It's challenging dealing with most of tne staff. They are not friendly and most of them speak only French. I saw a women there who was disabled ask for help and was rejected. She was furious. Weird vibezzz! read more

If you are looking for environmentally-conscious, local and fresh food, look no further. Herb and Spice is an amazing place to pick up groceries, health items ( skincare, vitamines), fresh food, pastries and smoothies. I specifically go for the smoothies which are awesome. My favourite is by far the green goddess. It's 8.50$ for a smoothie but they have these point cards so you can redeem a free smoothie after a certain number of purchases. The staff are always friendly, helpful and super knowledgeable about where their products are coming from! So great! read more

I'm a big fan of Herb and Spice (more specifically the one in Westboro - I find them a bit friendlier than the ones on Bank) for natural health products and foods, so I thought I'd check out their wellness shop across the street. This is a great spot for anyone who uses supplements, is hardcore about natural products, or uses homeopathic remedies. I fall in to the first category, so I spent some time checking out their supplements. They stock a lot of what I was looking for (including good brands), and I found their prices slightly steeper than Kardish, but not by much. They also have a great aromatherapy section with essential oils and other tools, a fair selection of baby products and all natural makeup and some lovely candles and incense. I picked up some things for a friend's Christmas present here, and I would definitely come back if I was looking for something more specific that I couldn't find elsewhere. It's a nice play to pop in to every one and awhile. In terms of service, the staff member I dealt with as super knowledgable, if not totally friendly, but I'm okay with that. They got the job done and helped me find what I needed. read more

Herb & Spice Shop - Health Markets Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

The daily fresh made organic soup here is amazing. Many vegan vegetarian options. This place is awesome. read more

Herb & Spice used to act as my corner store. It still does, to some extent. I like their small, selection of cold deli stuff. The spicy waddies - sort of a chick pea cake mixed with corn and jalapenos - are a delicious treat for $0.69. So are the samosas for $0.99. Sometimes, I get the bulk stuff. They have a great selection of spices that can be purchased in bulk, and this is pretty convenient. I like to cook weird things, and I like having juniper berries on hand. It's just ... they have kale chips for $8.99. And lots of "organic" stuff for well over 30% to comparative products in stores that are close-by. Do not get your tomato sauce at Herb & Spice. Their produce section borders on gross. Economies of scale, my friends. They cannot move their potatoes faster than they can sprout, apparently. Whoever said the staff is friendly and knowledgeable must have an entirely different perspective than I do. I find them cold, stand-offish, and more-or-less weird. Some of them are okay, but I don't know. I don't like the cashier asking where I live. read more

This is definitely the better Herb & Spice in Ottawa. The one on Wellington isn't as well-stocked. Anyway, this is the place to go if you are looking for a health-food store. I like it better than Rainbow Foods, but that is probably because this is at a more convenient location for me. There is produce, bulk goods (candies, baking stuff, beans, etc.), dried goods, a freezer section, a deli section, and of course vitamins and things like that. They also sell vegan baked goodies from Aunty Loo's. There are always a bunch of cashiers just hanging out by the cash registers pretending to be too cool to talk to you. Or maybe it's just me. They seem more eager to laugh and flirt with each other rather than help the customers. I took one star off for that. The aisles are kind of cramped and tiny, so it gets crowded pretty quickly. read more

This is a fantastic natural food store that includes a deli, natural body products, bulk food, frozen food, premade food, tea and coffee. The size and layout of the Herb & Spice and the friendliness of the staff make it reminiscent of a small rural grocery store or something you'd find in the city decades ago. You may not be able to find everything you want on your grocery list, but this is a great place to go if you want to tailor your diet towards organic, vegetarian or just healthier living. It's in close proximity to Hartman's too if you don't mind making two grocery trips. They also have freshly made dishes that are often vegetarian, including samosas, tofu, quiche and sandwiches. If you're on the go, by this central location and looking for a heathier alternative to a sub from Quinzos or poutine from a chip wagon, definitely stop by. However, they have hardly any seating, so you'll most likely have to get your food to go. read more

I LOVE Herb & Spice. For a small store, they have quite a great number of products. The store is generally pretty easy to navigate. It's clean and aisles are always clear. Staff are really exceptional and truly put an effort into helping you if you need it. One girl even offered to help me transport some heavier items home on her bike! If you are looking for something, they will walk you to the item, rather than point in a general direction-- I really appreciate this. As much as they can bring into the store is local. Most items are organic. Produce selection is really fantastic and great looking. They have a great selection of household and personal care items as well. Also, on Sundays they offer a discount to students. I love that! read more

They have un-marinated tempeh, which I've been looking for for a while, at around 3.50$ a pack. Pretty decent. Also frozen edamame beans and a ton of tasty looking treats. Not to mention a variety of bulk bins and a produce section with two different baskets of sun-dried tomatoes. All of this adds up to lots of love. This is a pretty great place. I'm not saying you will find all your groceries and vegan-health-loving goods here, but you'll be happy enough to forget about your list and maybe try a delicious baked thing. read more

Don't let the name fool you, Herb and Spice Food Shop is a fully-stocked grocery store. But don't look for KD or Chef Boyardi, Herb and Spice specializes in organic/environmentally friendly-only dry ingredients, produce and cleaning supplies. They have a great bulk section where you can pick up all kinds of grains, pastas, dried fruits, nuts and coffee beans. You can do your organic shopping and, if food shopping makes you peckish, you can even eat in the store. They offer two kinds of hot soups and dozens of various baked goods (all to suit any dietary need - sugar free, gluten free, etc.). I even saw this woman dropping of tubs of fresh vegetable and chicken samosas. The staff look a little goth/artsy, but they are quite friendly and really know their products. As for parking, this stretch of Bank is strictly metered. read more

Herb & Spice Shop - a man carrying a suitcase - Health Markets Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Health food grocer carrying organic fresh produce, healthy snack alternatives and non-perishables, vegan cheeses/yogurt, organic dairy, skin care products, bulk items, their own baked desserts and a fridge with food you can take-out or eat there. There are about four stools, but I've easily found room every time I've gone. They need to work on having better food that's to-go available in the refrigerated section. read more

I go in there for tea sometime. It's a good store in that they had things they don't have anywhere else downtown without going to the market, such as specialty tea, and as well this was the only place I could find mulling spices. It bothers me how their nut-free cake selection is also the gluten-free stuff, because I was buying for someone who can't eat nuts nor tapioca, so I need the wheat stuff. Also, they thought I was weird because I wanted pure corn syrup(glucose syrup) as I make low-fructose desserts. All they had was agave which is pure fructose. I would have given 5 stars had they not made me out to be a weirdo unhealthy freak for requesting corn syrup. read more

Herb and Spice was the first place I visited in Ottawa, after landing a 1am to an empty apartment with two cats and a couple of suitcases. Their selection of vegan pastries might have kept my sanity in check long enough to deal with the necessities of moving across the country. There isn't much I can write that hasn't been said by previous reviewers, other than that the best thing about Herb and Spice is the sheer variety of speciality products crammed into a tiny store space. There is daily soup and a deli selection of in-house and locally made take-away. They also have heirloom seedlings and packets of seeds for sale during the warmer months. There is a small raw section as well as natural and cruelty-free cleaning products and toiletries. In addition to health-food and organic options, they offer some speciality food items that can be harder to find in Ottawa, like corn tortillas and harissa sauce. As the name suggests, they have an extensive bulk section, including bulk spices. If you are having trouble finding a specific spice or blend, your chances are better here than a Hartman's down the street. I know you're checking there first before paying the small-business, health food store mark-up at Herb and Spice. Don't lie. I recommend the Herb and Spice blend in the bulk coffee and also to keep an eye on the discounted bagged bulk items usually found near the back of the store. One great mystery that I will likely take with me from Ottawa, is the story of the mezuzah in the front doorway. Is it the owner's? Previous tenant? Anybody? read more

Great little shop with lots of organic options. I love their pre-made bowls and salads. Always come by to pick up something for the way home. It's quaint and cozy yet organized. Staff is friendly and they have lovely home made cookies... read more

We live literally across the street, so we go to Herb and Spice almost daily. It's expensive, but the convenience of having vegan and gluten free options right outside my door is often worth the extra cost. They carry a good selection of products from other local businesses (Starwberry Blonde, Thimblecakes, Ottawa Bagel Shop etc.) and a pretty good range of quick lunch options as well as general groceries. Student discount day is Sunday, so if you have a student card do your shopping then for 10% off. read more

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This is the place to be if you're downtown and are looking for a beautiful, health and environmentally conscious store to do some shopping in! Herb & Spice Shop is such a cool store from the outside, its an awesome design and nature inspired shop, to the inside which is packed with healthy, fresh and local products not to mention environmentally significant packaging that makes you feel like you are making a true difference with reusable packaging, refills, and more. The staff were very knowledgeable and although the shop is small, its mighty in selections. Prices are a little high but that just means the product is premium! I'm happy to pay for great service and great selections. read more

In terms of selection, this place is pretty great. There are a lot of spices and supplements, as well as natural, organic, and vegan-friendly foods and products here that you will have a hard time finding elsewhere. They have sections for vitamins, produce, dried food, refrigerated food, bulk food, and even some baked goods. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable, and are willing to give you suggestions and tips when choosing certain foods. The smell of the shop can be a bit overwhelming to those that aren't used to it, but you'll get used to it after awhile. The main problem is the price - my eyeballs actually felt like they got larger when I picked up a package of "healthy" chips. Of course, high prices are to be expected in specialty food shops, and it's nice to know that if I was looking for something healthy that isn't too widely available, that I would be able to find it here. read more

Herb & Spice Shop - Health Markets Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Their produce is better and sometimes even cheaper than hartman's. Good local treats selection, like top shelf preserves jams and the likes. They also carry artisin bakery bread but are often out of it. Have some quick lunch options, like pizza, samosas, etc. A smoothie bar and on tap kambocha. Really hard to find staff in here for help, even though they're friendly. read more

Seems I am going against main stream here with this 2 star rating... Sure, the store is cool and full on interesting "natural" alternatives. Lots of ready made goodies from local restaurants and bakeries are readily avalable under one roof. My chief complaint is the sanitary condition of this store. It is my least favourite independantly owned natural grocery store in Ottawa. Other than finding it quite dirty, they sure do not offer a solid selection of local dairy products. It needs a major scrub before I can become a fan. read more

Why one star? Because the quality of service matters. Today I had doubtful pleasure of being attended by young girl. Not only did she mumble something to my small child but charged me based on her assumption my child's silence was a confirmation to whatever she mumbled. She charged me 10 times the value of product I was actually purchasing, argued with me, tossed change into my direction and was generally obnoxious. The rudest service ever. read more

this place would be missed if it ever went away. The products are eclectic , you can find just about anything. I do not like the hipster PC vibe of the place at all. The staff appear to be progressive university students eager to push the PC agenda. I have even encountered staffers who appear to dislike males, if you get my drift. but mostly the staff are helpful and reasonable.The cost of many of the packaged foods is high. Organic free range eggs are available by half dozen, which is nice to save cost, and the selection of organic produce is nice. Excellent variety of spices and very good availability of baking needs ingredients. Overall just a great addition to the neighborhood. Too bad the agenda set is so socially destructive to the community which it serves. read more

Very disappointed in a store I have been going to for years. I bought DuSenza virgin shea nut butter and found it to have a very unpleasant smell and grainy consistency. When I brought it back, I was told very curtly that staff is supposed to show clients a written warning about the smell. I wasn't shown this warning at the time of purchase. The store refused any responsibility for selling this substandard product and suggested I write to the manufacturer. I did so and was offered a rebate on further purchases. I also sent two emails to Herbs and Spice and did not receive any response. This is totally unacceptable and I am very disappointed that Herbs and Spice doesn't stand by their products. read more

Awesome business with solid selection and super friendly and helpful staff!! Delicious treats and snacks, locally made!

Love this store. It is close to home and offers a wide variety of products. The staff are super helpful when looking for product advice. I am also a big fan of the bathbombs they carry, I can't get enough of them! read more

Great selection! Though not a huge store, they seem to carry products that are carefully curated to be the very best and local, as much as possible. I had to grab food for a five hour train ride and so far I love everything I've tasted - particularly the most expensive item, the Go Raw Lemon Pie Flavour Sprouted Seed Cookies. Om nom nom they're worth every penny - which is great because they cost a helluva lot of pennies! The only thing that wasn't great was the staff. Four people were standing around grabbing or walking past me even though I clearly needed help. Eventually I had to bother one of them to talk to me, which she did but clearly didn't want to and kind of laughed at me when I asked what foods they had that would be appropriate for the trip. Maybe she didn't realize not everyone knows their store intimately? Or lives in their city? They didn't even tell me they had soup, which is disappointing now that I'm riding the icy rails out of town. Still, their selection was worth the extra time and effort it took for me to examine everything on my own. (Lucky for them I had the time or I wouldn't have bought a thing in there!) read more

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Have been shopping here for 20years. It's a great natural food store with tons of variety. Always something new and interesting to find while in there. - Ravi Shanghavi read more

Good store with a variety of products... but their staff has A LOT of attitude. Especially towards students, they look at you like they want you to get out of their store. I go because they have good products but their staff need a lot of work on how to treat customers. read more

Possibly the rudest most uninterested staff I have ever had the displeasure of encountering. Please note this only applies to the Wellness shop on Bank St., both the Westboro and food store on Bank have a more pleasant staff. read more

I've lived close to Herb & Spice for many years, but only recently began frequenting it. Since it's a health food store, I always assumed it was over-priced and filled with weirdos (a health food nut, I am not). Some of the items - especially snack foods - are quite expensive, but a lot hard-to-find items are not. I go there primarily for bulk items like flour or sugar, since I often only want a small amount. Their bulk selection of different flours is impressive and surprisingly reasonable (for example, a kilo of almond meal/flour is $18.69; it's almost $22 at Bulk Barn; I've seen it at over $30 at other health food stores). As for the staff, when I first started going there, I found them cold and stand-offish and, yes, a little weird. Lately, however, they've all been very friendly and go out of their way to be helpful. When I was looking for a certain type of baking flour and couldn't find it, the staffer said they didn't carry it, but I could special-order it and wouldn't have to pay shipping like I would if I ordered it online. Another staffer went out of her way to explain a product I'd never tried before (which I not only bought, but now use on a regular basis). If you're looking for a grocery store to buy everyday items, this is not the place to do it unless you're prepared to pay. For the out-of-the-ordinary, though, it really can't be beat in the downtown area. read more

I've been coming to this location for a little over a year on and off. The prices are higher than many other natural health stores but not by much. The problem I've encountered consistently are the cashiers; 90% of the time they are rude and prefer speaking with each other rather then actually paying attention or helping customers. Yesterday was the last straw - she made fun of a customer who had just asked a valid/normal question right in front of me (the question, by the way, was completely reasonable and the customer was not rude at all! The cashier, on the other hand, made it seem like asking any question was ridiculous and was the opposite of helpful). She then walked away and left me waiting for my receipt at 12:45pm when there were people behind me, to the point where I ripped off my MasterCard receipt myself. Then when I asked her for my receipt (meaning from the til), she offered me their Mastercard copy I had laid out for her without putting two and two together - as in that I had already taken the receipts from the machine for her (it wasn't magic that did it!). I explained that was their receipt and she just said "Oh". So I had to ask AGAIN for the til receipt, which she proceeded to rip in half and then staple together. Without apology or any form of kindness. And then just looked at me while I tried to stuff my items in my large purse (I was not asked about bags either). Awful. Get new cashiers or teach the current ones customer service! I will not be coming back here - there's a lot of great health stores aside from this one in Ottawa with helpful and friendly staff that I'd rather support! read more