“I stepped into the bookshop and breathed in that perfume of paper and magic that strangely no one had ever thought of bottling.”
― Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Angel’s Game
London is the perfect city for a bookworm. Not only is the Old Smoke the setting for some of our favorite stories, but it is full of bookshops. After visiting many of them, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite quaintest bookshops in London.
From stores spanning multiple floors to one that floats on water, all of these London bookshops produce the same feeling when you enter- a cozy, quiet reverence for the written word. There’s a magic hush among the shelves as you search for your next page-turner.
Whether you’re looking for fiction, history, graphic novels, or a rare tome, you can find almost anything at these bookshops in London.
Are you a bookworm in London?
Check out my post “Best Places to Visit in London for Book Lovers: A Literary London Guide” to discover themed pubs, authors’ homes, and homages to beloved characters around the city.
10 of the Quaintest Bookshops in London
Daunt Books Marylebone
84 Marylebone High St.
One of the most beautiful bookshops in London has to be Daunt Books in Marylebone. Daunt Books has a chain of independent bookshops around the city, but the Marylebone location is one of the most charming. (You may recognize Daunt’s exterior from the picture on their popular branded tote bags.)
Daunt Books was founded in 1990. However, the building has been a bookshop since 1912. The large skylight and stained glass window allow plenty of light by which you can scan the titles along the bookshelves. Shelves line both the ground floor and the gallery level.
The Marylebone shop specializes in travel writing, so in addition to fiction and non-fiction, books are also sectioned off by country. Of course, they have a large section devoted just to London.
Hatchards Piccadilly
187 Piccadilly
Hatchards claims to be not only the oldest London bookstore, but also the oldest bookshop in the UK. Founded in 1797, it has been in its current location on Piccadilly since 1801.
While technically now owned by Waterstones, Hatchards has retained its own reputation as a high-end, sophisticated shop. It was author Oscar Wilde’s favorite bookshop in London, and he used to sign his books at the table on the ground floor.
Hatchards spans five floors and contains about 100,000 books. It has an old-world charm, with dark wooden shelves and carpeted floors. You can find everything from limited edition art books to beautiful copies of Agatha Christie’s mysteries.
Word on the Water— The London Bookbarge
Regent’s Canal Towpath
Perhaps the most unique bookshop in London actually floats on water. Word on the Water is a London bookshop on a Dutch barge in the Regent’s Canal near Kings Cross Station.
Two houseboat owners had the idea for a floating shop when they moored their boats together in 2011. Originally, the shop had to be repacked and moved every two weeks; but in 2015 they were granted a permanent mooring.
The shop is stuffed full of all kinds of books, with shelves built into the side of the barge. On chilly days you can cozy up next to the working woodstove, and on warm days you may catch live jazz or poetry readings on the top deck.
Alice Through the Looking Glass
14 Cecil Court
One of the most famous streets for bookshops in London is Cecil Court in the West End. Since the 1930s, Cecil Court has been nicknamed “Booksellers’ Row.” The street is lined with Victorian buildings housing independent shops, including one called Alice Through the Looking Glass.
As the name suggests, this boutique London bookshop sells all things related to the Wonderland stories by Lewis Carroll. All of the familiar characters are there, like Alice, the White Rabbit, and the Cheshire Cat.
The shop has an almost-museum quality about it, as its contents are lovingly curated and rare. You can find vintage and first-edition books plus Alice memorabilia, like art prints and stationery.
Fun fact: When the shop opened in 2011, it had a live pet white rabbit in the window display!
Notting Hill Bookshop
13 Blenheim Cres.
It’s no surprise that the 1999 film Notting Hill copied the interior of Notting Hill Bookshop to use as a set, since it is one of the quaintest bookshops in London. Lovers of the rom-com starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts love to stop by and take their photo by the iconic blue door.
However, this London bookshop is worth visiting whether you’re a fan of the film or not. The interior has shelves full of books, stands loaded with gifts, and a greenhouse roof over the children’s section. They manage to pack a lot into a rather small space!
Because the shop is popular, and the shop is small, be prepared for it to get a bit crowded at times. I recommend visiting early in the day if you want to browse leisurely (and feel like the main character in your own rom-com).
John Sandoe Books Ltd
10 Blacklands Terrace
Bookseller John Sandoe opened his bookshop off Kings Road in 1957, and it continues to be one of the best bookshops in London.
Described as a “Smaug’s hoard of books,” the shop’s three floors may feel a bit like a maze, but that’s what I love about it. You can wander through stacks of fiction and non-fiction alike, with genres blending into one another. This makes it the perfect place to peruse on a rainy afternoon.
The staff at John Sandoe are friendly, knowledgeable, and extremely helpful if you’re looking for something specific. They are an example of what sets an independent bookshop apart from big retailers.
Daunt Books Notting Hill
21 Kensington Park Rd.
I know I said the Marylebone location was the prettiest. However, I have to mention Daunt Books Notting Hill, as well. While smaller than its older sibling, the Notting Hill location has its own charm. (Not to mention it’s a bit quieter, which allows one to browse in peace.)
The new Daunt Books location is in what used to be another London bookshop, Lutyens & Rubinstein. Daunt Books has retained much of the decor, like the striped awning and the floating books along the ceiling, which gives the place a whimsical atmosphere.
From age-old classics to the newest children’s books, this bookshop holds all sorts of treasures. Similar to the Marylebone location, some shelves are divided by country, continuing Daunt’s emphasis on travel books. Plus, you can find histories, biographies, and other non-fiction works.
Honorable Mentions
If you want to venture further out, check out these other quaint bookshops in London.
- Hurlingham Books (Fulham): Independent bookshop open since 1968, absolutely stacked with books
- Libreria Bookshop (East End): Unique architecture, mirrored ceiling, and shelving categories like “Wanderlust” and “Enchantment”
- Foster Books (Chiswick): Tiny, delightful shop specializing in rare and hard-to-find books
- Bookmongers (Brixton): Seasoned second-hand bookshop with a resident feline named Popeye
If you were looking for some of the best bookstores in London, I hope this post has helped you discover some you may not have known about. It’s not surprising that a city so steeped in literature has a plethora of enchanting bookshops, all just waiting to be explored.
Planning to visit some quaint bookshops while you’re in London? Save this post for your future travels:
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