The Definitive Guide to Edinburgh’s Most Enchanting Bookstores

During the Middle Ages, Edinburgh was a center of commerce and a hive of intellectual activity. Its markets were awash with high-quality woolen garments, cereal crops, and leather goods. But its streets were also populated by wandering friars who offered lay and ecclesiastical service to the local community. Their presence helped establish the city as a hub of learning. By the 19th century, Edinburgh sported a world-class university, a robust banking and finance sector, and enjoyed a near-unrivaled position as one of the preeminent centers of printing in Europe.

The historic and stunning city had become a city of books with a concentration of shops dedicated to the craft, making it the envy of most other major U.K. cities. Many of the oldest stores cluster around what is even today known as the Book Quarter in the West Port area of the town. As the capital expanded, establishments catering to students and bibliophiles set up shop across the length and breadth of the city. Here are some of the best.

In 1957, Major John McNaughtan retired from the military and, along with his wife Marjorie, purchased a basement-level space at 3a Haddington Place in Edinburgh’s fashionable New Town district. The establishment was filled with refrigeration equipment when the couple moved in, and its conversion to a bookshop was — by all accounts — a tumultuous affair. Still, despite shelves and equipment cobbled from local auctions, the shop quickly became one of the best places to buy and sell books in the city.

Part of the charm of the store stems from its stunning frontage. The building — designed as a tenement in 1925 by Robert Brown — is listed as Grade A today and retains all of its 19th-century charm. Black-railed steps lead down to an oak-paneled shop window that would not look out of place in a Dicken’s novel. Inside, the fittings are equally grandiose, with wall-to-ceiling shelves flanked by glass cabinets that house rarer tomes that form part of the shop’s extensive inventory.

McNaughtan’s caters to a wide range of tastes. You’ll find children’s literature dating back decades alongside a wealth of classics; art history is also well-catered for, as are languages, philosophy, science, and travel. Recent acquisitions are posted on the shop’s website every month and generally come with extensive research into the book’s origins. The bookshop has changed ownership twice since its inception but has kept the charm and reputation of its past without making any compromises. Sadly, the fact that it is a listed building and located in a basement means it is not wheelchair accessible.

One of the reasons Edinburgh is considered a must-visit city for book lovers is because almost all parts of the sprawling metropolis are well-served by a multitude of independent bookshops. Stockbridge is an affluent suburb just a short walk north of the historic Old Town. Its cobbled streets and mix of elegant Georgian and spacious Victorian townhouses make it popular with young professionals. Upmarket delicatessen, gastropubs, and cafés abound, as do independent retail stores and boutique fashion outlets. The whole area is filled with a wealth of green spaces and blessed with a weekly Sunday market. It is hands down one of the best places to shop in Edinburgh. And, of course, it has a superb bookshop.

Golden Hare Books lies on Stockbridge’s southern edge on a bustling street filled with eateries and independent retail stores. It opened in 2012 and, as with many retailers in this part of the city, the store is small yet somehow manages to punch well above its weight. It stocks over 2,000 titles covering a broad spectrum of genres, including travel, fiction, children’s literature, and everything in between. Typical of the area’s bohemian, village-like feel, the bookshop is also a hub of community activity. It runs weekly events and workshops, inviting authors to discuss their latest works. In 2020, Golden Hare launched an online store that offers a subscription to a carefully curated selection of hand-picked books delivered directly to your door.

Sandwiched between Edinburgh Castle and Edinburgh University lies the street known as West Port. Its stunning castle views make it home to more than a few upmarket studio-flat developments and apartment hotels. However, cafés, bars, and the occasional independent retail spaces abound. Armchair Books is one such store. Self-described as a place of alphabetical chaos, it is a microcosm of overburdened bookshelves, wall-to-wall manuscripts, and towering columns of paperbacks that reek of antiquity. Armchair Books is a second-hand bookshop very much in the vein of stores of old. It is family-run, delightfully quirky, and offers a vast array of rare and hard-to-find titles.

There is no space for book signings within its cramped interior and few opportunities to sit down and peruse a potential purchase. The store is a far cry from the point-of-sale displays and broad avenues designed for ease of browsing. Still, what it lacks in modern amenities is more than made up for by the opportunity to find something unique or long-sort after. Eye-catching titles lurk around every corner, and the prospect of spending a whole afternoon browsing is reminiscent of simpler times and nostalgia for a slower pace of life that is all too rare in the modern age.

Just east of New Town lies Calton Hill, one of the best spots in the city to take in Edinburgh’s stunning skyline. From here, you can easily make out the low, dark profile of the castle to the west and the heather-strewn plains of Holyrood Park. If you squint north, the curved frontage and steel grey columns of Topping and Company Booksellers of Edinburgh come into view.

The bookshop is located on the corner of Blenheim Place, just a short walk from McNaughton’s, but offers a different experience to the latter’s philosophy and organized chaos. To start with, Topping and Company, although independent, is part of a chain of stores. You’ll also find it in Ely, St Andrew, and Bath, one of the best cities for a day trip from London. Second, the store adopts a more modern approach to browsing its extensive catalog of books. There are tables filled with point-of-sale promotions and chairs to flop into while you check out a potential purchase. Additionally, and somewhat unique for this list, it has enough space for movement without paying attention to your elbows.

Still, its status as an independent chain keeps any thought of corporate uniformity at bay. Customers can, for example, sit for coffee with a staff member for an in-depth consultation — although you might have to make an appointment to do so. There is also a subscription service that offers signed copies of books of specific genres, such as the Detective Fiction, Queer Literature, and Science Fiction and Fantasy Clubs. As if this isn’t enough to tempt bibliophiles, it also stocks rare and collectible editions of some truly fantastic titles, many of which have been signed by their respective authors.

Bruntsfield is yet another fashionable suburb of Edinburgh known for its tempting cafés, independent fashion outlets, thrift stores, and designer boutiques. Centered around the sprawling park of the same name, it’s a popular picnicking hub as well as something of a weekend brunch hotspot. Its proximity to the town center makes it an in-demand place to book accommodation. The area is littered with hotels, guest houses, and short-term rentals.

The Edinburgh Bookshop occupies a prominent corner of a bustling intersection surrounded by the absolute best that the suburb has to offer. It is staffed with genuine book enthusiasts who are always willing to offer advice and guidance. The bookshop teems with events — book signings, product launches, and readings for children occur weekly. There are book clubs to join, ranging from Adult fiction to Romance. You will also find a section focused on signed copies of hard-to-find texts. The outlet is open seven days a week — although it doesn’t begin operations until 11 a.m. on Sundays. It also features an online shop for those who prefer their books to arrive pre-wrapped.

Typewronger Books began life in 2017 as a pop-up store operating out of an old Police Box — yes, like that of “Doctor Who” — and within two weeks, had an account with the U.K.’s leading wholesaler. It was very much a shoestring affair. Each book sold came with a handcrafted linocut stamp to remind people where they bought it, and the wrapping service consisted of brown paper and string. As an added treat, each customer received an origami animal, which the owner — known simply as Tee — folded at home in his spare time.

Tee was working more than one job during the brand’s early days, including time spent selling books at McNaughtan’s, which consisted of two addresses, 3a and 4a. The latter had been used for a variety of purposes over the years, most recently as an art gallery space. When the owners learned that Tee was looking for a permanent location for his burgeoning retail business, a deal was struck. While McNaughton’s continued its tradition of selling old books, Typewronger focused on new titles. Overnight, two of the most beloved bookshops in Edinburgh began operating side by side.

The shop remains a not-for-profit enterprise to this day and is as much a meeting place for those interested in the creative and literary life of the city as it is a place to find great books. There are regular poetry recitals and numerous book clubs to join. The bookshop even hosts an open mike night where people are encouraged to share their work. But it’s also a wonderful place to discover new literary gems. It sells multiple genres with a focus on indie publications and short-run self-published titles, many of which are printed in-house.

The region of Edinburgh known as Greyfriars Kirkyard is a familiar place to anyone who has ever taken a Harry Potter tour across the city. To its south sits a cluster of buildings ringed by a stretch of road known simply as Cowgate and Victoria Street. John Kay’s is situated on the latter and is one of those charming Edinburgh stores that invites customers in by virtue of its intrinsic beauty.

Customers are greeted by a stunning pea-green frontage of arched windows and delicately stenciled glass advertising the bookshop as a repository of interesting postcards, prints of Scottish artwork, and mementos. John Kay’s stocks a huge variety of unique works and antiquarian delights. The shop’s stamp — an etching of Castle Rock with the words “Edinburgh built on Books” written across its base, gives clues to the focus of the inventory within.

John Kay’s is a celebration of Scottish literary history. Its careful curation and attention to detail make it the place to go if you are looking for something with an authentic Edinburgh skew. As such, locals and tourists flock there in search of that special something. Book clubs are held once a month, at 6:30 p.m., and involve guest speakers and book signings. Space is limited, and the actual date of the event changes from month to month, so calling ahead to secure a place is recommended.

Set some miles east from the busy commuting hubs of Old and New Town lies Portobello, Edinburgh’s seaside community. There are 2 miles of surprisingly pristine sandy beaches to walk along, and during periods of fine weather — which occur from time to time — crowds gather to swim in the ocean, kayak, and soak in the sun. The promenade is a place of Bed & Breakfast guesthouses, charming bistros, and the occasional ice cream parlor. Then, a little back from the shore itself lies Portobello Books. The bookshop has a colorful history. A fishing tackle shop for over 30 years and a co-operative before that, the whole place was renovated in 2019 to create a warm and modern space for prospective customers.

As with many other stores on this list, Portobello set itself up to be a hub of community activity. Its events schedule is packed with guest speakers, book signings, workshops, and group meetings. As expected, its annual book drive is already becoming a fixture of the Christmas calendar. Staff replenish the stock often since it’s a busy shop; you’ll find a whole gamut of fiction and non-fiction titles. It also offers a selection of special editions, which mainly consist of signed copies of recently published works alongside the odd first-edition treasures. Throw in an assortment of board games, stationery, and some rather snazzy merchandise, and it becomes easy to see why Portobello so quickly established itself as one of the best bookshops in the city.

Every list should contain at least one maverick outlier, a point of interest that sticks out from the crowd in ways that surprise and delight. Located just a short distance from this list’s alum, McNaughton’s, Elvis Shakespeare has been around since 2005. It offers a dual role as a purveyor of second-hand books and a repository of vinyl records. Hence the name.

There’s a definite punk aesthetic to the place and a focus on indie music and books. Of the latter, it has almost 8,000 titles in stock, ranging from fiction to non-fiction, drama, and poetry, and the store is always looking to buy new stock. For those unable to take a trip to its physical location, there is also an online store, and its website details any new, interesting additions to its collection in real-time. The retailer is open six days a week in winter and extends that to a full seven upon the arrival of warmer weather, which in Edinburgh is in May.