Cold winter days in New York City can be pretty chilly even for the most prepared traveller. And there is no better way to escape the cold than to duck into a charming bookstore, especially those serving a hot cup of coffee! Coffeeshop bookstores have become one of the trendiest little treasures in a bustling city like New York. These little reading nooks are the best place to get warmed up and relax inside, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Grab a cup of your favourite warm beverage, snuggle up into a well-worn leather armchair with a new book, and the cold will simply melt away. So come with me as I bring you on a guided tour of the Best Cafe Bookshops in New York City!
Whether you love science fiction, mystery novels or just chilling with the classics (or anything in between), these 10 bookshops in NYC will have something unique to offer everyone who loves a good read. I’ve been sure throughout this guide to include only cafe bookshops with space to sit and read. While some popular bookstores in New York have their own coffee counters, many only offer them to go, and we are looking for spots on this tour where you can really hunker down for the afternoon.
Cafe con Libros
Cafe con Libros is literally translated into “coffee with books,” so you know you’ve come to the right place. This cozy little bookshop is hidden in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighbourhood. The bookshop is best known for being a black-owned feminist store featuring healing, empowering and enriching books. What could sound more comforting than that?
Their little window seats are the perfect place to get cozy and watch the world go by. The coffee is rich and delicious, and their freshly made pastries are the ideal accompaniment to nosh on while you read. Every Sunday, there is a book club meet-up, and the sense of community in this space is unrivalled.
McNally Jackson Books
Nolita is New York’s “North of Little Italy” neighbourhood best known for its charming buildings, upscale designers and trendy boutiques. Prince Street is known for its popup jewelry and artwork vendors that swarm the street on weekends. Also along Prince Street is the McNally Jackson Books. McNally Jackson Books is a New York independent bookseller with four locations across the city. And while their location on Prince Street is far from the largest, it is indeed the most adorable.
This shop is known for its unique curated collection of recommended books. Its “New York Reads” section is incredible for tourists. You can pick up a book that is set or inspired by the city that never sleeps. Be sure to look up when visiting! Books hung from the ceiling, like paper airplanes flying across the store.
The cafe towards the back of the shop is serving up some incredible brews and delicious baked goods. The french toast bagel is just one example of their amazing creations! This place always has me coming back to see what’s new. Park yourself in the cafe seating area to savour the smells and sounds of this endearing bookshop.
The Center for Fiction
In the centre of Brooklyn, you’ll find this monolith of literature; the Center for Fiction! The walls are toweringly high, with a huge ladder required to access the books on the tallest shelves. Like a modern-day version of Beauty and the Beast’s baroque library. The Center for Fiction opened its brick-and-mortar bookshop in 2019. The shop features floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing light to stream inside in the most heavenly way. Compared to some of the other bookstores on this list which are more dark academia, this place is contemporary chic!
In addition to their incredible selection of books, they also frequently hold panels, lectures, seminars, reading groups, and conversations. Often led by some of the nation’s most beloved writers. Their cozy cafe and bar is a fantastic spot to come and grab a bite to eat while enjoying your newest book purchase. There are so many people here writing away on notepads and computer screens. Like you can feel the next big novel written right in the room! The vibes here are unrivalled, and it is one of the most peaceful places in the city to come, shop and relax with a cup of coffee.
The Drama Book Shop
As New York City is home to Broadway and one of, if not the BEST, places to see live theatre! And visiting the Drama Book Shop feels like a truly New Yorkian outing! Open since 1917, the Drama Book Shop has been a mainstay of the New York theatre scene and a cultural institution. One of my favourite parts of going inside is admiring the decor. They always go all out with the store’s styling, and I’m sure they get some set decorators to help them create these fantastical displays. The most impressive is the “book tornado” that spirals throughout the store. Whirling you into a dizzying book-buying frenzy!
Historic posters from Broadway’s past line the walls. If you are a thespian book lover, you’ll be in heaven. But it’s not just playbooks and musical scores that you’ll find here. There are many books about acting, non-fiction about theatre and history books all about Broadway past and present. There is also a fantastic collection of biographies from renowned actors and writers. If you ever wanted to know the secrets of the stage, you’ll find them in the books here.
Although the shop has been open for over 100 years, it only recently moved to this new location. The new shop was designed by Hamilton set designer David Korins. It was created to pay homage to twentieth-century European reading room cafes. So, in addition to all 8,000 playbooks, they also have a full-service cafe! I love sitting in here, because as a musical lover, they really do have the BEST playlist!
Molasses Books
If you’re looking for a cute used bookstore in the middle of the trendy Bushwick neighbourhood, look no further than Molasses Books. Molasses Books is a small, independent publishing house focusing on poetry, contemporary writers, and out-of-print or public domain works. Their brick-and-mortar shop in Bushwick, Brooklyn, is home to a varied collection of used books. You’ll never know what you’ll find here, but you can always expect it to be good.
The great thing about Molasses Books is that they are open from 11 am to midnight. If you’re a night owl, this is the spot for you to come to get some late-night reading done. In addition to coffee and tea, they are a fully licensed bar. So if you’re craving something a little stronger than cold brew.
New York Public Library Cafe
One of the most incredible interiors in all of New York City has got to the awe-inspiring New York Public Library. Inside the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. The NYC Public Library’s main branch was built in the late 1890s. The interiors were constructed in the Beaux-Arts style and featured one of the most beautiful reading rooms in the entire world. The reading room was meant to improve the morale of readers during the Great Depression. The room was meant to imbue visitors with a sense of wonder as they walked in. And even a hundred years later, I always get goosebumps walking inside.
Whether you’re a visitor or a local, you can enter this pantheon of reading and browse their collection. Tourists can’t check out books, but you’re welcome to explore. And if you’re looking to sit and enjoy a warm cup of coffee, then Amy’s Bread has you covered. Recently, Amy’s Bread opened a new location inside the Library Shop. Here, all visitors can come and grab an espresso and one of their incredible handmade pastries. Amy’s has been open in New York for over thirty years in Hell’s Kitchen. And now they have seven different shops open across the city!
The best part of a visit to the library is that entrance to the building is free. So other than your coffee and sweet treat, the experience won’t cost you a dime! No need to buy any books. You can simply browse the shelves, find something that perks your interest and sit down to enjoy.
Shakespeare & Co
Shakespeare & Co is a well-known name in the literary game, opening their flagship store in Paris (of all places for a shop named after the English playwright.) But in 1983, they opened their New York City location along Lexington Avenue, on the Upper East Side.
Recently, the bookshop introduced a small but top-notch cafe among the hundreds of books inside. The baristas here are friendly, and the quaint little area where you can sit and enjoy your coffee while reading is the perfect size to feel nice and cozy. The cafe also features a daily selection of Dough donuts. If you know Dough, you’ll learn how delicious these sweet pastries really are! And what’s better than doughnuts and coffee…and books?!
Barnes & Noble
Although visiting a Barnes & Noble might sound like a boring and basic thing to do when visiting the Big Apple, the Barnes & Noble on Union Square is actually the biggest bookstore in Manhattan! This Barnes & Noble is also located inside the old headquarters of the Century Publishing Company. And the building it now resides in was built in 1881. The stunning brick and copper engravings are still the beacon of literacy that draw many into it today. Walking inside, look at the old iron columns, wooden bookshelves and library ladders. It always makes me feel like I’ve stepped back in time. And I love the store’s effort to preserve this slice of New York architectural history.
On the 3rd floor, you’ll find their coffee shop. Their cafe is vast, and there is lots and lots of space to spread out! The windows that face south also feature a gorgeous view across Union Square park, the Flatiron building and the south Manhattan skyline! Sure the coffee might be Starbucks, but the environment is so friendly and open, and you can almost always find a spot to sit! Plus, public bathrooms are a key essential any visitor knows comes in clutch. One of the other advantages of visiting such a big brand in this iconic location is often it is where authors come to have signing events. So check their schedule to see who’s in town. But hundreds of signed books are also spread out throughout the store, like hidden treasure waiting to be found.
Housing Works Bookstore
People celebrated on the streets across the city when it was announced that the Housing Works Bookstore cafe had reopened after the pandemic. Ok, well, not literally, but when this literary touchstone was finally reopened, it was definitely a cause for celebration. The Housing Works Bookstore is another historic building transformed into a chic bookshop. It is so popular that it is often booked out on the weekends as a fashionable venue for weddings. It was even featured in Taylor Swift’s music video for her smash hit All Too Well.
The Housing Works Bookstore has been open downtown in New York for over a decade. Unlike any other shop on this list, 100% of the profits from the book sales go to fund Housing Works’ lifesaving services. Their cafe is the perfect place to immerse yourself in their cozy atmosphere. In addition to beverages and food, you can also pick up a cocktail at the bar.
Book Club
Located in the heart of the East Village is the aptly named Book Club, one of the best independent bookstores and bars in town. Whether it’s coffee, NY state craft beer, wine, romance novels, mystery books or autobiographies that you’re looking for, you’re bound to find that here! The owners who started the Book Club wanted to create a space in the city’s centre where you could feel nice and cozy while surrounded by the most lovingly curated collection of books.
One of the shop’s most exciting aspects is that it is open till midnight but is laptop free after 7pm! This is meant to encourage people to chat with each other, make friends and take book recommendations in the evening when the wine is flowing. This a great reminder to turn off the computer or put down your phone and enjoy a bit of screen-free time with new friends. Plus, this place has some great music too! The vibes here are immaculate.
I hope you enjoyed this little literary jaunt around the city and found spots along the way to snuggle up inside on a cold winter’s day. Let me know your favourite bookshops in the comments where you love to sit and drink a cup of coffee in your hometown! Maybe I’ll be visiting there next!
Happy Travels, Adventurers
Leave a Comment