Feast on Books

On a little street on the edge of Noe Valley, there is a store that celebrates books on food. Cookbooks, new and old. Food essays. Single-topic food books. Memoirs by chefs. Anything you might imagine, with the connecting theme of food and drink.

Welcome to Omnivore, an entire store dedicated to just books on food. Now before you feel like you might be overwhelmed, this isn’t Barnes and Noble. It’s a cozy, tiny store the size of a studio apartment. I’d guess maybe 300 square feet.

Still, any food lover will get lost as he or she explores the many books in the store. What’s interesting about the selection is that there are many antique books, so you can find the latest cookbook with one of the many classics you may have flipped through in your mother’s kitchen.

As a rare food-only bookstore, Omnivore attracts some of the big names in food writing for various readings and signings. I was at Omnivore this past Sunday for a book signing by Thomas Keller, who just released his latest book “Ad Hoc at Home” based on his casual, family-style restaurant in Napa Valley.

But the small size of the store really works against these types of events, especially with a draw like Chef Keller. The tiny store was overflowing with people, and it was difficult to discern a line for the signing.

So Omnivore isn’t a place I would rush to for an event, but more a place I’d like to explore on a quiet afternoon when it’s just me and the books on the shelves.

The end.

Omnivore Books on Food, 3885a Cesar Chavez St., San Francisco. PH: 415.282.4712. www.omnivorebooks.com