2022 is in contention to be Sydney’s rainiest year on record. This shouldn’t surprise any of us: what with the floods and constant storms, it feels as if autumn and winter have merged into one long, rainy season with only a sprinkling of clear skies.
In such weather, the best course of action is to get comfortable in a plush chair, bury your nose in a book, and become a vegetable – all of which I did, regularly, at the cosiest #bookshop-#cafés in Sydney.
Image credit: author (Berkelouw Café 1812)
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Dymocks Sydney CBD
Dymocks is perhaps the most famous chain-bookstore in Australia, and its headquarters in Sydney CBD live up to the rep. With three storeys full of #books, a comprehensive selection of Australian fiction, and a large stock of branded stationery, Dymocks is the trendiest bookseller of the country.
Image credit: author
On the second level, opposite the stalls of biography, self-help and other non-fiction, is the Dymocks Café. The seating booths are plush and roomy and offer you a private vantage point overlooking a sea of bookworms – what more could you ask for?
The #café ranges on the pricier side, but the expenses are reflected in their resplendent all-day #breakfasts and hearty #lunches (their toasties, in particular, are grilled to perfection). It’s a perfect place for Saturday hangover #brunch, or even a pick-me-up afternoon #tea; I guarantee it’ll revive you from any sluggish stupor.
Berkelouw Café 1812
This spacious #café-#bar-#bookstore is beautiful at a glance: clean modern shelves stacked with colourful books, rustic wooden floors, and a gothic staircase. I especially loved the whole section dedicated to special, bound editions in pristine condition (such as leather-bound Shakespeare folios, and more minimalistic cloth bindings with gilded text). The upper levels feature second-hand books at very affordable prices, some with charming annotations left by previous readers!
Image credit: author
The #café and #bar are located on the bright second floor, and tastefully draped with plants. The space has a homely, comfortable vibe, and is generally quiet – people are sprawled around the seating spaces, reading or studying. We spent a whole afternoon here, lazily soaking up the #atmosphere.
Image credit: author
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Kinokuniya & Dulcet Café
Kinokuniya is a #Japanese-owned #bookstore renowned for its #Asian and #Western literature, prettily-packaged, high quality stationery and, uniquely, the manga section. Perched on the top level of the Galeries, it has partnered with Dulcet Café so you can treat yourself to coffee and dessert after shopping.
My favourite thing about Kinokuniya is how it organises its fiction. Most #bookstores separate classics from general fiction – but at what point does a book become a classic? And at what point does labelling a book ‘classic’ become a cheap marketing tactic? It’s a hotly contested debate and Kinokuniya is the only store that does away with it by grouping all literary fiction together. This actually makes it easier to navigate – especially when looking for novels which straddle the borders between pop, classic, and niche statuses.
Needless to say, I’ve spent way too many afternoons (and way too much money) here, and I shamelessly recommend you do the same.
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Sappho Books, Café, and Bar
A few steps away from the Glebe Markets is Sappho Books, an obscure local favourite for good #drinks and #vintage reads. There’s an aura of antiquity to the place: the weathered #books, #retro #magazines, obsolete world #maps, old memorabilia – it looks like a treasure trove straight out of the March sisters’ playroom. One of its most impressive features are the cabinets dedicated to rare, collector’s editions of #books, including an early limited edition of Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, as well as an anthology of monsters found in classical Chinese tales.
Image credit: author
The café has a lovely #outdoor #terrace I’ll be taking advantage of in the spring, and lots of options for #brunch! From Wednesday to Saturday, Sappho is open until 10pm – perfect for a #date night complete with #books, #wine, and good company.
Image credit: author
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Ampersand Bookstore and Café
Located next to a string of #clothing #boutiques, Ampersand is a quiet place for shoppers to seek respite – and the perfect remedy for a rainy day. Stepping into Ampersand, you enter a world of warm blue walls and whimsical signposts and, of course, shelves upon shelves of #books.
Image credit: author
The #café register is on the ground floor, but there are tables and chairs sprawled across the complex, letting you sit and luxuriate in various little book nooks. A friend and I sat for a long while, flipping through a collection of Lord Byron’s (beautifully written! Absolutely scandalous!) letters. It was a lovely way to end my day – and honestly? I can’t wait to be back.
Image credit: author
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