The Best Independent Bookstores in Munich

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There isn’t much that Lost Weekend doesn’t do! Right at the exit of the Universität U-Bahn station, this pragmatic concrete building is a coworking space and vegan coffee shop as well as a bookstore. If you stick around long enough, it also holds poetry and open mic nights in the evenings. Its bookshelves are a little less diverse, mostly focusing on economics, politics and philosophy. Be sure to try out their cappuccino as you browse the shelves.

If book lovers can’t appreciate a good pun, then who will! If you didn’t really pay attention in those German classes at school, Words’ Worth is the place to go. It’s been one of Munich’s top English bookstores since 1985 and is situated in the heart of the university district. You’ll find the hottest paperbacks, English DVDs as well as many puns in their literary gifts and postcards sections.

Bargain book hunters, this is your mecca! Stuffed full of secondhand English books, if you couldn’t bring your beloved collection to Munich, The Munich Readery is the place to restock your shelves. You’ll find the store in Maxvorstadt, near the Neue Pinakothek. The simple bookshelves and armchairs dotted around the store give it a homely feel, and you can grab a coffee whilst deciding what to take home. Owner Lisa Yarger is an author, and you’ll find her novel, Lovie, on Amazon and, of course, in the store.

Far from being a dusty, stuffy old place, Literatur Moths prides itself on exploring the connection between books and art, and it describes the shop floor as a stage rather than, well, a shop floor. Located right by the River Isar, expect Harry Potter-like scrolling ladders to reach the top shelves and to be surrounded by quirky modern artwork as you browse. They often work with Munich’s cultural council to put on events such as book signings and exhibitions.

A vinyl store might not spring to mind when you’re thinking about independent bookstores, but if you’re a music lover, there’s nothing better than a trip to Maoz Vinyl & Kaffee. As well as selling and buying vinyl records, you’ll be spoiled for choice with their extensive range of books and magazines about all things music. You can even pick up Polaroid film in this retro haven. You’ll find this hidden gem in the north of the city, just a few minutes’ walk from the Josephplatz U-Bahn.