North London

North London · secondhand

Abney Books

Stoke Newington's largest secondhand bookshop, opened 2024, with a flat-priced general stock (around £4 a book) that is especially deep in fiction - eight shelves of Penguins plus strong horror, crime and sci-fi - alongside local zines and in-store poetry readings. A characterful, browsable addition to the High Street.

North London · mixed

BookBar (Islington)

North London · secondhand

Church Street Bookshop

A long-established secondhand shop (the proprietor has sold on Church Street since 1980) with mostly good-quality non-fiction, some unusual arts titles, decent 20th-century fiction and a bargain box. A nostalgic browse on one of North London's prettiest streets.

North London · new

Highgate Bookshop

A cosy, characterful independent with a bright green frontage on Highgate High Street, covering a broad range of genres and with a fascinating section devoted to Highgate's local history. A quiet, well-loved village bookshop worth the climb up the hill.

North London · mixed

House of Books

A family-owned, entirely independent Crouch End shop (over 125 years of combined bookselling experience) specialising in high-quality remainder and pre-loved books at excellent prices, with notably strong art/design, music, politics and science sections. Great value and real expertise behind the counter.

North London · secondhand

House of Hodge

A dedicated charity bookshop (originally animal-welfare, now also supporting literacy projects) crammed with good, cheap stock - more hardbacks than typical for a charity shop, plus strong history and art/photography.

North London · mixed

Housmans Bookshop

A landmark radical bookshop founded in 1945 and at these premises since 1959, specialising in progressive politics with an excellent new range plus a secondhand basement (the "Vaults") and bargain corner. A singular, mission-led institution unlike any chain.

North London · new

Ink@84 Books & Drink

A warm independent bookshop-and-wine-bar on Highbury Park, pairing a well-chosen general range with coffee, a licensed bar and a lively author-events programme. A LoveReading Bookshop of the Month and a genuine neighbourhood gathering place worth seeking out.

North London · specialist

Of Books and Love

A cosy, single-minded romance-and-fantasy bookshop that opened in 2024 on Cross Street, with a clear identity and a devoted community of readers. The kind of focused, characterful specialist that romance/fantasy fans will travel across London for.

North London · specialist

Pickled Pepper Books

A carefully curated Crouch End children's bookshop that doubles as a small theatre and events space, running book groups, author visits and shows. A destination in its own right for families and a beloved local institution.

North London · new

Stoke Newington Bookshop

An award-winning independent established in 1987 (it won a Best Bookshop in London award), with an extensive, well-curated range especially strong in fiction and children's, plus a busy events programme. A sister shop, Stoke Newington Toys and Books, serves children. A long-standing community anchor.

North London · new

Upper Street Bookshop

A genuinely independent Islington shop with a tightly handpicked selection rather than algorithmic stacks, notably strong in queer literature, children's, classics and literary non-fiction. A warm, opinionated neighbourhood bookshop on Upper Street worth a deliberate browse.

North London · mixed

Word on the Water

A 100-year-old Dutch barge moored by Granary Square selling carefully chosen secondhand and new books, with live music and a wood-stove. One of London's most photographed and genuinely beloved bookshops - a destination in the truest sense.