{Edinburgh} Our Top Indie Bookshops to Visit With Kids
In honour of Independent Bookshop Week (14 – 21 June 2025), I thought I’d update my post from five years ago about our favourite indie bookshops to visit in Edinburgh with kids. We are spoilt for choice here in Edinburgh, and I’ve added a lot more indie bookshop reviews to my blog since my original post. Without further ado, here they are, in no particular order:
The Edinburgh Bookshop
Location: 176 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh EH10 4DF
Described by The Guardian as “the kind of bookshop we’d all like to have in our neighbourhood”, this wonderful gem in the heart of Bruntsfield has something for everyone. For families, theres a dedicated children’s room with comfy reading corner and some cuddly book characters. Regular story time for under 5s (Thursdays & Fridays at 9:30am) and special children’s author events take place throughout the year. Customer toilet available – accessed via a ‘secret’ bookcase entry, which is apparently very thrilling.
Bear & Fox Review | Bookshop Website
Tills Second Hand Bookshop
Location: 1 Hope Park Crescent, Edinburgh EH8 9NA
One of Edinburgh’s oldest surviving second-hand bookshops. Includes a small children’s section to keep your little ones busy while you have a browse for hidden gems. Since it’s a second-hand shop, you’ll never know what you might find, which is part of the attraction. There are some seating options scattered throughout the shop.
Bear & Fox Review | Bookshop Website
Lighthouse Radical Bookshop
Location: 43-45 West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh EH8 9DB
Queer-owned and woman led independent community bookshop, that describes itself as an “unapologetically activist, intersectional, feminist, antiracist, lgbtq+ community space”. Includes a decently stocked children’s section. If you are looking to bring more diversity to your family bookshelves, then Lighthouse is the place to go. Another nice feature is their Pay it Forward scheme, where readers who can afford a little extra put money in a pot for readers who might struggle to buy books.
Bear & Fox Review | Bookshop Website
Golden Hare Books
Location: 68 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh EH3 5AQ
Golden Hare Books in Stockbridge lures you in with it’s stunning shop front, and it’s just as lovely inside as it is on the outside, with a cosy fireplace and chairs to sit and rest while you ponder which books to buy. The colourful back room dedicated to children’s books, with comfy cushions and reading nooks, invites you to browse – and they have a knack for highlighting stunningly illustrated picture books that you never knew you needed.
Bear & Fox Review | Bookshop Website
Ginger & Pickles Children’s Bookshop
Location: 51 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh EH3 5AH
Dedicated entirely to children’s books, Ginger and Pickles describes itself as “cosy and quaint”, which is just how I like my bookshops. You can tell they are passionate about children’s literature from their carefully curated displays of beautiful books, ranging from baby to young adult. There’s a comfy sofa to cuddle up with your little ones too, whilst you peruse books and decide which ones to buy
Bear & Fox Review | Bookshop Website
Topping & Company Booksellers
Location: 2 Blenheim Place, Edinburgh EH7 5JH
Claiming to be the largest independent bookshop, Topping & Company is the kind of bookshop you might expect to see in a movie – with a sweeping staircase, a warren of interconnected rooms, and floor to ceiling bookcase equipped with rolling ladders. The dedicated children’s room will have you spoilt for choice, and includes a cosy sofa reading nook by the window inviting families to read together. One of Topping & Company’s unique features, is their complimentary tea and coffee, with little tables scattered around the shop for you to perch with your brew. They’ve also just announced a new monthly picture book reading group for 2 to 5 year olds (free but booking requested to gage numbers, search for ‘Tiny Tales’ in their events calendar).
Bear & Fox Review | Bookshop Website
Argonaut Books
Location: 15-17 Leith Walk, Edinburgh EH6 8LN
Located inside the old Leith Central Train Station at the foot of Leith Walk, Argonaut Books is a bright and welcoming community bookshop and café. The shop offers a generous selection of children’s books, from picture books for little ones to young adult books for teenagers. The children’s section includes a reading nook with some benches. As well as the books, the café part of the shop sells drinks and tray bakes. Toilets are available too.
Bear & Fox Review | Bookshop Website
The Portobello Bookshop
Location: 46 Portobello High Street, Edinburgh EH15 1DA
Oh we do like to be beside the seaside… Even better if the seaside comes with a bookshop! It’s light and spacious, with a generously sized children’s section through the back, accessed by an archway. With reading nooks aplenty, it’s the perfect retreat if you want to escape the bustling beach during your seaside trip. Their year round programme of events includes occasional events for children too.
