Brussels is home to an impressive range of bookshops, from cosy independents to renowned international booksellers but so many locals and newcomers miss an opportunity to discover hidden or specialized shops, tucked away from the popular spots. These establishments not only offer an extensive selection of books but also serve as cultural meeting points, fostering a sense of community and intellectual exchange.
Looking for the best bookstores in Brussels? Start here.
For the curated 2026 guide to best Brussels bookshops, we’ve gathered all our favourites, including independent, English & second-hand gems. If we’ve overlooked a cool spot, we’d love to hear from you and update our list!
Filigranes is Brussels’ largest bookshop and a long-standing reference point for Francophone readers. Following a recent move and rebranding, it is now located within the Mayfair store on Boulevard de Waterloo. The focus remains largely on literature, with strong sections in humanities, fine arts, travel, and current affairs. Beyond books, Filigranes is a good place to look for stationery or toys, while its café regularly hosts literary events and signings.
LIBREBOOK in Ixelles opened in 2016 with the aim to promote a shared European literary culture. The bookshop has grown into a multilingual bookshop offering works in around 20 European languages. The focus is on contemporary European literature, with many titles available in English. Alongside Dutch- and French-language books, readers will find works in languages less commonly represented in Brussels bookshops, e.g., Maltese and Luxembourgish. Located close to the European Quarter.
Bozar Bookstore by Walther König is located within BOZAR Center for Fine Arts and specialises in art and exhibition publishing. The shop carries catalogues from BOZAR exhibitions alongside a very strong international selection of books on art, architecture, photography, and design. In addition to books, there is a range of design objects and children’s titles. The bookshop is part of the German art publisher and bookseller Walther König, which operates stores in major European museums and cultural institutions.
Librairie Candide is a long-standing neighbourhood bookshop located on Place Brugmann. It is particularly known for its wide selection of magazines – both mainstream and more specialised local and international titles. The book selection covers literature, travel, cookery and general non-fiction, making it a reliable stop for both everyday reading and more specific interests. We love browsing its shelves on Sundays, followed by a leisurely read on the terrace of Voltaire, one of our usual spots to unwind.
Le Corner, another charming neighbourhood bookstore in the same area, on Avenue Louis Lepoutre. It also offers a selection of books in English.
Waterstones Brussels is the city’s largest English-language bookshop and a long-standing reference point for the anglophone community. Open on Sundays, it remains a reliable destination for fiction, non-fiction, magazines and British periodicals. The shop traces its origins back to the 1920s, when it operated as W.H. Smith. During the 1940s, it was taken over by the Germans and later became an officer’s club when the Allied Forces liberated Brussels. 1997, it became part of the Waterstones chain. Today, in addition to books, it offers stationery, gifts and a selection of British food products.
Pêle-Mêle is one of the largest second-hand bookshops in the Brussels region, with several locations in the city and in Waterloo. Its shelves are densely packed. The English-language section is particularly strong, reflecting Brussels’ international population. English books particularly seem to have a unique journey of its own – many of these gems have found their way here through the hands of diplomats and seasoned expats who have embarked on new journey.
Tulibris in Ixelles is located just off the Fernand Coq square. This bookstore offers a good selection of second-hand English books.
Passa Porta bookshop is nestled in the vibrant Dansaert neighbourhood and includes Brussels’ beloved international house of literature where readers discover new voices, and authors and translators find both an audience and a quiet space to work. Alongside its rich programme of literary events, the bookshop stocks a carefully curated selection of English-language titles with a dedicated English-language bookshop set to open in 2026.
Tropismes – Tucked inside the magnificent Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, Tropismes is one of Brussels’ most beloved independent bookshops and one of its most beautiful. The interior, with its ornate details and painted ceiling, makes browsing feel like an event in itself. The selection is equally impressive, spanning literature, art, philosophy, and beyond, with a particularly strong French-language offering. A visit here is as much about the atmosphere as the books.
Piola Libri in the EU Quarter is part bookshop, part wine bar, and entirely Italian. Browse a thoughtfully assembled selection of Italian titles in Italian alongside translations in English, French, and Dutch, then settle in with a glass of wine and some yummy food.
Punto y Coma (Spanish language bookstore) – another bookstore tucked in the EU Quarter, Punto y Coma caters to Spanish speakers and lovers of the language. It offers a warm, community-minded alternative to the big chains.
Gutenberg Buchhandlung (German language bookstore) was established in 1981, located just two minutes from the Stokkel metro station. Its shelves have a wide selection of German-language books, from bestsellers to classics, catering to various interests and fields. There is also a classic antiquarian section, curated with care.
NiJiNSKi Bookstore is a second-hand bookshop offering a diverse selection primarily in French and English. It welcomes readers into a space that exudes a sense of history. Founded in 1992, it’s the kind of place that rewards slow browsing and rarely lets you leave empty-handed.
Standaard Boekhandel – The city centre branch of Flanders’ best-known bookshop chain, Standaard Boekhandel is the natural first stop for Dutch-language readers in Brussels. Well-stocked across fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, and more, it offers the breadth and ease of a larger store without sacrificing quality.
Evasions, a second-hand bookstore in the centre offers an extensive collection of books, second-hand CDs, DVDs, vinyls and more.
SchaerBook, a small independent bookstore in a charming building in the Plasky neighborhood, at the corner of Avenue Léon Mahillon and Avenue du Diamant.
Taschen is fittingly located in the antique-dealer heartland of Sablon. Taschen’s Brussels outpost feels less like a bookshop and more like a gallery. The store showcases the full range of the iconic publisher’s output – from lavishly produced art and architecture volumes to Collector’s Editions and limited edition prints spanning film, fashion, music, and comics. For design lovers and serious book collectors, it’s an essential stop.
The European Booshop was founded in 1966. It is known for the quality collection of legal and specialised works on European matters, serving numerous institutions, professionals, and individuals.
Replica Bookshop is a neighbourhood bookstore with a coffee bar. Visitors can enjoy a curated selection of literature, children’s books, poetry, magazines, and art books in both Dutch and English.
Tulitu – This generalist bookstore is located in the Sainte-Catherine neighbourhood and embodies a vision of a bookstore attentive to its customers, its neighbourhood, the world of books. Rooted in Sainte Catherine neighbourhood, Tulitu is a generalist bookshop with a broad but thoughtfully assembled selection, reflecting a deep attentiveness to its readers and its community — the kind of shop that feels like it was built for the street it sits on.
Les Yeux Gourmands, a neighbourhood independent in the characterful Saint-Gilles area, Les Yeux Gourmands — “the greedy eyes” — is the kind of bookshop that rewards.
À Livre Ouvert is a Woluwe-Saint-Lambert institution since 1974. À Livre Ouvert has deep roots in the Brussels literary community. Its merger with Le Rat Conteur in 2002 — one of the city’s pioneering children’s bookshops — made it a natural destination for families as well as adult readers, with the two sections now operating side by side. The selection spans literature, humanities, and more, all chosen with the independence and conviction of a shop that has spent five decades earning its readers’ trust.
Het Ivoren Aapje has become one of the city’s most quietly legendary bookshops. Its shelves rise up to the ceiling with literary titles in Dutch, French, English, etc. Tucked away near the Béguinage, the shop is deceptively small from the outside but step in and it opens up into something closer to a bibliophile’s cave.
What is the best English bookstore in Brussels? To get a complete answer, check our special article about English libraries and bookstores in Brussels.