For book buying as a hedonistic leisure activity, the monster-size store by Piccadilly Circus caters to all tastes: literally. Previously the fashionable Deco Simpsons store, a sweeping staircase takes you up to the fifth floor Studio Lounge where until 10 PM you can sip a gin and tonic while browsing through a book, admiring the view, or all three. Scholars should head for the Gower Street branch: close to London University, it has a cozy coffee lounge and a comprehensive range of more highbrow books. Waterstone's is the country's leading book chain. Tube: Piccadilly Circus.