has every type of bookshop you can think of and I’ve spent the last 10 years of my life exploring as many of them as possible. However you prefer your books, whether that’s used or new, fiction or non-fiction, London will have a plethora of bookshops for you to choose from.
the Best Bookshops to Visit in London
Here’s a list of what are, in my opinion, 20 of the very best bookshops that you can find in London.
Daunt Books, Marylebone
First things first, my personal favourite - Daunt Books. Although they have a number of branches in London their Marylebone shop is easily my favourite, and the most iconic.
Aside from that gorgeous view, the layout of this shop really makes for a unique visiting experience. Can’t guess what that would be?
Well, all of the books downstairs are actually organised into geographical location, so you’ll find travel guides mixing with memoirs and fiction, all grouped together by the country they’re based in (or in some cases, that the author is from).
Read more about Daunt Books in Marylebone on my website here.
Address: 84 Marylebone High St, London W1U 4QW
Traveller’s Tales
London’s newest travel bookshop, Traveller’s Tales is a beautiful one room bookshop located in Marylebone. Founded by Jayne Alexander, the shop opened in late 2025 and also functions as a boutique travel agent.
The books here are carefully curated to reflect different locations from around the world, comprised of everything from travel guides and photography books to novels and memoirs. You can even write yourself a postcard and have it sent to you on a date of your choice!
Address: 87 Wimpole St, London W1G 9RL
Stanfords
The final travel bookshop on my list, Stanfords has been selling books in Covent Garden since 1853, and recently moved into a new premises on Mercer Walk.
It’s not just travel books you’ll find here - Stanfords is the largest map retailer in the world, also specialising in globes of all sizes.
Address: 7 Mercer Walk, London WC2H 9FA
Hatchards, Piccadilly
It’s hard to think of a bookshop that feels more grand than Hatchards in Piccadilly. Having opened their doors in 1797, Hatchards is London’s oldest bookshop and definitely feels like it. Decked out with dark wooden bookshelves and filled with a huge array of titles, this is a place that you could easily lose yourself in on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
I was impressed, although not surprised, to learn that Hatchards is actually linked to royalty, and currently holds three royal warrants.
Read more about Hatchards Piccadilly on my website here.
Address: 187 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LE
Waterstones, Gower Street
This may not be the largest Waterstones in existence, but it’s definitely one of the best. To be honest it’s still pretty huge, and has a labyrinth of rooms nestled into its 5 floor building.
I find that Waterstones Gower Street feels much less like a branch of Britain’s biggest bookstore chain and more like an indie bookshop that’s brimming with charm and individuality. The decor is truly on point and their space has beautifully painted walls and window seats scattered throughout.
Read more about Waterstones Gower Street on my website here.
Address: 82 Gower St, London WC1E 6EQ
John Sandoe Books
I’m venturing a little bit further out of central London now and into Sloane Square, a corner of London’s very upmarket borough of Kensington and Chelsea. A picturesque shop that’s spread across three floors, John Sandoe Books is a quintessentially English bookshop filled with haphazard stacks of books and oozing with charm.
You’ll find a mix of new and second hand titles here, ranging from general fiction and poetry to non-fiction titles spanning a wide range of topics.
It’s a great place to go for book recommendations, as their staff has a combined total of 100+ years of bookselling (and reading) experience.
Address: 10 Blacklands Terrace, London SW3 2SR
BookBar
This is one of my favourite bookshops that’s opened in London in recent years.
BookBar is a fabulous bookshop and wine bar with branches located in Islington and Chelsea. I love the cosy vibes, and could easily spend hours in here browsing their book collection with a cup of tea.
The shop also has a book club and a packed schedule of talks and signings which makes me fee slightly jealous that I no longer live in London! Read more about BookBar’s Chelsea branch on my website here.
Address: 166 Blackstock Road, London, N5 1HA and 11 Chelsea Manor Street, SW3 3TW
Foyles Charing Cross Road
When young adult fans ask me for London bookshop recommendations, Foyles on Charing Cross Road is my go-to. This shop has the biggest selection of YA books that I’ve ever seen, including a number of imported titles that originate from the US, but can be hard to find here in Britain.
Foyles is a historic London bookseller and, although they are owned by Waterstones today, the shop is well worth a visit. Across give floors you’ll find a diverse range of books, including dedicated foreign language and LGBT+ sections.
There’s a cafe on the 5th floor and a large events space on the 6th, where I’ve attended a number of events over the years.
Address: 107 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DT
Waterstones Piccadilly
This was one of my regular haunts when I lived in London, and is a place that I and many of my friends fondly referred to as ‘The Mothership’.
Waterstones Piccadilly is an enormous bookshop that spans over 6 floors, with two lovely cafes and a bar perched right at the top. It’s actually the biggest bookstore in Europe, and holds a collection of more than 200,000 individual titles across more than 8 miles of bookshelves.
This is somewhere that you really don’t want to miss. Read more about Waterstones Piccadilly on my website here.
Address 203-206 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9HD
Heywood Hill
Another of the city’s historic bookshops, Heywood Hill is both prestigious and quirky, located in the upmarket district of Mayfair. The shop was originally founded in 1936, and is spread across two floors of a beautiful Georgian townhouse.
You may have heard of Nancy Mitford, who worked at the bookshop during World War Two and is known for writing her own novels. Read more about Heywood Hill’s fascinating history on my website here.
Address: 10 Curzon St, London W1J 5HH
London Review Bookshop
Located in Bloomsbury, the London Review Bookshop is just down the road from the British Museum, and stocks around 20,000 titles. You’ll find books of all styles and genres in here, whether you’re looking for your next literary fiction book, rigorous non-fiction title or memorable children’s book, this shop has a bit of everything.
Owned by the same organisation as the London Review of Books, they aim for the shop to be representative of the publication: ‘intelligent without being pompous; engaged without being partisan; fun without being frivolous’.
Address: 14 Bury Place, London, WC1A 2JL
South Kensington Books
If you’re planning to visit some of London’s most iconic museums, such as the Natural History or Science museums, then this bookshop is for you.
South Kensington books is located in London’s museum quarter, and is easily recognisable from its dark green painted exterior. They specialise in art and history, with a fantastic children’s section and plenty of contemporary novels to choose from.
It can get quite busy in here, so be patient as you look around - it’s worth it.
Address: 22 Thurloe St, South Kensington, London SW7 2LT
Word On The Water
Possibly one of the most unique bookshops in the city, Word on the Water is a bookshop barge that’s moored at at Regent's Canal Towpath near King’s Cross station.
This is somewhere that I’ve visited many times over the years, but I particularly enjoy visiting in the colder months due to how cosy it feels. Surprisingly spacious for a barge, Word on the Water stocks a wide range of books across all genres, with a log burner, cosy seating and even a resident dog.
Address: Regent's Canal Towpath, London N1C 4LW
Skoob
If you love second hand books, then you need to visit Skoob in Bloomsbury (it took me an embarrassing amount of time to realise that their name is books backwards!)
They’ve been located in the Brunswick Centre for several decades, where they serve as a gold mine for book lovers of all backgrounds and ages. It’s somewhere that you’ll pop into for 10 minutes and emerge an hour later with a whole stack of books for your TBR.
Address: 66 The Brunswick, off Marchmont St, London, WC1N 1AE
Brick Lane Bookshop
I’ve visited this east London bookshop many times over the years, and for good reason.
Brick Lane Bookshop has been operating in Tower Hamlets since 1978, opening during a time when the borough didn’t have a single bookshop. It opened as a form of protest, starting life as the Tower Hamlets Arts Project and located in Whitechapel. It has had many iterations over the years, and even won an Independent Bookshop Award in 2024.
The shop is a great all rounder, with a wide variety of books spanning all subjects and genres.
Address: 166 Brick Ln, London E1 6RU
Gay’s The Word
As the UK’s oldest LGBTQ+ bookseller, Gay’s the Word is a must visit while in London.
Founded in 1979 by a group of gay socialists, this shop stocks a fantastic variety of books featuring all genders and sexualities. They also host a regular schedule of events, and act as a hub for the queer community.
Whether you enjoy graphic novels, young adult books, memoirs or something else, you’re bound to find something that interests you here.
Address: 66 Marchmont St, London WC1N 1AB
Round Table Books
This wonderful inclusion led bookshop is located in Brixton, and is unlike any other bookseller that I’ve visited in the city.
What started as a pop up for the now defunct children’s publisher, Knights Of, Round Table has since transformed into a community hub, championing intersectional stories from all walks of life. They even moved into a new premises in March 2026, with space a coffee shop, bar, workshops and most importantly, more books.
Address: 10 Granville Arcade, SW9 8PR
Walden Books
Another second hand bookshop, you may recognise Walden Books as the shop with the beautiful wisteria that blooms on their facade each spring.
Here you’ll find used and rare books, with a specialism in literature and the visual arts. They’ve been in operation since the shop was founded by David Tobin in 1979, and are located in a quaint Victorian terrace 10 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Camden Market.
Address: 38 Harmood St, London NW1 8DP
Libreria
This iconic east London bookshop is located in Shorditch, with its bold bright yellow bookshelves and a stock that is curated for serendipity.
This means that you’ll find their titles sorted categorised into unusual themes like ‘Wanderlust’ and ‘Enchantment for the Disenchanted’, making each visit a truly unique experience.
Address: 65 Hanbury St, London E1 5JP
Saucy Books
Romance bookshops have soared in popularity over the last few years, and Saucy Books was the very first one that opened in London.
Located in Notting Hill, this shop specialises in romance books of all kinds. While they do stock a range of spicy titles in their Smut Hut, you’ll also find closed door romance books here, as well as everything in between. There really is something for all romance readers.
If you love this genre (like me) then make sure you visit Of Books And Love in Islington and Main Character Books in Spitalfields.
Address: 236 Westbourne Park Rd, London W11 1EL
Honourable mentions…
Cecil Court
This recommendation is actually an entire street of bookshops, located ja stone’s throw away from Leicester Square in central London.
Cecil Court itself is lined with Victorian style shopfronts and contains around 20 bookshops, making it somewhere you could easily spend hours browsing. If you’re limited for time, then I would recommend stopping by Goldsboro Books, who specialise in first editions, Watkins Books, which is London’s oldest esoteric bookshop, and Alice Through the Looking Glass who stock everything Alice in Wonderland themed.
For more information check out my complete guide to Cecil Court here.
South Bank Book Market
This is somewhere that I’ve been visiting for around 15 years, and would recommend to anyone visiting London.
Although it has sadly shrunk in recent years, the Southbank Book Market has been operating since 1983, and occupies the space below Waterloo Bridge on South Bank. You’ll find second hand books of all genres here, making it a great place to find some hidden gems.
I hope that you have a wonderful time visiting London, and do get in touch if you have a recommendation for this list!
Read More About London’s Bookshops
A Bookshop Guide to Cecil Court - London’s Bookshop Street
All About Hatchards Piccadilly
All About Waterstones Piccadilly
Inside Waterstones Gower Street
If you’re looking for a place to stay in London, then read this article by my friend Lana