If you've only ever ordered from Penzeys Spices online and have never been to a brick-and-mortar store, we highly recommend seeing if there's one in your area. For home cooks like us, visiting the store was like being a kid in a candy shop!
The first thing that hit me when I walked into their Arlington store just outside of Boston was, of course, the aroma. You might think that so many different spices in one room would end up clashing with each other, but instead it just smelled heavenly.
Most of the spices were arranged in groups. You have baking spices, types of chili, various spice blends, and dried herbs all in their own sections. All the spices that don't fit into a particular category were displayed alphabetically along one wall. For us, this was the real treasure trove since it held a lot of seasonings that we rarely see, like fenugreek and sumac.
In all the sections, each individual herb or spice was clearly labeled and had a description of its flavor and common uses. A small bowl of the spice was set out so you could take a whiff or even have a taste if you wanted to. This made me realize how often we have to guess how an herb will smell and taste before buying it and how unsatisfying that experience is.
The woman running the store the day I went was incredibly knowledgeable about both all the products and how to use them. I overheard her giving advice to several customers on how to use a particular seasoning and recommending spices to go with various dishes. When it was our turn, she chatted and asked what we were planning to do with our purchase (just some smoked paprika that day).
Being at Penzeys made these herbs and spices come alive. It's also such a luxury to have so many of them in one place! I could have stayed for hours, just sniffing and imagining what I might cook.
Is there a Penzeys near where you live? If not, is there another spice store you recommend?
• Penzeys Spices, 1293 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, Massachusetts 02476
• For a full listing of Penzey retail store locations, visit the Penzeys Spices homepage
Related: Weekend Project: Stocking the Spice Cupboard
(Image: Emma Christensen for the Kitchn)
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I LOVE Penzeys. We have one on 19th St in Houston.
I agree that the best part is to be able to stand there and sniff/test the different variety of herbs and spices and spice mixes before committing to take home a jar.
We've given boxes of Penzeys spices (some pre-packed, some self selected) as engagement gifts, wedding gifts and house-warming gifts.
I have ordered from Penzeys for years and when a store finally went in near us I could not have been happier! The unfortunate thing is the store is not in an ideal location--it is not near a metro station and there isn't a whole lot around it so going there is definitely a destination trip.
When Penzey's started growing the bricks and mortar stores I remember something in the catalog about people in big cities not doing a lot of home cooking and it seemed to me like they were missing a huge market. It seems to me even if people in cities do less home cooking (which I don't think is true, but I don't know) that those who do cook at home would want the best spices. Anyway, I'm glad they've started putting stores in larger cities.
They opened up a Penzey's in my parents' home town (Menlo Park, CA). I went. It was glorious. Tons of selection and a really cute decor. I left and was like 'I'm so proud that I only spent $60 in there!'
Birmingham has had one for a few years. My friends still laugh at me when I get excited about going to "the spice store". I always walk out with more than I planned, and I'm never unhappy.
Here's a tip: Sign up for their catalog. Many, many times in the past year they've had a coupon on the cover for a free jar of spices (Granulated garlic, a couple of spice blends) that is good whether you go in the store or shop online. My local store gave me the freebie (And it's a full size - they're smallest glass jar) when I forgot the coupon, but I hate to count on that.
I'm moving to Pittsburgh this summer, and one of the things I'm incredibly excited about is that there is a Penzy's in the Strip District!
i was just in the Penzey's in the Strip in Pittsburgh, using up a wedding gift card (we got the Spicy Wedding gift pack too). I love it there; and the Strip as a whole!
The original Penzey's (and their warehouse) is right near my home... I love love LOVE this place. I thought I was spoiled going to World Spice Merchants when I lived in Seattle... Penzey's is quite different but I love that they make their own blends & mixes in addtion to the straight herbs/spices.
omg... i love penzey's. the hub and i got the wedding box from his mother and the smell of the unopened box just blew my mind!
i ordered online until they opened a store in torrance, ca. i live in oc, so it's a trek... but so worth it! i never get out of the place without spending at least $100, mostly because i do a lot of baking and i refuse to use any other vanilla. a pint of double strength is about $45.
i wish they'd open a store down here though. :)
We also have a Penzy's in Omaha, NE - we had ordered on line for a few years when one day my husband was looking at their catalogue and we discovered they had opened a store here. It's a little bit of a jaunt from where we live but worth the trip! The smell inside the story is heavenly - we are replacing all our spices with Penzy's little by little...
I love Penzey's. I first discovered the one in Appleton, WI, while visiting family. Now we go to the one in Minneapolis. I wish it were even closer; with only a few exceptions, the staff is friendly, experienced, and knowledgeable. My favorite products: smoked paprika and cinnamon sticks. If you bring in your jars, I think you can get them refilled; if not, buy the bagged rather than the jarred variety for a bettr price.