We got sandwiches at the deli and took them down to the beach and had a wonderful lunch. Best sandwich I have had in a long time. Fresh bread and high quality meat, cheese and toppings. Beach access across the street with tables on the beach. Dog friendly beach. read more

This place is amazing. What a fantastic selection of groceries, wine, and locally handcrafted gifts. This place is like a little Whole Foods without pretentiousness or the high prices. The deli is incredible; daily made fresh sandwiches and panini. John does a helluva job making grub. A must stop on any coast adventure! read more

The only reason that I'm giving them 4 stars instead of 5 is that I got a chocolate bar that was a tich old, but that could be fixed if they had more customers so that they have a better turnover of goods. I have to admit we stopped there to get our lunch since Qweenies (sp?) was closed. But we got great sandwiches to go and they suggested we have a picnic across the street overlooking the cliffs, beach, ocean etc. which we did and it was fabulous. I'm going to try and post some photos that will show it. Both of our sandwiches were so yummy - we had them "drug through the garden" which was their terminology for all the veggies added at no extra cost. The little store did have a variety of goods that would certainly get you through your day and yes you might pay a little more for the convenience, but it is worth it. There were two ladies minding the store and they couldn't have been nicer. So check it out. We're from Southern CA, but can't wait to make another trip up to this area. read more

See all

Stopped by this store several times while staying on the coast for vacation. Their sandwiches are amazing. We got a Cuffy's Cove, and well as the Lorenzo White. They also have sweets from the Fort Bragg Bakery so that was a bonus find. Great customer service tops it off, making this a go to place while in the area. read more

Super cute grocery store near the coast. It's a little bit expensive but the sandwiches are very yummy and the store has a cool nostalgic vibe read more

Stopped in for a panini on our way up the coast. Reasonable price for our very yummy sandwich. Nice wine/beer selection, too.

Excellent food and service! Great vegan wrap and fantastic selection of fresh vegetables and organic foods. Very sweet staff. The perfect little place! We had a great lunch and stocked up on greens and juice. read more

We were camping in Philo and decided to drive down the coast when we happpened to stop in Elk. My friend and I checked out their cute & quaint oceanfront B&B lodging and stumbled into the Elk Store. They had some organic things including, beer, wine, and cheese. We were helped by two friendly ladies working the counter. We bought wood and they had generously offered us plenty of newspaper for kindling. We checked out Greenwood Beach which is directly across from the store and it was amazingly beautiful during sunset. My friend says it was reminiscient of Cabo. I would like to return to Elk, stay in one of their cozy oceanfront B&B, and not worry about forgetting wine and cheese because the Elk Store is just yards away :) read more

Stopped here for a quick bite to eat on my way down the coast. They have excellent sandwiches and lots of high end organic groceries and snacks. It's on the pricy side but so is everything on the coast and the sandwich was large and yummy so I left happy. read more

We (2 harmless anglo seniors) stopped by a few weeks ago, especially since there are no other stores/bathrooms/gas stations for ~20 miles in either direction. I picked out a few sandwiches for a snack, but made the mistake of asking for the bathroom...they had none, even for customers...the barely-literate unfriendly & hostile and immigrant admitted that the store employees and residents could use the bathroom inside the store. I mumbled something about their poor attitude towards customers, left the sandwiches, and ....never again will stop in "Elk" ... I was even more annoyed to encounter no native-english-language employees in the stores/streets in Hwy 1 in this area or on 10+ miles in either direction... and the immigrants along this stretch had a uniformly bad/hostile attitude toward customers - perhaps toward anglos...I suspect more is going on in this area than meets the eye... suffice it to say I'll keep moving through this area in all future travels... read more

Great stop along HWY 1 for Sando's, drinks, and snacks. I believe the owners are new to the store as they mentioned and were a very nice couple. Happy to have such nice new people to help my wife and I with our 3 year old. read more

My girlfriend and I were psyched to find this spot on a recent trip up the Mendocino coast. They make custom deli sandwiches (even gluten free) and lots of other good stuff too. Their wine section was surprisingly solid, with excellent bottles priced well. Great local stuff too. Plenty of snacks and regular groceries as well. They have everything you could possibly need for a picnic on the beach- which happens to be directly across the street from the store- and incredible. In addition to food, they sell cool Elk Store swag and lots of gifts, books, etc. We chatted up the (new) owners a bit, they seemed like nice people. Recommended, definitely the best lunch spot we found between Jenner and Ft Bragg. read more

Had our wedding at Elk Cove Inn a couple of years ago and the Elk Store allowed us to open a tab...Awesome! They also sat down with us, literally, worked out a great selection of sandwiches for the entire Inn (we took it over for the wedding) and delivered it at lunch time on the day of the wedding! While everyone was running around and getting beautified...we knew the owners of the store had our backs at lunch time. They brought the food in lovely baskets and brought everything we could possibly need for a sandwich. Above and beyond does not express how great my wife and I felt after being treated so wonderfully by EVERYONE from the store. Cash only works for me!! read more

Considering that it is off Rt 1, it's a nice place. Pricey, yes, but if there is no competition, you can't blame them. The ladies that work there are very friendly and helpful, they have a pretty nice selection of healthy, local, organic foods, nice produce, and sandwiches. read more

This store is a little local market that we are fortunate to have in our local community. It has been cleaned up and revitalized and is being run by two very nice people! 5 stars is for the location, cleanliness, the selection of goods(they are getting more and more as time goes) and their willingness to get more in when people request them. I am a supporter! read more

I cannot begin to tell you how nice the people in this store are! After having ridden down the coast on a bicycle from Oregon, I had arranged to meet my wife to pick me up on the California coast. Having no cell signal in Elk, made the rendezvous impossible. The store let me use their phone and it saved the day. Also the sandwiches are fantastic! Thank you Elk Store! read more

Wonderful place to grab supplies for a picnic if you find yourself traveling on HWY 1. Great selection of local wine, snacks, and deli items (even the toothbrush that you left at home). Also grabbed a hostess gift - handmade soap for the friend that I was staying with. Didn't know the area, so we just had our picnic at the beautiful, quiet beach right across the street. Will be definitely be back again. read more

Never greeted or acknowledged while in the store. Waited 5-10 minutes at the deli to order a sandwich but was skipped over twice and totally ignored. The worst customer service I experienced in the area. read more

We stopped in early one morning to see what they had for breakfast as the local restaurant was closed. The Elk store has a very simple but nice atmosphere. Tawny introduced herself as the co-owner of the store and was very easygoing and friendly. She made us some great breakfast croissants and invited us to pull up some chairs and eat in the store. We enjoyed chatting about Elk and a little about our personal histories while we ate. This was a very charming experience and if I'm ever back in Elk I'll definitely be making a stop to see Tawny again. (And maybe meet her husband Ben) And by the way, the Mendocino coast is absolutely beautiful!! read more

Love the feel of the store.Very nice deli options.. The person making the sandwiches wasn't very friendly. My boyfriend knows the owner and we decided to stop there on our way back to Oregon. We enjoyed our sandwiches across the street at the beach and found the best spot to watch seals! read more

We wondered in to grab some food. Ben was super nice. they had some great chili. and lots of small town talk. i would guess that it is a great place to meet your neighbors. very nice place read more

Rude staff. Ask for a restroom and was directed to a porta john a tenth of a mile away. Decided not to patronize after that. Would recommend you do the same. read more

This is an awesome little store with amazing sandwiches (so far have had the roast beef prosciutto and turkey wrap all amazing), potato salad, also a cool selection of other things such as high quality local wine and many other off the wall items. I wish this deli weren't 3 hours away from my home... and my wife wishes I would stop stealing her leftovers (the portions are big). Everyone is really friendly and always willing to accommodate any food adjustments that are needed. Plus there is a beach right across the street! read more

If you're in Elk and don't stop here you have a screw loose. Great, friendly staff - they have everything you need for a day at the beach and the best New England clam chowder (by far) on the coast...mandatory stop if you're driving Highway 1... read more

This general store is exactly what you want right when you want it where you want it. The store has a delicious deli where you can order what you may craving at the moment. They also have a wide selection of groceries to make a beach picnic which you enjoy across Hwy 1 on a quintessential beach or hop back in your car onto whatever destination you have in mind. If you find yourself meandering on Hwy 1, make sure you mark this spot to visit and stock up. read more

The Elk Store has been completely revived! I've been a customer on my trips up the coast since 1993 and I'm so relieved that the original owners from the late 90's took back over last May 2011...so the "mean" people are outta there!!! (reference the 9/2009 review). This is a much loved local store that is undergoing a positive transformation. The current owners are devoted to renewing it's success and historic place in the community. The July 2011 visitor probably caught the crew in transition! My family went up on Labor Day weekend and had a fabulous picnic lunch and they even had GlutenFree/Dairy free foods that I needed! We took our food across the street (HWY 1) to the state park and the gorgeous view of the sea stacks (there's also beach access!). We loved the place so much, we decided to go back to the store for their coffee (Thanksgiving Coffee Co.) and some GREENWOOD GOLD apple juice (local to the village). Delicious! We will definitely go back. read more