Everytime I visit a new city, I always locate three things — an art museum, a coffee shop, and an independent bookstore. Visiting and supporting bookstores all over the US and the world is a passion of mine, and over the last eight years living in NYC, I’ve become pretty familiar with the bookshop offerings across the city. But here’s the thing — there are a lot of them.
So, whether you’re hardcore book nerd, just enjoy exploring new neighborhoods, or trying better know your own, here are six essential bookshop crawls (complete with restaurant recs to start and end) to get you going.
The Westside
Fuel Up: Drop by Irving Farm on 79th and Broadway for some of the best coffee in the city. In addition to a wide selection of indulgent pastries, Irving Farm serves delectable sandwiches that will power your trek uptown.
Westsider Books & Records
2246 Broadway, Manhattan, NY — westsiderbooks.com
Used book haven that is reasonably well stocked with everything from fiction to classics, the perfect place to discover something new and unexpected among the towering shelves and poky stacks.
Bank Street Books
2780 Broadway, Manhattan, NY — bankstreetbooks.com
Probably the best children’s bookshop in the city (controversial opinion, I know) and an Upper West Side staple, this quant, uplifting spot is the perfect place to browse children’s and middle grade classics and new releases alike.
Book Culture 112th
536 W 112th St, Manhattan, NY — bookculture.com
As anyone in the neighborhood will tell you, this is the “original” Book Culture, boasting two floors and everything from this week’s latest release to random, out of print academic finds. Die hard fans can also rejigger this route to include the other Manhattan Book Culture locations on 81st and 114th streets.
Word Up Books
2113 Amsterdam Ave, Manhattan, NY — wordupbooks.wordpress.com
Small but mighty, Word Up is part bi-lingual bookstore, community gather space, and arts space. Washington Heights is (in my humble opinion) the most interesting neighborhood in Manhattan (and possibly in all of New York), so worth checking out no matter where you hail from.
Unwind: Review the day’s spoils and adventures over burgers and beers at Harlem Public on 149th and Broadway. If you decided to walk the entire Westside Crawl, a) I’m very impressed and b) this is a perfect spot to reenergize with indulgent food and drink.
The Eastside
Fuel Up: Start your crawl at Little Collins on 55th and Lexington. This tiny Australian cafe is a bright spot in the dead zone of culinary charm that is Midtown East.
Argosy
116 East 59th Street, Manhattan, NY — argosybooks.com
As New York’s “oldest independent bookshop,” Argosy is a fitting place to start an Eastside bookshop crawl. Filled with mohogany shelves of leather-bound tomes, peeling paperbacks, and antique maps, Argosy is the private library of the aristocratic great-uncle you never had.
Shakespeare & Co
939 Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, NY — shakeandco.com
Technically this is the Hunter College bookshop, but it’s also got an especially well-stocked fiction section, a stellar cafe, and hidden nooks with extra seating.
Albertine
972 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, NY — albertine.com
Whether or not you can read French, Albertine is worth a visit because a) they do sell books in English b) it’s housed in a dope, Fifth Avenue mansion 😍 c) it’s technically a “project” of the French Embassy, meaning that it has a robust events program and is an+A spot for people watching (especially of the intellectual-euro-chic variety).
The Corner Bookshop
1313 Madison Avenue, Manhattan, NY — cornerbookstorenyc.com
A one-room local spot that packs a punch. Aside from being well stocked with new releases and fiction and nonfiction classics, it has a cozy, family feel. I always have the sense that all the other patrons are regulars, which makes me feel like a bit of a usurper, but mostly just warms my heart.
Unwind: Grab a well-worn booth at Earl’s Beer and Cheese on 97th and Park and discuss the day’s finds over a rotating selection of craft beers and sandwiches.
The Chelsea/Village North
Fuel Up: Grab lunch or brunch at Cookshop NYC on 20th and 10th — generous portions of new American, and staff who are insanely friendly even at the height of brunch craziness.
192 Books
92 Tenth Avenue, Manhattan, NY–192books.com
This shop gets bonus points for clever signage and overall literature-nerd aesthetic. Selection is pretty standard, but let’s be real, bookshop crawls are as much about experiencing the vibe, design, and character of store as they are about finding books.
Posman Books
75 9th Avenue, Manhattan, NY — posmanbooks.com
While smack in the middle of Chelsea Market (a short walk down the highline from 192 Books), Posman Book actually has awesome selection of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. And, while it can get a little over-crowded with tourists especially on weekends, I’m a New Yorker who is overall pro-Chelsea Market and pro-this book shop.
The Strand
828 Broadway, Manhattan, NY — strandbooks.com
The Strand needs no introduction, so I won’t give it one. What I will say is that the Strand is the best place in NY to go if you’re looking for a specific title or author. The selection is pretty astounding. (FYI if you’re more in mood to discover something new, my favorite is probably McNally Jackson, more on that below)
Mast Books
66 Avenue A, Manhattan, NY — mastbooks.com
I’m as much a fan of craggy, creaky used bookstores as the next girl, but there’s something about the thoughtful organization and curation of Mast Books that makes my inner organization nerd tingle. This is a good spot to discover something new and bizarre or track down something obsurdly specific.
Unwind: Settle in for seasonal cocktails and bites at The Wayland on 9th and Avenue C. Depending on what night you go, you might be treated to live jazz. Oh — and be sure order the fingerling potatoes 👌🏽
The Village South/SOHO
Fuel Up: Prepare your body for book browsing with a Croque and Cafe Au Lait from Buvette.
Three Lives & Co
154 W 10th St, Manhattan, NY — threelives.com
Not going to lie, I am a little obsessed with this one. Warm, worn, and wee bit cluttered — when I picture a local, independent bookshop in my mind, I basically picture Three Lives.
Bookbook
266 Bleecker St, Manhattan, NY — bookbooknyc.com
I often find myself in Bookbook killing time before dinner or drinks, and it’s a temptation every time. Best for general fiction and non-fiction, this is place is most enticing because of the prices. I can usually find 5–10 books off my to-read list in mint condition that are sub-$11.
Taschen
107 Greene St, Manhattan, NY — taschen.com
While the phrase “book boutique” may cause some eye rolls, and this one is perhap a bit less “independent” than the rest, I personally enjoy browsing the tables of high-gloss coffee table and art books, and imagining an alternative universe in which I could spent $75 on a single book.
HousingWorks Bookstore
126 Crosby St, Manhattan, NY –housingworks.org
Well-appointed selection of used books culled from the collections of New York’s elite? Check. Proceeds go to a reputable HIV/AIDS organization? Check. Spiral staircases? Check.
McNally Jackson
52 Prince St, Manhattan, NY — mcnallyjackson.com
McNally Jackson is undoubtedly one of the best bookstore in all of NYC. Containing the best of both the mainstream and indie worlds, you can find everything from hottest new best sellers to self-published zines. Plus, the fiction is organized by geographical region, giving a unique discovery experience. And — in case you needed any more reasons to go — they have a hefty selection of poetry and a cheerful cafe.
Bluestockings Radical Books
172 Allen St, Manhattan, NY–bluestockings.com
This “activist” bookstore in the Lower East Side is an awesome spot to buy and discover own voices works from across LGBTQ+, PoC, feminist lit, and more. The shop is organized by topics like “gender,” “anarchy,” and “post-colonial fiction,” which makes for a unique browsing experience.
Unwind: You’ve crawled yourself to Little Italy, so you might as well stop at the only Italian restaurant in the neighborhood worth going to: Rubirosa. Only two more words need be uttered: Vodka Pizza.
Downtown Brooklyn/Park Slope
Terrace Books
242 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, NY — communitybookstore.net/terrace-books
I know — Windsor Terrace is a hike. But this charming, railroad-style shop has a good mix of new and used books in cozy atmosphere. I usually make a trip to Terrace Books a double feature with trip to Argyle Yarn Shop (favorite yarn shops in NYC is a whole other post 👵🏼) then follow it up with a stroll through Prospect Park.
Community Bookstore
143 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn, NY — communitybookstore.net
This place has a cat and a little garden out back. If you’re not about that, you don’t deserve my recommendations.
Fuel Up: Vietnamese sandwiches are where it’s at. Grab a Banh Mi (extra chili sauce, please!) at Bahnmigos and locate a shady spot in Prospect Park.
Books Are Magic
225 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY — booksaremagic.net
From an architectural and interior design perspective alone, this Park Slope spot is a winner. As a bonus, they have some of the friendliest staff of any shop on this list — staff recommendations per square foot are v. high and v. appreciated.
Berl’s Poetry
141 Front Street, Brooklyn, NY–berlspoetry.com
Part book and zine shop, part event space, stop by Berl’s to unleash your inner avant garde and discover up-and-coming and established poets from Brooklyn and beyond.
Greenlight Books
686 Fulton Street–greenlightbookstore.com
This is definitely a bookshop for people who are cooler than me, but I like it none the less. Aside from a great selection of books, this place boasts awesome events and thoughtful staff recs — and is another one that gets brownie points for sidewalk signage creativity.
Unwind: Take your pick of over 40 vendors selling everything from Pizza to Pierogis at DeKalb Market. Then, stock up on budget candy at Trader Joes and head upstairs to catch a beer and a movie at Alamo Drafthouse.
Happy crawling!
