20 Unique Bookstores In Kolkata That Will Make You Fall In Love With Reading

Located on Park Street in Kolkata, Earthcare is well-known for its outstanding book selection despite sharing space with a drive-in. Run by Vinita Mansata and her husband, Bharat Mansata. Reminiscent of an old library, the bookshop has been around for more than 35 years, decorated with sculptures, framed photos by local photographers, and handpainted walls and doors.  In this artistic store, Tagore, Kundera, and children's literature coexist with a variety of new and used books. Alongside books, they also display organic skincare products and handcrafted toys from female-owned businesses. 

Timings: 11 AM - 7 PM. Closed on Sundays.

Google Rating:  4.7/5

Contact:  097692 91586

Instagram: @earthcare_bookstore

With more than 500 titles, Seagull Books is the place to find authors you wish you had found sooner, stories that stick with you, and words that linger. This Kolkata gem, which opened in 1982, is where you may come in for 'just a look' and walk out with a book that will alter your life. It specialises in books that are translated works and is a veritable gold mine of literature, art, film, cultural criticism, and non-fiction from Africa, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

Beginning with literary heavyweights like Borges and Apollinaire, Seagull Books has grown to include contemporary greats like Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak and Yves Bonnefoy. Its well-known 'Africa List' includes names that contribute to an already extensive array of voices from around the world. This location is a treasure trove for readers who appreciate the unusual, whether they are searching for obscure European authors or want to delve into viewpoints that don't often find their way into mainstream stores.

Timings: 10 AM - 6 PM

Google Rating: 4.9/5

Instagram: @seagullbooks

The boulevard is named after the weight and power of the academic institutions that were founded here around 200 years ago. Specifically Hindu College, established in 1817 and currently known as Presidency University. Long before the concept became popular worldwide, Kolkata had its book town in the College Street neighbourhood. One of the largest marketplaces for used books, commonly known as Boi Para, it is home to some of the most prominent publishing houses in West Bengal and India.

Putiram, the coffee shops, the bookshops, the alleys—everything about Boi Para conjures nostalgia. For us, what was once a typical Adda zone has now evolved into a kind of tourist destination. standard textbooks, reference books, best-selling novels, and so forth. You'll come across passionate shopkeepers who will show you what you need. 

Timings: 11 AM - 7 PM. Closed on Sundays.

Google Rating: 4.8/5

Among the town's oldest bookshops. It's a fantastic spot for bookworms to lose themselves. Upstairs is a café known as the Cha Bar, where you may get drinks and snacks. As soon as you enter, you are greeted by rows of well-organised volumes in a wide range of categories, including non-fiction and fiction, and an excellent selection of Indian literature. The staff is always willing to help with recommendations or locating particular titles, and the store's friendly environment makes it a great place to browse.

Furthermore, it features paintings, coffee mugs, keychains, fridge magnets, and art materials that are all exclusively devoted to Kolkata art. Those who travel to Kolkata should surely stop by to pick up some mementos. The enormous number of manga and the diversity of genres are also very alluring. Definitely one of the must-see locations.

Timings: 11 AM - 9 PM

Google Rating: 4.5/5

Contact: 093300 20986

Instagram: @oxfordbookstores

Foreign Publishers' Agency is more like a passageway, filled with books in the Grand Hotel Arcade. Full of books, both old and modern, it has the best foreign publications in English. The most distinguished academics, authors, filmmakers, and photographers from the city and beyond are among the many readers who frequent the store. It maintains its reputation for unwavering seriousness and has a committed customer base that values a novel's covert New York Review of Books edition over the standard paperback. Hermoine Granger would be fascinated with this bookshop, as would Rory Gilmore! 

Timing: 11:30 AM - 8 PM. Closed on Sundays.

Google Rating: 5/5

LBB Tip: Interesting tidbit about Foreign Publishers' Agency — Encounter, a UK magazine from the 1950s, was exclusively available in Kolkata, that was only available here. 

This Bengali bookshop at the centre of College Street, situated above the well-known Indian Coffee House, features fantastic comic adaptations of Satyajit Ray's Feluda with watercolour panels. The bookstore also has beautiful art books, Jhumpa Lahiri works translated into Bengali, classics like Chander Pahar with their original woodcut graphics, children's books, and recipe books. Go here if you want to read some fascinating fiction regarding the city. For more than 60 years, Ananda Publishers, which was founded in August 1957, has been the top publisher of Bengali academic, trade, and literary literature. Over the years, Ananda Publishers' publications have featured several notable writers and poets, such as Sukumar Ray, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Premendra Mitra, and Buddhadeb Guha. Via Ananda Publishers, several international literary treasures have also entered the Bengali language market.

Timings: 10 AM - 8:30 PM

Google Rating: 4.5/5

Instagram: @anandapublishersofficial

Beyond the hustle and bustle of College Street, South Kolkata has its own Boi Para, where old books find new homes stretching from Golpark to Gariahat. This is a place my mum and I have been going to, and I bought my first Barbie picture book here! A wealth of beloved classics, lost bestsellers, history, sports, and literature in Bengali and English can be found at these pavement stalls. The fading ink and dog-eared pages hold the voices of previous readers, just waiting to be found again. You can run your fingertips over worn spines, breathe in the nostalgia of old paper, and leave with a story you never realised you needed. 

Timings: 11 AM - 8 PM

How To Reach: There are multiple buses, both AC and non-AC. You can also take a cab or drive your car. You can also ride the auto. The nearest metro station is Kalighat.

LBB Tip:  The Boi Para also has antique Bengali magazines featuring stories by Sukumar Ray and Saradindu Bandopadhyay

Delhi's famous Bahrisons is located in the centre of Park Street. A gorgeous old-school library setting straight out of a Pinterest mood board can be found upstairs, while downstairs, there are new releases and a little Blue Tokai café. The collection of coffee table books is amour pur, including Salman Rushdie's Victory City and rare gems on Chanel, Monet, Star Wars, and Avengers. Bahrisons boasts an extensive oeuvre, spanning fiction, non-fiction, classics, comics, children’s books, mythology, sports, travel, fashion, film, photography, and more. The best part? Simply take your paperback book to Bahrisons, and they will be happy to assist you with changing the cover to something fancier, like a leatherbound book. Feel free to reach out to the staff with any questions that you might have or any book suggestions that you might need. 

Timings: 10:30 AM - 8 PM

Google Rating: 4.4/5

Instagram: @bahrisons_booksellers

A tiny cafe occupies a nook of this bookshop founded in 1956. This is as compact and unobtrusive as it gets, with only two tables and seating for a maximum of six people. Bengali comics, foreign language books on the shelves, particularly excellent French literature, and a cup of tea or coffee to curl up with in the corner. With books at incredibly affordable prices, you also get to see numerous cats lounging around. Honestly, books, tea, and cats—do you need anything more? Bingsha Shatabdi includes everything from dictionaries and nonfiction books to novellas. Take a look at their extensive and gratifying selection of translated comics, which includes Tintin to Tenida, Shirshendu to Sharadindu, and Asterix. The YA and Bengali comics sections are customer favourites.

Timing: 10 AM - 8 PM

Instagram: @bingshashatabdi

Google Rating: 4.3/5

LBB Tip: They exclusively serve Glenburn tea, Assam, green, and chamomile. For a taste of nostalgia, try their traditional cheese straws and jam tarts. Cookies start at INR 25 and teas at INR 30. 

Turn left off the AJC Bose Road flyover and continue walking until you reach Sparrow Publications, a tiny bookshop with wooden shelves that are neatly stocked with volumes, some of which are on the floor in piles. This store includes several collector books, ranging from a book about China to a fascinating biography of the Beatles, from a collection of WB Yeats to a book about feng shui. It will be difficult to locate many of their books on the internet. Owner Tapan Dey is the true MVP of this place, always ready to connect you with the ideal book based on your preferences. A bonus is that they also sell books at wholesale pricing! And you know what? They also publish books so get in touch with them, if you want to get your own books displayed on their shelves someday. 

Timings: 12:30 PM - 8 PM

Google Rating: 4.7/5

Enjoy comics, coffee table books, and non-fiction literature? Head to this well-kept secret of the city, the Story Teller bookshop, which is also the only pet-friendly bookshop in Kolkata and is hidden in a lane off the EM Bypass. They specialise in all types of children's books. From puppet titles to storybooks, board books, shadow books, and even student reference materials. With swing sets in the front yard and a store spanning 1500 square feet with books scattered throughout, children would have a gala time here. With over 80,000 titles in stock, you're likely to find what you're looking for. The store caters to people with special needs, as well as children and adults. They even deliver books right to your door.

Timings: 9 AM - 8 PM. Sundays, 10 AM - 8 PM

Google Rating: 4.6/5

Instagram: @storytellerkol

While finding a new book might be thrilling, browsing books at a bookshop usually has a very relaxing influence. It's great to know that Niyogi Books has a signature location in Kolkata, especially since so many physical bookshops are closing. You enter Niyogi Books and find yourself in a completely new universe. With a view of College Street, those old-fashioned Bengali windows give you a lot of old-school charm, and it is a must-visit for book lovers in Kolkata.

Their collection includes more than 500 titles and covers art, history, and lost tales. Joanne Taylor's Forgotten Palaces of Calcutta, Rabindranath Tagore's Words of the Master, Lokesh Chandra's Tibetan Art, and PC Sorcar: The Maharaja of Magic are all bestsellers. Whether you prefer historical memoirs or illustrated treasures, Niyogi Books allows you to bring a bit of Kolkata's literary culture home with you. They emphasise imprints such as Olive Turtle, Thornbird, and Paper Missile. 

Timings: 11 AM - 7 PM. Closed on Sundays.

Google Rating: 4.7/5

Instagram: @niyogibooks

Having been in business since 1990, the National Book Store is a well-known brand in the College Street neighbourhood. Both new and used books can be found in plenty here. For students, those preparing for competitive exams, and anyone who just wants to read about the arts and social sciences, we heartily suggest this location. You can also find the most recent editions of prep books for IIT-JEE, UGC, GATE, UPSC, and more. They include everything from case studies and journals to GK books and practice exams. Check out their study aids and homeschooling resources as well! The store also offers stationery products, and if you want to give a nice book as a gift but don't know what to get, they recently created an e-gift voucher that you may buy.

Timings: 10 AM - 7 PM

Google Rating: 4.2/5

As a bookworm who loves to fantasise about lovely bookshops, this one won my heart. With its Harry Potter-esque appeal and several stairs that look like they belong at Hogwarts—if only they moved—this extraordinarily Instagram-worthy store has an enticing aura that makes it impossible to overlook. From fiction and nonfiction to children's books and biographies, this selection is extensive and diverse, satisfying every possible literary preference. For any bookish person, their exquisite stationery collection is a dream come true, and they even have a cute collection of mugs, personalised bags, and sippers! 

Timings: 11 AM - 8 PM

Google Rating: 4.4/5

Instagram: @storyprimarc

In terms of literature, Park Street offers several undiscovered treasures, such as The Family Book Shop, a two-story bookshop reminiscent of British libraries. Imagine a little staircase with glass cabinets stocked with best-selling books, children's literature, and classics. In 1968, Promod and Ashok Barman began selling books and later created this 300-square-foot store with volumes on everything from advertising, education, and the arts to knitting, gardening, photography, cooking, needlework, travel, and interior design. In addition to coffee-table editions from brands like Cartier, they have the newest in fashion and textile publishing. A full cast of classics—Edgar Allan Poe hiding in the background, Thomas Hardy offering heartbreak, Mark Twain throwing laughs, and Oscar Wilde spilling the drama. And Jane Austen too, alongside Ruskin Bond's cosy novels, Feluda's detective genius in English paperbacks, comics for when you just need a break from reality, mythological hardcovers for history lovers, and painting books for your inner artist are all found in the kids' department. 

Timings: 10 AM - 7 PM. Closed on Sundays.

Google Rating: 4/5

LBB Tip: The Barman brothers can gladly source a rare book for you if you are looking for one and cannot find it at the store.

Contact: 99030 23596

Starmark has whatever you can think of, including mysteries, classics, romance, biographies, and non-fiction. You will want to purchase all of them because the original covers have been recreated in new hard-bound forms. The Feluda and Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay collection is intriguing, to say the least. And if you're as much of a comic book geek as we are, there's the graphic novel area. There is a whole section devoted to comics, featuring DC & Marvel, Indian strips, and even mangas. They even have stationery, notebooks, home decor, coffee mugs, tea cups, and so much going on for that bookish aesthetic! 

Timings: 11 AM - 9 PM

Google Rating: 4.6/5

Instagram: @starmarkindia

LBB Tip: Starmark offers a wide variety of high-end chocolates, watches, wallets, and perfumes. If you want, you may even purchase an M&M pack together with your book!

With its extensive book collection, Chuckervertty, Chatterjee & Co. Ltd. at College Square, a historic bookshop hidden away from the hubbub of College Street, is sure to impress you. You can discover a whole other universe of literature by taking an alternate path from the gate and turning left along a little, dim alley on your route to Coffee House. There is a vast selection of books on literature, particularly classics, for bibliophiles. All Somerset Maugham, Thomas Hardy, and EM Forster fans will be unable to remain calm after browsing the shelves. Indian comic books and graphic novels—DC and Marvel—are kept in a distinct area. Children's books are also available in the store, so you can get your kids a copy of Chacha Chaudhary or Vikram & Betal. 

Timing: 10 AM - 7 PM

Google Rating: 4.1/5

LBB Tip: All books at the bookshop are discounted by up to 20%. Make sure to take full advantage of it!

Established in 1886 by Girish Chandra Das Gupta, the store is a favourite with bookworms and students of all ages. It has a free reading library and an archive area with a mini-auditorium for book launches. There is a free reading library for kids and an archive-turned-museum. Old books, documents, a Swiss wall clock, a 1941 telephone, and other items are also kept in the museum-turned-archive. Vernacular language books are offered for sale on the first level. Reinventing itself to meet the demands of the socio-economically disadvantaged, the store draws in a large audience and also sustains its loyal student and intellectual clientele. 

Timing: 10 AM - 7 PM

Google Rating: 4.4/5

If you've ever wondered whether it's better to be or not to be, this is the place for you. The society is all about Shakespeare, with regular events ranging from seminars and symposia to workshops, not just on Shakespeare but also on Rabindranath Tagore and other Indian and international writers. At this bookstore, you will be able to attend Shakespeare plays, films, and broadcasts on Shakespeare and literature-related topics, exhibitions, discussions, musical performances by the 'Shakespeare Choir,' and quiz contests to test your knowledge of the works. 

Timing: 9 AM - 5 PM. Mondays, 10 AM–6:30 PM and Saturdays, 10 AM–2 PM. Closed on Sundays.

Google Rating: 5/5

Dev Sahitya Kutir is Bengali literary royalty, not just a publishing firm. Ashutosh Dev founded it in 1928, and since then, it has translated the Ramayana and Mahabharata, produced children's holiday editions, and published renowned periodicals like Naballakol and Shuktara. The actual story twist, though? Boradaprasad Majumder began it all in 1860 when he built a press instead of delivering books door-to-door. By protecting Vidyasagar's creations and introducing textbooks that pupils swore by, Ashutosh Dev went above and beyond. Five generations later, Rajasri Dev continues the tradition. An authentic pioneer in Bengali publishing, this is a nook infused with historic charm. 

Timing:  11 AM - 6 PM. Closed on Sundays.

Google Rating: 4.5/5