My wife and I stopped by Amphora Nueva after grabbing lunch at The Station nearby to replenish our dwindling supply of aged dark balsamic. Like most artisanal olive oil and vinegar stores, this one allowed for sampling of nearly all their products. There are so many interesting oil blends and flavored balsamic vinegars, I would encourage you to take your time to try out anything that piques your curiosity before making a purchase. We ultimately picked up a bottle of their 25 year old aged, Denissimo balsamic. This balsamic had a wonderful sweetness to it and was beautifully viscous. I can't wait to drizzle this on top of a tomato burrata appetizer when summer comes around, or on some vanilla ice cream. Another balsamic I really enjoyed trying out -- that would also go lovely with vanilla ice cream, was the espresso flavored balsamic. I would definitely recommend checking out Amphora Nueva for all our olive oil and balsamic needs. read more

We first tried their product at a party--just a splash over sparkling water--and it was delicious. From that moment, we were hooked. Now it's in regular rotation at our house as we work our way through all the new flavors in the store. BB read more

I called in an order to pick up a bottle of the Persian Lime infused olive oil and the honey ginger balsamic vinegar and a gift pack. The store manager was great and had my order ready for pick up the next day, so service was good. I tasted a salad dressing made from the Persian Lime olive oil and honey ginger blended together and it made the salad taste wonderful. So that is why I am here to get my own bottles. read more

Finally had the chance to go into this rustic shop and wasn't disappointed by the selection or service. So many oils and vinegars to choose from! We bought a bottle of the mushroom sage oil and 4 white vinegars (lemon, raspberry, peach, lychee) plus a bottle of champagne vinegar which is really hard to find. To really get a good taste of the white vinegars, take up their spritzer offer. There is also a good collection of tea towels with lots of fun graphics to give as a gift. Recommend coming here to stock up on oil and vinegar essentials! read more

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Since it's been so long that we came here I thought I'd update my review. This place makes the perfect balsamic vinegars with interesting flavors. Also has the biggest selection of olive oils I've seen. I Used to go to their Castro Valley location but that's closed so now I come here to replenish my supplies. read more

This was my second south Berkeley errand. I found parking directly in front and walked in. I was greeted by Laila. I told her I was looking for truffle oil and asked which was stronger, the black or the white. I told her I needed it to put on popcorn. She said she uses white for her popcorn at home and offered me tastes of both. She poured a few drops of each into tiny cups and I tasted both. Sure enough, the white was perfect. They have three sizes, small, medium and large. I opted for the small. Laila took the bottle up to the counter to be rung up. She was so helpful! The woman who rang me up offered me a bag, but I had the handle bag from Afikomen so I didn't need one. It was an excellent experience. read more

Excellent selection. Unique flavors. Helpful service. A few gift options too. Parking wasn't a problem.

Highly recommend. My sister took me here to sample their olive oil and assorted vinaigrette. After sampling a few ... Purchased: Garlic Olive oil Lime olive oil Pomegranate vinaigrette **tried these on my salad and "wow"! read more

Went in looking for a mild and fruity olive oil. Amazing selection. Jess was very helpful and let me taste a handful. I was enjoying my tasting with Jess when an impatient and rude customer came into the shop and wanted immediate attention from the very limited staff. We both agreed to put my tasting on hold so Jess could deal with the disruptive customer. Good job Jess on handling her professionally ! read more

We love this place. The olive oil and balsamic vinegar are to quality and fresh. I have introduced these multiple of my family members and friends and they all got hooked on it. I purchased and send them as gifts and they all loving it. Healthy and enjoyable ingredients to life, what's not to love. read more

Amphora Nueva - Lavender balsamic, one of our favorite! - Olive Oil Near Me - Berkeley, California

This place is a nice hidden gem. The lady who helped us around in the store was friendly and very helpful and turned our impromptu visit into a memorable experience. We left with a variety of olive oils and balsamic vinegar that have made our salad so much more superior. We got to taste many options before making our final choice and we are absolutely thrilled with our decision to only use olive oil from there from now on read more

"Some one feed Phil!" That was the inspiration to visit this spot. After watching him chow down all over Venice in the debut episode of his new Netflix series, specifically going bug eyed over a drop of some 25 -50 year old basalmic vinegar. I told Bae to hell with that Costco crap! We need to get real balsamic and real olive oils that have some flavor! I want my eyes to bug out like his when I drizzle it over tonight's dinner! Water melon balls , Greek feta, fresh mint and arugula, little bit of red onion slivers, dash of lime juice and some walnuts. Oh yeah some Rosemary infused olive oil and a drizzle of 25 year old basalmic on top! Is your mouth watering yet? Well I can imagine it is if you are inland suffering through the heat wave and a light refreshing salad featuring newly acquired oil and vinegar; this probably sounds AWESOME! So we are thinking of vanilla bean ice cream with fresh berries and of course a drizzle of Basalmic on top! Sounds crazy til you try it! You see the older the basalmic, the sweeter it gets! Now unlike Phil we didn't opt for a $750 bottle. But the 25 year old one we got was sweet viscous like syrup, and pow in the kisser pungent and acidic. Mmm chomp chomp mmmm! Wow! Watermelon never had it so good! read more

Amphora Nueva - Agua melon, arugula and Greek feta, with a bit of mint,walnuts, Lime and vintage Basalmic with Rosemary infused olive oil. - Olive Oil Near Me - Berkeley, California

Premium olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Great shop. Top notch customer service. After trying these I guarantee you won't go back to store bought salad dressing. read more

Not as pricey as I thought it would be, and their oils and vinegars can't be matched by any others, in my opinion!

What a great shop. You can sample olive oils and balsamic vinegars across from the Claremont tennis courts. Parking can be tough, but it's worth it. read more

How do you say I love you to your friends and family? Well one way is to say "Ahhh-live (Olive) you" with the most amazing olive oil and vinegars and if you want to do that, Amphora Nueva is the place for you! Amphora Nueva is a cute little storefront right across from the Claremont, that houses the most incredible and interesting premium olive oils/vinegars. I am in LOVE with the Black Mission Fig vinegar; rich, thick liquidy gold that when mixed with a touch of olive oil makes dreary lettuce or boring vegetables into a work of culinary art. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and not to mention helpful. They helped me with my selection, introduced me to vinegar/oil combos I hadn't tried and even sent me off with tissue paper, ribbon and bags to make gifts out of what I bought. For the most delicious olive oil/vinegar (trust me: Black Mission Fig is change-your-life vinegar), in a cute store, with the most helpful staff, Amphora Nueva is Woohoo! As good as it gets! Yelp 100 Challenge: 100/100 CHALLENGE COMPLETED, extra credit: 102/100 read more

And though he was in Berkeley and within sight of the Claremont, Shining white upon the hills, showing wealth and abundance Knowing full well he would be bathed in the falling eve The oil would not anoint him but would steal away for salads Indeed long-marinating meats and upon many a meal Would alight their pungent virtues far from the motherland ^Props to The Iliad and those Greek dudes.^ @AMPHORABERKELEY "Amphora Nueva"...New bottle in Latin? Enough waxing literary and Latin speculation...I loved this place! Nate the GM took the time to show me around and discuss in detail how the various oils and vinegars would interact with my cooking. I left with four bottles and I'm looking forward to a return trip! As an aside, they sealed everything up to go in my checked bags and the green chili infused EVOO was chosen by Homeland Security for special screening...I had a note in my suitcase. Hope they had some nice bread to enjoy it with :-) read more

Please go with a clear palate. This is the perfect location to work your way down the street tasting. The bread & butter here is olive oil & vinegar. You can sample using fresh baguette pieces. Rarely will you find vinegar or oils with these flavors - harrisa, black cherry, honey serrano, pomegranite, apricot. This put my salad game on a whole new level! My marinate game too! Check it out. If you live nearby then walk, bike or uber. read more

The staff on duty 7 July afternoon were wonderfully patient and took time out to explain to me all their incredible variety of olive oils and vinegars, letting me taste however many I wanted. Every single one of them was incredible! I ended up with the traditional balsamic and one of the extra virgins and both were by far the tastiest, most beautiful condiments I've ever tried. I will drink them by the gallon and will absolutely be back! read more

We had a wonderful woman help us today. She was very knowledgable about olive oil. She informed us about the olive oil benefits, where they got certain ones and how to read the numbers from the testing. Tasting - they let you taste everything- whether you sip the olive oil or use their bread to dip it in. They give you generous amounts to taste with and I felt so bad throwing the remainder away. :( After a 6 tries, my tongue was gone. Definitely helps like the other yelpers say to have a clean palate before coming here! I really enjoyed how everything is laid out. Different regions are separated- one region in the middle island, another region on the right side of the wall. I'm really amazed how the same type of olive oil can taste so differently from different regions. I loved how they bottled it in front of you! The only downside of this place is that parking is a little hard. I had to park a couple blocks down by the church and traffic is a bit iffy. read more

This place is a GEM. We are addicted to the vast OLIVE OIL selections. We go bi-monthly to get our fill of the green goodness that Mother Nature has gifted to the human race. We are so addicted to it that each time we have dinner parties, we would have our friends taste the Olive Oil and once they do so, they became converts. Last year we took one of their Olive Oil classes and were blown away from the vast knowledge of the Owner and his children. I can't stress what a gold mine Amphora Nueva is. Just go and be ready to get your taste buds blown away. Once you try TRUE Olive Oil, you can NEVER go back to store brought ones. I HEART OLIVE OIL read more

Amphora Nueva - Olive Oil Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great place to find unique olive oils and vinegars...loved the blood orange vinegar and the aged balsamic and left with the tuscan olive oil which is infused with herbs. I'll have to return during a not so busy time so i can figure out which pairs well to make a yummy salad dressing or marinade. read more

Totally changed how we eat salad and how much vinegar we go through. The flavors are excellent with natural tasting flavor and not loaded down with tons of sugar. We're working our way through the flavors but Apricot, Tangerine and Fig have been our favorite so far. We use them on salads near daily and I also use them to add depth to cooking. read more

Wonderful staff and delicious product. My family loves these olive oils. Can't wait until we address thru this pandemic so I can come back and cruise the store. read more

Nice shop to pick up olive oil - taste a few, pick your selection, and pick up a bottle of olive oil to finish your salads or dinner. You may also bring your own container. Oils are mostly imported. Great service. Parking can be a challenge but they have multiple locations. read more

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is my new obsession. I've had a love hate relationship with it for as long as I can remember. I love it in (some) restaurants, and HATE it at home. It has a rancid taste to me. Amphora Nueva has me hooked on their premium extra virgin olive oils. When I walked into this store, I just knew I was in for a treat. The store is lined with, sensibly sized, stainless steel barrels that hold dozens of varieties of Premium Extra Virgin oils. Some from California some imported. They also have Truffle infused oil and Avocado oil. I bought a Persian Lime infused EVO. All the oils are on tap and run about $12 for 200ml and 750ml for $18. Return 10 bottles and receive a 200ml bottle for free. I find this store easy on the pocket book. They carry a large variety of Balsamic vinegars as well. My purchase was Traditional Balsamic This is the best-aged Balsamic I've had so far. I read somewhere that they sell one from Italy for around $200. But this one is fantastic. Cranberry Pear White Balsamic- I mixed this with their Nocellara De Belice EVO, and used it on a Scallop salad. You can also mix it with sparkling water, and make it into a refreshing drink. At first I turned my nose up at it. But when I tasted it, OMG was it awesome. Honey And Ginger White Balsamic- I mixed this one with the Persian Lime EVO, and Oh Man, was it good drizzled on grilled fish. It's equally as good on a mixed green salad. There are so many ways of using these Oils and vinegars. Amphora Nueva doesn't have a website yet, but you can follow them on Facebook, which has some great recipes posted. I saw a recipe for a Chocolate Martini (using their Chocolate vinegar) I don't know if it matches a Lemon Drop, but I'm game. Check it out. Go in for a tasting. But make sure you make room in your pantry for your new oils and vinegars. Street Parking is easy on a Sunday read more

Are you a condiment junkie like me? You know...a condiment junkie. Someone with a refrigerator door full of bottles and jars of various sizes and shapes that might include, but are not limited to; curry ketchup, basil mayonnaise, french stone ground mustard, Indian panipuri sauce, creamy horseradish, imported Spanish capers and anything else they can fit into those small cubic inches without the hinges bowing? Someone who buys condiments just because they're cool or interesting, not knowing if they'll ever use them for anything? With all of these fascinating condiments on the market I'm sure you haven't thought about the two most important Italian condiments have you? Duh, I'm talking about olive oil and balsamic vinegar! I'm not sure who the person was who said "Do one thing and do it well" but I think it's a great philosophy. In the age of super corporate box stores like Wal-Mart and Target trying to provide everything to everyone, we seem to have lost our focus and with it the ability to relate to customers on a one-to-one basis. That's not a problem at Amphora Nueva, a new specialty food shop in the shadow of the Claremont Hotel and Spa in Berkeley that does one thing...okay two things, and does them well. The general manager of Amphora Nueva knows a thing or two about high-quality olive oils and balsamic vinegars and she's eager to share her passion with you. Astrid and I walked in this morning just to check out the store and pick up some extremely good olive oil. We thought we'd be paying a fortune, but we were wrong! Everything in the store starts at $7.00 for a 200ml bottle. You like that Sicilian extra virgin olive oil? $7.00. You like that 18 year old Cinnamon and Pear balsamic? $7.00. You like that...oh you get it. You might say to your self, "Self, why the hell would I drive all the way to Berkeley to buy olive oil and balsamic vinegar when I can pick it up at the grocery store?" Well, you've NEVER had oils and vinegars like these. The oil just bursts with the flavor of fresh olives and minerals from where they were grown. The vinegars are sweet enough, with no sugar added by the way, to drink straight from a cup. Trust me, your crappy, tasteless $8 olive oil from Whole Check or your bitter, sour, nasty balsamic from Berkeley Bowl just won't stand up to the oils and vinegars at Amphora Nueva. Benjamin Franklin once said, "A spoonful of honey will catch more flies than a gallon of vinegar." Wow, was he mistaken. I can't wait until I run out of the oil and vinegar I bought today so I can go back and try out something new! I suggest you do the same. Cin cin! read more

Amazing place. Hard to add much to the comprehensive insights of Betty H. and Anthony S. except maybe: You can sample EVERY oil and vinegar they carry, and very easily. Each stainless steel barrel, over the (mostly) pre-packaged bottles, has a spigot. Stacks of small plastic cups are everywhere, and samples of bread cubes abound. Go, pour yourself a tiny sample, take a little shot, leave enough to dab the bread in, and try to refrain from licking out whatever's left over. But just make sure you go! I got the 'standard' (oh what a relative term) balsamic vinegar; made an emulsified dressing from simple greens last night -- sweet, slightly tart, dimensions in flavor you just don't get from TJ balsamic. I also picked up a bottle of truffled oil (white/French, vs. their black/Italian) ... never cooked with it before but Betty H. was kind enough to tell me what I could do with it. ;) I'll be back again. And again and again. read more

This is an experience you do not want to miss! Being able to actually taste MANY olive oils and MANY balsamic vinegars was a great experience. The prices are VERY reasonable, the people that work there are very knowledgable about all the products. I went in with 3 other people and we all tasted a lot, but not too much to ruin our palate; we went home and made salad dressings and dipped our breads in delicious flavors. Who would have EVER thought about a coconut balsamic! And the Blood Orange Olive oil is fantastic. I had NO idea how delicious FRESH oil tastes compared to that stuff in grocery stores. I am sold! read more

Let me count all the ways to LOVE this store for you: 1. Consumable presents. Don't want to buy someone a *thing* they have to be stuck with? Please the sister-in-law who decorates everything in doilies or macrame or the internet millionaire friend who has everything already with the olive oil here from all over the world, as well as amazing vinegars. 2. FRESH olive oil from reputable sources. Have you read about the scary olive oil fraud in the world? If not go Google it now. Scary stuff. Your olive oil is safe here. 3. Prices. Incredibly reasonable for what you get. Also a standardized price for all but two products (and even those two are incredibly reasonable, an extra buck or two for truffles)--easy to shop! 4. Retail therapy. Pleasant shopping environment where you can spend money on worthwhile things, not junk. Mostly consumables but some nice gifty items here too. 5. Friendly staff. 6. Alchemy. Mix and match: Buy a lime-infused olive oil to mix with a grapefruit vinegar. Or a savory peppery olive oil to pair with a figgy balsamic. Almost infinite combinations. 7-??. Add your own here. read more

This is the most amazing store ever. What a fabulous idea to dedicate an entire store to the most delicious assortment of olive oils and balsamic vinegars, and allow your eager customers to taste every single one of them! Instead of playing the usual guessing game based on labels and names, I tasted at least 7 different balsamics and just as many if not more olive oils before settling on black cherry balsamic vineger. The very knowlegable and friendly owner helped me pick out a perfect olive oil to pair it with, and there I was holding the perfect birthday gift for my boss. And she LOVED it, and is already planning to going there herself! The quality of their product is absolutely fantastic, it puts to shame the mass produced olive oils and balsamics available in supermarkets. Furthermore the price is totally reasonable so these products can truly be everyday items in your kitchen, and not just for special occasions (although your dinner guests would never know it!). I also really like that this is a family business, and a lot of care, attention, and love has clearly been put into every little detail. I highly recommend visiting this shop! Bring a friend to enjoy it with, since it is also fun! read more

I dance into this place like a kid let loose in a candy store. So many choices! So many flavors! Which one should I try this time? OMG! BE STILL MY CREDIT CARD! Everyone on staff has been very friendly, knowledgable and helpful. They've put together some fantastic pairings for gifting, and for personal use. The oils and vinegars are fresh, vibrant and flavorful. The black cherry balsamic is amazing blended with seltzer for a soda. The grapefruit balsamic is perfect for salad dressings and marinades. I've used the chocolate balsamic in desserts. Used the olive oils to make ice cream. I could go on, and on... This is one of the few places where I just allow myself to relax and enjoy the shopping experience. The pricing structure is great, and has allowed me to sample nearly everything they have without worrying about having to buy large quantities at great expense. I love being able to support this business! read more

Short Version: A must taste and see! I love to write, so here is the long version: Just below the Claremont Hotel, in a delicious little strip of shops and eateries is tucked the finest, perhaps the only store of its kind in the bay area, Amphora Nueva -- Berkeley Olive Oil Works. To merely step into this new olive oil and vinegar boutique is an enriching experience for the senses. Ancient looking, authentic amphoras (amphora: a ceramic vase with two handles) in all shapes and sizes are erected throughout the store - some giant enough to pose as table legs for a majestic cut of wood that serves as a tasting table; others, dainty and small enough to dot the shelves as collectibles. Lining the walls of this glorified tasting room are the shiny, silver dispensers that pour forth the plethora of sweet and savory oil and vinegar creations. Plan to lose yourself not just in atmosphere, but most especially in the surprise of flavor. My first visit was on the shorter side, with three children along for the ride, but we were all warmly greeted by enthusiastic staff who offered us each a sample of a chocolate bar drizzled in balsamic vinegar. Yum! But if times allows, you might want to pencil in an hour to amble in Amphora with a friend, for sipping on the array of vinegars along one wall and then tasting the oils along the other wall; and then why not retire to the cozy sitting area with stuffed chairs and peer out the front shop window and discuss your favorites while your samples digest, and the uniquely high concentration of antioxidants in Amphora oils work their magic. All oils and vinegars can be tasted on the spot. Bottles are likewise, custom-filled for purchase, on the spot -- a nice touch, I thought. With an Italian heritage, raised with an appreciation of authentic gourmet food by parents who own two gourmet food shops, I am a recent convert to flavored oils and vinegars, because up to now, nothing on the retail shelf has impressed me in the category of flavored oils and vinegars. Amphora's flavors are pure, earthy and genuine...as if the fruits, plants, and herbs themselves are dancing upon your tongue. And now, because I was a fan of this company's olive oils and vinegars before I heard they were opening a retail store, I can even share a list of personal favorites and recommendations: Lavender Balsamic Vinegar, (lovely drizzled over lemon sorbet or vanilla gelato or drizzled with olive oil over spring greens); Persian Lime, (turns every vegetable sauté into a gourmet side dish); Blackberry Ginger (makes a poultry marinade to-die-for when paired with Persian Lime); Wild Mushroom and Sage (amazing drizzled over popcorn with a grated parmesan). Furthermore, I use the unflavored organic extra virgin olive oil for all of my basic cooking preparation. The flavors are endless and enticing, which is why I am already planning my next trip back...for treats like Chocolate and Vanilla Balsamic vinegars awaiting me. And with the smallest bottle of oil or vinegar starting at $7, I have found no obstacles. The myriad of quality, healthy, diverse, and memorable meals prepared in minutes with simple drizzles of Amphora Neuva bottles are worth every penny of the small investment. My only suggestion? Eventually, a cooking demo exemplifying favorite flavored oil and vinegar pairings and suggested food pairings would be delightful. But that's probably already in the works. read more

A must for the serious olive oil connoisseur and novice alike. The knowledgeable, patient, kind staff will partner you with the perfect extra virgin olive oil for any and every culinary application you have in mind. I was extremely impressed with the store's massive selection of fresh, world class olive oils. Each of the 20 or so oils available in bulk to taste had a detailed "pedigree" offering "ultra traceability", crush date, medals won, as well as each olive oil's chemical composition and antioxidant quotient. This sort of transparency and education where olive oil is concerned is simply unprecedented. The balsamic vinegar is fun and equally amazing. I went home with several! Try the thick, aged espresso balsamic brushed on ribs, slow cooked over apple wood. Try the aged Tahitian vanilla bean balsamic paired with the blood orange agrumato over vanilla gelato, with almond biscotti, or slathered on pound cake and layered in a seasonal fruit trifle. The combinations are endless, delicious, healthy and addictive. I do recommend setting aside a block of time for a full tasting if you've never been to this store. And if you have been, make sure to visit frequently as this the staff informed me that their selection of olive oils is ever changing. Their collection follows the fresh crush around the globe and they work with farmers in both hemispheres to secure the freshest "olio nuevo" in the world. Often, you can find olive oil that is less than two, three or four months from it's press date - a treat that most consumers never experience in a lifetime of buying olive oil off the supermarket shelf. read more

Two friends and I spent a fantastic afternoon at this place last week tasting all of the olive oils and many of the balsamics. Staff was knowledgeable and quick to help but let you do your own thing for as long as you wanted. Olive oils were unbelievably good and varied. I'm not buying oils and vinegars anywhere else anymore. And when you think of all the $40 oils at places like market hall, this place is quite reasonably priced - $18 for 750mL right now, and there's smaller sizes that make cute gifts or for further sampling. Try some of the flavored reduced balsamics on vanilla ice cream (especially the pear cinnamon) and get over there right now for the fresh and intense olive oils from the November/December California harvest, they can hold their own with any food. (BTW we found this place after reading Tom Mueller's book Extra Virginity, which I recommend) read more

This is by far my favorite olive oil and vinegar place around. Actually, I don't care about fancy olive oil, I'm happy with whatever I got from Safeway; but I LOVE me some good balsamic. I've never seen such a huge variety of balsamic vinegar anywhere else, and never tasted such delicious ones before, especially their white balsamic. I highly recommend their coconut white balsamic, peach white balsamic, and black currant balsamic. I seriously used to not like vinegar until I discovered this place, they really do have amazing balsamic vinegar. Their staff are all very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. If you haven't been here, you're truly missing out! read more

Only $7 for a small bottle of blood orange olive oil. Super nice staff & kid-friendly too.

Just made my first trip here, and will be coming back often. The selection of oils is fantastic. What really impressed me though is the quality to value ratio. The oils you'll find here are every bit as good as you will find at any other boutique store or high end market, but for a far better price. Also, the staff is incredible and will assist and educate, something that I haven't seen anywhere else. They know their products, are passionate about them, and enjoy sharing that knowledge and passion. A fantastic place, fantastic people, fantastic products, and fantastic prices. Would recommend a thousand times over for anyone who loves oil, or is mildly interested in learning about it. read more

I can't give this place much of a recommendation. It looks lovely from the outside. I went there on one of the few rainy weekend days of the year and was not allowed past the door. They said they were having a computer problem and could not ring up a sale. So, I said, 'not a problem. I'll just look around and wait until the computer is back up and running before I make my sale. Or I can come back later this afternoon or tomorrow to make the purchase.' I was told that the store was closed and to 'get out.' Gee, do you think I'm going back or I will recommend this place to my friends? read more

Great selection of oils and balsamic vinegars. They have tasting cups, bits of sourdough bread to dip, and a great selection of gifts and gift wrap. AND they pack and ship! read more