Omnivore Books

One of my favorite shops I’ve discovered since moving to SF!
This store is a cook’s paradise. Although, you don’t have to be a cook to enjoy the boundless collection of books here, which cover every topic in food you could ever think of.
My favorite thing though, is to come here for a book signing (which they have quite often), and hear different authors’ stories about how they started cooking, what has inspired them, and how their lives have been shaped by food and cooking. I’ve been lucky to hear from some amazingly inspiring writers and chefs here, including Joanne Weir and David Leibovitz.
This store is definitely worth a visit, whether you’re visiting from out of town, or happen to be strolling through the neighborhood.

Most fun I’ve had in a bookstore in a long time. It’s like being a kid in a candy store. Love love love it!

I love it! This place is like the gastronomic ikea, in a sense of coming home with 1000 new recipes/​projects to do even though I most likely stop after one project. (Do not come hungry to this store!)
But still, this place is a haven for the inner kitchen scientist. Bento recipe, cocktail, wine, cheese, pickling, stew, clay pot cooking… they got it all!
The place is small with a sweet vintage vibe.

Omnivore Books is absolutely delightful.
I had the pleasure of dropping by this weekend for a book-​signing by Jacques Pépin, and while it was way too packed for leisurely browsing, the little time I did get to spend perusing the bookshelves was incredibly impressive. They have such a wide selection of books on every culinary subject imaginable, not just the top selling books that get shoved in your face at every chain bookstore.
This store is definitely run by a passionate, talented lady.
Can’t wait to return next week for the next signing!

I had a lovely experience at Onmivore Books. They (weirdly enough) had a few books on the very specific topic I was looking for. The owner, who was very friendly, took the time to help me find the right book. She even gift wrapped it for me! I’ll definitely be recommending the store to my culinary friends.

What a gem of a bookstore! I finally got a chance to spend a good amount of time in here today looking at all the book titles, sections, ethnic food books, books focused on certain types of food (loved the quick books with recipes focused one ingredient like apples, strawberries, grits, eggs, honey, etc.) — loved it! They have book and food events too — I might check out one next week. I’m so sorry I missed the event with Fabio from Top Chef a few years ago — I remember my friend asked me if I wanted to go and I had some schedule conflict. They do have some signed copies left from that evening — what happened to that guy? Oh but I digress. Word of mouth brings people to this store as a must-​stop if they’re visiting San Francisco. It is a must-​stop also for people like me who live here — we’re so lucky!

Love! This is the third all-​cookbook store I’ve visited (others are one in Maine and one in New Orleans). It’s a smaller space than the other two, so I won’t deduct stars for their lack of in-​store dog, which is one of my favorite features at the others. They had a box of old copies of magazines for a dollar, which was my favorite, since I got two issues of Lucky Peach for a price I was willing to pay for Lucky Peach. Nice selection, some used, some new, some really old, some new releases.

It’s the tinest dreamland one crazy about food could hope to stumble upon. Rows upon rows of books — all in one way or another related to food and the art of enjoying it. Tiny stools that you can sit on for a short streak of time so you can flip through pages regarding the origins of the classic martini, the jargon involving flavors in the culinary world, or Alice Waters’ recipe for her famous chicken with 40 cloves of garlic.
Here, you can rediscover the joy of physically touching cookbooks that will hopefully follow your way home once you fall in love with the rich photography and mouth-​watering descriptions of various dishes. As a Millenial, 22-​years old and wildly dependent on internet usage, the idea of cookbooks have long felt a bit humorous and outdated. Who needs cookbooks at this age and time, when I can find hundreds of recipe variations versus one in a $ 35.00 book? And yet when I walked in here and started thumbing through some of its offerings, I left an hour later with new knowledge about Atsby Vermouth, the definition for astringency, a newfound commitment to nabbing Leah Koenig’s Modern Jewish Cooking, and the fact that Ladurée has a macaron book.
I’d love to come here again just for the sheer pleasure of being in a warming environment, welcomed to a tiny stool or the floor so that I can decide what book should grace my humble apartment’s countertop. Omnivore Books is a delight, and I am grateful for my introduction to its existence.

Drove in for a Paleo book signing and found parking at the corner of Church and Cesar Chavez. Prior, had a pour over at Tiny Warrior, sunbathed on their parklet, and took a quick power walk around Valencia.
It’s a beautiful day in San Francisco.
Five Stars!

A culinary & gastronomical dream inside 4 walls.
If you love cooking, baking, or food, this is THE perfect bookstore for you.
Omnivore Books specializes in books on food. Period. That’s all they carry.
They have seemingly everything! Especially for such a small space!
The monthly events are impressive. They even hosted a book signing with Ferran Adria a few years back. Sometimes they will serve dishes from the chef/​book that they’re promoting. Once in awhile they host dinners at a restaurant in honor of a chef or a book, or both.
I couldn’t attend a signing recently, but I went in, bought a book, & they reserved it & had it signed for me. Personally inscribed at that. You can also do this over the phone or online if you can’t stop by! Love.
I can’t say enough good things about Omnivore Books. Another great thing about living in SF.
5 stars.

A specialty bookstore focused on food and food writing.
I stopped in to see if I could listen to David Leibovitz this past Friday.
Unfortunately, he was having a book signing but decided not to speak.
How disappointing!
I traveled all the way to the Outer Noe Valley area from across town to learn this.
Anyway, I popped into the bookstore because I had never seen it.
Had to pass the anxious fans of Mr. Leibovitz each clutching their recently purchased book, My Paris Kitchen. Decidedly, Noe Valley folks the majority, me thinks.
The store is crammed full of food books, food magazines, food related items.
Cool but tiny, tiny space.
Could not peruse their offerings because of the line of DL fans that ran along one side of the space.
The staff weren’t very friendly or particularly interested in helping me since I had to ask a question before anyone talked to me.
Hmm… I’ll call ahead next time to ask if the author is «speaking»; otherwise, I could get books in other locations closer to me (Books Inc or Book Passage or even Green Apple Books) or further afield Powell’s Bookstore in Portland (which has a food specialty branch!!).
Theme of store (food): 5 stars
Service: 2 stars
Location: 2 stars

I hate to write this review.
This bookstore has potential. And, food books are some of the books I still buy bound as opposed to digital. So, this could be a great resource for me.
However, when I went in, I was totally ignored. There was one other customer there — apparently the important one — and this customer got all the attention. I looked around for a number of minutes, hoping for a «hello», or a «I’ll be with you in a moment» because I had questions and specific things I was looking for. But I was not important enough for that level of attention.

From a wide selection of new and old books, to a lovely woman sitting at the register to answer questions and help, any cook, chef, baker or food-​lover would appreciate this place. Five of us pastry students walked in on a Sunday and had a ball. This is a go-​to spot and a wonderful small business to support.

These days… Book stores… Not on every corner. Independent books stores… not easy to find. Specialty book stores… that specialize in cook books… this even exists?!? Yes, Omnivore books is here to save your life. I FINALLY made it in, after pining to visit for a couple years, and I must say I am rather irritated at myself for taking so long to come check the place out. An easy trip on the J Muni line, and you’re there. No excuses. Get here now! And if you are visiting from out of town, and love cook books, DO NOT miss out on visiting this place. You will not know the fabulousness that you missed out on.
The store is cozy, with nice music playing, and when I went, the owner was there and was as kind as could be. I heard a customer ask her for a recommendation and she was very knowledgeable, with great suggestions, without being pushy. Just over-​hearing the recommendations made me check out the books she was talking about and I added them to my «must buy» list on my next visits. I bought «The Meat Hook Meat Book» while I was there, and am thoroughly enjoying it.
Swing by and support this lovely business!

I love a good specialty bookstore. And man, does this place fit the bill.
Omnivore is food and drink focussed, but if we’re being honest, it’s almost all cook and food books, with a smattering of posh cocktail books. They have old and new galore, and they host signings for authors on tour.
The staff is helpful without being overbearing, and there are stools placed throughout to plop down and read. Do it.
Bonus: there was a random lady in there the day I was there giving out chocolate. Yes, please.
The good: amazing selection.
The bad: don’t be fooled, it’s _​just_​cookbooks, basically. Not bad, but know what you’re getting yourself into.

This is the most wonderful little bookstore I have ever been to. It is in an old butcher shop I think and you can tell by some of the décor that she has not taken down. With just cookbooks and food related books, this is a foodies and home cooks heaven. The owner is super helpful and nice, and the events she puts on are amazing! It is a little off the beaten path but worth heading here if you love to cook!

Oh man, there is a foodie book paradise in SF. Yet another reason to love this city.
Is there a cookbook you have probably heard about and never seen?
They probably have it.
Is there a book you didn’t know existed but sounds pretty cool?
They probably have it.
New and used books galore. It was hard to figure out where bread books were so I, gasp, asked, and she pointed them out to me in a split second. If you’re having trouble finding anything, just ask, that is half of the fun of book stores, right?
In addition, I am super excited to check out the book events, Kurlansky? Andoh? Dude, I would never. Some of these people are people I’ve been following for SO many years and totally would not expect them to be doing an event down the street from me. Now the question is, how do they fit everyone in that tiny store?

If you are passionate about cooking, baking, and eating, you’ll fall in love with Omnivore. Though I have a couple dozen cookbooks, one can never have enough! When I searched for local bookshops, I came across Omnivore and much to my delight discovered it’s a store devoted to cookbooks and literature on food (food writing, food journals, etc.). Totally the epicurean’s dream. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable.
They sell new and vintage books and are mostly mixed together… though I noticed the older used books tend to placed on the higher shelves and the new ones at eye level. Virtually any cookbook currently in print or once popular eons ago are available here — at least to my knowledge. I noticed they are quite strong with American, French, and Italian cookbooks. Their Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern, and African cookbooks are solid, but could use some improvements — particularly since I did not see a book on Philippine cooking (I mean. I’m Filipino so of course I’m gonna see if they have one! I know they’re out there!). However, I suppose this might have to do with the neighborhood demographics. It also appeared to me that the cookbook selections are mostly high– and middle-​brow publications. In other words, don’t expect to find a slew of Paula Deen, Rachael Ray, and Guy Fieri books here. (Pfft! Thank goodness for that. Oof!). Overall, this is a great store to patronize… and in some respects falls into the category of «Only in San Francisco» — and I love that!

Small shop with everything related to food! From 24^th St Bart I walked on Mission St to Caesar Chavez St, made a Right & walk a few more block up to Caesar Chavez & Church on the Left.
You can buy Free Range Eggs from Tomales $ 8 per dozen.
I missed Humphry Slocombe owners’ talk by about 1hr — Their new book «Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream Book»
Other books I saw:
Michael Pollan — Food Rules
Paletas by Fany Gerson
Mission Street Food — Anthony Myint & Karen Leibowitz
Plenty — Yotam Ottolenghi
Lots more…
They had the new issue of Edible San Francisco Summer 2012 FREE I picked up Sat 6÷23÷12!
Hrs:
M-​Sat 11 – 6
Sun 12 – 5

A foodie bookstore, right in Noe, off a quiet little corner, tucked away? Small, cute as a button, and sporting some really great authors associated with food in some way.
Never knew it was here; thanks to Tiger in the Kitchen’s author who made a guest showing this afternoon (so personable, so pretty), I now know about this adorable independent… and though I wasn’t planning on buying yet another copy of the book, I did.
Wanted to show my support and appreciation. If Unilocal reader, you are in any way into the art and appreciation of food, culture, artistic embodiment in this form, please come and spend a wee bit of time here. You won’t be sorry I recommended it!