Joburg itinerary: Pairing bookshops and coffee spots

27 Jan 2026

You'll need to go past Bean There after trawling through L'Elephant Terrible's shelves. Photo: L'Elephant Terrible.

Reading with a view at De Baba Eatery in Melville. Photo: Johannesburg In Your Pocket.

Inside Bridge Books in Marshalltown. Photo: Supplied.

Is there anything better than opening a book while sipping coffee from a steaming mug as the world around you disappears? For those who love good coffee and excellent books in equal measure, we've paired a few of our favourite bookstores with nearby coffee shops in Joburg to make those pages fly.

1. Book Circle Capital and Bookdealers, and De Baba Eatery

De Baba Eatery in Melville is flanked by bookstores on either side. Photo: Johannesburg In Your Pocket.

Three for the price of two. Browse African literature from Book Circle Capital in Melville's quirky 27 Boxes complex or comb the shelves for the secondhand title you've been looking for from Bookdealers on 7th Avenue. Then hop across the street to De Baba Eatery for coffee and a heavenly almond croissant (or another of their impeccable baked goodies).

2. Love Books and Service Station

A tried-and-true pairing is Melville's Love Books and its adjacent restaurant and deli, Service Station. The cookbook selection at Love Books is amazing, and paging through them with a coffee (the brownies from Service Station are delightful) is just the best possible solo time one can hope for. Love Books is also one of the few stockists of the landmark Wake Up, This is Joburg collection – an ode to this dynamic city by Tanya Zack and Mark Lewis.

3. L’Elephant Terrible and Bean There

Lovely hand-painted signs and other offbeat details make L'Elephant Terrible a pleasure to spend time in. Photo: L'Elephant Terrible.

Browse the eclectic L’Elephant Terrible at 44 Stanley and then take your unique find next door to Bean There for a taste of Africa’s finest Fairtrade coffee. We're partial to the Ethiopian dark roast, but any of the day's coffee options will delight you. If the weather is fine, step into the pretty courtyard – a perfect hideaway.

4. Bridge Books, and Sadie's Bistro and Troy's Café

Inside Bridge Books, Barbican. Photo: Supplied.

If independent African literature is your love language, Bridge Books is your place. This warm, independent bookshop, owned by Griffin Shea, specialises in new and secondhand titles by South African and African writers and poets. Based in the historic Barbican building in Joburg’s City Centre, Bridge Books invites you to linger – grab a coffee in-store, find a quiet corner, and settle into a good read. Feeling peckish? Make a day of it by visiting nearby favourites like Sadie’s Bistro in Marshalltown for Benedicts, omelettes, and salmon in the city. Or head to Troy’s Café for excellent sandwiches and pasteis de nata from Casa das Natas, tucked into a charming coffee nook on Loveday Street. While there, pop into Asisebenze Art Gallery next door.

5. David Krut Bookstore and Plato at Nine Yards

A sunny courtyard outside Plato coffee, Nine Yards. Photo: Johannesburg In Your Pocket.

David Krut Projects in Parktown North is a creative haven housed in its famous Blue House. Inside, you’ll find a world-class fine art print studio, gallery, expert framing, and a bookstore stacked with must-have local and international art titles. Once you’ve filled your visual (and literary) cup, take a short stroll to Plato Coffee in the blossoming Nine Yards precinct for an excellent brew, a sunny courtyard, and the perfect spot to dive into your new book.

6. Books Galore and The Whippet

Books Galore is a Joburg second-hand bookstore franchise that's been going since 1990. The Linden branch is cosy and well-stocked; we rarely visit without leaving with a treasure. Plus, the Linden library’s not far off, and two second-hand book dealers are along the same stretch of road. Where to go once you've got your book haul? The Whippet, of course. The coffee and tea selection is top rate and, if you stay for a meal, the food is freshly made café-style, simple, and tasty.

7. Hardcopy Books and Rick's Bookshop, and 4th Ave Coffee

Wade through the cyclists to grab a strong and really good Americano at 4th Ave Coffee Roasters (we also love their "build your own" breakfasts), then waltz up the Parkhurst high street of Fourth Avenue to Hardcopy Books for secondhand and collectible titles. In the opposite direction, you'll find Rick's Bookshop – jam-packed with secondhand titles.

8. Chapter 1 Books, and Loof Coffee and Bunnaqurs Café

Enjoy a read and a bite at Loof Coffee in Norwood. Photo: Loof Coffee via Instagram.

Packed with hard-to-find, out-of-print, used, and rare books – especially Africana, Rhodesiana, and modern first editions – Chapter 1 Books is the kind of place where time quietly disappears (and yes, they’ll buy your secondhand books too). Tucked next to the Norwood Spar on 67 Grant Avenue, it’s perfectly placed for a post-browse coffee crawl: wander over to Loof Coffee or inside The Factory on Grant to Bunnaqurs Café for an Ethiopian brew and some quality reading time.

9. Parkview Book Sale and Croft & Co

Anytime we find ourselves on Tyrone Avenue in Parkview, we can't resist a browse at the Parkview Book Sale tucked inside The Village Centre. The books on offer change regularly (they accept donations) and colour-coded pricing snags you excellent reads from as little as R30. If you wander in and there's nobody at the stall, payments can be made at Taste of Punjab. All proceeds go to uplifting vulnerable children and restoring dignity through community support. Take your new acquisitions for a spin at Croft & Co – a neighbourhood favourite. We certainly won't judge you for stopping in for a tasty scoop from Forest Gelato, also at The Village Centre, along the way.

10. Jenny's Bookshop and Fresh Earth

At Blairgowrie Plaza, you won't find Jenny's Bookshop unless you know it's there – well-hidden, and well worth it for secondhand titles. Down the road at Delta Central is Fresh Earth café, which serves good coffee and smoothies, and delectable (vegan-friendly) baked goods. If you need to stretch your legs afterwards, take a leafy stroll around the nearby Delta Park.