Opened in 2017 by novelist Emma Straub and her designer husband, this independent bookstore has won over Brooklyn's resident bookworms, not only with its well-curated selection of established and new authors but also with regular free events, including talks and panels. After perusing the shelves, you can also stock up on cute stationery, tote bags, and other accessories.

A bookstore with renegade spirit, this offshoot of the renowned indie outlet in Chicago spotlights Brooklyn authors and assembles counter-culture writing on travel, the occult, LGBTIQ+ culture, music, and more. In between are archly humorous greetings cards, poetry pamphlets, postcards, phrenology prints, mounted beetles, small-press productions…everything an anarchist shopper could desire. Weekly events include readings and photography exhibitions.

With more crime per square inch than any other corner of the city, this mystery-themed bookstore peddles everything from classic espionage and thrillers to contemporary Nordic crime fiction and literary criticism. You'll find both new and secondhand titles, including rare first editions, signed copies, obscure magazines and picture books for budding sleuths. Check the website for in-store events.

A much-loved indie bookshop with ample shelf space dedicated to local authors, Astoria is a good spot to pick up a title about the Queens dining scene or the borough's wide-ranging ethnic diversity. A stalwart of the community, Astoria also hosts author readings, discussion groups, writing workshops and kids' storytelling (every Thursday at 11 a.m.).

Relaxed, earthy, and featuring a great selection of secondhand books, vinyl, CDs, and comics you can buy for a good cause (proceeds go to the city's HIV-positive and AIDS-infected homeless population), this creaky hideaway is a very local place to while away a few quiet afternoon hours browsing, sitting in the on-site cafe, or rummaging in its adjoining thrift store.

This small indie bookstore in the thick of the gallery district shelves great selections of fiction, history, travel, art, and criticism. Rotating art exhibits, during which the owners organize special displays of books related to the featured show or artist, are a treat. Frequent readings feature acclaimed authors and intellectuals.

Beloved and legendary, the iconic Strand embodies downtown NYC's intellectual bona fides – a bibliophile's Oz, where generations of book lovers carrying the store's trademark tote bags happily lose themselves for hours. In operation since 1927, the Strand sells new, used, and rare titles, spreading an incredible 18 miles of books (over 2.5 million of them) among three labyrinthine floors.

Bookstores like this are becoming as rare as the books they contain, but since 1925 this six-story landmark has stocked fine antiquarian items such as books, old maps, art monographs, and more. There's also an interesting booty of Hollywood, historical, and literary memorabilia, from personal letters and signed books to autographed publicity stills. Prices range from costly to clearance.

After the borough’s only bookstore (a Barnes and Noble) shuttered in 2017, Bronx native Noëlle Santos launched the Lit. Bar in 2019, a full-selection indie bookshop with a focus on showcasing titles by underrepresented authors – which can be imbibed at the on-site wine bar.