Buenos Aires is a city that breathes literature, and one of its best-kept secrets are the bookstores hidden inside bars or cafés—those hidden bookstores where you least expect them. If you like the idea of discovering corners filled with books when you least expect it, here are the hidden bookstores of Buenos Aires.
Libros del Pasaje
Founded in 2004, Libros del Pasaje is located in a beautiful old mansion with high vaulted ceilings and is a perfect haven for book lovers. You’ll find a vast selection of books by both national and international authors, all arranged on enormous shelves. They also host book presentations, talks, and exhibitions. Did we mention that this hidden bookstore has a perfect courtyard where you can enjoy a coffee while you read?
Ifigenia
Ifigenia is a literary café, a cozy spot where you can enjoy reading with a good cup of coffee and music from an old record player. With a library of around 600 books, Ifigenia is one of the most intimate hidden bookstores you’ll find. Most of its books come from the owner’s personal collection.
Eterna Cadencia
It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but this is one of Buenos Aires’ most overlooked hidden bookstores. If you step inside this narrow, elongated house in Palermo, you’ll discover Eterna Cadencia—a bookstore, courtyard, and terrace with around 40,000 titles. In its courtyard and on the terrace, there’s a bar offering great lunch options where you can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere while you read.
Borges 1975
At first glance, you might think Borges 1975 is a jazz club, but then you’ll discover it has a beautiful bookstore. Music and books! Here you can have a coffee, enjoy a jazz show, or simply lose yourself among the bookshelves. They even have a concert series called “Jazzuela,” which combines readings of excerpts from Cortázar’s works with live jazz.
How could we not include Clásica y Moderna on this list of hidden bookstores in Buenos Aires? Clásica y Moderna is a café and bar with years of history, well-known among culture lovers and book lovers in Buenos Aires because this café hides a collection of over 6,000 books. Without a doubt, it’s one of the hidden bookstores you have to discover.
