Best Bookshops in Cambridge (By a Local Book Lover)
There’s something special about stepping into a bookshop. The scent of the pages, the quiet hum of discovery, the promise of getting lost in a good story.
I might be a little biased, having worked in one of them myself, but as a Cambridge local, I know just how many brilliant bookshops this city has to offer.
I believe bookshops are some of the best places to explore in any location. Whenever I visit somewhere new, I love buying a book from a local shop, it’s like taking home a treasured souvenir.
To help you do the same in my home town, I’ve put together this guide to the best bookshops in Cambridge.
I’ve included a map, so you can make your own bookstore tour. From historic shops packed with rare finds, to indie gems with mysteries stacked high, if you love books, you’re in for a treat.
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In a rush?
My vote for the best bookshop in Cambridge is Bodies in the Bookshop, on Botolph Lane.
Best bookshops in Cambridge, UK
This is one of the most fun articles I’ve had the pleasure of writing. I get to combine my love of bookshops and my beautiful city of Cambridge.
1. Bodies in the Bookshop
My favourite bookshop in Cambridge and the newest kid on the block is the wonderfully titled, Bodies in the Bookshop.
I was so excited when I found out this bookshop was opening in Cambridge in summer 2024. First, it’s an independent bookshop, so a massive tick from me.
Second, it specialises in murder mystery books, another huge plus point. And third, the owners are specialists in bookselling and the genre, so I knew this place was going to be excellent.
Bodies in the Bookshop does not disappoint. There are so many books here that there is actually a second row of different books hiding behind the front row on the shelves. So that’s double the books for you to browse through.
I also love that the shop is in a historic building, complete with a wonderfully wonky upstairs floor. It gives the place a certain rustic appeal.
The owners are lovely and happy to help when you go in and ask vague questions in search of inspiration for just the right gift.
Honestly, this bookstore is a dream. Make sure you include it on any Cambridge itinerary.
Best for: lovers of all kinds of mystery books, classic and modern.
Nearest good café: Espresso Lane, right next door.
2. Heffers – Blackwell’s
I must declare an immediate bias in placing Heffers – Blackwell’s second on this list of bookshops in Cambridge, as I worked here in my misspent youth.
Back then it was known just as Heffers (before being bought out) and was one of many of the Heffers bookshops in the city.
In fact, Heffers has been in existence since 1876. It was known as the academic bookshop then and I served all manner of people, including the odd prince.
Heffers is as synonymous with Cambridge as punting down the Cam.
The shop still has many academic tomes but also has a large fiction collection and a brilliant variety of reading material. It has a dedicated children’s section at the back and a second hand area in the basement.
This bookshop is vast, with several floors and a mezzanine. You can spend hours in here looking at all the lovely, lovely books.
They don’t just stock books though, there’s stationery, puzzles and games to keep you busy.
As well as selling books, Heffers – Blackwell’s has lots of author readings and games nights that you can join.
The bookshop has been sold again and is now owned by Waterstones, but continues to operate under the Blackwell’s imprint.
Best for: all book lovers, board gamers and children.
Nearest good café: Knoops on Green Street .
3. Books for Amnesty
Located slightly out of the main centre, on vibrant Mill Road. Books for Amnesty is a charity bookstore, meaning you can combine a love of books with hopefully doing a little bit of good.
Loads of well-priced paperback fiction means that for a few pounds you should find something to read in no time here.
There’s also plenty of other subjects on offer, including a great travel section where I recently picked up a book I’d been looking for for a bargain £3.
Once you’ve finished browsing the shelves, check out the David Parr House on nearby Gwydir Street. It’s one of the best museums in Cambridge.
Best for: readers on a budget.
Nearest good café: Hot Numbers, Gwydir Street.
4. The Haunted Bookshop
Next up on this list of the best bookshops in Cambridge is something a bit different. It’s the spookily titled, Haunted Bookshop.
As well as a love of books, this place is worth visiting if you’re seeking out great locations in Cambridge for your Instagram feed. The distinct red shopfront makes for a great photo.
As the name would suggest, rumour has it that this bookshop is haunted.
Inside, there is a little bell attached to a rope across the stairs which apparently rings at night when the ghost passes by, or so the ghost hunters of Cambridge will tell you.
Make of that what you will but a good story seems appropriate for a bookshop in any case.
As for the reading material, the Haunted Bookshop focuses on antiquarian and children’s books. It’s a petite find down a lovely passage in the centre of Cambridge.
Step inside the shop if you dare.
Best for: fans of things that go bump in the night.
Nearest good café: Indigo Coffee House next door.
5. Oxfam Bookshop
Another great charity bookshop in Cambridge is Oxfam books. There are two shops located close together.
The official ‘bookshop’ is on Sidney Street but the more general Oxfam shop further down, on Bridge street, also stocks plenty of books.
As a second-hand bookshop, of course the stock is ever changing but there is a good range of books available. I’ve grabbed some real bargains in here.
Best for: readers who want to refresh their shelves and not break the bank.
Nearest good café: Fitzbillies, Bridge Street, a Cambridge institution.
6. Waterstones
Yes, it’s a chain, but Waterstones in Cambridge is a lovely place to shop for books. It has a great boardgames section and an in-house café at the back of the ground floor.
This is a large shop, over several floors, so they’re able to stock a whole range of titles, from art, science, poetry and more.
The shop is well organised, and I like the large number of personal recommendation cards made by staff.
Chairs are located around the place so you can sit down and decide which books you’re going to get.
For real bookworms, Waterstones often has good offers on fiction titles. They also host book readings and games nights.
Best for: fiction and non-fiction enthusiasts.
Nearest good café: in-house Waterstones café.
7. G. David Booksellers
Established in 1896, G. David Booksellers is a classic second-hand bookshop, the kind that feels like stepping into another era.
It’s a warren of books, stacked high in the various rooms, including a small basement. Books here come with that unmistakable musty-but-wonderful scent of well-loved pages.
Tucked away down St Edward’s Passage, it’s just a stone’s throw from the Haunted Bookshop, making it easy to visit both in one trip.
Inside, you’ll find not just books but also a selection of maps and prints, perfect if you’re after a unique gift.
For collectors, there are first editions and rare books waiting to be discovered.
Whether you’re hunting for a specific title or just want to lose yourself among the shelves, this shop is an iconic stop for any book lover in Cambridge.
Best for: second-hand book enthusiasts, collectors, and anyone who loves the feel of an old-fashioned bookshop.
Nearest good café: Indigo Coffee House, just around the corner.
8. Cambridge University Press
The home of academia, Cambridge wouldn’t be complete without a bookshop dedicated to the more scholarly side of things. If you’re looking for something to get the brain cells working, this is the place to go.
Spread over two floors, the Cambridge University Press bookshop is packed with books covering just about every academic subject you can think of. Quite frankly, I find it both fascinating and bewildering in equal measure.
From heavyweight philosophy texts, a deep dive into quantum physics, and something more approachable in the world of history and politics, you’ll find it all here.
Even if you’re not on the hunt for an academic tome, it’s worth stepping inside to visit the shop of the world’s oldest publishing house.
Best for: academics, students, and anyone who enjoys an intellectual challenge.
Nearest good café: Michaelhouse café, a few doors along the street.
9. Forbidden Planet
I’m a firm believer that reading is for everyone. It doesn’t matter what you like to read, if you enjoy it, that’s what matters.
For me, reading is often about escapism, letting the mind wander to new worlds and possibilities.
Forbidden Planet is the go-to bookshop in Cambridge for comics, graphic novels, and books on film and TV. This shop is packed with everything from the latest superhero sagas to cult sci-fi and fantasy fiction.
It’s not just about books, though. The shop is filled with collectibles, from figurines to posters and memorabilia. You might find just the present you’ve been searching for the Manga fan in your life.
Best for: comic book lovers, sci-fi and fantasy fans.
Nearest good café: Giovanni’s Cafe’ and Pizzeria, almost opposite the shop.
10. Plurabelle Books
Unlike any other bookshop in Cambridge, Plurabelle Books is mostly an online bookseller. It does have a physical presence, but not in the form of a traditional high street shop.
Instead, you’ll find it tucked away in an industrial estate, housed in what can only be described as a glorious shed filled with second-hand books and other curios. It’s quirky, and that’s exactly why it’s brilliant.
On this unusual site since 2014 (and elsewhere before then), this is the place to hunt for unique finds. With books covering all kinds of subjects, you never quite know what you’ll stumble upon.
Since it’s a little off the beaten track, visiting Plurabelle Books feels more like an adventure than a casual bookshop browse. But for book lovers who enjoy the thrill of the hunt, it’s worth the detour.
Combine a trip here with a visit to the Centre for Computing History, one of Cambridge’s most fun museums.
Best for: second-hand book hunters, collectors, and anyone who loves discovering obscure titles.
Nearest good café: Thrive, quite a walk away on Norfolk Street.
Map of best Cambridge bookshops
I’ve created a Cambridge bookshops map that shows all the shops listed in this guide plus the cafés. Click the arrow icon to the left of the map heading to view the name of each place.
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