I am traveling this week, and I just had the most delightful dinner with some academic acquaintances in Miami, Florida. They took me to a place called Books & Books, where we ate delicious food while surrounded by, you guessed it, books!
I was so distracted by some of these books that I kept looking over the heads of the people talking to peek at the shelves. Here’s what I saw.
This is a cookbook shelf, and while I don’t often post about cookbooks and I’m no expert chef, I loved the colors and titles on this shelf.
The rest of the shop was just as delightful, with ladders and bookshelves surrounding each room.
I think I’ve found my new favorite bookstore.
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 
What a great bookstore!
It is so neat!
Emily, I love this. You reminded of a place in downtown Atlanta, that we walked to in college to celebrate a test that was over. It was called the Ivy Street Library and had books all over the place. They would serve their finger food in baskets. A beer or two might be consumed. It may no longer be there, but thanks for the memory. Keith
That sounds equally as cool.
Just sent the link to my niece, who lives outside of Miami, and whom I visit fairly regularly! Thanks, Emily–looks like a wonderful place to eat and browse. (Ruth Reichl’s new book is on my to-read list…)
Pam
Next time you visit your niece, make sure you find this place!
What a unique place! When we moved to our new house I converted our dining room to a “cafe” – a library that included our former kitchen table. We sometimes eat dinner in there.
I think it’s hilarious how you sometimes got distracted by the books over dinner 😉
What a fun idea. This store made me want to line my entire house with bookshelves.
Love it! Everyone should be surrounded by books when they eat – imagine the dinner conversations we would have.
The Mad Feast looks good!
That would make for great dinner conversations! I really want to read The Mad Feast as well.
I like it too! I like the idea of a dinner restaurant in a book story or library too. Often book stores have cafe’s but dinner is stepping it up a notch. If ever you visit Portland, OR you’ll go absolute bananas in Powell’s Books.
Portland, here I come! I will definitely check it out when I get there. Hopefully I’ll have a conference as an excuse sometime soon.
I LOVE bookstores. I don’t even have to look through the shelves. Being surrounded by the smell is enough for me!
So so true!
Wow! What a place! If I ever get back to the USA, I’ll have to put the Miama book place on the hit list for a visit. Thanks for posting.
Yes! If you visit Miami, visit this place. 🙂
Very cool place! I agree with Denise about Powell’s…it takes up a whole city block and is unbelievable! I love the idea of a restaurant in this bookstore! Neat! I totally understand being distracted by the books…that’s me! The Runcible Spoon in Bloomington, Indiana, is one of our favorite haunts when there, but the current owner has removed many of the bookshelves that lined the walls of virtually each room. So disappointing! 😦 I love browsing books while eating! 🙂
Oh no. The owner removed books? Not cool!
That place looks amazing! I’d definitely be distracted over dinner…all those books. And I enjoy reading while I’m eating (which, of course, I don’t do unless I’m alone), so it sounds like an ideal restaurant for me. 🙂
I love to read when I’m alone and eating as well. Can’t waste a minute of precious time, right?