The best bookshops with cafes in London
The literary coffee-house is a historical institution: we've found its 2018 incarnation – the bookshop-cum-cafe. These places are just as brilliant for browsing the bookshelves as they are for sitting down for a (three course!) meal. Whatever kind of bibliophile you are, here's a round up of the best spots to relax, read and have a bite to eat.
Maison Assouline sells everything needed to start a luxury library. From limited edition coffee table books to bespoke scented candles evoking the scents of old books: this is a bibliophile’s fantasyland.
The flagship store in Piccadilly is architecturally lavish and filled with Assouline’s books and furniture. The Swans Bar serves equally elaborate cocktails and dishes that include fois gras and ‘Fillet Tolstoy: the world’s most exquisite smoked salmon.’ An afternoon here really is like escaping into another world, whether you’re reading a book or not.
