NYC’s cosiest independent bookstores

With plummeting temps, and even some snowfall in New York City, finding cosy spots to snuggle up in with a good book to combat the winter blues is more important than ever. And recently, NYC has been experiencing a bit of a bookstore boom. Instead of a sea of Barnes & Nobles, the last 15 years have seen book superstores closing and independent shops blooming. Some of our favourite bookstores also happen to be the cosiest in the city, so read on for where to read and buy books right now. 

The Ripped Bodice, Park Slope 

Sisters Leah Koch and Bea Hodges-Koch first opened The Ripped Bodice, a bookstore dedicated to romance fiction, in Los Angeles in 2016. In 2023, it opened a second location in Park Slope, Brooklyn, behind a bubble gum-pink store front with a graphic tiled floor and ceiling art with floating books. The store carries romance sub-genres, including contemporary, LGBTQ+, science fiction, historical, erotica, and young adult. Aside from daytime shopping, the store hosts events nearly every night – from author readings to live podcast recordings. It also has three different book clubs that meet monthly. 

therippedbodice.com/brooklyn 

Liz's Book Bar, Brooklyn 

Opened last year in Carroll Gardens by Black author Maura Cheeks, Liz’s Book Bar is named after her grandmother. The inviting mahogany bar at the front serves coffee from Black Acres Roastery, tea from SerendipiTea, pastries from Bien Cuit, charcuterie and cheese boards, French and Italian wines, and local beers. In the back are the bookcases carrying about 4,000 titles, a worn-in leather couch, and a handful of tables. Events often combine reading, writing, and wine or beer tasting, with several writing and book publishing workshops. 

lizsbookbar.com 

McNally Jackson, Seaport 

McNally Jackson is the city’s premier independent bookstore, known for its dark wood shelves and snug reading nooks. While the local mini-chain now has five locations, the Seaport one is our favourite for maximum cosy vibes. It spans two floors of a historic brick building from 1811 and has tons of charming details – and thousands of books. Windows overlook the cobblestone street outside and armchairs await in each room. There’s a bar and café on the ground floor, and this location currently hosts the most events and author readings. 

www.mcnallyjackson.com 

Book Club Bar, East Village 

If your living room was a bookstore that also served wine, cocktails, and coffee, it might feel like Book Club Bar, an intimate space in the East Village that opened in 2019. Books are carefully chosen, the coffee is locally roasted, and the beers are all from New York State. And yes, the store does host a book club, which meets once a month in the back garden. There are also game nights, live music shows, author readings, lectures, and more. 

bookclubbar.com 

Archestratus, Greenpoint 

Food and book lovers unite at this charming Greenpoint shop. The books here all focus on cookbooks and other food-related tomes, both fiction and non-fiction, including hard-to-find and out-of-print volumes. The back of the store is a full café, serving Sicilian-accented dishes and drinks both alcoholic and non. There’s also a bakery section with freshly made bread from She Wolf and a grocery area with artisanal items ranging from raw bamboo honey to fresh ricotta. A space in the back is set aside for cooking classes, tastings, dinner parties, screenings, readings, potluck cookbook clubs, and more. 

archestrat.us 

Albertine, Upper East Side 

Often cited as the most beautiful shops in NYC, Albertine is a French and English bookstore supported by Cultural Services of the French Embassy. It’s located across the street from the Met on the Upper East Side, inside the historic Payne Whitney mansion. The gorgeous interior features a cobalt blue ceiling hand-painted with constellations, stars, and planets; parquet wood floors; comfy brown leather chairs; and handsome wooden bookcases lining the walls. The store hosts various talks and panels, plus a monthly book club that discusses French books with English translations available.  

albertine.com 

Books Are Magic, Cobble Hill 

When author Emma Straub opened the original Books Are Magic shop with her husband in Cobble Hill, it felt like a salve for Brooklyn and independent bookstores everywhere. In fact, it opened inside her beloved BookCourt, a longtime neighbourhood standby where Straub had once been an employee. Today, Books Are Magic is famous in NYC and beyond, known for its welcoming space, excellent curation, and spectacular author events. A second location in Downtown Brooklyn opened at the end of 2022, but it doesn’t have quite as many inviting nooks as the original. 

booksaremagic.net