Where to Buy Books in London: 13 Bookshops Worth Visiting
There are plenty of places in London where you can buy a book.
But then there are the places where you walk in looking for one book and somehow leave with three.
London has everything from enormous multi-floor bookshops and historic booksellers to tiny independent shops, second-hand shelves, specialist stores and even a bookshop on a boat. Whether you are looking for a new bestseller, a travel guide, a rare first edition, a used novel or simply somewhere beautiful to browse, you have plenty of options.
So if you are wondering where to buy books in London, these are some of the best places to start.
1. Foyles, Charing Cross Road
If you want one place that can cover almost everything, start with Foyles on Charing Cross Road.
This is one of London's great destination bookshops, spread across six floors with an enormous selection covering fiction, non-fiction, art, history, politics, languages, travel, children's books, comics and plenty more. Visit London describes the flagship as having more than 200,000 titles and around four miles of shelving.
The size is part of the experience. You can come in looking for a specific novel and end up wandering through sections you never intended to visit.
Foyles also has a café, gallery and auditorium and regularly hosts literary and music events, making it more than somewhere to simply buy a book.
Best for: The biggest all-round selection.
Where: 107 Charing Cross Road, near Tottenham Court Road and Leicester Square.
2. Waterstones Piccadilly
For another huge selection, head to Waterstones on Piccadilly.
This flagship is one of the easiest recommendations if you don't know exactly what kind of book you want. It has multiple floors and a broad selection of new books across genres, with plenty of space to browse.
The location is particularly convenient if you're already exploring Piccadilly Circus, Mayfair, St James's or the West End.
And there is a useful reason to choose a large Waterstones like this: if you have a specific current title in mind, the chances of finding it are much better than in a tiny specialist shop.
If you are simply asking “Where can I buy a book in central London?”, this is one of the safest answers.
Best for: New releases, popular books and general browsing.
Where: 203–206 Piccadilly.
3. Daunt Books, Marylebone
Then there is Daunt Books Marylebone, which is less about overwhelming you with size and more about making you want to stay.
The Marylebone shop occupies a beautiful Edwardian building with long oak galleries and a striking skylight. What makes it particularly unusual is the way many of its books are arranged by country rather than simply by genre.
That means a shelf can take you from travel guides to literature and non-fiction connected to the same part of the world.
Daunt is especially good if you enjoy travel books, but you don't have to be planning a holiday to enjoy it.
You can also combine it with a walk around Marylebone High Street, making this a good bookshop stop when you want the experience to be part of your London day rather than a quick shopping trip.
Best for: Travel books, beautiful interiors and relaxed browsing.
Where: Marylebone High Street.
4. Hatchards, Piccadilly
If you like the idea of buying a book somewhere with serious literary history, visit Hatchards.
Located on Piccadilly, Hatchards is one of London's historic booksellers and is a particularly good place for people who enjoy the atmosphere of an old-fashioned bookshop.
It is not just about buying whatever happens to be on the bestseller table. The shop has traditionally been associated with carefully selected books, literary culture and special editions.
Its Piccadilly location also makes it easy to combine with Waterstones, which is just a short walk away.
So if you are building your own London bookshop crawl, this is one of the easiest pairings.
Best for: Historic atmosphere and literary browsing.
Where: 187 Piccadilly.
5. London Review Bookshop, Bloomsbury
For something more literary and intellectual, head to London Review Bookshop in Bloomsbury.
Connected to the London Review of Books, the shop has a particularly strong selection in literature, politics, philosophy, history, essays and the humanities.
It is also in one of London's best areas for combining books with other cultural stops. The shop is close to the British Museum and sits in the heart of Bloomsbury's long literary history.
There is also a café, so this is somewhere you can slow down rather than simply walk in, pay and leave.
If your idea of book shopping is discovering something you didn't know you wanted, rather than hunting for the latest bestseller, this is a particularly good choice.
Best for: Literature, essays, ideas and serious browsing.
Where: Bury Place, Bloomsbury.
6. Gay's the Word
For LGBTQ+ literature, one of London's most important bookshops is Gay's The Word.
Located on Marchmont Street in Bloomsbury, it is a specialist independent bookshop with a long history of serving the LGBTQ+ community.
The selection covers fiction, non-fiction, memoir, history, politics, poetry and other LGBTQ+ writing.
It is also a reminder that London's bookshop scene isn't just about enormous general stores. Some of the most interesting shops exist because they specialise in a particular community, subject or type of literature.
If you are interested in LGBTQ+ books or simply want to explore London's independent bookshops, it is well worth adding to your list.
Best for: LGBTQ+ literature and independent bookselling.
Where: Marchmont Street, Bloomsbury.
7. Skoob Books for Second-Hand Books
If you don't necessarily need a brand-new copy, London's second-hand bookshops open up a completely different world.
One place to explore is Skoob Books, located at The Brunswick in Bloomsbury.
This is the kind of shop where browsing matters. Instead of searching for the newest release, you can spend time looking through shelves and finding older editions, forgotten titles and books you weren't expecting to see.
Second-hand bookshops can also be a better option if you want to build a large reading pile without buying everything brand new.
And Bloomsbury is particularly good for this because several bookshops are close enough to visit in the same afternoon.
Best for: Used books, older titles and unexpected finds.
Where: The Brunswick, off Marchmont Street.
8. Word on the Water
One of London's most unusual places to buy books is Word On The Water - The London Bookbarge.
Yes, it is a bookshop on a narrowboat.
It is moored on Regent's Canal around King's Cross and has become one of those distinctly London places that makes buying a book feel like an experience in itself.
The shop focuses on a curated selection of new and used books, with the setting being just as much a part of the appeal as the shelves.
Afterwards, you can continue walking along Regent's Canal or explore Coal Drops Yard and King's Cross.
If you're looking for a bookshop that you are unlikely to find anywhere else, this is the one.
Best for: A unique London experience and browsing by the canal.
Where: Regent's Canal towpath, near King's Cross.
9. Brick Lane Bookshop
If you're exploring East London, don't overlook Brick Lane Bookshop.
Located directly on Brick Lane, it is a good independent stop to combine with the area's cafés, vintage shops, street art and markets.
Unlike the enormous chain stores, the appeal here is the more personal feeling of an independent neighbourhood bookshop.
It is particularly useful if you are already spending an afternoon around Brick Lane and Shoreditch and want something different from the usual food-and-vintage itinerary.
Best for: Independent browsing while exploring East London.
Where: 166 Brick Lane.
10. Libreria, Spitalfields
A short walk away is Libreria Bookshop on Hanbury Street.
This is another shop where the way the books are organised is part of the experience. Rather than making you browse entirely through conventional genre categories, Libreria uses themed sections designed to encourage unexpected discoveries.
It is the sort of place where you may walk in searching for fiction and leave with a book about travel, philosophy, culture or something you had never considered.
That makes it particularly good for people who enjoy discovering books rather than simply buying books.
Best for: Curated selections and discovering something unexpected.
Where: Hanbury Street, Spitalfields.
11. John Sandoe Books, Chelsea
For a more traditional independent bookshop experience, head to John Sandoe (Books) Ltd in Chelsea.
This is the sort of shop where the surroundings are part of the attraction. Its shelves are packed into a characterful space, giving it the feel of a classic London bookseller rather than a modern retail chain.
It has a broad selection and is particularly appealing if you enjoy browsing independently chosen titles.
Chelsea also gives you plenty to do afterwards, from wandering around King's Road to exploring the area's cafés and streets.
Best for: Classic independent bookshop atmosphere.
Where: Blacklands Terrace, Chelsea.
12. Goldsboro Books for Rare and Collectable Books
If you're not simply looking for something to read but want something special to own, look at Goldsboro Books.
Visit London's current bookshop guide highlights Goldsboro as a destination for collectors, particularly for rare first editions and signed copies.
This is a very different kind of book shopping from walking into Waterstones and picking up the latest paperback.
Prices can vary enormously depending on the title, edition, condition and whether a book is signed, so this is more about collecting than finding a cheap everyday read.
It is located in Cecil Court, a small pedestrian street in the West End that is itself worth exploring if you like old-fashioned specialist shops.
Best for: Rare books, first editions and collectors.
13. Stanfords for Travel Books and Maps
If you're buying a book because you're going somewhere, make time for Stanfords.
It is one of London's best-known destinations for travel books, guides and maps, and Visit London specifically highlights it among the city's specialist bookshops.
This is the place to consider if you want something more useful than a generic online search result before your next trip.
You can browse guidebooks, maps and travel-related titles and get inspiration for destinations you hadn't originally considered.
And because Stanfords is in Covent Garden, it is easy to include in a wider West End day.
Best for: Travel books, maps and trip planning.
Where Should You Go If You Only Have Time for One?
It depends on what you want.
For the biggest choice: Foyles or Waterstones Piccadilly.
For a beautiful bookshop: Daunt Books Marylebone.
For historic atmosphere: Hatchards.
For literary books: London Review Bookshop.
For second-hand books: Skoob Books.
For something completely different: Word on the Water.
For LGBTQ+ books: Gay's the Word.
For rare and collectable books: Goldsboro Books.
For travel books and maps: Stanfords.
For independent East London browsing: Brick Lane Bookshop or Libreria.
That's the useful thing about buying books in London: there isn't really one “best” bookshop. The right one depends on what you're looking for.
A Few Tips Before You Go Book Shopping
If you're looking for a particular title, especially an older or specialist book, check the shop's current stock before making a long journey. Independent bookshops can have smaller selections than the major chains, while specialist shops are often much better for particular subjects.
If you don't have a specific book in mind, give yourself time to browse.
That's arguably the best way to experience London's bookshops.
And don't assume the biggest shop will be the most interesting one. A huge store is fantastic when you want choice, but a small independent shop can introduce you to a book you would never have searched for yourself.
Finally, remember that several of these bookshops are close enough to combine.
You could spend an afternoon around Bloomsbury, moving between London Review Bookshop, Gay's the Word and Skoob Books. Or explore Piccadilly and the West End, where Hatchards and Waterstones are within easy reach of each other, with Goldsboro Books in Cecil Court nearby.
For something more neighbourhood-focused, combine Brick Lane Bookshop and Libreria with a walk around Shoreditch and Spitalfields.
And if you want a particularly London afternoon, head to King's Cross for Word on the Water, walk along the canal and continue towards Coal Drops Yard.
Because in London, buying a book doesn't have to be a quick shopping trip.
Sometimes the bookshop is the destination.
Final Thoughts
Whether you're after a new bestseller, a second-hand classic, a travel guide, a rare first edition or simply somewhere peaceful to lose an hour, London has a bookshop for it.
The big stores give you choice. The independent shops give you personality. The specialist booksellers give you things you may not find elsewhere.
And that's why where to buy books in London is a much better question than it first appears.
There are plenty of answers you just need to decide what kind of bookshop you want to get lost in.
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