Find Your Next Read at Pittsburgh’s Best Independent Bookstores

You hear that? It’s the turn of a crisp new page. Find a fresh read for yourself or your favorite bibliophile from indie booksellers all across the Burgh.

White Whale Bookstore

📍Bloomfield

Grab a coffee from the cafe inside of White Whale Bookstore and browse their selection of poetry, history, philosophy, local authors, children’s books, contemporary and literary fiction and nonfiction, and more. Plus, they have really cute stationary and wrapping paper for a perfectly packaged gift. Don’t forget to check their calendar for book launches, community conversations, and poetry readings.

Blythe Books and Fine Gifts

📍Brentwood

Find a previously loved book, or bring a stack of your own to sell at Blythe Books — a used book shop and neighborhood hub for all things cozy, artsy, and bookish. Plus, the shop sells baked goods made by Bullfinch Bakery. Grab a treat to enjoy while browsing, or stop by for a book club meetup or craft workshop, like watercolor painting or crocheting.

Penguin Bookshop

📍Sewickley

This community gem has been in business since 1929 and continues its legacy by offering a unique and extensive collection of new fiction and non-fiction for all ages. Check their calendar for author talks, book signings, and release parties.

City of Asylum

📍Mexican War Streets

It’s more than just a bookstore — City of Asylum provides a sanctuary for persecuted writers being silenced in their home countries, all while exposing Pittsburgh residents to a multitude of voices through their literary, arts, and humanities programs. Explore their shelves, join their bookclub, or attend a free event.

Riverstone Books

📍Squirrel Hill & McCandless

Riverstone Books first opened in McCandless Crossing in 2017, then expanded to Squirrel Hill in 2021. Both locations are great for literary and popular fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books — plus puzzles, greeting cards, other other gifts. Join the Squirrel Hill cookbook club, attend a storytime, or set up your local school with a book fair.

Stay Gold Books

📍Regent Square

Married couple Carrie and Corey Wittig started the shop as a way to channel their experience as teachers, love of books, and search for meaning following both the pandemic and Carrie’s breast cancer diagnosis. Step into their world of words or order a book online to pick up in store.

City Books

📍Allegheny West

Tucked between charming rowhouses, you’ll find Pittsburgh’s oldest used bookstore filled with everything from classic to contemporary reads — and a special section highlighting local authors. The shop is led by Arlan Hess, who hosts book launches, community events, and a writer-in-residence program for emerging and marginalized storytellers.

The Big Idea Bookstore & Cafe

📍Bloomfield

Sip on a cup of Redstart Roasters coffee or Cutting Root Farm & Apothecary tea while browsing the lending library, new and used books, zines, and other media. The shop specializes in books on progressive ideas, resistance, and mutual aid. Find upcoming events on their Instagram.

Shadyside Books

📍Shadyside

Step on up to the second floor of Caboodle Trading Post to browse over 5,000 books for all ages and budgets — with a focus on history, art, and science. You can even bring your pup along with you!

Woolly Bear Books & Gifts

📍Carnegie

East Main Street is perfect for strolling and shopping. Stop in Carnegie Coffee Company to get something cozy, then skip over to the borough’s newest spot for good reads. Woolly Bear Books has contemporary and classic books, plus gifts like greetings cards, puzzles, and mugs. It’s open seven days a week and often hosts author signings, book clubs, and special events like candle making.

Amazing Books & Records

📍Squirrel Hill & Shadyside

Whether you’re looking to buy used books and records or sell your own, this is the spot for deals. And for every three you buy, you get one free! Swing by for free beer or nonalcoholic spritz every Thursday 6-10 p.m. and every Saturday, starting an hour after sunset.

The Tiny Bookstore

📍Ross Township

This 300-square-foot shop in the North Hills is the smallest independent bookstore in town, but it’s still stacked with great reads, from memoirs and cookbooks to urban fiction and children’s stories. Start by browsing their favorites.

Spark Books

📍Aspinwall

Kids and their caregivers can celebrate storytime with shelves of colorful reads for all ages and an imaginary play space with dress-up clothes, art supplies, sensory toys, and more. Check out their events like family storytime and baby book club.

Posman Books

📍Strip District

Delight your inner child at Posman Books — a book shop with an ice cream store inside – at The Terminal in the Strip District. It’s filled with new releases, stationary, gifts, and the sweet smell of confections.

Beyond Bedtime Books

📍Dormont

This shop is packed with reads in every corner: new and gently used books, rare and out-of-print books, and books for kids in the children’s room. Take your time to meander the shelves, and don’t hesitate to ask for recommendations!

B is for Books

📍Homestead

This shop is a 100% free bookstore for children and their families, and it doubles as a resource for early childhood educators. If you’re a teacher, you can request books for your classroom. The store takes new and gently used donations, too.

Material Books

📍Lawrenceville

The Lawrenceville Market House has a variety of cute shops selling plants, jewelry, clothing, and wine — plus Material Books, which is stocked with books on film, photography, urban design, and of course, Pittsburgh. Don’t skip on a coffee and sweet treat from Oliver’s Donuts, also inside the market.

Fungus Books & Records

📍Regent Square

Stop in Madeleine Bakery & Bistro for a croissant, then head across the street to this well-curated shop on Trenton Avenue filled with books on art, film, science fiction, music, poetry…oh, and definitely mushrooms. They also sell records!

Vintage Max Mercantile

📍Bellevue

This shop sells fresh and classic reads, vintage art and decor, and unique gifts. (It’s right down the street from Bayne Park, where Bellevue hosts its farmers market.) Keep an eye on the shop’s Instagram page for pop-ups like baked goods and wine tastings, drag story hour, and book clubs. Don’t leave the shop without saying hi to the bookstore cat!

Mystery Lovers Bookshop

📍Oakmont

If you’re into thriller, noir, and suspense stories, this shop is worth a trip. Hate making decisions? Join their mystery book subscription or one of their book clubs. Stop in and you might find Joe Wos, a Pittsburgh artist known for his MazeToons — a cartoon and puzzle hybrid.