The Best Bookshops in Bristol: A Complete Guide

Bristol has one of the best independent bookshop scenes in the UK, and I don’t say that lightly.

Between second-hand treasure troves, tiny market stalls, and shops built around a single specific niche, it feels as though there’s a completely unique bookshop around almost every corner.

On my recent trip to Bristol, I dedicated a large portion of my time to visiting the best bookshops in Bristol. I asked friends living in Bristol for their recommendations, pored over Reddit forums, and spent an ungodly amount of time on Google Maps saving Bristol’s bookshops to my starred list, and although I didn’t get to visit all of the bookshops in Bristol, I certainly gave it a good shot.

The Best Bookshops in Bristol: A Complete Guide

In this post, I’m going to take you through the best bookshops in Bristol, from shops that specialise in rare and antiquarian books, to radically political bookshops, and even a bookshop dedicated to all things witchy and whimsical.

Whatever kind of reader you are, I promise there’ll be something on this list for you. So, are you ready? Then let’s get into it.

Best Bristol Bookshops at a Glance

If you’re short on time, or just want the TLDR, here are the best bookshops in Bristol at a glance.

You can find more information about each bookshop, including the addresses and opening times, further down in the article.

• Second Page
• Beware of the Leopard Books
• The Last Bookshop
• Shambles Bookshop
• The Haunted Bookshop
• Gloucester Road Books
• Arnolfini Bookshop
• Bookhaus

8 Best Bookshops in Bristol

1. Second Page

Tucked away on the top floor of The Galleries shopping centre, Second Page is Bristol’s largest independent second-hand bookshop with more than 15,000 books for sale across all genres.

Inside, there are dedicated sections for sci-fi, fantasy, horror (I loved this section!), manga, and so much more, including many rare and first editions. I found a gorgeous copy of War and Peace here, and I was pleasantly surprised by how affordable most of the books I picked up were!

It’s the kind of shop where you can easily lose an afternoon, and its size means that it doesn’t feel too crowded, even when there are quite a few people browsing. I also love that there are sofas and cosy chairs where you can get comfy and have a read.

Need to know:

• Second Page address: Top Floor, The Galleries, 25 Union Street, Broadmead, Bristol, BS1 3XE (Google Maps link).
• Opening times: Every day from 10:00am – 6:00pm (5:00pm on Sundays).
• Second Page Bristol website.

2. Gloucester Road Books

Gloucester Road is famous for having one of the longest runs of independent shops in the country, and yet it went over a decade without a dedicated bookshop until Gloucester Road Books opened in April 2021..

Owner Tom Robinson, a bookseller with over a decade of experience, built the shop around the concept of encouraging broader browsing than most people are typically used to. For example, their ‘Time and Place,’ section blends history, travel literature, geography, and reportage into one category, allowing shoppers to discover books they may never usually give a chance.

There’s also a significant focus on titles published by small independent presses, so it’s a great place to find lesser-known works.  

Need to know:

• Gloucester Road Books address: 184 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol, BS7 8NU (Google Maps link).
• Opening times: Mon-Tues 9:30am until 5:00pm, Weds-Sat 9:30am until 6:00pm. Closed on Sundays.
• Gloucester Road Books website.

3. Beware of the Leopard Books

Beware of the Leopard is Bristol’s oldest second-hand bookshop, home to a staggering 25,000 books including everything from sci-fi and crime thrillers to local history and vintage comics.

This was my first port of call when I arrived in Bristol, and it’s the kind of place where you really feel like you’re hunting for treasure.

At first glance, it doesn’t look particularly organised, but don’t let that fool you: once you’re in among the shelves, you’ll find that it’s actually very well categorised, making it really easy to find what you’re looking for.

Beware of the Leopard Books is cash only, so make sure you’ve got some on you before you visit.

Need to know:

• Beware of the Leopard Books address: St Nicholas St, Bristol BS1 1LJ (inside St Nicholas Market (Google Maps link).
• Opening times: Mon-Sat 10am until 5:00pm. Closed on Sundays.

4. Arnolfini Bookshop

The bookshop attached to Arnolfini, one of Bristol’s best contemporary art galleries on the harbourside, is a must-visit if your reading tastes lean towards art and culture.

Here you’ll find dedicated sections on art, art theory, design, film, and music, curated with the same eye as the gallery’s own exhibitions. It’s a great one to pair with a visit to the gallery itself, and there’s even an attached café/bar with outdoor seating right on the harbour if you get peckish.

Need to know:

• Arnolfini Bookshop address: Bush House, 16 Narrow Quay, House, Bristol BS1 4QA (Google Maps link).
• Opening times: Tues-Sun 11:00am until 6:00pm. Closed on Mondays.
• Arnolfini Bookshop website.

5. The Last Bookshop

The Last Bookshop was my favourite bookshop in Bristol, and for good reason – every single book in the shop costs less than £5, and they’re all brand new.

They deal in returns, remainders, and publisher samples, which is how they’re able to sell brand-new books at such low prices. There’s a great range of contemporary fiction (including many Booktok favourites), classics, political and sociological non-fiction, and so much more.

This is a great spot if you want to snag new and trending books without breaking the bank in the process.

Need to know:

• The Last Bookshop address: 60 Park St, Bristol BS1 5JN (Google Maps link).
• Opening times: Mon-Fri 9:30am until 6:30pm. Sat 10:30am until 7:00pm, Sun 10:00am until 6:00pm.

6. Shambles Bookshop

One of Bristol’s newest bookshops, Shambles opened in St Nicholas Market in May 2026, run by husband-and-wife team Anna and Laurence Tuck. It’s a tiny shop in St. Nicholas Market, but it still stocks around 800 titles, with a particular focus on Bristol-based authors and independent publishers, as well as plenty of poetry and short story collections.

The categorisation system is unique, with books being grouped into themes including ‘ ‘natural & earthy,’ ‘speculative & otherworldly,’ ‘introspective & tender,’ and ‘uplifting & hopeful’ rather than conventional genres.

Need to know:

• Shambles Bookshop address: St Nicholas Market, Unit 61, CV 82-83, Covered Market, Bristol BS1 1JQ (Google Maps link).
• Opening times: Tues-Sat 9:30am until 5:00pm. Closed on Sundays.
• Shambles Bookshop website.

7. The Haunted Bookshop

Over in Stokes Croft, The Haunted Bookshop is a female-owned independent shop specialising in witchcraft, the occult, folklore, fantasy, and horror.

It was opened in 2024 by Monika Killer, and it’s built up a devoted following since, both for its curated stock and for the wider community around it: the shop is also home to a ‘coven’ of spiritual practitioners offering tarot readings, reiki, energy healing, and tasseomancy (tea leaf reading), so there’s plenty to discover here even if you’re not specifically after a book.

Need to know:

• The Haunted Bookshop address: 43 Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3PY (Google Maps link).
• Opening times: Mon/Wed/Thurs/Fri 12:00pm until 6:00pm. Sat 11:00 until 6:00pm. Sun 12:00pm until 5:00pm. Closed on Tuesdays.
• The Haunted Bookshop website.

8. bookhaus

bookhaus is an independent bookshop built around radical politics, reflecting Bristol’s long history as a centre for activism and alternative thinking. Expect strong sections on anti-imperialism, feminism, socialism, environmentalism, and abolition, alongside an excellent range of fiction in translation, poetry, and contemporary fiction.

bookhaus has become something of a cultural hub in its own right, regularly hosting book launches, panel discussions, and reading groups.

Need to know:

• bookhaus address: Unit 4 Rope Walk, Bristol BS1 6ZJ (Google Maps link).
• Opening times: Mon-Wed 9:00am until 6:00pm. Thurs-Sat 9:00am until 8:00pm. Sun 10:00am until 6:00pm.
• bookhaus website.

Bristol Bookshops FAQ

The Best Bookshops in Bristol | Final Thoughts

What I love most about Bristol’s bookshops is how different each of these shops is from the next.

You could spend an entire weekend bookshop-hopping around this city and not have a remotely repetitive experience, whether you’re after a £5 paperback, a piece of local Bristol history, or a tarot reading to go with your new book.

That’s all for today, but as always, if you have any questions then let me know in the comments below.

Until next time,



XOXO

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