The most charming independent bookshops in London
There is nothing quite like a lazy weekend spent roaming through the aisles of a bookshop, judging books by their covers. Even those who enter the shops with a resolute purpose to buy just one book and one book only are likely to be struck with an undeniable sense of discovery, leaving the premises with a stack of books found by chance. There is no online replication of this feeling; indeed, there is something quite unsexy (or at the very least, un-charming) about buying books via the Internet: after one fell click, the pure magic of book shopping has been snuffed out.
So, for the bookworms among us, spend your next weekend offline and out and about, perusing the aisles of one of London's many excellent, charming independent bookshops, our favourites of which we've rounded up below.
Tony Smith / Alamy Stock Photo1/20Brick Lane Bookshop, Tower Hamlets, E1
On one of east London's most iconic streets is the lovely Brick Lane Bookshop, which carries an array of literary genres and has a special section dedicated to London-based books. The shop offers free delivery for locals in the Tower Hamlets area and can post books anywhere in the UK, so visitors needn't restrict themselves to purchasing only what they can carry. Aspiring writers will note that the shop hosts an annual short story contest with a tantalising £1,000 first-place prize as well as the opportunity for short-listed winners to be published in the shop's anthology, published every October.
Address: 166 Brick Lane, E1 6RU
bricklanebookshop.org
Keith Erskine / Alamy Stock Photo2/20Daunt Books, Marylebone, W1U
A longtime member of London's vast bookshop scene, Daunt Books is a classic destination for history buffs and bookworms alike. Originally opened in 1912 as an antiquarian bookseller, the shop was purchased by John Daunt in the 1990s, who first intended to sell only travel books. (Now, Daunt Books sells almost every title under the sun.) With comfortable reading nooks spread throughout the shop, many a long afternoon can be spent here reading the world away. Daunt Books has expanded to eight other locations in London; however, the Marylebone is the most picturesque and historic of all.
Address: 84 Marylebone High Street, W1U 4QW
dauntbooks.co.uk
M Ramirez / Alamy Stock Photo3/20South Kensington Books, South Kensington, SW7
South Kensington Books has been a part of the neighbourhood's small-business fabric since the 1940s, selling a wide array of excellent titles, from new releases to exclusive ‘Independent Bookshop’ editions. Recently shortlisted as the Indie Bookshop of the Year at the British Book Awards, the shop is certainly one of the most independent on this list – and we hope it stays that way for years to come.
Address: 22 Thurloe Street, SW7 2LT
kensingtonbooks.co.uk
Keith Lewis Travel / Alamy Stock Photo4/20Bookmongers, Brixton, SW9
Opened over three decades ago by American-born Patrick Kelly, Bookmongers is a Brixton institution. The shop is unbelievably charming, crammed full of a well-organised selection of secondhand books presided over by the shop's cat, Popeye, so it is easy to see how it has developed such a loyal clientele.
Address: 439 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8LN
bookmongers.com
David Richards / Alamy Stock Photo5/20Books for Cooks, Notting Hill, W11
It does exactly what it says on the tin: Books for Cooks specialises in and sells – curiously enough – books for cooks. While you peruse the bookshelves displaying just about every cookbook, chef's guide and foodie tome ever to be published, co-owner Eric Treuillé will be at the stove in the shop's small open kitchen, cooking and baking the recipes found in the very same books you're perusing. While it changes daily, there is one, well-priced and delicious entrée on Books for Cooks' menu, usually dictated by the season (however, there is more choice when it comes to dessert). To snag a coveted table at Books for Cooks, know that bookings are not taken; we'd suggest you arrive in the late morning before the lunchtime rush and head off to peruse the cookbooks until you're seated. The shop also hosts an array of excellent foodie-forward events and workshops, including cookery classes, in the demonstration kitchen upstairs.
Address: 4 Blenheim Crescent, W11 1NN
booksforcooks.com
Londonstills.com / Alamy Stock Photo6/20The Bookshop on the Heath, Blackheath, SE3
With its exterior painted a minty blue, The Bookshop on the Heath was always bound to stand out from the crowd. Inside, you'll find an eclectic collection of rare, collectible and secondhand books, as well as a host of antique maps and unusual ephemera. The shop – the oldest of its kind in south-east London – also sells an excellent range of vintage film and television posters, perfect for movie buffs hoping to put their favourite works on full display.
Address: 74 Tranquil Vale, SE3 0BW
instagram.com/bookshopontheheath
lm_photography / Alamy Stock Photo7/20Foster Books, Chiswick, W4
On the hunt for an out-of-print book or a rare first edition manuscript? Make Foster Books your first stop on your book-finding journey. A tiny shop in the heart of Chiswick, Foster Books has been in operation for over 50 years and has thus developed quite an excellent, rare collection. While some of the shop's catalogue is available for purchase online, true scavengers are better off heading into the shop in person: not only is it fun to pop in and peruse Foster's crammed shelves, it is also likely you'll find what you're after, as not all books appear on their website.
Address: 183 Chiswick High Road, W4 2DR
fosterbooks.co.uk
JACK LUDLAM / Alamy Stock Photo8/20Hatchards, St James's, W1J
A stone's throw from the über posh Fortnum & Mason grocery shop is the triple royal warranted Hatchards, London's most refined of bookshops. Having first opened in 1797, Hatchards is also the UK's oldest bookshop; today, the expansive shop spans four floors, with over 100,000 titles on display at any given moment. Despite its recent acquisition by Waterstones, Hatchards does not give off a chain store aura, still maintaining its independent, historic spirit, making it a must-visit for bookworms.
Address: 187 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE
hatchards.co.uk
Robert Evans / Alamy Stock Photo9/20London Review Bookshop, Bloomsbury, WC1A
For those hoping to go cover to cover with members of London's elite litterati, a stop at the London Review Bookshop is a must. Linked to the iconic literary magazine of the same name, the bookshop is almost always rammed with writers both published and aspiring – especially during the twice-weekly author talks and book readings. Should you work up an appetite post book browsing, enjoy a tasty cake or sandwich at the shop's fabulous café.
Address: 14-16 Bury Place, WC1A 2JL
londonreviewbookshop.co.uk
Bjanka Kadic / Alamy Stock Photo10/20Lutyens & Rubinstein, Notting Hill, W11
There is something quite tantalising about Lutyens & Rubinstein's distinguished striped awning – you instinctively feel compelled to enter. And you should follow your intuition, as this bookshop is not like the others. Indeed, Lutyens & Rubinstein's book browsing experience and internal stock is incredibly unique: since the shop's opening, its book editor owners continually canvass hundreds of readers for their personal recommendations, which find their way onto the shelves of Lutyens & Rubinstein. For true bookworm-to-bookworm connection, this is the perfect one-stop shop.
Address: 21 Kensington Park Road, W11 2EU
lutyensrubinstein.co.uk
Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo11/20The Broadway Bookshop, Hackney, E8
For Hackneyites used to spending their weekends traipsing up and down the vibrant Broadway Market, perhaps a quick peek into the window of Broadway Bookshop has become a weekend ritual. However, this cosy shop is a destination in and of itself, market day or not, full of an excellent selection of new fiction, local history and children's books. The shop also hosts excellent, intimate reading events – check their Twitter feed to stay up-to-date.
Address: 6 Broadway Market E8 4QJ
broadwaybookshophackney.com
Georg Berg / Alamy Stock Photo12/20The Notting Hill Bookshop, Notting Hill, W11
The Notting Hill Bookshop is famous, Hollywood famous. The tiny blue shop was the inspiration for Richard Curtis' iconic film Notting Hill and had a starring role as The Travel Book Co., a travel book shop helmed by London's (the world's?) dreamiest travel book purveyor. Today, the shop sells titles beyond those pertaining to travel, from true crime to poetry anthologies. And whilst you won't find Hugh Grant behind the till (and what a tragedy that is), the Notting Hill Bookshop is still an iconic must-visit in the realm of London's great independent bookshops.
Address: 13 Blenheim Crescent, W11 2EE
thenottinghillbookshop.co.uk
13/20Heywood Hill, Mayfair, W1J
This dainty Georgian townhouse is home to a formidable selection of books, with a serene atmosphere, and sweet-natured, enthusiastic staff. Nancy Mitford worked here during the Second World War, establishing its reputation as a hub of London literary life. Thoughtfully, they offer plenty of literary services including wedding lists, book subscriptions, and advice on building up your home library. Fans of Heywood Hill are extremely loyal and tend to shop there decade after decade - make the pilgrimage to Curzon Street to find out why.
Address: 10 Curzon Street, W1J 5HH
heywoodhill.com
14/20Maison Assouline, St James's, W1J
Immerse yourself in the entirely stylish world of coffee table book publisher Assouline, whose luxurious flagship shop is part Parisian cafe, part library. The former bank building designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1922 is a beguiling setting in which to browse their exhibition catalogues, books, furniture, and prints. It's also a handy place to know about for cool presents.
Address: 196a Piccadilly, W1J 9EY
assouline.com
Iwan Baan15/20Libreria, Spitalfields, E1
The most self consciously modern and interior designed of these bookshops, Libreria is carefully curated newcomer. What it lacks in heritage, it makes up with its soothing atmosphere, low lighting and mobile phone ban. You might have to elbow past the other shoppers who are browsing slowly as it's a narrow but popular space. It may be small, but packs in plenty of interesting stock. Their diary is full of in-depth seminars, workshops, and performances.
Address: 65 Hanbury Street, E1 5JL
libreria.io
16/20Persephone Books, Holborn, WC1N
Not only is Persephone Books primly bijou and beautiful as a shop, it reprints neglected fiction and non-fiction by mid-twentieth century (mostly female) writers in quaint grey jackets with patterned endpapers. The shop is full of overlooked books that you are unlikely to see anywhere else, and they offer a book-a-month subscription service. If you live nearby, you may want to join the Persephone Book Group, which meets on the first Wednesday of the month. (And, as a bonus beyond the books: they will feed you Madeira, and bread and cheese.)
Address: 59 Lamb's Conduit Street, WC1N 3NB
persephonebooks.co.uk
17/20Peter Harrington, Chelsea, SW3
A well-loved little shop full of rare books, limited editions, manuscripts and first editions, this is an easy place to accidentally spend a lot of money - some of the most expensive books sold in Britain come through here. Peter Harrington began selling rare editions from the Chelsea Antiques Market on the King's Road in the 1960s and the bookshop is now run by his son, Pom. It has fostered much affection with west Londoners over the decades with its elegant displays, one-off rarities and calming atmosphere.
Address: 100 Fulham Road, SW3 6HS
peterharrington.co.uk
horst friedrichs / Alamy Stock Photo18/20John Sandoe, Chelsea, SW3
At the marvellous John Sandoe in Chelsea it is possible to hide out for hours in the stacks that somehow hold 30,000 titles within three eighteenth century shop fronts joined together. The narrow staircases and discreet doorways add to the Aladdin's cave quality of the experience. As John Cleese recently said of the shop, 'you'll find plentiful prize bats in this glorious belfry'. The stock is mainly new, but staff will also seek out of print books for you if you set them in pursuit of something rare. Since it opened in 1957, its shop fronts just off the King's Road have been full of staff 's recent reading pleasures, framed by well-tended window boxes. The windows are always worth a browse if you're in the area, although be prepared to lose a few hours.
Address: 10 Blacklands Terrace, SW3 2SR
johnsandoe.com
Londonstills.com / Alamy Stock Photo19/20Treadwell's, Bloomsbury, WC1E
A magical gem in Bloomsbury, this is one for fans of all things esoteric, and the occult in particular. Unusually for a bookshop it also sells rare herbs, ceremonial oils, and anything else that magicians might need, and offers tarot readings. Browsing the curiosities is a memorable experience. There are plenty of obscure titles that you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
Address: 33 Store Street, WC1E 7BS
treadwells-london.com
20/20Word on the Water, St Pancras, N1C
London's only floating bookshop thankfully has been saved from closure with a new permanent home on the canal just behind King's Cross station. The clever owners of a 1920s Dutch barge have transformed it into a palace of reading, with the bonus of a friendly dog, a wood-burning stove, and readings and live acoustic music on the roof.
Address: Regent's Canal Towpath, N1C 4LW
wordonthewater.co.uk
