Books and Berkeley: Your Next Page-Turner

Berkeley is for book lovers, a storybook setting where you'll notice people reading books, buying books at local bookshops, publishing books, and talking about books in restaurants and cafes. Read on for a district-by-district review of some our favorite Berkeley nooks where books rule.

Downtown Berkeley

Just west of campus, Downtown Berkeley is a commercial and cultural hub with a vibrant dining and arts scene. Bookstores fit in nicely within this creative mileu, and places like Pegasus Books Downtown, Half-Price Books Berkeley, and the BAMPFA Gift Store are all great places to browse and buy.

Telegraph Avenue

It's been written that great cities usually have an iconic street (or two) that serves to define their past, present and future. Telegraph Avenue, the grand thoroughfare connecting Berkeley with Oakland, lives up to that platitude. Telegraph is lined with restaurants, shops, and street vendors all in the context of an offbeat college town vibe. Moe’s Books, arguably Berkeley’s most storied bookseller, is here, with free speech and flower power filling four floors of new, used and antiquarian books.

Also on Telegraph is Sleepy Cat Books, with the purr-fect mission statement of "Read a book. Pet a cat. Save the world." And, Revolution Books is an engaging, some might even say enlightened, bookstore at the center of a movement for revolution! And another plus: it's right across Durant Ave. from Yogurt Park!

Elmwood District

The Elmwood District is Berkeley's oldest commercial district, and one of the city's go-to locales for sidewalk shopping and dining. Mrs. Dalloway’s is a lovely independent bookstore located in the beautiful Elmwood neighborhood. The store was founded in 2004 and today offers an exciting and diverse selection of titles, and is renowned for its skillfully curated fiction, non-fiction, poetry, gardening and children’s book sections.

One of Berkeley's newest booksellers, Book Society is Berkeley’s first bookstore bar, a woman-owned business on College Avenue in the Elmwood District. Patrons can enjoy a thoughtfully curated book selection, monthly rotating wine list, and menu of light bites perfect for pairing. Books, wine tasting, events, and great conversation in a beautiful space -- who doesn't want to be part of that society!

Solano Avenue

Pegasus Books on Solano offers a unique mix of new, used, and remaindered books. Its selection of greeting cards is renowned across the Bay Area, as well as it's December-January calendar sale. Solano Avenue and its eclectic line up of shops, restaurants, and cafes beckon beyond the bookshelves.

Fourth Street

Ever-iconic Fourth Street is Berkeley's toniest business district, and how fitting that the iconoclastic Builders Booksource is the local literary outlet. Originally dedicated to providing architects, designers, contractors with reference materials, today the inventory reaches out to a broader audience filled with readers of all ages and interests.

North Shattuck

Mr. Mopps' Children's Books is the literary annex of Mr. Mopps' Toy Shop, providing an immersive environment specializing in books with diverse representation to reflect the beautiful local community. From board books for babies to YA for teen, timeless classics to new and buzzy bestsellers, Mr. Mopps' has one of the best and well-rounded selections of children's books in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Bay Area Book Festival

Downtown Berkeley transforms into a vibrant hub of creativity and inspiration when the annual Bay Area Book Festival takes place every spring. From writers workshops and panel discussions to live performances and local vendors, there are "novel" experiences and diverse activities. Along with featuring legendary and talented authors from around the country, the Festival invites storytellers and poets of all ages to enrich their skills and connect with fellow writers. Headliner events, Writers’ Workshops, a lively outdoor fair/block party, and six indoor stages packed with top-notch programming -- if you love books, the Bay Area Book Festival needs to be on your agenda.