Toronto has a huge literary scene, boasting globally renowned book festivals, tons of niche little book shops, and the largest library system in North America, making it a dream destination for book lovers! Here’s a guide on the best spots to visit for a book lover in Toronto.
Biblio-Mat at The Monkey’s Paw bookstore
If you can’t decide on what to read, check out the Biblio-Mat at the Monkey’s Paw bookstore (1067 Bloor St W) — this coin-operated vending machine dispenses randomly selected old books, allowing bibliophiles to go antiquarian book hunting with a single $5 token. Book lovers will adore the Monkey’s Paw — the shop specializes in eclectic, arcane and absurd books, as well as unique 20th-century printed items. You’ll find old, rare and even out-of-print books!
Toronto Reference Library
The Toronto Library system is considered one of the best in the world as well as the largest in North America — with 100 branches and two bookmobiles, the library has more than 46 million annual visits to its branches and online! The Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge St) offers access to rare books, archives and special collections recognized for their local and global importance. For Sherlock Holmes fans, the library boasts the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection — one of the world’s leading collections devoted to the author. Stop by its cozy room, styled as Sherlock’s study!
Toronto’s Literary festivals
Check out the annual Word on the Street festival — the 36th annual festival takes place Sep 27-28, 2025. This national celebration of reading, writing, and literacy boasts hundreds of author readings for visitors of all ages! It’s Canada’s largest free book-and-magazine festival, featuring tons of books by Canadian and Indigenous authors — there’ll be something for everyone. The Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) brings together readers and writers from all over the globe to Harbourfront Centre every fall, offering patrons the opportunity to meet, hear and learn from the world’s best authors and artists across all literary genres! TIFA also offers year-round events, activities and mini-festivals.
Literary hotspots at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto alumni include some of Canada’s most celebrated literary figures, like Margaret Atwood, John McCrae, and Michael Ondaatje — so grab a notebook and pen, head to the university grounds and get inspired to write your own novel! The Trinity College Quadrangle (6 Hoskin Ave) serves as a sort of outdoor living room for visitors, you’ll find the perfect spot to read and write. Or check out the Philosopher’s Walk footpath (78 Queens Pk Cres W) located at the St George campus — it’s filled with history and it’s the perfect spot for a stroll to boost your creative juices. While you’ll need a TCard to access the iconic Robarts Library, you can check out the gorgeous cherry blossom trees surrounding the space to help spark your creative epiphanies.
Indie bookstores
There are more than 250 indie bookstores across Toronto, boasting the most unique hidden gems in the literary industry. A few popular options include A Different Booklist (779 Bathurst St), specializing in literature from the African Caribbean Diaspora and the Global South; Another Story Bookshop (315 Roncesvalles Ave) — its books focus on themes of social justice, equity and diversity; Ben McNally Books (108 Queen St E) — this family-run indie bookstore offers thousands of titles, as well as events and readings; and Type Books (three locations, including 883 Queen St W, across from Trinity Bellwoods Park) — an indie bookstore with a neighbourhood vibe, boasting literature for both serious book lovers as well as more whimsical readers.
Glad Day Bookshop
The world’s oldest 2SLGBTQ+-focused bookstore/café (499 Church St) is nestled in the Church–Wellesley Village! It carries literature for all ages, including kids and young adults.
Flying Books
Flying Books (784 College St and 371 Queen St W) is much more than a bookstore — it offers one-on-one sessions with professional writers of fiction, poetry and nonfiction, providing everything from practical notes and exercises to advice on how to take your writing project to a higher level. The store loves books so much that it even publishes them (check out Happy Hour, by Marlowe Granados, Good Girl, by Anna Fitzpatrick, and City in Flames, by Tomas Hachard).
Discounted and pre-loved books
ABC Books (662 Yonge St) is one of the most popular spots in the city for bargain books in great condition (for an amazing price)! BMV Books (multiple locations) is also a perfect place to visit if you’re on a budget — it has a great selection of second-hand books, as well as new-releases, old-school DVDs, Blu-rays, vinyl records, CDs, magazines, comic books, graphic novels, board games, and more — there’s something for everyone!
The Great Library at Osgoode Hall
The Law Society of Upper Canada’s Great Library at Osgoode Hall mainly serves Law Society licensees and their agents but the public can also access the library’s print resources and public access computer. When entering the Main Reading Room, you’ll be amazed by the magnificence of this space, including its stately columns, baroque fireplace, stained-glass windows and intricately designed ceiling!
Comic books and graphic novels
The Beguiling (319 College St) has been selling the most iconic comics, manga, original local art and graphic novels for nearly four decades. Head to Queen Street West to check out the Silver Snail (809 Queen St W) — it’s stocked with collectibles, graphic novels, recent comic releases, toys, games and more.
