About Us

Who Are We?

We are an independent English-language bookshop in the heart of Santos, Lisbon. Our philosophy? Everything is better Salted. We exist to get you out of the algorithm. We don’t stock based on sales data and you won’t find a warehouse in the back. What you see is what you get: a “salty” curation of literary fiction, memoirs, feminine power, weird girl fiction, psychedelics, current affairs, environmental and the taboo.

We prioritize excellence in writing over trends. We love marginalized voices, we side-eye capitalism and we believe a book cover is an art form.We want to reignite your “analog self” by offering a place to find the book you didn’t know you needed, recommended by a human, not a code.

Our team — Beni, Michael, Ruby, Chantel, Carolina, and Vini — all read differently. Ask us for a recommendation; we promise not to give you the same Top 10 list you saw on Instagram.

Beni
Probably reading fiction. A massive weak spot for academia novels, Irish literature and characters I miss for weeks after finishing the book.

Bia
Looking to feel something in this chaotic world: if it causes me to stare at a blank wall having while having an existential crisis it’ll be a 5* read.

Michael
What floats my literary boat? Uneasy family dramas; a playful attitude towards form; surprising and beautifully crafted prose.

Ruby
Anything that plays with or stretches the limits of language. I have a weakness for Fitzcarraldo, making the mundane complex, and anything pop-culture history.

Chantel
Unconventional fiction, translated gems and socially pungent stories that amplify underrepresented voices. The weirder (and darker) the better.

Vini
My 5 stars go for beautiful devastations: visceral memoirs and slow burning novels that challenge the way we look at things.

Carolina
The more deranged, sad, and angry, the better. Oh, and love! Top it off with a bit of pop culture and any book rec by Big Book Lady.

Our Story

Chapter One: Salted Books was founded in 2023 by Alex Holder and Mark Thompson. They built a blue paradise on Calçada Marquês de Abrantes to satisfy a growing thirst for English literature in an increasingly cosmopolitan city.

Chapter Two: In late 2025, as Alex and Mark returned to the UK to focus on other projects, the keys were passed to Beni. The transition was serendipity. Beni was Salted’s first-ever customer, its first bookseller and is now its owner. It is a true “bookshop romance”, from browsing the shelves to stocking them.

Today, Salted Books Lisbon is run by Beni and a team of devoted booksellers, continuing the legacy of high-curation and community.

Come visit us and say hi,
from Tuesday to Sunday.

One of many but proudly independent.

Salted Community

Salted is a third space. If reading is a solitary act, a bookshop is where it becomes a shared one. It is built on its regulars, its midnight launch parties, its book clubs, writing hours, workshops and its intimate author events. We are a space for local artists, international neighbours and anyone looking to put their phone away and read. We believe in the physicality of books and their readers’ presence. Here is what that actually looks like in practice. A few glimpses of the space, captured by the people who make it what it is: