Lehr's German Specialties

Well-stocked assortment of German, Austrian and Swiss preserves, sauces, dried goods, chocolates and snacks near-impossible to find outside of Europe. German style breads, cheese and sausages — an extra added plus. Rare-find Haribo make for an excellent gift, for young and old alike.

This was my first time stopping by today since Lehr's reopening. I picked up some of my favorite German lunch meat and couldn't resist some yummy chocolates. They have a large assortment of Lebkuchen, cookies, and even some adorable holiday ornaments. So glad you're keeping the tradition going!

Lovely German specialties shop - completely remodeled after the new owner, Hannah, took over! Great selection, great interior, great staff, and: Quark in large quantities for all your Käsekuchen!!

fantastic selection! we especially love the mustards (medium hot and hot!) fresh cakes and pastries on Friday and fresh pretzels on Saturday. the shop looks amazing after the remodel and the selection is definitely worth stopping in again under the new owner! so happy to still have this lovely store in our neighborhood

So nice to have a well stocked German grocery nearby. It is great that they have frozen, baked goods, and grocery items all very authentic to what you would see in Germany.

We bought a bake-at-home loaf of bread from Hamburg this afternoon and set about having a very tasty dinner with some tinned herring and other trimmings from our kitchen. The bread came out wonderfully with very little fuss. Thank you for keeping Lehr’s alive and bringing new and wonderful things to the neighborhood!

This place was awesome. Small but super clean and organized. The salesperson knew her product and was extremely friendly, but not pushy or overbearing, offering knowledge and assistance but not pushing a sale. Dark chocolate marzipan, meat sticks, traditional sausages and specialty pasta and muesli. Those and a mustard are what a friend and i purchased. By the way, the pricing was phenomenal, especially the pasta. Price was twice as expensive on Amazon for the pasta and some other specialty one of a kind, can't find anywhere else items. Stop in. Its fabulous!

The best German store ever. It has all the wonderful German foods and products and the owner and staff are fabulous. Go and check it out. You will keep coming back.

I love this place especially after learning its history. The new owners did a great job with the renovations. I go here for German muesli which is so hard to find here....and this place is Haribo paradise - so many flavors and shapes. Great location too - close to other wonderful small businesses Damansara, Maxwell Pet Bar, Henry Hunan etc!!!

Went on my Sunday morning walk and decided to finally check out @lehrssf when I reached Church Street! Bought a freshly baked pretzel (ate half on the rest of my walk) and a bar of chocolate! Trust me, there were a lot more goodies that I wanted to buy! I lucked out because the owner told me that normally the fresh pretzels are delivered on Saturdays! I will definitely be back to buy more treats and definitely stop by on Saturdays for their fresh pretzels!

Lehr's has a nice selection of German chocolates, cookies, marzipan, bread, meats & sausages, and other goodies, which are reasonably priced. I love coming on Saturdays for fresh pretzels. The store has been nicely renovated and the new owner is delightful. Buying Bitter Lemon gives me "Heimweh", but at least Lehr's carries it. Vielen Dank!

Came here to get some German sausages for a girl's German-themed night. The owner is very knowledgeable and had recommendations for all sorts of fun, interesting German snacks. They have tons of frozen German sausages of all assortments. I had such a fun time browsing! Ended up walking away with a bunch of mustards and sausages and some interesting peanut snacks the owner recommended. Love this store, will be back.

I always used to walk by this place when I lived in the neighborhood a few years ago; I didn't venture in often, but it always seemed fascinating--like it was straight out of old Europe. I saw an article awhile ago about it coming under new ownership and reopening, and it looks great (https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/sf-lehrs-german-store-saved-17455624.php). Much brighter and more open than I remember. We bought some German pasta and some kids' treats. I'll definitely go back if I'm around.

As a German native this store is cute and has some hard to find familiarities that I appreciate. The main issue is the insane cost for the items. I understand why but it notches this store down a star and turns this into a rare treat.

Nice small shop with outstanding pretzels. German may be heard between worker and patron giving that little extra for authenticity.

Super cute little boutique store with fun German goodies and treats. Check out the imported sausage section in particular. It kind of feels like you're walking through a portal into a nice little European bodega and I love being able to explore some different cultural treats. Never saw the store before the renovations but now it's clean, well-stocked and well cared for. grab yourself a Fanta and some KaseKreiner (which i think translates into "cheese sausage" and is delicious).

I ADORE this store! Lehr's has all the German goods you could desire. I first came here for some German gummy candies. German Haribo is the bomb! Maggie, a very kind and knowledgeable woman, is always greeting me with a smile. The amount of German foods here is mind-blowing. Every sausage we have tried has been incredibly delicious. Whether you need candy or cheese or bread or sausage or a sweet smiling face, visit Lehr's and load up i your favorites!

A wonderful place to peruse German delicacies. The new owners are welcoming and friendly. The quality of items is very high .... I recommend Lehr's to anybody who likes German goods

Very unwelcoming "neighborhood " store. I had the exact experience of racism echoed by other one star reviews. I went in here on a whim just to check it out since I have read about it in local news and figured I'd support the local businesses. When I entered there were three patrons and the lady at the register was very friendly and helpful to all of them. Not to me. When I entered all I got was a cold look. Maybe I'm the wrong skin color or age or look to be accorded the same value and respect? In any case two customers came in after me and were immediately greeted and asked if they needed any help. The store is very tiny and you can easily tell if you are not wanted like there is a laser focused on your back. Against all that I did end up buying some chocolates as a present for someone. The interaction was the most awkward I have ever experienced in my life. She rung me up and then just stood there. No pleasantries no small talk didn't even tell me how much total! Just kind of stood there waiting for me to enter my card. Wasn't offered a bag or anything. The look of this store is a bit anachronistic but I did not expect the attitude of the employee to be from the same period of time when racism sexism ageism was open and rampant in America whatever it was that caused her to take immediate offense at my presence

As a German in SF, this place gives a true home feeling. The products are super authentic and I get the feeling that the new ownership is really open to new product suggestions! Highly recommend it for people enjoying German products. Now, if Lehr's starts making a great Döner or sells Zwiebelmettwurst, I may move to Noe Valley just for that :)

Sweet little neighborhood place to snag German specialities like musli and spaetzle. I came on a Friday and was delighted to pick up some fresh jam and cream filled donuts (I think they're called Berliners?). The owner was very friendly and welcoming.

The store closing is soon. The cashier thinks by end of the month. They still have a lot of candy, Haribo, Ritter, Swiss chocolates and lots and lots of black licorice. Shelves are starting to look bare. A few small jars of German sausages and a couple large jars of hot dogs remain. I like the German beer steins on the shelves near the door but have no need for them. The elderly owner was price marking merchandise but I found the cashier unfriendly even though I tried to make conversation with her. She was way nicer to my White friend who used to shop there when they lived in the neighborhood. I did pick up a couple bars dark chocolate orange bars, Orange Marmalade made in Germany and Haribo gummy bears my kids loved. It is time they close shop and move on. The neighborhood has changed a great deal.

Love this little place, deceptively small because it's brimming with authentic, imported German delicacies. So much licorice, both salted and sweet as well as Marzipan of every type you can fantasize about. We came away with some horseradish mustard (for myself) and the black licorice my husband loves. They have a small refrigerated section which has all kinds of sausages, speck, cheeses, spreads, which we couldn't buy because we weren't going home and they're perishable. But the amount of goods in this little place is astonishing. It's adorable and brings back memories from decades ago when we walked to the local neighborhood shop in Munich. The woman at the front was super sweet and welcoming, very friendly and helpful, went out of her way to come around to inquire when she heard us talk about the dizzying types of candies in one of their aisles. I took a ton of photos to showcase just the immense variety of their foodstuffs. Btw., their front window is garnished with something I believe they also sell (on order) an authentic swing. Their prices are just fine, given that most of their stuff is imported and near impossible to get at a regular American shop, e.g. they had non-alcoholic malt beverages and beers.

Such a charming little shop. Beautiful space with fantastic selection. The owner is warm and welcome. You can just tell so much love has gone into this place. I will definitely be back!

It's always good to try new places. German specialty. I bought chicken liver sausage. Will see how good it will be. No nitrates. Got some cute chocolates for kids. Nice clean and open place.

I am extremely disappointed to give the " New And Improved" Lehr's a poor review, but upon entering the newly renovated space on Church Street, I was taken aback by the poor selection and noticeably absent condiments I have been used to for 40 years of my patronage. Mind you, the floor space is gorgeous and clean. Gone are the musty carpets and creepy floors. Shiny and new are the new pergo floors and re-invented space. Which makes it even more compelling of all the authentic German items I miss so dearly. Gone are the Bavarian Brot, The ever present Krakauer Sausage, Landjäger, Herring in Beet sauce, Harzer Käse, Lachsschinken, Lakrids Pastillen, Large Mackaron and schaumküsse Their response: "We are experiencing a severe shortage of Herman Goods from our Manhattan Beach " supplier and we are sorry for the inconvenience" Great, but then don't post pictures of a full store that existed before the Reno and stop misleading people about your current inventory! Sad! I would like to shop there again, especially since authentic German items are such a rare find in the Bay Area! ....... Oh Well, there is always IGourmet.com or GetmanDeli.com, I guess! What a Shame!

Sorry to say, but it's just not Lehrs. They can call themselves a German store, but that's where the similarity ends. They have so few product choices for an import store. And they have people working there that can't answer basic questions about what they do carry A few fresh breads don't make the store if you don't carry imported products. Unless you're in a bind and just can't get out of San Francisco , I have to recommend the Gourmet Haus Staudt Gifts & Cafe in Redwood City or Dittmers in Mountain View.

Such a great variety of lecker German food. Each Trip their is a bit of a Germany vacation for us. Check it out.

I absolutely love going there to get my German sweet tooth under control. Haribo macht Kinder froh und Erwagsene ebenso.

Lovely store, very clean and wonderful customer service. Went in for some chocolate licorice and ended up buying muesli and Lindt chocolate that was on special. Great to see these specialty stores continue to be in business in the Bay Area.

On a lark, I called to see if this store had the little, black licorice cats (Katjes Kinder) that I could no longer find in my home city of San Diego. And, lo' and behold, this store had them! The woman at the counter was interesting to talk with. She's a treasure trove of all-things-German knowledge. I had hoped for Vitam-R, a sort of German Vegemite, but it was not to be found here, alas.

A German jewel in the heart of Noe Valley. No need to jump on a plane to Germany, just go to Lehr's and pick up echt (authentic) German specialties.

I used to come here before Hannah took it over (in November 2022) ... she is very welcoming and helpful. Growing up in Milwaukee years ago and coming from a German backround, I always enjoy coming here ... (And if you're German you might appreciate Quark. If not you might look it up ... a dairy product made from milk.) But the sausages, breads, a wonderful supply of German pantry foods, cookies, candy, etc.

Such a wonderful place! This German store has a little bit of everything. German magazines and newspapers, household trinkets, shampoo and other toiletries, food, candy, liquor chocolates, fresh sausages, pate, butter, cheese, stollen, Christmas cookies, beer steins, traditional German clothing, and much more. The staff is very friendly. Each time I've been in they are always well stocked. Prices are reasonable. Street parking only. During COVID they had hand sanitizer available and everyone was wearing a mask.

Fantastic place for some German goodies. I usually buy some meats (Teawurst, frankfurters and the Knockwurst for example) and german mustard as well as other condiments. Really good selection of german sweats as well. Great music selection on rotation if you are into some classic german Schlager oldies. The lady who runs the store is great and having a little chat with her always pleasant.

Finally Lehr's is back and under new ownership. I just recently went in for a little shopping trip. What a breath of fresh air. Hannah has a wonderful energy and is super friendly. She will bring products to SF that we have been missing since the day we moved to the USA 20+ years ago. We can't wait to see this business grow to the BEST go to place for German products in SF and Bay Area.

Great German specialities- friendly people! If you are looking for something original this is the place to be!

New ownership has completely revamped Lehr's, it's modern looking now (so has lost some of it's cluttered charm) but things are much easier to price and get to now....friendly service and lots of yummy German food and other "stuff" to buy (such as the rare in America Afri-Cola) make this place a definite need to go if you're in SF and want German articles....

The mere fact that this store exists in our city makes me happy! Everything is so thoughtfully selected, some of the best German delis I've been to. Very clean and inviting. Plus, the owner is amazing, genuinely friendly, helpful and welcoming. A true gem in our city. Can't wait to visit again.

Hannah and her husband did such a wonderful job modernizing this lovely little store. I feel like I am in Europe when I walk in there. It is so cute and has amazing products that are authentic to Europe.

We've been shopping in this store since moving to Noe Valley in the early 80s, discovering interesting and delectable German products. Then, we moved to work in Germany for over 30 years, coming back to visit and realizing what a unique treat this store was! Last year, we sadly learned the original Lehr's owner was finally closing - like so many other wonderful local stores have done in the last few years - but thrilled to learn that Hannah had plans to keep it alive by reviving it! She is actually interested in what customers want to find in her store! That's a rarity in SF businesses today, so we're ecstatic she not only saved this local, Noe Valley treasure, but wants to improve on her product availablility. She had a great selection of wonderful German Christmas products and sells German specialties, made fresh in the Bay Area. She's very accommodating and if you have a German product you'd like her to find, she'll try. So if you want a German favorite or try a specialty, this is a local store to support. Thank you, Hannah for keeping the neighborhood unique and special.

Lehrs is a super cute one-room Feinkostladen with German products. I am very happy to find a German store in San Francisco. It reminds me of the small mom and pop Laden that used to line my neighborhood in the early 90s in Vienna, Austria minus the overbearing shopkeeper. The shopkeeper today was watching me but kindly let me browse without interaction. I observed traditionally preserved foods (think Maggi alphabet soup, Semmelkoedel mix, potato Roesti, jarred picked groceries from Sauerkraut to wieners), meats like bratwurst, sweets, and butter in the fridge, Schnitten and cookies, candies, coughdrops, lots of Schokolade (chocolate), some German-inspired memorabilia, clothing, foot soaks and lotions. I noticed Darbo jams and syrups that are a step up from Ikea's and some Teakanne tea blends. There's a shelf with some magazines and newspapers for sale, many of which are last years' editions. It's fine if you just want easy reading, but it would be nice if there were more up to date magazines, preferably educational like GEO (German Nat. Geo) or something beyond the equivalent of People. There are also Records and CDs, of music from an older era. It's conveniently all in one place, and I am glad there is a German market in SF.

Went a couple days before Christmas to get some stollen, which I've never had, but being of German descent thought it was time I try. The ladies here were lovely helping me navigate the different flavors. Oh my gosh. I have a new favorite dessert. So much flavor and butteriness with mild rum. Nothing like our fruitcake or panettone. Go there and get some!

Amazing since the renovation - hard to find candies - amazing customer service - clean and orderly. Absolutely a place to pop into

I was here years ago, and have fond memories! Excellent selection back them. I am glad to see they are still open! I need to go back. They used to have Lederhosen, dirndl, and lots of biersteins! Do they still have them?

I love coming here to get sweets and snacks! Perfect for holiday gifts too! It reminds me of old school Japanese snack stores I used to go to when I lived in Japan.

Love this shop! I can get almost all of the German treats our family needs. Great service! Very friendly. Reasonable prices. Highly recommend!

Fantastic place. Great selection and fair price. The folk that left reviews saying the owner is rude have obviously not been to Germany and don't understand how to converse with such a place. It is no-nonsense, not a place that will stroke your ego and kiss your ass just for walking in. They don't NEED your business, the customer NEEDS their specialty goods. Understand this and you'll have a good shopping experience.

Old time atmosphere, large selection of candy,very clean. The BEST orange marmalade I ever had. Lovely

I love German cuisine but this place stinks. Most items are on the brink of expiration if not already expired. Also I can echo what other minorities here have noted the owner is very unfriendly and racist. She makes it a point to glare at you and follow you around to ensure you aren't stealing items. So I was just extra kind to her and she left me alone. Frankly if I wanted expired food, I'd go somewhere with a better selection. Save your money and go to the Richmond to Europa Plus and the other European markets the City has to offer.

You can walk into this store and imagine that you are in Germany and also in a time machine backward 25 years. The candies, magazines, knicknacks... its all authentic German stuff. A hidden gem in the city. First time in here was probably 25 years ago. Hard to believe how long they have been around. They withstand the test of time-- from that alone they must be doing something right. There used to be a tiny German restaurant across the ways and maybe a bit down the street Speckmans? I believe it has been gone for years now. That restaurant and this store used to complement each other perfectly. A butcher shop and restaurant across the street and and then this store for everything else: mustard, music cds, boxed foods, etc.

I come to Lehr's for their wide selection of German candies like Haribo and Katje. Sometimes you can find Fred Ferkel!

Today was my first visit to Lehr's and I now understand why other reviewers say the store owner/cashier is rude - she is. Incredibly rude. I was aware of the fact that some people said the owner was very rude, and also that a few people said she was nicer to people who spoke German. I am German and had a German friend with me, so of course we were speaking German the entire time we were in the store and she was still rude. Only said a quick "Hi" after we greeted her and never asked if we needed any help - we were in there looking around for a good 15 minutes. Similar to other reviewers, she followed us around the store too, pretending to do random things like organizing shelves, etc. but never asked us if she can help with anything, etc. I was very underwhelmed with the products in the store, but I guess that's just my expectation. A bunch of stuff I looked at was already past it's expiration date and everything there is incredibly overpriced. Like a 300%-margin-overpriced, in some cases even more than that. I settled on one item which actually just $5 and after waiting at the register for a few minutes until she finally came over, I asked if I can pay with my debit card as I had no cash on me and she answered in the most frustrated, rude tone "No. Definitely not for $5." - luckily my friend had cash, so we paid and left, but the experience left a very sour taste and I regret purchasing anything because her service definitely did not deserve $5. I will not be a returning customer because A) the selection at the store isn't that good to begin with and B) the owner clearly doesn't want customers anyways.

Walked in @ 5:50pm Woman at the register: "I'm closing" Me: "Right. In 10 minutes?" Woman at register: "No. I'm closing" Me: "I rushed over because I thought you closed at 6pm" Woman at register: "No. I'm closing" Me: "Ok. I won't be back." This was followed by another gentleman entering and having a conversation with her and then proceeding to shop.

Great service friendly staff and welcoming. Large verity of authentic German spices tea seasoning. Seasonal items available. Enjoy

I really adore this place, despite the fact that it's entirely out of my way and kind of expensive. Where else can I go in this area and get killer boxed mix of kartoffel puffer and spätzle, bottles of Bionade, special edition Ritter Sport, rye bread loaves, lingonberry jam, assortments of Haribo and tons of kitschy cassettes, books and decorations? They also carry lots of meats and cheeses, which - as a vegan - I'm obviously not terribly interested in, but are just like in Germany. I love that this is one of the few places in San Francisco where I can speak German and be in the majority, and stepping through the doors is like a little trip into another world. I'm just lucky I don't live in this neighborhood or my wallet would fall victim to Lehr's more often than is healthy.

Very old school place. Kinda dark inside with old wooden shelves. Old fashioned but working cash register at the entrance. Its full of German stuff. At the entrance you find many different kinds of breads and pastries. The shelves down the middle are full of different chocolates (Ritter Sport, Lindt, Dickman's, etc) and candies (Haribo). There are shelves on the left with curry, ketchup, mustard, noodles, coffees, teas, and canned goods. Also baking goods, puddings, yeast, and pickled things. A fridge near the entrance has all sorts of liverwursts, sausages, hams, and a few things I did not recognize. The back room has broom parts, wine glasses, beer steins, cuckoo clocks, boars whiskers, and other knick knacky gifts. Also baking equipment like Spring Forms. On the right you find magazines including news and entertainment. Also some beauty supplies including Nivea. So there are a lot of German goodies here. Enough to bring back fond memories of the homeland. And enough to give your tastebuds a sense of whats across the pond. Go on in and enjoy.