Books & Books
Best Bookstore in Miami · FL
Miami's literary living room
Books & Books has been South Florida's literary anchor since Mitchell Kaplan opened it in 1982. The flagship sits in a 1927 Mediterranean-style building in Coral Gables, its dark-wood shelves wrapped around a courtyard café, and its author events draw writers from around the world.
Now spanning several locations across greater Miami, Books & Books is the independent bookseller that helped make the city a literary town — home base for the Miami Book Fair and a genuine community institution.
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; Books & Books met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Miami since 1982 — 43 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Miami.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Miami has kept Books & Books busy for 43 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Miami regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best bookstore in Miami for 2025 for four decades as South Florida's independent bookstore and courtyard gathering place.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Bookstore in Miami Miami, FL · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit Books & Books
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about Books & Books.
- Legal / trading name
- Books & Books
- Category
- Shop
- Founded
- 1982, Miami, FL
- Location
- Miami, FL
- Centurion Award
- Best Bookstore in Miami — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for Books & Books against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is Books & Books?
Founded in 1982, Books & Books grew from a small Coral Gables shop into Miami's defining independent bookstore and cultural hub.
Is Books & Books award-winning?
Yes — Books & Books is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Bookstore in Miami, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best bookstore in Miami for 2025 for four decades as South Florida's independent bookstore and courtyard gathering place.
Where is Books & Books?
Books & Books is in Miami, FL.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.