10-02-2025
Boston-area bookstores to visit
Boston has seen a bookstore "boomlet" in recent years, says Beth Ineson of the New England Independent Booksellers Association.
The intrigue: The region is home to bookstores that cater to nerds, romantics, cat lovers and all sorts of hobbyists who enjoy reading.
Bookstores with cafes
A Sanctuary Cafe: Seating is limited in this cat cafe that sells books, but their pastries are worth the wait.
Beacon Hill Books & Cafe: Stop in for tea time and grab a book on Beacon Hill.
Just Bookish: A bookstore in Fields Corner with a small cafe.
Protip: Order an empanada.
Lovestruck Books: A romance-themed bookstore in Harvard Square with George Howell, serving coffee, treats and wine.
Trident Booksellers & Cafe: Back Bay's 40-year-old bookstore and cafe.
The cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as booze.
Porter Square Books: The Cambridge bookstore recently expanded, moving into a larger space owned by Lesley University.
The bookstore has a coffee shop, Page & Leaf Cafe.
There's also a Porter Square Books in Boston's Seaport neighborhood, but no cafe.
Specialty bookstores
All She Wrote Books: The intersectional feminist queer bookstore in Somerville grew out of a pop-up, which first launched in 2019.
Pandemonium Books and Games: This Central Square game store sells science fiction, fantasy, horror and other books.
The store also hosts events, from beginner D&D sessions to Yu-Gi-Oh! weekly tournaments.
Read My Lips: The diverse, romance pop-up bookstore sets up shop at breweries and other public-facing spaces, from the Charles River Speedway to Lovestruck Books.
Side Quest Games & Books: What began as a pop-up is now a brick-and-mortar in Bow Market that sells indie games and a range of fantasy and sci fi books.
Side Quest often hosts role-playing game events and book clubs.
Other brick-and-mortars
Brattle Book Shop: This Boston bookstore celebrates 200 years in 2025.
Brattle carries used books, rare books, maps, prints, postcards and other items.
Brookline Booksmith: Coolidge Corner's beloved independent bookstore.
The bookstore has a used books collection and a section for gifts and accessories (great for holiday shopping).
Bryn Mawr Bookstore: Cambridge's nonprofit bookstore has been around since 1971 and carries more than 30,000 books.
Commonwealth Books: This Downtown Crossing spot carries books on arts, history, architecture, philosophy and other subjects, as well as antique prints and maps.
The COOP: This cooperative bookstore serves the Harvard and MIT communities but is open to all.
Locals also stop in to use their bathrooms.
East End Books Boston: This Seaport shop is the sister store to the original East End Books in Provincetown.
Frugal Bookstore: The Nubian Square shop sells a range of books, from children's titles to science fiction, graphic novels and African American studies.
Harvard Book Store: The Harvard Square staple has been independently run for nearly a century.
The business planned to open a section location in Boston's Prudential Center, but they halted the expansion.
More Than Words: More Than Words, a nonprofit serving youth, sells books, clothing and gifts in its South End store.
More Than Words opened a shop in Central Square recently, taking over the space once owned by Boomerangs.
Over The Tunnel Books: Consider this more of a book nook than a store, but the basement bookstore below EBO & Co. Grocery has seats to peruse their collection.
Papercuts Bookstore: This Jamaica Plain bookstore carries various genres of books and hosts author events.
Parkside Bookshop: This South End bookstore also hosts book clubs, date nights and food pop-ups.
Rodney's Bookstore: Rodney's is a beloved Harvard Square bookstore that sells used books and prints.
Rozzie Bound: This Roslindale cooperative bookstore has a small, but diverse collection of books in terms of subject matter, race and gender.
Customers often order books to have shipped directly to Rozzie Bound.
