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The Best Bookshops in Adelaide for Your Next Great Read
A good bookshop always leaves room for a happy detour. Adelaide’s best are filled with new releases, pre-loved favourites and rare finds, with thoughtful independent booksellers making the search for your next great read all the more rewarding.
Adelaide is home to a thoughtful mix of independent bookshops, well-loved local favourites and specialist stores worth exploring. Whether you’re searching for the latest releases, a pre-loved paperback or a rare antiquarian find, the city’s bookshops offer plenty to discover, from the CBD and eastern suburbs to the Adelaide Hills and even Kangaroo Island. These are the best bookshops in Adelaide to browse for your next great read, find a considered gift or simply lose an hour among the shelves.
In This Guide
Best Bookshops in Adelaide for New Releases
Dymocks Adelaide
For a broad selection under one roof, Dymocks in Rundle Mall is a convenient stop in the heart of the city. Browse across fiction, non-fiction and children’s titles, then explore the stationery and games selection if you’re looking for something beyond a book. It’s an easy choice for picking up a new release, finding a last-minute gift or adding a little reading inspiration to a day in the CBD.
Suburb: Adelaide CBD
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Gifting, Kids, Shopping
Sitchu Tip: Dymocks is one of the Adelaide stockists of ROAM, Sitchu’s own book, so it’s an easy place to pick up a copy if you’re shopping for a gift.
Mostly Books
Established in 1977, Mostly Books is an independent bookshop tucked inside Mitcham Square Shopping Centre, with a loyal local following and a strong sense of community. Its shelves cover a broad range of interests, and the team is happy to help source a title if it isn’t currently in stock. Beyond the books, regular book clubs, knitting groups and author events give readers another reason to return. A particularly good choice if you like your bookshop visits to become a familiar ritual.
Suburb: Torrens Park
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Gifting, Solo treat
Dillons Bookshop
A Norwood institution since 1984, Dillons Bookshop is Adelaide’s largest independently owned bookshop, with an expansive selection of fiction, non-fiction, reference titles and children’s books. There are puzzles, board games and gifts to browse alongside the books, while the team is known for helping readers track down harder-to-find titles. Make a little extra time for a wander through the shelves, then continue your afternoon along The Parade.
Suburb: Norwood
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Gifting, Kids, Weekend plans
Need To Know: A second Dillons bookshop will open as part of the Adelaide Central Market redevelopment.
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Harry Hartog
A bookshop that makes a leisurely browse feel like part of the outing, Harry Hartog brings an extensive selection of new releases, enduring classics and giftable finds to Burnside Village. The shelves are thoughtfully arranged, with plenty to explore across fiction and non-fiction, while the team is on hand to help narrow down the options if you’re shopping for a particular reader. It’s an easy addition to a day spent browsing the centre, whether you have a title in mind or prefer to see what catches your eye.
Suburb: Glenside
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Gifting, Shopping, Weekend plans
Orchard Bookshop
Inside the elegant Adelaide Arcade, Orchard Bookshop is a small but thoughtfully assembled collection of new, vintage and collectible books. Its shelves reward a little curiosity, with literature, cult classics, art, cookery, philosophy and children’s titles among the offerings. It’s particularly appealing if you enjoy discovering a book for its story and its physical beauty, from a well-chosen contemporary release to an older edition worth keeping. The selection changes, so there’s always a reason to browse.
Suburb: Adelaide CBD
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Vintage, Gifting
Imprints Booksellers
Since opening in 1984, Imprints Booksellers has been a fixture of Adelaide’s West End, with an independent spirit and an eclectic selection spanning Australian and international authors. It’s the kind of bookshop to visit when you want to look beyond the obvious bestseller, discover a new voice or find a thoughtful gift. And if the title you’re after isn’t on the shelf, the team can order it in, provided it’s still in print.
Suburb: Adelaide CBD
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Gifting, Solo treat
Best Second-Hand and Rare Bookshops in Adelaide
Page & Turner
Part bookshop, part treasure hunt, Page & Turner brings together pre-loved and new books across a range of genres, alongside vinyl records, CDs, DVDs and gifts. Located in the Myer Centre, it’s a useful CBD stop for readers who enjoy rummaging through a varied collection and coming across something unexpected. The eclectic mix makes it an appealing place to linger rather than simply dash in for a particular title.
Suburb: Adelaide CBD
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Vintage, Shopping, Gifting
Michael Treloar Antiquarian Booksellers
For books with a little history behind them, Michael Treloar Antiquarian Booksellers is a destination in its own right. Established in Adelaide in 1976, the specialist bookseller deals in antiquarian and out-of-print titles, alongside vintage photographs, manuscripts and autographs. Its catalogues offer a glimpse of the collection, but visiting the shop opposite the State Library of South Australia is an opportunity to explore the stories, craftsmanship and history held within older volumes. A worthwhile stop for collectors and anyone with an interest in Australian history or rare publications.
Suburb: Adelaide CBD
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Vintage, Solo treat
O’Connell’s Bookshop
O’Connell’s Bookshop has long been part of Adelaide’s second-hand book scene, with a collection that rewards readers who enjoy a little searching. Its shelves span antiquarian, pre-loved and new books, with the potential to turn up an unexpected edition or a title that has been missing from your collection. It’s the sort of place where browsing is as much a part of the appeal as finding something specific.
Suburb: Adelaide CBD
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Vintage, Solo treat
Adelaide Booksellers
For those who enjoy the thrill of tracking down a particular title, Adelaide Booksellers specialises in second-hand and antiquarian books, with an online catalogue to explore from home. Its collection spans subjects including Australian and South Australian history, military history, art and children’s books. Although it isn’t a conventional shopfront for casual browsing, it’s worth keeping in mind if you’re searching for an older edition or a book that has become difficult to find. Collection arrangements should be confirmed directly with the bookseller.
Suburb: Clarence Gardens
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Vintage, Gifting
Need To Know: Online only, with collection by arrangement.
Booknook and Bean
Booknook and Bean pairs coffee with pre-loved books in Adelaide’s CBD, offering readers a place to settle in with a good read and a cup of coffee. Proceeds from its second-hand book sales supported Kiva, a nonprofit organisation that facilitates loans to entrepreneurs and small businesses around the world. It’s a thoughtful combination of coffee, books and community.
Suburb: Adelaide CBD
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Vintage, Solo treat
New Morning Books
With a substantial collection of pre-loved books, New Morning Books is a rewarding stop for anyone who enjoys the unpredictability of a second-hand bookshop. Owner John Scott has spent decades in the trade, building an expansive collection that invites a proper browse rather than a quick scan. Expect well-read classics and novels alongside unexpected discoveries across a broad range of subjects. Come with a title in mind, or leave yourself time to see what turns up.
Suburb: Adelaide CBD
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Vintage, Solo treat, Weekend plans
Best Regional Bookshops in South Australia
Big Quince Book Shop
What began as a humble print shop has grown into one of Kangaroo Island’s coolest creative spaces. The owners of Big Quince Book Shop started with a small shelf for customers to browse, and a loyal local following soon turned it into a cosy book nook packed with reads. Timeworn carpets, mismatched photo frames and a big leather couch in the corner make it the kind of place you’ll want to settle into, ideally with a locally roasted coffee or blended tea. Find it facing the wharf in Kingscote.
Suburb: Kingscote, SA
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Solo treat, Weekend plans
Matilda Bookshop
A much-loved Adelaide Hills institution, Matilda Bookshop has been selling books since 1982, with its Stirling home offering a considered selection for readers of all ages. Fiction sits alongside gardening, cooking, art and design, biography and history, while a dedicated children’s room makes it a lovely stop for younger readers, too. Add in author conversations, staff recommendations and a well-chosen selection of journals, cards and gifts, and it’s easy to lose track of time here.
Suburb: Stirling, SA
Price Guide: Prices vary, see website
Best For: Books, Kids, Gifting, Weekend plans
The Strand Books & Records
Make a day of it on the Fleurieu with a browse along Port Elliot’s main street, where The Strand Books & Records is a treasure trove for second-hand fans. Pre-loved books start from just $5, and there’s a collection of records to flick through too, alongside collectable titles for the keen hunter. It’s about 80 kilometres south of Adelaide, so it’s an easy add-on to a coastal getaway.
Suburb: Port Elliot, SA
Price Guide: From $5
Best For: Books, Vintage, Weekend plans
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Bookshops in Adelaide
Yes, several Adelaide bookshops will source titles that aren’t on their shelves. Imprints Booksellers on Hindley Street can order in any book that is still in print, and the team at Mostly Books in Torrens Park is happy to help source a title that isn’t currently in stock. Dillons Bookshop in Norwood is known for helping readers track down harder-to-find titles. For older editions, specialist sellers such as Michael Treloar Antiquarian Booksellers and Adelaide Booksellers are the better option, as both deal in out-of-print and hard-to-find books.
Some of South Australia’s most memorable bookshops sit beyond the city. On the Fleurieu Peninsula, The Strand Books & Records in Port Elliot, about 80 kilometres south of Adelaide, stocks pre-loved books from $5 alongside records and collectable titles. On Kangaroo Island, Big Quince Book Shop in Kingscote began as a print shop and now pairs a well-stocked book nook with locally roasted coffee and blended tea, facing the wharf. Closer to the city, Matilda Bookshop in Stirling has been an Adelaide Hills institution since 1982.
Matilda Bookshop in Stirling is the standout for young readers, with a dedicated children’s room inside an Adelaide Hills bookshop that has been trading since 1982. Closer to the city, Dillons Bookshop in Norwood stocks an expansive children’s range alongside puzzles and board games. In the CBD, Dymocks Adelaide in Rundle Mall carries children’s titles as part of a broad selection that includes stationery and games, and Orchard Bookshop in Adelaide Arcade includes children’s books among its new, vintage and collectible titles. Adelaide Booksellers also stocks second-hand children’s books through its online catalogue.
Adelaide’s independent bookshops span the CBD, suburbs and Adelaide Hills. Dillons Bookshop has been a Norwood institution since 1984 and is the city’s largest independently owned bookshop, with a second store set to join the Adelaide Central Market redevelopment. Imprints Booksellers, a West End fixture on Hindley Street since 1984, is known for an eclectic mix of Australian and international authors. Mostly Books, established in 1977 inside Mitcham Square in Torrens Park, has a loyal local following, while Matilda Bookshop has traded in Stirling in the Adelaide Hills since 1982.
Michael Treloar Antiquarian Booksellers on North Terrace, opposite the State Library of South Australia, is Adelaide’s specialist for rare and out-of-print books. Established in 1976, it also deals in vintage photographs, manuscripts and autographs, with strong appeal for collectors of Australian history. Adelaide Booksellers in Clarence Gardens specialises in second-hand and antiquarian titles, including South Australian and military history, and operates online with collection by arrangement. O’Connell’s Bookshop and Orchard Bookshop in Adelaide Arcade are also worth visiting, with antiquarian and collectible editions among their stock.
Adelaide’s best second-hand bookshops are concentrated in the CBD. New Morning Books on Frome Street holds a substantial collection of pre-loved classics and novels, built by owner John Scott over decades in the trade. Booknook and Bean pairs pre-loved books with coffee, with proceeds from book sales supporting the nonprofit Kiva. Page & Turner in the Myer Centre mixes pre-loved and new books with vinyl records, CDs and DVDs, while O’Connell’s Bookshop stocks antiquarian, pre-loved and new titles. Beyond the city, The Strand Books & Records in Port Elliot sells pre-loved books from $5.
If you loved our round up of the best book stores in Adelaide, be sure to check out our top picks of things to do in Adelaide, or to keep the wholesome vibes going, why not book in for a sumptuous high tea?
