12 Of London’s Most Beautiful Bookshops To Get Lost In
In a world of Kindles, e-books and next-day delivery, London’s independent bookshops are proving that reading is best served as an experience. The city’s literary scene has evolved into a collection of social hubs complete with curated wine lists, hidden reading nooks, and sprawling shelves of fiction. From the iconic travel-themed aisles of Marylebone to floating barges in King’s Cross, these shops provide a much-needed digital detox and invite citygoers to indulge in a moment’s peace with a good book in hand.
Whether you’re hunting for a rare first edition in Mayfair or a new community in a neighbourhood book-bar, we’ve rounded up the most aesthetic spots to find your next great read:
Daunt Books
Aside from their infamous tote bags and the aesthetically pleasing interior of its Marylebone branch – which is surely the most Instagrammed in London – Daunt Books is widely known for its endless selection of books centred around one poignant theme: travel. Arranged by country, the littering of London branches helps to educate, inspire, and ignite your passion for travel.
Various Locations
www.dauntbooks.co.uk
Bookbar
I don’t know who came up with this concept, but kudos. Books and wine go together like London buses and unscheduled delays, and Bookbar combines the two.
Now with two stores in Chelsea and Islington, Bookbar is all about bringing people together through books, whether that’s bespoke recommendations to suit any mood, their book club membership, or a host of live events. This is the perfect place to embrace the social side of reading.
Where: 11 Chelsea Manor St, London SW3 3TW / 166 Blackstock Rd, London N5 1HA
Website: www.bookbar.com
John Sandoe Books Ltd
John Sandoe holds the title of my personal favourite London bookshop. Open since 1957, it feels somewhat like a portal to the past, or in other words, the moment you step inside, you are instantly transported back in time. This independent store spans three floors and has grown to encompass the two buildings on either side of its original shop.
This Chelsea store also stocks over 30,000 titles, and you can bank on finding anything from 19th Century Classics and literary magazines to poetry anthologies and new paperbacks.
Where: 10 Blacklands Terrace, London SW3 2SR
Website: www.johnsandoebooks.com
This has to be my favourite bookshop in the city. It’s so quaint, and stepping inside truly feels like going back in time. It’s also extremely well stocked so you are guarenteed to find the book you’re looking for.
Amelia, Culture & Lifestyle Editor
Backstory
Similarly to Bookbar, Balham’s Backstory features a fully licensed bar serving high-quality coffee, wine and local craft beer, so you can sip while you read or browse new releases. The shelves are adorned with handwritten staff recommendations which go beyond generic blurbs, offering personalised insight into why that book matters. The shop also has a calendar of author talks, book clubs and live podcasts so it is well worth keeping an eye on their social media to stay up to date with the latest events.
Where: 71 Balham High Rd, London SW12 9AP
Website: www.backstory.com
London Review Bookshop
Opened in 2003 by the London Review of Books in the heart of Bloomsbury, just a stone’s throw from the British Museum, the London Review Bookshop has quickly become one of the capital’s favourites.
Browse its selection of over 20,000 titles ranging from the classics of world literature to the cutting edge of contemporary fiction and poetry, before refuelling with coffee and a treat from the cake shop.
14-16 Bury Pl, London WC1A 2JL
londonreviewbookshop.com
Climax books
If you like your literature steeped in subversive glamour and counterculture, make a beeline for Clerkenwell. Founded by former Dazed editor-in-chief Isabella Burley, Climax Books started out in New York before opening its cult physical outpost in London.
Inside, you’ll find a meticulously curated gold mine of out-of-print art and fashion monographs, David Lynch retrospectives, vintage exhibition posters, rare Japanese erotica, VHS oddities, and cult merch. It’s gritty, cool, and guaranteed to feed your inner culture vulture.
Where: 8a Herbal Hill, London EC1R 5EJ
Website: www.climaxbooks.com
Traveller’s Tales
Marylebone might already be synonymous with bookish wanderlust, but Travellers’ Tales brings something entirely fresh to the neighbourhood’s literary map. Founded by luxury travel veteran Jayne Alexander, this boutique spot is half beautifully curated travel bookstore and half bespoke holiday concierge.
Designed to feel like a warm, welcoming parlour rather than a transactional shop, it’s filled with glossy coffee table photography volumes, rare editions, evocative regional fiction, and artisan stationery from Florence. The best part? If a title sparks serious wanderlust, the in-house team is on hand to help plan and book the actual itinerary.
Where: 87 Wimpole St, London W1G 9RL
Website: www.travellerstales.com
Morocco Bound
Tucked away just off Bermondsey Street, Morocco Bound is proof that books and booze make for the ultimate pairing. This spot transitions effortlessly from a daytime haven for quiet reading into a buzzing evening haunt.
Stepping inside feels like entering an eccentric writer’s living room, complete with shelves stacked with hand-selected independent fiction, poetry, and philosophy. By night, the daytime browsing spot transforms as craft beer and natural wine flow freely, hosting a packed calendar of live jazz, poetry slams, book launches, and art exhibitions. It’s an unpretentious, community-driven space where London’s modern literary scene truly comes alive.
Where: Bermondsey and Wandsworth
Website: www.moroccobound.com
Libreria
Situated in the heart of East London, just a stone’s throw from Brick Lane, Libreria is widely considered one of the most visually stunning and conceptually innovative bookshops in the world. Designed by the acclaimed Spanish architectural firm SelgasCano, this shop is nothing short of a feast for the eyes. The ceiling is completely mirrored, creating an optical illusion that makes the shelves appear to stretch upward into infinity, while the shelves are fitted with built-in reading nooks to sit and enjoy a moment’s quiet with a new book. The store also has a strict no-phones policy, making for an idyllic digital detox spot.
Libreria is one of my favourite little gems in London. It’s an intimate space, and you can tell how much thought and care goes into their book recs. It’s small but beautifully curated, and they even stamp your books with the Libreria logo when you leave which I loveee.
Caitlin, Senior Campaign Success Manager
Where: 65 Hanbury St, London E1 5JP
Website: www.libreria.com
Cecil Court
Why settle for a single bookshop when you can have an entire street? Tucked just off the bustle of Charing Cross Road, Cecil Court, affectionately christened ‘Booksellers’ Row’, feels less like 21st-century London and more like a real-life Diagon Alley.
The street is packed with indie booksellers and antique purveyors, each guarding their own specialist niche. Whether you’re on the hunt for hand-drawn antiquarian maps or simply fancy romanticising your afternoon with a stroll past vintage bow-fronted windows, this magical pocket of town is a must-visit.
Where: Cecil Ct, London WC2N 4HE
Peter Harrington
From seventeenth-century Shakespeare folios to inscribed first editions of the Harry Potter series, only the best literary works come through the doors at Peter Harrington. Now half a century since its establishment and with two shops under its belt, Peter Harrington is still a much-loved bookshop, specialising in literature, economics, politics and philosophy, travel, navigation, military history, science and medicine, children’s books, and fine library sets. The selection is on the more expensive side, but even if you can’t spend your pennies, it’s definitely worth the visit to see some of the most famous first editions in the world.
It’s definitely worth the visit to see some of the most famous first editions in the world.
43 Dover Street, Mayfair, W1S 4FF
www.peterharrington.co.uk
Clapham Books
Nestled in the heart of Clapham Common, this bookshop offers a classic and intimate space to browse a collection of books spanning fiction, coffee table books, cookbooks, and everything in between. Unlike the sprawling chains, every book here has been hand-selected to earn its place on the shelf.
Expect a mix of the latest Booker-longlisted titles alongside beautifully bound Vintage or Fitzcarraldo editions.
Where: 26 The Pavement, London SW4 0JA
Website: www.claphambooks.com
