The guide to the best bookshops in London

With locations around the city, Daunt Books is one of the capital's favourite bookshops. Each store has an elegant look and timeless appeal. Shoppers will discover a wide variety of titles on the shelves including fiction, non-fiction, and books for children. Travel books are also a speciality here. The stores host regular literary events.

Featuring over eight miles of bookshelves across as many floors, the Piccadilly branch of the omnipresent Waterstones chain has something for everyone. Europe’s largest bookstore offers first edition beauties, brand new releases and everything in between. Children will love their playful section with a Piccadilly Circus theme, and there are also several cafés and a restaurant to recharge at. Famous authors are a regular sight here as well, dropping by for talks and signings.

Goldsboro Books is situated on Cecil Court, the quaint shopping street in the West End that is said to be one of the inspirations for the Harry Potter series’ Diagon Alley. It’s therefore fitting that its collection includes first-edition Harry Potter books, along with other rarities and collectibles. The specialist bookshop holds over 25,000 hardback first editions in stock, some of them fetching prices upwards of a thousand pounds.

Word on the Water, a Dutch barge dating back to 1920, used to cruise up and down Regent’s Canal. The quirky bookshop has now settled down in King’s Cross. Anchored next to Granary Square, the cosy ship stocks a variety of publications, including valuable second editions. In nice weather, you can browse its outside shelves. The cosy bookshop also hosts different events on its deck, from live music to poetry readings, so check their social media to see what’s on.

Dating back to the 18th century, Hatchards in Piccadilly is the oldest bookshop in London and carries on all of that heritage with another store in St Pancras station. The Piccadilly shop carries a diverse selection of signed first editions, as well as running a busy events calendar. Both stores stock a comprehensive range of titles covering various subjects.

Beneath a mirrored ceiling courting infinity, this trendy Shoreditch bookshop’s purpose is to help you discover new favourites. The “no phones” policy ensures tranquillity whether you’re browsing the bright yellow bookshelves that stretch into the distance or taking a break in one of the cosy reading nooks. The selection of titles is constantly and carefully curated by the owners and arranged according to broad themes instead of genres, for example “Wanderlust” or “Mothers, Madonnas and Whores”.

Founded in 1979, Gay’s the Word was a pioneering bookshop in a time when gay literature was hard to come by. Today, it’s the United Kingdom’s oldest LGBTQ+ bookstore, as well as an important community hub. The shop stocks books in a variety of genres, from fiction and graphic novels to analytical and educational tomes, all organised according to sexuality and gender. Various discussion groups also hold their meetings here, and the staff can also provide relevant resources and information.

The London Review Bookshop was established by the long-running London Review of Books literary magazine and reflects its distinctly intelligent yet unpretentious character. Encompassing a selection of 20,000 titles of all sorts, the Bloomsbury bookstore aims to provide the right tome for you. They also host debates, readings, film screenings and more, as well as have a cake shop that serves cakes and hot drinks in a pleasant outdoor area.

A trendy bookshop and literary agency in Notting Hill, Lutyens and Rubinstein built out its core collection by asking hundreds of people, from authors and business associates to friends and children, about which books they’d like to find when browsing in a bookstore. The offer in stock is therefore compiled from an eclectic range of recommendations and beloved tomes, occupying the shelves beneath the instantly recognisable flying books hanging from the ceiling.

A simple yet seemingly successful concept, Books for Cooks not only specialises in cookbooks (OK, and foodie fiction, history books and other food-related tomes), stocking over 8,000 titles in its literary larder, it puts the recipes to the test on a daily basis. The shop includes a small kitchen where a chef preps dishes from the cookbooks on sale. Note: as this is still primarily a bookstore, not a restaurant, the seating and quantities are limited.

Located on one of the streets that inspired Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, this bookshop focuses on another British fantasy classic. Alice Through the Looking Glass sells iconography related to the titular character of Lewis Carroll’s beloved books, as well as rare editions, supplying even the iconic Fortnum and Mason department store with them. The shop also has a museum section with cultural artefacts relating to Alice, viewable by appointment.

Behind its deep green exterior and pink lettering, Foster Books is packed to the rafters with old books, with the stacks of titles even taking over the street out front in nice weather. This Chiswick bookshop specialises in hard-to-find, out-of-print, second-hand, rare and other collectible books, so don’t expect to find the hottest bestsellers here – think rather in terms of first editions, leatherbound volumes and the like.

The family-run Arthur Probsthain bookshop opposite the British Museum is over a century old. It stocks a variety of old and new books covering the areas of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, including out-of-print and collectible books that are hard to find anywhere else. The bookshop also runs the Tea and Tattle tea room, where you can treat yourself to afternoon tea.

Founded in 1966, New Beacon Books was the first Black publishing house and specialist bookshop in the country, stocking books from Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, African America, Europe, South America and Black Britain. Its significance to the UK’s communities was underlined several years ago, when a crowdsourcing campaign saved it from closure and helped it modernise.

The independent, not-for-profit bookshop Housmans has been stocking publications specialising in radical topics and progressive politics since 1945. Offering a wide variety of literature relating to feminism, pacifism, LGBTQ+ themes, anarchism and so on, they also have the largest collection of radical pamphlets and magazines in the country. You can also leaf through their vast range of DIY zines, or drop by for one of the many events they host.

BookBar in Highbury leans into the social aspect of reading, striving to bring people together through books. To this end, their bookshop is complemented both by a wine bar and an events space. With a wide range of more and less usual activities, from book clubs and readings to live music, wine tastings and “read-dating”, speed-dating for bookworms, the relaxed bookstore is a lively, sociable space where you might leave not just with a new book, but also a new friend.

London's bookworms head to Foyles, which has a number of location including the spacious flagship store in Charing Cross Road. Whichever branch you visit, you'll find a huge choice of titles covering genres from fiction and poetry to cookery, philosophy, and politics. The flagship store also has a café, auditorium, and events.

Upper Street Bookshop has a classic look and is located right in the heart of Islington. At this popular store you'll find shelves stacked with a broad selection of great reads, as well as extras like postcards. If you're not sure which book to choose, check out the blind date with a book section where you can pick up a mysterious book wrapped in plain paper for an affordable price.

Located moments from Tate Modern, Marcus Campbell Art Books is a specialist in rare books on modern and contemporary art. This independent shop sells out-of-print books on art in addition to periodicals, exhibition catalogues, artists' books, and posters. There are items at every price point on sale here.

A familiar sight on the South Bank, South Bank Book Market is a popular place to shop for secondhand books. Here you'll find surprising books on a varied range of subjects, laid out flat on tables for you to peruse. The market attracts locals as well as visitors - get ready to rummage to find a hidden gem.

Fans of the sitcom Black Books will recognise Collinge & Clark as the bookshop from the show. The store is a bit friendlier than the fictional one and specialises in rare and secondhand books. You'll also find artists' books, books about books, and design and typography. Special events focused on books are also held here now and then.

Near the British Museum you'll find Treadwell's Books, a renowned specialist bookshop for occult, esoteric, and spiritualist literature. The bookshelves here are packed with diverse titles including books that are rare, limited edition, or first edition. The shop is also a thriving community hub offering tarot readings and events.

Shop for second-hand books in Brixton at cosy book store Bookmongers. This shop stocks an eclectic range of fiction and non-fiction in a quirky space that even has a resident pet. You'll find hidden gems here as well as much-loved literary classics. Pop in to browse or order books with the click-and-collect service.

Established in 1936, Heywood Hill has been selling books in Mayfair for nearly a century. The store has a timeless and classic appearance with tall wooden bookcases. You'll find old and new books here, including special signed copies. A personalised book subscription service is available and the store helps to build private libraries on any subject.

John Sandoe has been established in Chelsea since 1957. This independent bookshop stocks around 30,000 different titles in its well-curated collection. On the shelves you'll find fiction and non-fiction, including timeless classics. Various extra services are available like mail order, support building a private library, and book subscriptions.

You'll soon spot The Bookshop on the Heath in idyllic Blackheath Village thanks to its vibrant turquoise exterior. This long-established independent bookshop is a specialist in second-hand and rare books, posters, maps, postcards, and prints. This includes an antiquarian collection with stock that dates back to 1660. Books cover a broad range of subjects and price points.

Known as the bookshop from the hit film, The Notting Hill Bookshop is a familiar fixture of the area. In the shop you'll find an extensive range of travel books, as well as classic literature and books aimed at children. If you can't find what you're looking for, this shop can also order titles in just for you.

Award-winning independent store Nomad Books is a big part of the community in Fulham. This cosy and comfortable shop stocks fiction and non-fiction books, books in French, and an extensive range of books for children. You can also shop for books that make great gifts, audio books, and gift cards for the store here.

Owl Bookshop is a popular place to shop for a new read in Kentish Town. This local shop is staffed by a friendly and knowledgeable team. In the store you'll discover a large range of books covering many different subjects, including lots of choices for kids, local interest books, and the latest releases. Events like author talks and readings take place too.