Andrew G.
Yelp
I love Cookbook so much. Having been a fan of the original location in Echo Park, a patron of Cortez (during that brief moment when it was open), and now a frequenter of the Fig outpost, I can accurately report that Cookbook has only gotten better.
All kinds of inspiring and hard-to-find ingredients, delicious prepared grab 'n go food, and fresh-as-it-gets produce. And now they have a selection of natural wine. I didn't have a chance to browse the vins last time I was here, but I've heard that they have some great bottles. Will scope it soon.
No, it is not cheap. But I think there is a bit of a disconnect with the Yelpers who compare a tiny, artisanal shop like CB with Bristol Farms or Whole Foods.
Cookbook is privately owned, fed with passion and hard work, grown from the ground up by Marta and Robert, much like a lemon tree. BF and WF are both huge corporate chains that buy in huge quantities which qualify for discounts at scale. I'm guessing that small shops' wholesale prices are close to what the huge chains sell the same items for at retail.
So for Cookbook to sell something at a price close to a chain supermarket, they would have to be breaking even or even losing money on the product, which is neither realistic nor good business. I'm okay with paying a bit more, because I feel like I'm contributing to something worthwhile, creative, personal and independent.
I recommend signing up for their email newsletter. Every Sunday evening, they list the weeks offerings, along with a poem. Beautiful.