Check out our favourite bookstores in Hong Kong

Bookstores have so much to offer where the dot-coms don’t! Immediate satisfaction, for one; the luxury of actually browsing shelves of freshly stacked books, flipping those crisp pages through thumb and finger (ahh, that ‘new book’ smell!) and perusing stationery, pens, cute trinkets and slogan bookmarks – all of which you simply must have. And despite the perpetual maze that is Hong Kong shopping malls, English language bookstores aren’t as few and far between as you may think. We’ve rounded up 6 of our favourites for all our fellow bookworms out there…

Read more: Team Sassy’s Picks for Books to Read this Summer Holiday!

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2014 by Siobhan Bent and was updated in April 2017 by Sassy Mama.

In typical Hong Kong fashion, Basheer can be found in a non-descript building in Causeway Bay, down the hall from an unmarked elevator! But dedicated book-seekers won’t be easily deterred from this slightly chaotic hotbed of all things design. From professional-grade texts to an amateur array of design-based magazine and delightfully familiar interior design glossies, to niche favourites, there’s plenty to thumb through and collect!

Basheer, 1/F Flat A Island Building, 439-441 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, 2126 7533, www.basheer.com.hk 

For a beautiful, carefully curated selection of books in an uber cool setting, head to Kubrick in Yau Ma Tei. This cute little book store has a range of art and design books, travel and cookery books, specialty magazines, novels and more. It’s the perfect place to hang out on weekend afternoons as it has its own cafe. Round the corner you’ll find stationery and a record and DVD store, as well as a cinema (that usually shows more independent films). We love the creative, chilled out atmosphere and friendly staff – Kubrick is a must-visit for book lovers.

Kubrick, Shop H2, Cinema Block, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public Square Street, Ya Ma Tei, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2384 8929, www.kubrick.com.hk

Established all the way back in 1985 and a family favourite, Bookazine boasts eight locations across Honkers, each offering a unique shopping experience! The largest, in Prince’s Building, stocks more than 900 magazine titles and over 20,000 books in addition to a myriad of gifts (of which many are eco-friendly!). And if you’re on the hunt for best-sellers and that last-minute birthday card, their Lyndhurst Terrace location holds a treasure trove of trinkets perfect for kiddos. If you’re running errands, there is likely a Bookazine somewhere nearby!

Bookazine, Landmark Prince’s, Shop 309, Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, Central, 2522 1785, www.bookazine.com.hk. Check out all Bookazine locations here!

No longer just a simple bookstore, the Eslite brand encompasses an art gallery, a theatre and performance forum, a ‘Gourmet Group’ dealing in wine, foodstuffs and professional kitchen equipment, all sharing the mantra to “bring good things to life”. The Hong Kong Eslite outpost is no exception: spanning three floors and more than 40,000 square feet of Hysan Place in Causeway Bay, the mega-store is a wonderland of printed offerings with hundreds of thousands of titles, over one-third of which are English language (not to mention a great selection of children’s books)!

Eslite, 8/F-10/F, Hysan Place, 500 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong,  Tel: 3419 6789, www.eslitecorp.com

Kelly & Walsh shines in the category of art and culinary publishing with an impressive and in depth selection in an intimate, boutique-feeling shop. From super chefs Gordon Ramsay and Ferran Adria, to cult favourites like The Kinfolk Table, to seriously encyclopaedic tomes as Jancis Robinson’sWorld Atlas of Wine, K&W’s cookery section goes above and beyond! There is even a cute little nook at the back for you and your little ones to cuddle up with a great picture book. Perfect!

Kelly & Walsh, Shop 204, L2 Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong, 2522 7893, www.kellyandwalsh.com

Conveniently situated on Chancery Lane in Central, Lok Man Rare Books offers a vast array of rare reads, from first editions to valuable folios. It’s home to a wealth of unique riches – modern and classical literature, children’s literature, history and more. The proprietor, Lorence Johnston, also offers visitors personal guidance and is readily accessible if you need help sourcing extremely rare books. Alongside being Hong Kong’s destination for the most precious finds, it doubles as the perfect venue for private cocktail parties and wine tasting events.

Lok Man Rare Books, Ground Floor, 5 Chancery Lane, Central, Hong Kong, 2868 1056, www.lokmanbooks.com