Tonight I stopped in to pick up a few supplements and herbs, and Farah (sorry if I spelled your…read morename wrong) was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. Without her guidance, I probably would've spun myself into a little tizzy trying to choose among all the options. I've been going to this store for almost 30 years. I started coming in the second half of the '90s, back when it was a tiny shop a few doors down, before they moved into a larger space. Over the years, I've always found the people there helpful when I need it. Even during the years I lived away from Berkeley, I made a point of stopping in whenever I was back in town -- it's a shop I genuinely love and have continued to return to.

Very helpful and knowledgeable team. They have lots for quality wellness products and personal…read morecare. If you want to start holistic health and supplements, this can be a great place to try. Lots of less toxic options to choose from.

I use so much more spices now that I found Oaktown Spice Shop. It's like I've been asleep and now I…read morehave gained a new sense...taste.

I've been shopping at Oaktown Spice Shop for years and it's truly a gem. The quality of the spices…read moreis consistently excellent, and the variety is unmatched -- whether I'm restocking pantry staples or trying something new, I always find exactly what I need. The pricing is very reasonable for the quality you're getting, which keeps me coming back. I especially love that I can order online and pick up locally -- it's convenient, easy, and supports a great local business. Highly recommend to anyone who loves cooking and wants top-tier spices.

You'll know you're right at home as soon as you walk through the door. For anybody that's wondered…read morerows of disorganized shelves of stuff all over the place or spots that are less than well kept, look no further. Oaktown Spice Shop is immaculate, well organized, and staffed with folks that are quite passionate about the goods! Also helps that it smells amazing, but it really speaks to the quality of their stuff. If you had any doubts about them, put that to rest and just visit or use their online store! Any foodie worth their salt (hah get it) will be able to appreciate what this place has to offer.

Oaktown Spice Shop is my to-go shop for keeping my spice drawer fully stocked with everyday spices…read more(ie. Vietnamese Cinnamon, Whole Nutmeg, Aleppo Chile Pepper) as well as new-to-me spices to try, like Vadouvan and Mahlab. Today I needed to refill my Vadouvan because I want to make an aromatic soup from their website. I found out about Mahlab from their blog and must make the cereal that Samin Nosrat shared! The staff are knowledgeable and helpful. In addition to a beautiful array of spices, they sell amazing cookbooks and a few small gift items.

Came in with my mom who seen this place and wanted to look around and we were NOT disappointed!! We…read morewere able to find traditional herbs that we've been looking for, for a long time and were treated very well. The owner was very knowledgeable about different ways to utilize the herbs and all the herbs we inquired about!! We will definitely be back! Our new favorite go to place!!

I had a lovely experience here…read more Did nit know what i was coming for but wanted to explore the shop. The owner was very kind and welcoming. You can sign up for classes for late spring 2024 through their website. The owner has many teas and can help guide you for a possibly remedy (if you are experiencing parasites for example after a trip overseas) or something as simple as needing to boost your immune system to avoid being sick. He can also offer teas that help you retain supplements you take and if you are experiencing depression he will offer a 30min consultation for $45 prior to determining what herbs to prescribe you and to make sure they don't have a negative effect on medicine you might already be taking. *your teas have to seep 15 min prior to having them. He also makes a great lip balm and a lovely facial serum. Two tea sachets and one face serum cost me $70. I will definitely keep him in mind for future needs.

Berkeley Bowl is a true East Bay institution, and the produce section is the main reason we keep…read morecoming back whenever we're in the area. The fruit selection here is exceptional. A must for us every single visit is the Honey Glow pineapple -- if you haven't tried one, you're missing out. They are incredibly sweet, almost like biting into pure sugar, but in the most natural and refreshing way. It's the kind of fruit that's hard to find at your average grocery store, and Berkeley Bowl delivers consistently. Beyond the pineapple, the quality across the board is impressive. The blueberries are plump and flavourful, the oranges are bright and juicy, and the wider fruit selection never fails to catch our eye. It's clear that real care goes into sourcing what ends up on those shelves. For anyone living in or passing through the East Bay, Berkeley Bowl is absolutely worth a stop. It's one of those places that makes grocery shopping genuinely enjoyable, and the produce alone is reason enough to visit.

I haven't been at the spot in really long time. And every time I come here I remember why I used to…read morelove it so much. They have absolutely everything and the price is a reasonable. Not as reasonable as they used to be back in the day, but reasonable enough. I love the bulk section of foods. And I love the fact that the organic food is not as expensive as it is in other places, but it has a really good quality. They have a nice selection of foods and you can get a lot of different things. They do have some specialty sections, such as English foods, Italian foods, Mexican foods, Asian foods, etc. I can cook something from another cuisine and often find those ingredients there. I could find lime leaves for a dish that I was making and they only cost $.99. They also have banana leaves that I can buy if I want to use. The meat counter is nice and the people who work there are generally very nice. Another thing I like about the store is that it's nice and clean. The aisles are OK and you can pass by. And when waiting in line for your food if people are shopping, it can get a little crowded, but it's not uncomfortable. The only thing I would tell you not to do here is to return something because they do not want to give you your money back even when you do have a receipt. And when they do give you your money, you get all kind of attitude. I would suggest coming here, which is something that I do when I'm in the area. I usually go to the other Berkeley bowl because it's closer to the freeway and I can drive up quite quickly. But I forgot, this used to be a Safeway, so unlike their original location, which is now a car dealership, and before that was a bowling alley, this space was built for retail of food. I like that I can always find something here when I need to.

Nice selection of good smelling handmade soaps - I enjoy just looking around here as well as…read moreshopping. They organize their herbs and teas by intention and I find that logical and accessible. Friendly service and tasty tea, recommend coming in if you're looking for a healthy looseleaf tea blend.

Groovy shop with helpful wonderful people and magical potions. They have the far out items I need…read moreand of quality source.

Without a doubt, this is one of the more "fun stores" to shop at. The first time I was here I was…read morejust walking by, I came back to really go through the items. I don't know how much time I spent going through the shelves here but it was substantial. I had a great time and came away with fun items but was restricted do to the fact that I was traveling. Good thing for on-line stores. The venue is just so comfortable. It is decorated very well for a very comfortable location. It was a great idea to offer samples of many of their products and that alone helped me pick two of the three items I purchased. The problem was that after tasting, I wanted it all. Again, good thing that there is an on-line presence to purchase items. A couple of my personal favorites were the fish seasoning and anything mixed with salt. (lol) This shop is definitely and plus for the shopping experience. I had an opportunity to speak with the owner, Monique. Such a delightful individual. She was very Helpful and extremely personalble. KUDOs to the team at Old Salt Merchamts

Cutest spice shop ever! Super helpful and sweet owner. She helped us pick out some spices and…read moresnacks. I'm looking forward to trying the shawarma spice on a chicken bake tonight.

I stopped at this cute shop a few years ago. We were in the area as tourists and found the shop…read moreperfect for the neighborhood. The guy inside was very friendly and gracious. He answered all of our questions as we looked around the shop. He gave us a ton of attention although we were looking around and didn't purchase anything. I hope it is still open the next time I'm in the area because I'd stop in again.

Extremely helpful and friendly. They love to help and answer questions you have about herbs and…read moregetting the most out of them. They have a wide selection of remedies to help you get over drugs in a more natural way versus pills from the doctors. Also having a selection of things to help you have more energy or help to relax is wonderful. Plus they have sexy time herbs for you and your partner along with some really good tea for sexy times or tea to really relax you. The staff is super knowledgable and eggar to share their knowledge. Katie is my favorite, really cool and always offers up great recommendations depending on what I'm looking for.