Toppings & Company Booksellers
Toppings has certainly risen to fame since it opened, with its impressive layout, regular events, and complimentary tea and coffee. Once you’ve been drawn in by the beautiful curved Georgian façade, you’ll find yourself greeted with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and wooden rolling-ladders. Upstairs, the renovated bank space really shines, particularly in the art room (or “oval room”), where the curved bookshelves are illuminated by grand paned windows. Check out their website for the book events that take place every few days, from book clubs, to author talks and readings. Toppings has a bit of everything, so it’s perfect to wander around until you discover the perfect book for you.
Typewronger Books
This quaint bookshop is located on Leith Walk, tucked away just below street level. Open until 9 o’clock every night, it’s perfect to stop by after a long day at university or your 9 to 5. The shop is adorned with antique typewriters – and they even offer typewriter repair services!
Transreal Fiction – My favourite!
Located just down the street from Greyfriars’ Bobby, this sci-fi bookshop is the perfect haven to escape the bustle of the city. First established in 1997, there’s a clear reason for this specialty bookshop’s enduring success. Though the space is small, it houses a vast collection—from classic to contemporary sci-fi novels, genre companions, and merchandise. If you can’t find something in store, the owner, Mike, can usually order anything you need. So, avoid heading straight to chains, and consider supporting independent bookshops!
Tills & Company
Tills has two vintage secondhand shops in Edinburgh, but the cafe/bookshop combination on Portobello high street creates the perfect atmosphere to settle down with a book and people-watch (and animal-watch as they head in and out of the vets next door).
The Edinburgh Bookshop
Head inside The Edinburgh Bookshop to join in their weekly jigsaw or ask for recommendations from their friendly team. Though they recently moved to Bruntsfield, the shop still holds charming old-world secrets—including a hidden bathroom entrance cleverly disguised as a bookcase.
Lighthouse
“Edinburgh’s Radical Bookshop” specialises in intersectional, feminist, LGBTQ+, and antiracist literature. This welcoming bookshop invites you to explore every nook and cranny, settle down, and read. They also offer a “pay it forward” scheme where you can pick up a pre-paid voucher, no questions asked. Only a five minute walk from campus, stop by when you have the chance.
Blackwells
An obvious choice for Edinburgh Uni students – with their 10% student discount and discounted course reading list bundles, I simply couldn’t not mention it.
Illustration by @violetvictoriaart