Church Street Bookshop
142 Stoke Newington Church Street, Stoke Newington, N16 0JU
This long-established, thriving little secondhand bookshop is just the place to arm yourself with a volume or two before you settle into one of the many nearby cafés. Things are kept simple and straightforward, with the emphasis on choice and quality: besides the fiction and classics you might expect, ranged along the back of the store, there are excellent sections devoted to travel guides, history and popular culture, along with lots of children’s books (crucial in this babyboom neighbourhood) and well-priced art and photography books. The large bookcase by the windows at the front is where you’ll find the latest new titles – and you can often pick up something you’ve seen reviewed in the paper the same day. Service is friendly and expert, and prices are fair; call ahead if you want to bring in books to sell.