Sydney bookstores continue to top my list as a place I can return to again and again, always finding something different, rarely leaving empty-handed. Exploring new bookstores in Sydney is fascinating and my kids seem to enjoy the adventure as much as I do. But what are the best book shops in Sydney? Where are the best children’s bookshops?
Sydney is blessed to have a plethora of bookstores to choose from across the city. E-book commerce is yet to see them completely disappear. Thankfully, independent book stores in Sydney are rising.
The small independent Sydney bookshops are the ones you need to seek out. They each have their own personality and the people behind the scenes usually spend hours curating fabulous literary finds as well. The best bookstores in Sydney also offer online shopping so you can get the books you love delivered straight to your door when you’re unable to get out and about.
But where should you go? I have so many favourites I thought it would be fun to bring them all together in a Book Stores in Sydney roundup.
Sydney Bookshops to Explore With Kids
Table of Contents
Sydney Bookshops to Explore
Better Read Than Dead
For over two decades Better Read Than Dead has been one of the most popular indy Sydney bookstores. It’s a bookshop that has not only curated an amazing selection of books across a wide range of genres but created a space for regular author and community events.
Without fail, whenever we head to Newtown we make a pit stop at Better Read Than Dead to buy a book. It is one of our favourite Sydney bookshops.
When you walk through the doors into the store be prepared to be bombarded with the beautiful aroma of new books. It has become our favourite Sydney bookshop.
There is a dedicated childrens books space that includes a wide range of picture books, young adult books, chapter books and information books.
- Address: 265 King Street, Newtown
- Opening times: Monday to Friday 9.30am – 8.00pm | Saturday 10.00am – 8.00pm | Sunday: 11.00am – 6.00pm
- Website: www.betterread.com.au
Harry Hartog Bookseller
Harry Hartog bookshops have been springing up around Sydney and I just love the feel of the store. Chesterfield lounges, dark wooden book shelves, and luxury rugs provide the perfect ambience to find a new book and perhaps sit and read it for a while.
Kids will delight in this independent bookstore with its extensive range of books for kids.
- Address: 5036/500 Oxford St, Bondi Junction | Macquarie Shopping Centre Herring Road &, Waterloo Rd, North Ryde | Kingsway, Miranda NSW | 20 Smidmore St, Marrickville | Narellan Town Center, Narellan | Shop 1246, Condamine St, Brookvale
- Opening times: various depending on store
- Website: www.harryhartog.com.au
Bookoccino
Originally founded in 1992 with the promise to be more than just a bookshop, Bookoccino has held true to that promise and has created a literary community that embraces the love of books.
Guests to the store can find the perfect book to take home whilst enjoying a coffee or a glass of the carefully selected range of wines whilst listening to one of the musicians who perform on the weekends.
- Address: 66 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon Beach NSW 2107
- Opening times: Monday-Thursday, Saturday – 8.00am – 5.00pm | Friday 8.00am – 9pm | Sunday 9.00 – 5.00 pm
- Website: www.bookoccino.com.au/
Blues Point Bookshop
Opening in 1996, Blues Point Bookshop has become one of the best-loved book stores in Sydney with a lovingly curated selection of books for all ages.
This Sydney book shop is housed within a traditional old Sydney terrace in the middle of McMahons Point village. It has become its own little literary hub and is a sweet place to discover your next book to read
- Address: 131 Blues Point Rd, McMahons Point NSW 2060
- Opening times: Monday and Saturday 10.00 am – 4.00 pm | Tuesday – Friday 10.00 am – 5.00 pm | Sunday 11.00 am – 3.00 pm
- Website: www.bluespointbookshop.com/
Ariel Booksellers
Ariel Booksellers is open 7 days a week until late and specialises in architecture, art, design, fashion, interiors and photography books. This doesn’t mean you won’t find something fabulous to look at with kids. Who says they need to stay within the confines of the Kids section? This book shop is positively quirky, but it’s fun. You’ll love it.
- Address: 326 Oxford St, Paddington NSW 2021
- Opening times: Opening at 9:00am tomorrow
- Website: ariel-booksellers.business.site
Gleebooks
Gleebooks has been a literary institution in Glebe for almost half a century. Just like our Newtown tradition, when we’re in Glebe it is tradition for our family to visit Gleebooks to source a new book.
This store has a comprehensive children’s department and the staff know their stuff. If you can’t settle on a new find, ask them for a hand. Their recommendations are typically spot on.
- Address: 49 Glebe Point Road, Glebe | 536 Marrickville Rd Dulwich Hill NSW 2203
- Opening times: Monday 9.00am – 5.00pm | Tuesday to Saturday 9.00am – 6.00pm | Sunday 10.00am – 5.00pm
- Website: www.gleebooks.com.au
Kinokuniya
Both Sunshine and Striker love visiting Kinokuniya in Sydney CBD. Whilst Kinokuniya is a Japanese chain store, it is impressive and needs to be on our list. Every genre is catered for and more, this is not just a bookshop!
The children’s section is massive and there are little nooks throughout the place where you can sit and read a little before making your selection.
I was pretty impressed to find Astroboy amongst the other Manga titles (T would say “hysterical with excitement’). And the travel section really IS a section, not one or two measly rows.
- Address: The Galeries, George Street (opposite QVB)
- Opening times: Monday to Wednesday 10.00am – 7.00pm | Thursday 10.00am – 9.00pm | Friday to Saturday 10.00am – 7.00pm | Sunday 11.00am – 6.00pm
- Website: kinokuniya.com.au
Berkelouw Books
The Berkelouw family have been trading in books for six generations so you could say they’re pretty passionate about books. Their Leichhardt store was the first bookshop I visited when I first moved to Sydney and I have been visiting ever since.
With over 2 million books on their shelves, Berkelouw Books can easily boast to being Australia’s largest rare and antiquarian, secondhand, and new bookseller.
- Address: Various locations across Sydney: 19 Oxford Street, Paddington | 70 Norton St, Leichhardt NSW 2040 | 708 New South Head Rd, Rose Bay NSW 2029 | 24/215 Condamine St, Balgowlah NSW 2093
- Opening times: various depending on bookstore
- Website: www.berkelouw.com.au
Beachside Bookshop
Beachside Bookshop is pitched at teens and young adults, with a huge selection of books and a librarian’s knowledge of what books this age group might like.
This book store also offers a clever edit of popular new releases for all readers – teens, kids, babies and adults alike. Best of all, the store showcases homegrown talent, promoting rising stars in Oz YA, and stocking international favourites.
- Address: 11-13 Avalon Parade, Avalon Beach , NSW 2107
- Opening times: Monday to Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm | Saturday 9.30am – 2.00pm | Sunday 11.00am – 2.00pm
- Website: beachsidebookshop.com
Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore
Boasting over 25,000 books on the shelves, Gertrude & Alice is the place in Sydney where you can go to read and eat.
I like to think of Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore as the Sydney book shop where bohemia meets the sea, but it is a lot quirkier than that, with folk and jazz music playing in the background and an eclectic mix of new and old. Go for a coffee!
This is one book store in Sydney you’ll want to head to first when we can sit and eat out again!
Gertrude and Alice is also open from 6.00 am each day making it a Sydney bookstore that you can visit as soon as you wake up!
- Address: 46 Hall Street, Bondi Beach, Sydney.
- Opening times: Open 6.00 am – 6.00pm daily.
- Website: www.gertrudeandalice.com.au/
Goulds Book Arcade
Established back in 1967, Gould’s Book Arcade is Australia’s largest second hand book retailer. Visit without any expectation other than to catch a good book.
While I already have a favourite second hand book store that I’ve visited since childhood over in Daylesford, Goulds Book Arcade is fast catching up. This is the place where you can expect the unexpected!
Goulds Book Arcade looks teeny tiny, but walk through the doors and you’ll discover a treasure trove of used, remaindered, out-of-print and rare books in seemingly never-ending bookshelves.
- Address: 536 King St, Newtown NSW 2042
- Opening times: 10:30am – 6.00pm 6 days per week | Closed on Tuesdays
- Website: gouldsbooks.com/
Abbey’s Bookshop
Founded by Eve & Ron Abbey back in 1968, Abbey’s Bookshop is an Aladdin’s Cave of delights and boasts the ever-amazing Galaxy Bookshop upstairs with a plethora of fantasy and science fiction books. Seems like the QVB is surrounded by bookstores!
Abbey’s Bookshop is open every day of the year. It is one of the original Sydney bookstores and one you need to add to your list.
- Address: 131 York St, Sydney
- Opening times: Monday – Wednesday, Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm | Thursday 9.00 am – 6.00 pm | Saturday – Sunday 10.00 am – 5.00 pm | Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day and Good Friday
- Website: www.abbeys.com.au/
The Children’s Bookshop
Established way back in 1971, The Children’s Bookshop is New South Wales oldest specialist children’s bookshop. Educator Paul Macdonald is at the helm offering specialist advice around finding the right book for the young reader.
I love that it’s an entire bookshop brimming with picture books, poetry, classics, information books and contemporary fiction suitable for the wide range of age groups and interests of all children. Awesome, right?
- Address: Shop 12/177-219 Mitchell Rd, Erskineville NSW 2043
- Opening times: Monday to Friday 8.30 am – 4.00 pm | Closed weekends and public holidays
- Website: www.thechildrensbookshop.com.au/
Hordern House Rare Books
Since 1985 Hordern House has been a centre for antiquarian material in all forms, especially dealing with voyages and travels, discovery and exploration, as well as Australiana, and classic fields of rare book collecting.
Hordern House is amazing but not a place to bring young children with some of the books reaching over 6 figures!
- Address: Level 2/255 Riley St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
- Opening times: by appointment
- Website: www.hordern.com/
Constant Reader
Opening back in May 1979, Constant Reader is one of the oldest independent bookshops in Sydney and offers a village-style bookstore experience in the Lower North Shore.
Constant Reader offers a visiting author talk program hosting some of the world’s most exciting writers and thinkers to discuss their latest books.
- Address: 27 Willoughby Rd, Crows Nest NSW 2065
- Opening times: Monday to Friday 9.00am – 6.00pm | Saturday 9.00am – 5.00pm | Sunday 10.00am – 5.00pm
- Website: constantreader.com.au
The Best Little Bookshop in Town
Don’t let the name confuse you, The Best Little Bookshop in Town isn’t just a Sydney bookshop. Whilst the shelves are brimming with books, this Sydney bookstore also doubles as a gallery to showcase local artists. It is also home a weekly kids storytime, a book club and more!
- Address: 97 Cronulla St, Cronulla NSW 2230
- Opening times: Friday to Wednesday 9.00 am – 6.30 pm | Thursday 8.00am – 7.00pm
- Website: www.bestlittlebookshopintown.com
Oscar and Friends
Welcoming and proudly independent, Oscar & Friends Booksellers offers a finely curated selection of books and cards in Surry Hills. This bookstore hosts a monthly Book Club on the first Monday of the month.
- Address: Shop 35/277 Crown St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
- Opening times: Open 7 days a week | Monday to Saturday 10.00am – 6.00pm | Sunday 10.00am – 5.00pm
- Website: www.oscarandfriends.com.au
Potts Point Bookshop
Potts Point Bookshop is a special place. Owner and manager Anna Low is a former Miles Franklin judge and previously served on the board of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and the ABA Kids’ Reading Guide panel. Together with her team, they have over 50 years of bookselling experience and can help you find the perfect book!
This Sydney bookshop has curated a surprisingly large selection of children’s books from board books for babies to teenage fiction and everything in between.
- Address: 14 Macleay St, Elizabeth Bay NSW 2011
- Opening times: Monday to Friday 9.00 am – 6.00 pm | Saturday 9.00 am – 6.00pm | Sunday 10.00am – 5.00pm | Public Holidays 10.00am – 4.00pm
- Website: www.pottspointbookshop.com.au
Love Vintage Books
There’s something special about a second-hand bookshop, and Love Vintage Books knows how to do it just right. Love Vintage Books also sells secondhand, rare and out-of-print books in these areas: transport, military, history, travel, art and architecture, Australiana and modern and nostalgic literature.
Love Vintage Books also has a vast collection of rare children’s books and juvenile literature, antique postcards, maps, magazines and rare publications.
- Address: 563 Willoughby Rd, Willoughby NSW 2068
- Opening times: Monday to Saturday 1000am – 4.00pm | Closed Sunday
- Website: lovevintagebooks.com.au
Beautiful Pages
Beautiful Pages is an online design store specialising in art and design books, magazines, posters and gifts.
- Address: 114 Oxford St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
- Website: www.beautifulpages.com.au
Ampersand Cafe & Bookstore
Ampersand Cafe & Bookstore has 30,000 books spread over three floors. Simply take one off the shelf and peruse it while you enjoy their coffee and fare.
- Address: 78 Oxford St, Paddington NSW 2021
- Opening times: Monday to Friday 7.00am – 4.00pm | Saturday and Sunday 8.00am – 4.00pm.
- Website: www.ampersandcafe.com.au
The Bookshop Darlinghurst
For almost forty years The Bookshop Darlinghurst has been the most comprehensive source of books, magazines, calendars and DVDs for Sydney and Australia’s LGBTI communities.
- Address: 207 Oxford St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
- Opening times: Monday to Wednesday 9.30am – 6.00pm | Thursday and Friday 9.30am – 7pm | Saturday 10.00am – 6.00pm | Sunday 11.00am – 4.00pm
- Website: www.thebookshop.com.au
Desire Books and Records
First opening in 2002, Desire Books and Records is a family bookstore here in Sydney stocking a wide range of books and records.
- Address: 3/3 Whistler St, Manly NSW 2095
- Opening times: Wednesday to Sunday 10.00am – 5.00pm | Closed Monday and Tuesday
- Website: www.desirebooks.com.au
TITLE Music Film Books
With two stores in Sydney, TITLE Music Film Books is one of Sydney’s leading independent music, film and book stores. TITLE Music Film Books is not about what’s new, but what is good!
For owner, writer, and musician Steve Kulak, TITLE Music Film Books curates carefully curated selected classic, obscure, out-of-print and hard-to-find titles. Step into the TITLE Music Film Books world for an enriching cultural experience like no other.
Psst…TITLE Music Film Books is being listed on the 150 Bookshops you should visit before you die!
- Address: 400 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000
- Website: titlemusicfilmbooks.com
Sappho Books, Cafe and Bar
If you are anything like me you will love the idea of a Sydney bookstore that is also BOTH a cafe and a bar!
Sappho Books, Cafe and Bar boast over 30,000 titles available over our three floors in a huge range of categories – art, literature, history, politics, religion, philosophy, science and foreign language, to name a few.
Titles come and go all the time so if you don’t find exactly what you are looking for, keep coming back, it’s likely to turn up, and in the meantime, you’re bound to find something else that takes your fancy!
- Address: 51 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe NSW 2037
- Opening times: 7 days per week | 10.00am – 6.00pm
- Website: www.sapphobooks.com.au
The Burns Bay Bookery
For over 30 years a Sydney bookstore has been on this site. Now called The Burns Bay Bookery, this incredible indy bookshop has been curating a delightful selection of books for their shelves under the watchful eye of Karen Thompson and Beatle Wallace.
Whilst your best experience of the Bookery will be had in-store, you can shop on their online store. Make sure you pop into feast upon their shelves full to bursting with classics, new releases and everything in between.
- Address: 50-54 Burns Bay Rd, Lane Cove NSW 2066
- Opening times: Monday – Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm | Saturday 9.00am – 4.00pm | Sunday 10.00am – 2.00pm | Closed Public Holidays
- Website: www.burnsbaybookery.com.au
Unsure what book to read next? Head to our 100 Australian Books To Read Before High School list and start reading
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Hi – great round up of the bookstores of Sydney. For a minute I thought you had forgotten The Children’s Bookstore in Beecroft! Shock!
In addition to your list (If you haven’t been) I recommend Oscar and Friends in Double Bay, and Bloomin Books in Caringbah.
Oscar and Friends always stocks books I haven’t noticed elsewhere- I like how they display their stock.
Bloomin Books is a children’s book store. When we lived near there they had the most delightful reading mornings for toddlers and preschoolers. They’re particularly good at knowing their catalogue – say you want a book for a child that had a character with a particular name, or a particular themed book. They will know which one is right. Amazing service.
Update: Pages and Pages no longer has a specialised children’s bookshop.
Thank you! That’s sad
As a teacher librarian I also highly recommend Blooming Books and Gleebooks. Also a new book shop focusing on Young Adult and children’s titles is Beachside Bookshop in Avalon. They host regular author events and have well read staff in this small new and bright store.
Thank you! Great recommendations Margot
Many bookshops have now closed – Pages and Pages; The Children’s Bookshop in Beecroft; Bloomim Books in Caringbah to name a few. Sad for the book industry.