Sckylar Rayne23 Unexpected Best Places To Read, Work, and Study in NYC
Whether you’re looking for a place to read, work, or study, this list has you covered. This is a list of all the best places to read in NYC.
I’ve always been a bit of a bookworm.
For instance, when I was 14, I have a vivid memory of never listening to my science instructor drone on in class. Instead, I often snuck glances at the copy of Beowulf I had tucked inside my textbook and hoped I wouldn’t get caught. Which, unfortunately, I often did.
As an adult, I love to snuggle up on a pool chair with my husband, a book, and a cold margarita while we’re on vacation.
I’ve always been a pro at finding the best ways to incorporate reading into my daily life. Which is how I’ve come to develop a particular set of skills. Skills that make me an expert in finding the best cozy places to read, even in busy and bustling NYC.
My husband and I are both big fans of reading, be it for personal development or high fantasy escapism. One of our favorite things to do when we travel is to keep a keen lookout for special places to read together peacefully. Bonus points if it’s somewhere where we can sip sweet wine or yummy coffee. Now that we’ve moved to New York, one of the busiest and most bustling of metropolitan areas, we’ve come to discover some of the best places to read in NYC.
The 23 best places to read, write, and study in NYC (By the way, #20 is my favorite)
The following locations are the best places to read in NYC, no matter what type of reading environment you prefer.
There are natural and serene areas that provide you an escape from the high-energy city. Cozy and comfortable coffee shops. Historic libraries. And fun restaurants where you can grab a snack at the same time as you use words printed on dead trees to hallucinate to your heart’s content.
So grab a book from the To Be Read pile and hop on the subway. These remarkably cozy reading spots are way better than the couch in your apartment. They’re some of the best places to read (and work and study) in NYC!
Why read in New York City?
New York City is one of the biggest cities in the world. There is so much to do at any hour of the day, so why choose reading of all things?
While escaping into a book while you’re in a bucket list destination like New York City (whether you live here or are just visiting) might seem like a waste of time to some people, there are plenty of reasons why finding the best places to read in NYC is actually a great idea.
As you probably know, reading comes with a million beneficial side effects. It enriches the brain, strengthens the imagination, and increases motivation. It’s also a great way to increase your general knowledge, and it helps induce sleep for the insomnia-inclined.
Some read to dive into new worlds and gain all the many benefits of reading. And for others, finding a vibey place to read, study, or work is a necessity.
For students, writers, work-from-home-ers, and those bibliophiles who need a good book like a dehydrated marathon runner needs an IV (I see you), it is essential to have a go-to spot where you feel comfortable enough to camp out for hours. Someplace where you can pop open your book, tablet, or laptop and sip away at your coffee, tea, or wine while your mind zooms off into another world.
So, whether you live in NYC, are studying at an in-city university, or are here on vacation and just can’t put your book down, these are the best places to read, write, study, or work in NYC.
Social reading places: coffee houses, bars, and restaurants
This list was incredibly hard to narrow down. Seriously, I mean it. I once heard that if you ate at a different place every single day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it would take more than a lifetime to try every food-serving place in New York City. I haven’t confirmed if that’s actually true, but I believe it.
Even if you cut out all the food trucks, expensive restaurants, and any other place that isn’t good for reading, there are still too many great reading spots to list here. There are so many amazing cafés, bars, and restaurants in NYC that have a great setup for readers. But I wanted you to have the best of the best. So, these are the very best coffee houses, bars, and restaurants to read at in NYC.
Café’s
The Local Bar & Café (Hunter’s Point, Queens)
Located in the Hunter’s Point neighborhood of Queens, The Local Bar & Café is a two-for-one deal where you get both a coffee shop and a beer and wine house. So, no matter what your elixir of choice is, The Local Bar & Café has you covered.
There is plenty of seating at the bar in this modern joint. It also has tables with chairs and benches available. It’s a great spot to bring a book for some solitary reading or to bring a study group for a little socializing while you work. Since it’s open from 8 am to 11 pm, it doesn’t matter if you’re an early bird or a night owl because they can cater to both!
The Local Bar & Café’s long hours and expansive menu make this a great place to hang out, read, work, or study. Honestly, it’s one of the best places to read in NYC.
Swallow Café (various locations, Brooklyn)
Set up with antique tables, wooden benches, and elaborate chandeliers, Swallow Café in Brooklyn is not one, not two, but three awesome cafés that are a great place to relax with a good book.
Independently owned with three locations spread out across Brooklyn, Swallow is trendy and delicious. They make their own vanilla syrup here, and you can add it to any drink. Try it with the green tea with lemon grass and orange peel for extra sweetness or the hot chocolate for an even sweeter treat.
At Swallow, you can choose to unplug from the outer world and escape unapologetically into the action-packed story of a novel, or you can bring your laptop and work off of their free wifi. At Swallow, the choice is yours, which is why this is one of the best places to read in NYC.
Partners Coffee (used to be Toby’s Estate Coffee) (West Village, Manhattan)
Partners Coffee has five locations across the city, but for the purposes of this article, we’re specifically talking about the West Village location. It’s at the intersection of Charles Street and 7th Avenue South.
Partners Coffee is the perfect New York coffee shop experience. This place is the aesthetic of a very traditional coffee shop manifesting inside an urban city. There is lots of exposed wood in the rafters, and blackboard menus have the specials written on them in chalk. But it also has a classic New York City exposed brick wall and huge street-facing windows so you can people-watch between reading chapters in your book.
Enjoy a coffee and pastry at the bar or table. Or, if you’re lucky, snag the blue couch tucked up against the wall. It’s such a comfy spot to chill out and read for hours, making Partners Coffee one of the best places to read in NYC.
Black Cat (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
Though this is the last on our list of coffee shops, it is by far the last best place to read in NYC. Honestly, if I put every great reading café on this list, it would be a mile long, and you wouldn’t have time to read it (and I wouldn’t have time to write it).
If you’re looking for a vibey café that also gives cozy with a side of intimate, then look no further. Black Cat on the Lower East Side offers a collection of eclectic chairs for you to lounge in all day, plus a very reasonable menu that will keep your wallet happy and your coffee cup full.
This coffee shop is full of dark corners for you to hide away with your book, but it’s also a popular social space, especially for students. Escape into your literature, or join the fun by participating in a movie night, educational workshop, or comedy night.
Bars
Book Club Bar (Alphabet City, Manhattan)
This cozy bar is a book lover’s paradise. Designed by bookworms for bookworms, Book Club Bar in Alphabet City, Manhattan is like a warm and cozy study that’s open to the public to enjoy.
As one of the best places to read in NYC (it’s my third favorite on this entire list), Book Club Bar is a one-stop shop for bibliophiles. They serve beer, wine, coffee, and pastries. They have huge, comfortable armchairs to lounge in while you read. And it’s independently owned.
At Book Club Bar, you have the choice to camp out in a lounge chair inside their cozy sitting room, or, if it’s a nice day, snag a seat at the picnic table outside next to the brightly colorful and cheerful “Read” mural on their patio.
Eastwood (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
This funky bar on the Lower East Side offers wine and beer on tap. It’s a charmingly eclectic place with a groovy tile motif that makes a bold statement against the concrete walls. Eastwood has table seating, benches, and a bar inside, and they also have outdoor seating if you’re in the mood for some fresh air.
While Eastwood can become a hopping joint during the night, in the afternoon and evening, this place can be the perfect intimate reading nook. It’s also great for those who love variety. Eastwood’s beer and wine selection changes regularly, but you can always discover what’s on tap if you take a glance at their ever-changing blackboard.
Restaurants
Brooklyn Kolache Co. (Clinton Hill, Brooklyn)
This Czech bakery is not just one of the best places to read in NYC but also one of the best restaurants in the entire metropolitan area. Brooklyn Kolache Co. makes Texas-style kolaches from scratch using natural and often organic ingredients. They also have a few vegan and gluten-free cookie options on their menu!
In addition to their delicious pastries, Brooklyn Kolache Co. also has a full coffee and tea menu using New York local Kitten Coffee beans, and they make many of their syrups in-house. This bakery and café values ethically sourced ingredients and the environment, all of their products use biodegradable and recycled goods, and they use energy-efficient equipment during their creation process.
If their delicious pastries, coffee, and sustainable practices weren’t enough, Brooklyn Kolache Co. is also one of the best places to read in NYC. Inside is a cozy coffee shop with tables and chairs perfect for reading but outside is even better. Brooklyn Kolache Co. features backyard seating with benches and tables arranged around gorgeous greenery that make the perfect background setting while flipping through a good book.
Effy’s Kitchen (Upper West Side, Manhattan)
What goes better with a good book than a freshly brewed espresso? I honestly can’t think of anything that sounds more perfect. If that sounds like heaven to you, then that’s exactly what you can get at Effy’s Kitchen, a Mediterranean café that serves hot food, drinks, and, of course, espresso.
Effy’s Kitchen is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It’s a trendy and modern location lined with subway tile and features a classic New York red brick accent wall. There aren’t any poofy reading chairs or couches here, but they do have comfortable tables and an excellent menu full of delicious food to snack on while you read.
If you’re looking for a restaurant with a full menu, coffee, and wine, then Effy’s Kitchen is one of the best places to eat and read in NYC.
Historic and tranquil libraries, complete with that delicious old book smell
If you’re like me then there is nothing like the smell of old books to make you breathe in deeply with a big smile on your face. The fact is, old books smell amazing! Which is why finding spots filled with old books, like historical libraries, are some of the best places to read in NYC.
Old books smell differently to different people. Some say that old books smell earthy or musty, some say smoky or spicy, and some swear up and down that old books smell like chocolate. Personally, I don’t get the chocolate remark, but I do think that they smell wonderful. No matter what you think old books smell like, you are sure to love the reading nooks hidden within the walls of the best cozy places to read in NYC.
The Central Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn)
Every New York library is a spectacular place to read a book, but no other library in New York City pays homage to reading the way that the Central Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library does. It’s the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, and the building itself is designed to look like an open book.
At the entrance of the building, visitors are greeted with fifteen bright bronze statues inspired by historical people and fictional characters. Both the poet Walt Whitman and Herman Melville’s infamous whale, Moby Dick, are among the throng of greeters. Two large columns embellished with gold leaf frame these sculptures, depicting literacy through the history of human existence
Once an inspired bibliophile walks inside the Central Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, they will not find a standard public library like the ones found in any other city. Instead, they will walk into a 352,000 square foot space decorated in the art deco style and carrying over a million cataloged books within their stacks, including the Brooklyn Collection. This exclusive collection archives the social and cultural history of the borough of Brooklyn over the past several hundred years.
While the library itself is incredibly impressive, that’s not why it’s on this list of best places to read in NYC. No, while the Central Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library is an incredible resource for students and researchers, it is also an amazing place to read quietly for hours while being surrounded by other inspired book lovers.
Jefferson Market Library (Greenwich Village, Manhattan)
The Jefferson Market Library is hidden in plain sight in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. It’s tucked away inside the walls of a red brick tower that looks as though it came straight out of a fairy tale and not built in a grungy city like New York. Originally a courthouse, the building is now a New York City landmark and was designed in a high Victorian gothic style by architects Frederick Clark Withers and Calvert Vaux in 1875.
The building contains three floors, with the main reading room on the second floor. The walk-up to the reading room is stunning, complete with stained glass windows and interesting architectural features. Believe me, when I say the staircase alone makes visiting this library worth it.
The reading room itself has plenty of seating options, including individual lounge chairs comfortable enough to sit and read for hours. It also has long wooden tables to share with other library visitors or a study group. Although, if you do bring a study group, keep your voices low. The reading room is technically meant for reading, and visitors expect it to stay quiet.
The Jefferson Market Library also has an outdoor garden with seating, but be sure to call in favors with all your gods before you arrive if you want to sit outside because the seating is limited and often already occupied.
The Jefferson Market Library is stunning, quiet, comfortable, and one of the best places to read in NYC. The only flaw? It doesn’t have a public restroom, so be sure to go before you arrive, and don’t bring your thermos of coffee!
Cute bookshops
Like libraries, the air in bookshops is filled with the smell of ink printed on paper. Whether old or new, books have a distinctive smell infused within their pages that can make any bibliophile go wild.
Another bonus of cute bookshops? They usually end up being pretty cool places to chill out and read. They are havens built by booklovers, after all!
These are my favorite bookshops in New York, and I happen to think that they’re some of the best places to read in all of NYC.
Center for Fiction (previously known as the Mercantile Library) (Boerum Hill, Brooklyn)
This special reading nook is extra cool because it is the only non-profit literary organization in the entire United States that is completely devoted to honoring fiction. Entering the Center for Fiction in Brooklyn is like entering a new world—and you kind of are. Metaphorically, anyway, considering that anyone who enters the Center for Fiction is wandering into a 17,000 square-footed space filled with ceiling-high stacks of books.
The Center for Fiction boasts a collection of more than 70,000 fiction titles, and the property includes a bar and café and a terrace and auditorium.
This non-profit organization has a membership that costs $55 per year, and if you pay the price, you gain access to extremely exclusive fiction editions, invites to tons of events, and reading groups and workshops that are led by literary professionals. It’s a small price to pay for a slice of writer and bibliophile heaven.
Not only is the Center for Fiction one of the best places to read in NYC, but it’s also one of the coolest places to visit because of everything this non-profit library and club has to offer.
Housing Works Bookstore Café (Lower Manhattan, Manhattan)
It’s just a coincidence that the two best bookstores to read at in NYC happen to be non-profit organizations. Or is it?
Housing Works Bookstore and Café isn’t just a bookstore with a reading nook, it’s a place dedicated to being a cool spot to hang out. The heads of this organization have made sure to set up a community place that is safe and comfortable for anyone to hang out, read, write, work, relax, make new friends, and shop.
Housing Works is a secondhand bookstore, which means that all of the books for sale on their shelves have been loved by readers before. It also means that in addition to following their calling to help people with HIV/AIDS live better and more enriching lives (the non-profit’s overall mission), this organization is also helping the planet mitigate waste in landfills.
In addition to being one of the best and coziest places to read in NYC, Housing Works does an amazing job at building community, and the bookstore hosts events that range from comedy nights to open-mic poetry readings. It’s an excellent place for locals to come to read and also make new friends or have a few laughs at the same time.
Best places to read outside in nature in NYC
While comfortable armchairs placed in front of a fire are an extremely cozy place to read, there’s also something super relaxing about reading on a blanket spread out on fresh, green grass.
You might think that in a concrete jungle such as New York, a peaceful patch of nature might be hard to find. But you’d be sorely mistaken. New York actually has an abundance of parks, many of which have amazing places to read. These just happen to be my personal favorite locations, though they’re only some of the best places to read outside in NYC.
The best spots to read in Central Park
Almost 15% of the entire mass of New York City is made up of public parks, which make up about 28,000 acres across the city. The largest park is Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, which is 2,772 acres on its own—that’s 1,929.4 acres larger than Central Park, which is saying something because Central Park’s 842.6 square miles is so massive you could easily get lost amongst those Manhattan trails (and people often do).
Even though New York City has 1,700 parks to choose from, many of which are fantastic places to read, for the purpose of this article, we’re just going to focus on New York’s most famous park: Central Park in Manhattan. These are the best places to read in Central Park, NYC.
Conservatory Water (Central Park, Manhattan)
This is one of those places that make Central Park seem so magical. In the middle of a park planted in the middle of a city, there is a body of water called Conservatory Water. It’s surrounded by trees, has plenty of benches in the shade to sit in on hot summer days, and is usually crowded with folks to people-watch whenever you need a break from reading, but is never too loud to read a good book.
Nearby, there is a charming (and humongous) statue dedicated to Alice in Wonderland, showcasing Alice and Dina sitting on a mushroom, surrounded by their friends, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit, the Door Mouse, and of course, the Chesire Cat. What better place is there to read than in a spot dedicated to one of the best stories from classic literature?
Oh, and the statue is designed to be climbed on. It was designed for kids to climb, but adults can totally do it, too. (You can bet your bottom dollar that I’ve done it).
Conservatory Garden (Central Park, Manhattan)
Although it has a similar name, don’t be fooled. Conservatory Garden is not the same place as Conservatory Water. In fact, it’s on the opposite end of Central Park and is kind of the opposite vibe as well.
The Conservatory Garden is a lovely 6-acre formal garden that’s been broken into three sections: French, Italian, and English. If you’ve ever wanted to feel like a proper Victorian-era lady, dress in your fanciest vintage and bring a book and a parasol to the Conservatory. This is the type of high class that you won’t find anywhere else on this side of the Atlantic.
Of course, if cosplay isn’t your thing, then the gardens are still excellent to admire, even without the Victorian getup. They’re even better to read in. The Conservatory Garden is free from runners, readers, screaming kids, and any other distractions that might tear you out of that period romance you’re reading. It’s the perfect area to fall into the pages of another world and one of the absolute best places to read outside in NYC.
Bonus parks to read at in NYC
I’m doing my best to keep this list short and concise because I know how difficult decision fatigue can be when faced with too many options. But I just wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t give you at least a few more good ideas for parks to read in.
Aside from Central Park, you can also find some amazing reading spots at Fort Tryon Park in the Fort George area of Manhattan. You might also want to try Domino Park in Brooklyn, Pier 96 at Hudson River Park in Manhattan, or Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan.
The coolest places to read in NYC
Alright, I’ll admit, there are some pretty cool places to read in NYC on this list, so it’s rather hard to make an all-encompassing statement where I saw these are the absolute best. That said, these two spots are pretty incredible, and if you’re in the area either for vacation or because you live around here, I urge you to give them a visit.
Union Hall (Park Slope, Brooklyn)
There are some pretty great places to read in NYC on this list, but Union Hall has to be close to the top for one reason and one reason alone: it has a roaring fireplace. There is something so remarkably cozy about reading a great book on a comfy couch in front of a roaring fire. That kind of experience is literally one of the great delicacies of life.
But wait. There’s more. Not only does Union Hall have a comfortable couch in front of a fire where you can read the literature of your choice, but it also has a bar and event space. Union Hall is a place where you can sip on your drink of choice while flipping through the pages of a book, and also take the occasional break to watch comedy performers or whatever type of entertainment the Hall has going on in the room next door on any given night. It’s for these reasons that Union Hall is my second favorite place to read in NYC on this list.
Metropolitan Museum Of Art (Manhattan)
Reading at an art museum? Okay, hear me out. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the best art museums in the world, filled with amazing creations that are guaranteed to blow your mind. The areas where permanent collections reside are usually less crowded than the rotating displays, meaning that you are often left with an empty bench in an empty room free and available for you to sit and read for hours while surrounded by the world’s coolest artwork.
And if you need to work or study, the MET also offers cafés with food, drinks, and wifi, where you can read, study, or work on your laptop for as long as you’d like. It’s a cool place to be, and you’ll always be hydrated with an abundance of snacks at your fingertips.
You’d have to admit, even if you were skeptical about reading at an art museum at first, the MET has to be one of the best places to read in NYC.
The MET is free to visit for New York residents and costs $30 for adults who live out of state.
Where to read late at night in NYC
So, sure. If you get the urge to read late at night, you could always read at home in bed or at the hotel, Airbnb, or hostel that you’re staying at. But that’s boring, and life is about adventure. Add a little more adventure into your life by exploring these best places to read in NYC that are open late at night.
Black Mountain Wine House (Brooklyn)
Do you remember how we were imagining how nice it was to read next to an open fire when talking about Union Hall in Brooklyn? Well, Black Mountain Wine House (also in Brooklyn) is another amazing spot where you can have that cozy reading experience. They don’t have a comfy couch next to the fireplace, but they do have tables and chairs and lots of wine to sip while you turn those pages.
Black Mountain Wine House is open from the afternoon to midnight on weekdays and until 1 am on weekends. Of course, the earlier you arrive, the more likely you’ll have this cozy reading nook to yourself, but even if you’re in the mood for a glass of wine or a warm cider later in the evening, you’ll probably still be able to find a dark corner to cozy up by the fire and read your book.
Oscar Wilde (Manhattan)
We sure do love our themed locations, and what better kind of theme for a reading nook than one of the world’s most famous writers, Oscar Wilde.
At the Oscar Wilde bar, they live up to their motto, “Extravagance is always in season.” The bar is covered from floor to ceiling in eclectic wallpaper that is dotted with framed pictures of the playwright and poet’s likeness. There is a giant bronze statue of the poet near the entrance, and even the tables are adorned with lavish decorations.
The Oscar Wilde bar carries its extravagance all the way to its alcohol, as they have a shot of scotch worth $450 on their menu.
It’s a Victorian-style bar and eatery that isn’t necessarily meant to be a reading nook but is still one of the best spots to read in NYC, especially if you like to be around other people. It’s also a great public place to read at night since it’s open until 1 am on the weekdays and 2 am Thrusday-Sunday.
Best place to read in Manhattan
The Rose Room at The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Ladies, gentlemen, folks, and pals, we’ve made it. This is my number one favorite place on this best places to read in NYC list. Welcome, my friends, to the section about the Rose Room.
When I first came to New York one of the first places that I visited was the Stephen A. Schwarzman Library and the Rose Room, hidden inside on the third floor.
The Rose Room is free for anyone to read, work, or study in. The only rule is that you actually read, work or study. It’s not a room open for the public to wander through, though the library does offer private tours.
It’s a wonderful room that looks exactly like a famous and iconic library should, complete with long wooden tables and chairs to sit and read in. The library was created in the French Beaux-Arts style, and the Rose Room boasts a beautifully ornate ceiling with wooden and gold carvings and pink and blue clouds painted in the center of the frame. Dozens of arched windows let in natural light, and chandeliers and table lamps brighten the room with extra light for reading and working.
And if you thought the room looked amazing, you better believe that it smells even better. It has that musty, old book, library smell that every bibliophile is addicted to (at least all the ones I know). It’s a quiet room with plenty of seats where you can sit and read or work undisturbed for hours and hours on end.
The Rose Room is one of New York City’s most iconic locations, and it’s been featured in many movies, including Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Spider-Man, and Ghostbusters. It’s a spectacular location full of history and also one of the best places to read in NYC.
Best place to read in Brooklyn
Four and Twenty Blackbirds
I think we’ve already established that we love a reading nook with a good literary reference. Four and Twenty Blackbirds has a name based on the Mother Goose rhyme, and they offer some of the best pie in New York. Yep. You read that right. Pie.
What goes better with a good book than a cup of coffee? A cup of coffee and a slice of chocolate chess custard pie. My mouth is literally watering thinking about it.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds is a celebrated pie bakery and café. You can buy a pie by the slice or buy a whole pie all at once. They’ve got big wooden tables where you can camp out and eat and read to your heart’s content.
Also, if you’d rather eat your pie and read a book somewhere quieter than a café, Four and Twenty Blackbirds has a second location hidden away inside the Brooklyn Library. Either way, you’ll get to pair your novel of the month with a delicious slice of pie a la mode. That’s what makes this one of the best places to read in NYC.
Best place to read in Queens
Topos Bookstore Café
This charming bookstore/café combo in Ridgewood is everything a bookworm could want and need in a cozy reading nook. Topos is an intimate little venue on the Brooklyn/Queens border with a corner full of bookshelves featuring new and used books available for purchase. It also has plenty of tables available to sit and read while you drink a cappuccino and free wifi if you’re looking for a place to work or study.
Topos is renowned for having the best staff available to assist you with your coffee and reading needs. Overall, it’s a welcoming and inviting café complete with tasty treats. That’s why not only is it one of the best places to read in NYC, but it is the best place to read in Queens.
Best place to read in the Bronx
The Lit. Bar
I’m not even kidding when I say this bar is lit.
I’m sorry, but when a cheesy pun is that easy, I can’t help myself. The Lit. Bar is a bar and bookstore combination in the Bronx, NYC. And, pun or no pun, it’s seriously one of the coolest spots on this list.
When you first enter The Lit. Bar, you’ll think you’ve only entered a bookstore. But make your way through the stacks of books, and you’ll come across a bar hidden in the back with plenty of cozy seating. It’s kind of like a speakeasy, but with books, and there’s no passcode that you need to remember. Bring a book or purchase one from the storefront, then treat yourself to a glass of rosé while you snuggle up on their comfortable couch or at one of the tables and read.
Final Thoughts on the best places to read in NYC
First of all, New York City is massive. There are so many amazing places to read in this town, it isn’t funny. So, never for a moment believe that this is an all-encompassing list of all the best places to read in NYC. It isn’t. But it is a list of some of the best and remarkably cozy, fun, and unique places to read in NYC that I know of.
If you’re a bookworm and live in or around NYC, I urge you to try out some of these places on this list. Maybe tackle them one by one every weekend.
If you’re just visiting town and you’re looking for one of the best places to read in NYC so you can add a little reading pit stop to your vacation itinerary, then I commend you. It’s exactly what I do when I travel with my husband. While it’s great to explore the historic and touristy places in a city, I always have an amazing time experiencing life like a local and visiting the local bars, shops, and, of course, cafés. Add a book into that mix, and it’s even better.
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