Central London

Central London · secondhand

Any Amount of Books

One of the last survivors of Charing Cross Road's storied secondhand book trade, with GBP1 bargain crates outside and rare and antiquarian stock within. A living piece of the street's literary history.

Central London · specialist

Atlantis Bookshop

The oldest independent occult bookshop in the country, trading since 1922 just off the British Museum, with rare and new titles on magic, folklore and the esoteric plus regular talks. Utterly distinctive.

Central London · specialist

Bookmarks

Britain's socialist bookshop since 1974, with a distinctive political identity, a busy events programme and a resilience that made headlines after a 2018 far-right attack. A clear reason to make a deliberate visit.

Central London · new

Brunswick Bookshop

Central London · mixed

Clerkenwells

Central London · specialist

Donlon Books (Soho)

Soho branch of the acclaimed art-book specialist.

Central London · new

G Heywood Hill Ltd

A Mayfair institution since 1936, famed for personal curation and 'A Year in Books'; the Nancy Mitford shop. Genuinely exceptional.

Central London · new

Goldsboro Books

Since 1999 the go-to for signed first editions, running a hugely popular Book of the Month subscription and drawing collectors from around the world. The anchor of Cecil Court's book row.

Central London · secondhand

Henry Pordes Books

A long-standing Charing Cross Road institution mixing remaindered new books with secondhand and antiquarian finds over two floors. Characterful, dense and a bibliophile's browse.

Central London · secondhand

Jarndyce Booksellers

A distinguished antiquarian dealer in a period Georgian shop directly opposite the British Museum, specialising in 18th/19th-century literature, Dickens and social history. Scholarly, atmospheric and one of a kind.

Central London · secondhand

Judd Books

A well-loved two-floor independent with strong art, history and humanities sections mixing secondhand, remainders and bargain new titles. A Bloomsbury staple for students and academics.

Central London · new

London Review Bookshop

The intellectual heart of literary London: run by the London Review of Books, with a superb, opinionated selection, an adjoining cake shop and one of the city's best author-event programmes. A destination in its own right.

Central London · specialist

Marchpane

A wonderland of rare and antiquarian children's and illustrated books (with a famous Alice in Wonderland specialism) on historic Cecil Court. Enchanting for collectors and browsers alike.

Central London · secondhand

Skoob Books

A cavernous basement holding around 55,000 secondhand titles - London's broadest secondhand academic selection, at roughly half new price. A browser's paradise near UCL and SOAS.

Central London · specialist

Treadwell's

A renowned esoteric bookshop and events space with a scholarly bent - tarot, folklore, witchcraft and mythology alongside a packed calendar of lectures and courses. A cult favourite.

Central London · specialist

Watkins Books

Founded 1893 and reputedly the world's oldest esoteric bookshop, a Cecil Court institution for mysticism, philosophy and spirituality with tarot readings and events. Deeply atmospheric and one of a kind.

Central London · specialist

Wildy & Sons Ltd

The UK's leading law bookseller, under the Lincoln's Inn archway since 1830.