5 bookshops to go to for english titles in Budapest

Budapest’s highbrow bookshop serves customers with academic interests and offers hundreds of Hungary-related titles in English. It’s a super nice shop with a gallery. The little wall space that’s not covered with shelves is decorated with old etchings of book worms – the actual insects. The great staff can order anything you might want.

A misleading name for a serious bookshop. It opened in a former grocery in 1992 and is owned by a jovial Egyptian-born immigrant called Tony Lang. It has a great website to order anything from anywhere in the world. Also an expat meeting place. Open on Sundays.

A quiet, idiosyncratic place in the middle of the busy, touristic Jewish district, with a name taken from a Bulgakov novel. There are several little spaces where you can chat or work, and in the foyer you’ll find a special

One of the oldest bookshops in town, named after a composer and music publisher. It moved to this location in 1911; unfortunately the original interior, was destroyed in a fire in 1963. They’re strong in music-related titles, scores and CDs. Upstairs there is a cafe that becomes a small theatre in the evening.

In 1944 the square where this shop is located used to be the centre of the ghetto; now it’s the heart of the ruin pub area. Vince Publishers has long been associated with Taschen, the specialised art books publishers. In the small but nice gallery space you can admire the work of illustrators and other book related projects.