All. The. Spices! I may have temporarily lost my sense of smell while so, so excitedly sniffing ALL the scents, but I finally made a decision (with a little help from the nice employees). My favorite so far is the smoked salt because it's so versatile! I also bought a guava jam that looked so divine, but sadly the airport trashed it (I am convinced they just ate it because again...it looked so yummy), so maybe one day I'll try again! I will be back next time I'm in the bay to stock up on more spices. read more

You'll know you're right at home as soon as you walk through the door. For anybody that's wondered rows 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. read more

Oaktown Spice Shop - Exterior - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Oakland, California

Oaktown Spice Shop is my to-go shop for keeping my spice drawer fully stocked with everyday spices (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. read more

Oaktown Spice Shop - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Oakland, California

Years ago I got a sample gift pack of about 5 spices and loved all of them. Finally finished up with my favorite Applewood salt and decided to finally visit the shop. It is a small shop but they have everything! Everything from spices, salts, rubs, tea and anything associated with that. They have a number of different gift sets. You are able to smell almost all of the spices AND for a number of the items they have recipe options! 100% recommend any of their smoky salts and the Persian Lime Curry Rub that is perfect on chicken. Lastly - cannot forget about the excellent customer service! read more

Great spice shop. Found a nice array of interesting spices. All very fresh. Great music playing was a nice vibe. Will definitely be back when we are in Oakland. read more

They've got a perfect score for a reason. Store INSANELY clean & organized. The staff, love them, and we just met! Haha 12/10 experience, highly recommend. Haven't cooked with any of the spices yet, but I'm excited and looking forward to visiting again. read more

Oaktown Spice Shop - Bag - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Oakland, California

Awesome spice shop- they have everything you'll need a more. My friends and I have been using their Ghost Pepper Sea Salt- drip some lime on the top of a Modelo can, then sprinkle some of sea salt on the top. It adds a Smokey mild heat that is fantastic and not as hot as you might think. I've also gone next door to Grand Lake Kitchen and sprinkled it on the top of their Salty Dog slushie and it's fantastic. Highly recommended! read more

Oaktown Spice Shop - Ghost Pepper Sea Salt - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Oakland, California

Oaktown Spice Shop is a must if you are in the Oakland. Oaktown Spice Shop is well organized, welcoming, and the staff is very friendly and willing to help if you have any questions! The spice shop has a wide variety of goods which are reasonable priced. Once you walk into the store the most amazing smells which you have smelled will fill your nostrils. The smell are not overpowering but welcoming and guide you around the store to explore what the store has to offer. If you are in the area or just want to stop by, please do and you will be pleased with your experienced. If you don't want to stop by, please check out their online store!! read more

I didn't know about this place until I traveled to a different country and met other tourists. When they found out I lived in Oakland, the first thing they said was, "I love Oaktown Spice!" My first question was, "What is that?" Yes, I know what you're thinking: how can I live in Oakland and not know about Oaktown Spice? I looked it up and walked over since it's within walking distance from where I live. I was surrounded by a spice utopia! Pictured below are just a couple of the spices I bought, but there are so many different options available. The owners and staff members are incredibly knowledgeable about the spices. You'll likely leave with more than you planned to buy, and I can guarantee you'll walk out with some amazing flavors. read more

Oak Town spice shop is a great place to stop by if you're having a leisurely stroll by the lake or looking to grab gifts for loved ones. They've got a great spice collection and often have new blends available. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I recently stopped by to grab some gifts for old coworkers. I grabbed them some smoked salts while grabbing some chili oil for myself. Pro tip: make sure to smell some of their items including their smoked salts! Everything smells wonderful. Will return for more hauls in the future. read more

Oaktown Spice Shop - Chili oil crunch and some Indian Black Salt from my latest haul. - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Oakland, California

Oaktown Spice Shop is AMAZING! Truly a local gem. I stopped by about 30 minutes before closing on a Thursday evening and I wished I had planned to come in sooner, just so I could spend more time browsing the store. This is a chef/cook/baker's dream store. They have every spice imaginable and some I didn't even know were available (I had no idea there were so many choices for cinnamon). They also have teas, sauces, cookbooks, and other great gifts and ingredient - many of which were created by local makers. I love that they even have some signed cookbooks by local chefs. The staff was so kind, knowledgeable, and helpful. Even though we were the very last people in the store, they never made us feel rushed. We easily found metered parking on the street right up front but on a nice day, you could definitely park farther and take a nice walk around the lake area. read more

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Beautiful shop for any chef in your life - plus the staff is incredibly kind and helpful

A fun store that sells (almost) every spice you can think of - I did stump them with one I had read about and wanted to find as Christmas gifts. A little overpriced for my budget - but if you were looking for fun (and beautifully packaged) gift sets for the holidays, this would be the place to hit up. They also have a macaron person (unrelated to the store) INSIDE the store - that was the reason we came in. read more

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Love this place! Service was super friendly. So many spice options! I especially love the chili pepper section. read more

Oaktown Spice Shop - Chili oil - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Oakland, California

My sister, who's lived in Oakland since 2010, is a big fan of local business Oaktown Spice Shop. Oaktown opened on Grand Ave, right next to Lake Merritt, in 2011. Since then, they've expanded with locations in Albany and Castro Valley. To introduce us to the brand, my sister gifted my wife and me with a bunch of different spices from Oaktown. Over the past 1.5+ years, my wife has been regularly using Oaktown spices in her cooking. We have the following spices in our cupboard (prices shown below are for 1/2 cup jars at the time of writing this review): * Better Than Everything Bagel Spice ($8.75) * Grand Lake Shake ($7.00) * Persian Lime Curry Rub ($8.75) * Thai Curry ($9.25) * Umami Sea Salt ($11.50) * Shichimi Togarashi ($8.00) * Ume-Shiso Furikake ($11.75) Each spice is great in its own way. In general, they've tasted high-quality, fresh, and delicious, adding additional depth and flavor to our dishes that sometimes, we didn't know we needed. Oaktown grinds and hand-mixes spice blends in their own shop. A lot of the spices are original creations. The Better Than Everything Bagel Spice, Persian Lime Curry Rub, Umami Sea Salt, and Shichimi Togarashi have been among the store's best-selling spices. Bagels are a regular part of our diet and so has become Oaktown's Better Than Everything Bagel Spice. It adds a pleasant herbiness to our cream cheese bagels. My wife has added the Umami Sea Salt to all sorts of dishes, from Italian pastas to American Southern entrees and sides. It's great when rubbed with oil on the outside of baked potatoes. Anytime my wife cooks ramen, the Shichimi Togarashi goes on top. It's good. The Shichimi Togarashi and the Ume-Shiso Furikake came together in the Ramen & Rice Seasoning Box ($27) which also included cinnamon sticks and bay leaves + recipe cards. We got recipe cards with the other spices as well. These spices make great gifts and ship/travel well. The packaging is nice and all materials are easily recyclable, so props to Oaktown for that. If you like cooking and are a spice enthusiast, I highly recommend checking these guys out. Visit their online store at https://oaktownspiceshop.com/. read more

This is a lovely spice store by the lake. The service is great and everyone working there is so friendly. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they had cocktail mixers/bitters and cocktail making tool. I am a novice mixologist so it's fun to see new mixes! They also have tea blends like Chai, Earl Grey, & Green tea. They have all the spices you could ever need go cook flavorful meal. Here are some I saw: -All the basics: Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Green Onion, Shallots, Chili Peppers, Chile Lemon -Persian Lime Curry Rub -Jerk Rub -Japanese Curry -Garam Masala They also have cook books and recipe recommendations. I love this place and I recommend it as a one stop shop for good quality spices! read more

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Glad to see Oaktown Spice Shop still in business post pandemic and still pretty busy on a weekend! Located right around Lake Merritt, parking isn't too bad but there's street parking. Lots of people walking and passing by. So many spices and other cool things you can get from this place. Spices from all different places and perfect for a white elephant gifts too to mix and match and they come with recipes! read more

Oaktown Spice Shop - Inside - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Oakland, California

I love Oaktown Spice Shop. I'm still very sad that the Castro Valley space is no longer; but was happy I had a chance to swing by and pick up some Hot Cajun Blackening blend and some different Garlic options. Took my brother here for the first time and he grabbed a bag of the brine mix. Definitely recommend purchasing from them any chance you get! read more

I came here to buy some rose harissa for an ottolenghi recipe. There is not rose harissa but there was a helper on the floor who said "ottolenghi?" yep. They said combine the harissa with rose water (they had both) and you're there. So I'd say the service was excellent. The only down side was prices: I think it was $7.50 each. Maybe that's the case everywhere but it just seems high. I'll still go back because of the service and it's nice to have local businesses doing well. read more

Love this place! I come here every time I visit Oakland. Fantastic place to browse and purchase spices and herbs. Great quality products. This is a perfect place for anywho loves cooking! read more

I learned of this wonderful shop on Nextdoor, down in Santa Cruz County. Someone had asked for good referrals for (local) organic and fresh spices and I thought it intriguing that two recommended Oaktown Spice shop all the way in the Bay Area. Peaked my curiosity. So had an opportunity to visit Last week and combined it with wonderful lunch at nearby clove and hoof. Everything about the visit was wonderful. Everyone working there was friendly and wonderfully helpful. I enjoyed finding several frequently used spices that were a slightly different blend or from a different region. And the same with a much loved tea, one of my favorites, but with an addt'l ingredient twist. I like the packaging options of 1 ounce or larger bottle or paper bag refill. I learned of the recipe cards for some of the herbs and spices and added two to my bag. Was advised there are numerous recipes on the website also. This is quite a treasure and I will definitely visit again. read more

I love this place! First of all I love everything Oakland and Oaktown Spice Shop is hella Oakland. Everything is always so clean and organized. I love all of the Knick knacks you can find around the store and that everything is clearly labeled and easy to find. I also always experience great customer service! The staff are so nice and knowledgeable and are extremely helpful! I came in right before the holidays for gifts for my staff and they have a gift sets, but this year they had an option to make your own gift set. One of the employees helped me find sets for all of my staff and was so great at explaining what each spice was or was comparable to so that I could understand what I was getting. They wrapped them and also included recipe cards for each. I love coming here for myself and others! read more

This place is incredible! Such a lovely selection of spices to choose from. I have been here twice now, once to find something fun to gift my "secret Santa" person for work, who I was told loves Mexican food and is trying to cook more. The staff member was very knowledgeable and gave some suggestions, and helped me select a few spices to gift. Many of the spices have the option to choose from a shaker and a bag. I liked the choice! I think the bag with one of their little olive spoons was the perfect gift. I also went back recently in search of Kashmiri chili power to make tikka masala. I knew I'd find it, and once again, the staff was very helpful in directing me to the right area of the store to search for it. As I continue to branch out my cooking, trying new cuisines, I'm sure I'll be back to expand my spice collection! read more

Oaktown Spice Shop - Kashmiri chili powder - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Oakland, California

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I wish I could afford to buy all my spices here. But I feel what is really worth picking up is smoked paprika and lime curry spice. They also give you recipes which are absolutely delicious. For example, I made a soup with the lime curry spice that had baked eggplant, cauliflower and sweet potato and a little heat. I fed a neighbor with the extra. She texted me "Nom...this is good." The staff here are always on top of things. They don't let anyone in the store anymore (very good) and they have definitely upped their online game. This place is really worth a visit. My favorite location is next to Lake Merritt. But, they have others that I have been to and have enjoyed visiting. If you're cooking a lot of the same dishes over and over, this is a good place to visit to expand your pandemic home cooking skills. I hope one day they will expand to include olive oil and balsamic vinegar. In the meantime, I am a loyal fan. read more

So cute! Felt like Harry Potter coming in here. The selection here is awesome and I found exactly what I needed, which is hard to find and your usual stores. Also staff is super nice! read more

You walk in and it smells like foodie kitchen heaven. The staff is always pleasant, and that recipe for Golden Milk pancakes? The shopkeeper behind the counter tried it last weekend and loved it, so you take a recipe card home, and you love it too when you make it the next weekend. There are so many enticing spices, herbs, blends, and other little surprises. The garlic salt is awesome. And maybe the most surprising part, their spices aren't really more expensive than what you can get at Safeway! read more

This place is a gem. I used to frequent Penzey's when I lived in LA. This shop is like Penzey's but with a local mom and pop feel. I've been meaning to swing by but it wasn't until I was walking past them on the way home that I decided to finally check them out. The menu is huge but don't let that intimidate you. They have posters out front listing their most popular spices and blends, such as the Persian Lime Curry or the Togarashi. The workers are also super friendly and helpful. I decided to grab the ume shiso furikake for my vegetarian friend, as was suggested on their veggie lover poster. Each spice also comes with a few recipes on index cards. It's always that additional touch that leaves a lasting impression! I would return for gifts or when I feel like experimenting in the kitchen. read more

Wow! Driving down to the shop to pick up some teacher gifts was SO easy! They have gift packaged spices and teas and it's so beautifully packaged. Totally ready to give to someone special. All orders are taken at the window; they have a menu sitting outside so you know what's available. If you don't know what you want, just step right up to the window and ask for a recommendation. Such kind and helpful staff. Tip: I forgot to order them, but I did see homemade old fashioned marshmallows on the menu! Perfect for these cold nights! read more

I was walking around Lake Merritt the other day and couldn't help but notice this charming establishment. As I love food and cooking, I thought that I should check it out at the very least. The store is wildly aromatic in the best way possible. Everything is logically organized and well labeled. The shopkeeper was attentive, though I was just browsing. Of course, after seeing their selections, I ended up buying some spices that aren't readily available at your local grocery store. In fact, tomorrow I will be using the Vadouvan spice to make some Venison Vadouvan Curry. So, if you ever find yourself strolling around Lake Merritt, drop in! read more

Oaktown Spice Shop - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Oakland, California

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These guys are hands down my favorite spice shop/company. I've been buying from them for several years now. I'd bought from them prior, and then gone through a lull of "oh, they're a little pricey, I can just get grocery store spices" while living as a poor almost-student years back. However, I started making homemade sausage a year or two ago and lo and behold, my spice blend searching led me back to Oaktown! I stopped in to pick up some of their sausage spice blend to try it out, and was reminded that their prices are INCREDIBLY reasonable for how high quality their spices are. Fast forward to now- I have been using a multitude of their spices and blends for all kinds of things. My personal favorite: the Ras El Hanout- smells and tastes absolutely heavenly. I toss it with carrots, roast them, and toss them in with Israeli couscous and a dollop of Greek yogurt, and it's practically a restaurant meal. I recommend them constantly and consistently to everyone for how friendly and helpful their staff is, and how good their spices are. As an aside, their labels and aesthetic are beautiful. Give them a try - you won't be sorry. read more

We came by the other day and wanted to pick up some spices. For the safety of their employees and customers, they're online only at this point. No big deal. Ordered online and then picked up some fantastic spices yesterday. Full disclosure, it was my wonderful wife's idea to come here. When I started cooking, I opened up the spices for a sniff and wow. They bear no resemblance to the petrified artifacts I'd been buying at the grocery store. Here's what I learned: If you're buying premium meat and veggies and then throwing spices on them that are akin to sawdust, you're wasting your money. Also, if you put amazing aromatic spices on "so-so" food, it elevates the whole dish to "wow" status. Last comment...these are tough and unprecedented times and we have to give some of our small local businesses a little leeway. While I look forward to things fully reopening at some point, one and two star reviews about how a business is getting through a pandemic will not be helpful when things are back to whatever the new normal will be. Just my two cents. Go buy some amazing spices. read more

I really enjoy tea, so I've been checking out loose tea leaf locations. I was in Oakland to run a few errands and decided that since I was in the neighborhood, I would check out Oaktown. I'm really glad I found Oaktown on Google, because when they opened their doors and took my order, I was greeted by a harmony of spices. The smells from the store were really fragrant and simply a great way to start off my morning. I was looking for mint, black, and chamomile teas, and I was really pleased with what I've ordered. I ordered the Wildflower Dream Tea and the Clear Mind Mint Tea. Right now, I've just taken the leaves that were steeping out of my teapot and am drinking the Clear Mind. The peppermint has a really strong essence and smell to it, which makes it really nice to smell and the peppermint and rooibos are coming together to give a really subtle taste and a little flavor kick. It's a really perfect one-two punch for flavor and I'm glad I ordered this. I won't make any Wildflower tea yet, because I saw one of its ingredients include chamomile, which I've heard makes one really sleepy. I'll have a cup of that soon and edit my review to include my impressions of the chamomile later on. All in all, this was a really great find and I would definitely come back whenever I'm in the area again. read more

Oaktown Spice Shop is always solid with their spices- you can find something for anything your cooking/baking/sipping. Decided to do a bulk of my holiday shopping at this wonderful local business. They made it incredibly easy with an online shop available. They give you an option to deliver or pick up at your most convenient time. I decided to pick up and it was quick and easy. I thought I had them sell out of their black truffle salt online (sorry, yall) but I was told that their online shop isn't reflective of what they have in stock at their Lake Merrit location so lucky me, I was able to buy 3 more when I picked up :) (sorry again yall). So if something is sold out online, be sure to call if there is any in-store. For those wanting to shop there, you have the option to scan the in-store catalogue on your phone outside and they will help you purchase. No in-store shopping to my knowledge. Can't wait to gift these to my favorite people :) read more

Amazing array of spices, ribs, herbs and recipes. Very friendly staff!!! Can't get to Oakland, don't worry, they'll ship it to you.

This place is the bestest!!! They give you free recipe cards and can turn any meal Into paradise . read more

Incredible! Could have spent all day there. Love the recipe cards. Such helpful staff. Will for sure go back for inspiration!

Weird experience. There were no other customers in the store and the shelves were empty. I am not sure what is going on but they didn't even have dried mint. Now I am just jealous of all of the reviewers that had 4 and 5 star experiences. The guys working in the store were courteous enough it just wasn't worth the trip - supply chain issues? read more

Happened to be in Oakland this evening and knew I was near my favorite mail order spice shop. Thought I'd see if they did bulk, and they do! Sure, Sprouts has bulk and I love them, but Oaktown has very fresh spices AND they cheerfully scooped the precise amount for me AND did the tare on my containers. I got refills of basic red pepper, Marash chili, and Mexican oregano. I had to meet people nearby, otherwise I would have hung out and browsed more. I've gotten many spices from their mail order (schichimi, Better than Everything, Golden Milk, dulse, etc.). I will definitely return in person! Great folks. read more

Oaktown Spice Shop - Refilled with fresh herbs and spices! - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Oakland, California

This place is truly an amazing experience. The moment you walk into the cute shop, the smell of spices just envelop you in a warm hug. The staff are very knowledgeable and give great advice, tips and tricks. Their products are extremely high quality! My favorite things to get are the candied ginger, umami sea salt, and the Persian Lime Curry Rub. This would be a great stop for gifts for weddings, engagements, birthdays, coworkers/bosses, basically anyone who loves to cook and appreciates fresh, quality spices! read more

Great ambiance. Yummy spices. I got the adobo, umami, and I forgot the other one but they were all great. Went through the umami fairly quickly. If you go to the store there are great free recipe cards that go with your spices. It's across from lake Merritt which makes for a fun walk. Good times. read more