I can't imagine that I loved a spice store considering the fact that I don't cook. However, on my recent trip to Pittsburgh, our friends took us to the strip and told us we had to try Penzey Spices. WOW!! We loved it!!! We took home lots of spices from taco seasoning to "Sunny Paris" which is just fantastic! I really wanted one of everything but when speaking to the woman who worked there, she informed me that there is a Penzeys Spices in Santa Rosa, CA, about 40 minutes from my house! I was thrilled! They have lots of gift boxes here and you can try every spice as they have them in jars you can open and smell. Wonderful staff!!! Great prices!! We will be trying the Santa Rosa store when we run out of what we purchased in PIttsburgh or whenever we want to just try something new or send a gift. GREAT JOB PENZEYS!!! read more

I like the spice selection here but not enough to warrant a store that exclusively sells spices. To start, the prices are pretty high, even for the bulk items. I can't say the I noticed a substantial increase in the quality of spices with the prices. Next, stores was a bit confusing to navigate. Parts seem to be organized alphabetically whole others were organized by style. Lastly, for a store that only sells spices, I couldn't find a couple of things I was looking for such as cardamom, tarragon, madras curry, and hot ground peppers (e.g. Habanero). I was expecting Penzey's to be exhaustive. read more

Every trip to the strip usually includes a stop at Penzeys...but you can't go inside right now so be sure to set up contactless pickup. I took the time to order online and chose to pick up the items when ready. The store was quick to call me and finish the steps to scheduling my pick up. I arrived on time, was met at the door, and was excited to take home my spices. When I got home, I was disappointed (shame on me for not checking before leaving) but I got someone else's order. When I called the store, they were happy to let me keep the items and would hold my items. The problem is that we live an hour away from the store and made a special trip the first time. They directed me to customer service who only wanted to start a new order and change me again. The company offered no means of apology so I had to call the Pittsburgh location again. They ensured me that my order will be kept for as long as I need, but talk about inconvenience. read more

WOW! It looked great, smelled wonderful.....but left me holding some old spices that didnt have any "punch". Way over priced for what seems to be old products. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT! I'll stick with East End Co-Op locally and Con Yeager Spice Company for hard to find spices. read more

Great selection of spices!!! Nice neat and clean Employees are friendly and helpful A little pricey for the amount you get but worth it for the most part. read more

I love this spice store! They have a huge selection of seasonings for just about anything you want to cook. They even have a baking section in the back with gourmet hot cocoa, vanilla sugar, vanilla from different countries, and other fun spices! I know I can rely on Penzeys to have just about any spice I'm looking for. read more

Love to cook or know someone that does? If so Penzeys is the place to go and check out! They literally have every kind of extract, dry rub, salt, seasoning or spice you could ever want or need. Their prices are higher than say McCormick at Giant Eagle but, the quality of the ingredients are second to none. Every time we've gone the staff has always been friendly and eager to answer any questions we've had about spices and what foods to pair them with. Most items are available in five different sizes: glass jars of 1/4 or 1/2 cup or bags of 4, 8, or 16oz. One of my families favorite seasonings is the Sandwich Sprinkle. It is excellent on Italian Hoagies. They also have seasons that pair perfectly with beef or pork. They even have different vanilla beans and cinnamons and cocoa powder. Their BBQ 3000 seasoning is perfect for anyone who loves to grill like I do. Be sure to sign up for the free monthly Penzeys as it features recipes and coupons for free spices or seasonings. If you're not sure where to start Penzeys even has premade gift sets to get you started. If you're ever down in the Strip District Penzeys is a must stop. read more

I was enjoying this for awhile but half the stuff is just jumbled up leftovers remixed to make new smells. Not overly fresh. Mostly overkill. And if you don't know what you want with certainty the staff will LOLz at you. read more

This place has the most flavorful spices I've ever tasted. My favorites are the Italian herb and cinnamon spices. There are different size jars and also bags to fit every budget. read more

I didn't know Penzy's was a chain until I visited this one! ...and I'm super glad I did. Dozens of hand made, and milled, spices. Workers are super friendly and ready to answer any questions you may have. I also think it's awesome that every spice has a little bowl with the history & and suggestions for food to use the spice with. It's a great way to be able to smell the herbs, spices, and mixes. I bought way too many, lmao. They also have gift box sets that are great for a wedding present, birthdays, etc. read more

McCormick who? Penzey's is amazingness. If you enjoy cooking, tgis store is heaven. Spices, herbs, dry rubs, mixes, extracts, all of it and so much variety. My favorites are the Spanish Smoked Paprika (on just about everything) and the Horseradish powder (especially on beef). The staff have been helpful in navigating the selection and offering input on what seasonings go well with particular dishes. Mister and I purchase the bags to refill our jars. Our staples include black pepper, chili 3000, cajun, lemon pepper, ginger, cumin, parsley, cilantro, and curry. The prices are reasonable. They also carry empty jars. The spices make great gifts for the cooks in your life. read more

If you are in the Strip and you can't find a better place to buy spices than Penzeys, you gotta be one of the walking dead. Penzeys prices are inflated and their quality is no better than numerous other purveyors in the Strip. And, perhaps the worst thing for foodstuffs that have a very short shelf life, Penzeys does not stamp a date on their products. The store manager can't even decipher the cryptic code on the items, but she will assure you that the goods have an 18 month shelf life. The question is, when did the 18 months begin? Anyway, if someone who deals in spices tells you ANY spice (except salt) is good for 18 months once it has been ground, ignore them and go elsewhere. There are other purveyors in the Strip that have been faithfully serving customers for decades upon decades. read more

If your favorite place is in the kitchen or if you like to skip processed foods and go for fresh then you need to shop here. Penzey's does one thing and the do it with excellence-SPICES!! They have small jars, large jars, or envelopes of each spice. Every time I go in I find something new. Each spice has a jar that you can open to smell and to look at. There is a card with ideas of what to use the spice for. That's helpful for someone like me. You can make up gift boxes for friends or family. They have baking spices too. There are two types of vanilla beans. They have vanilla in a bottle as well as a double potent vanilla. They have a couple of different kinds of cinnamon and cocoas. The choices are endless, but they are all good choices. read more

Penzeys Spices - a woman standing in a store - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Love, love, love my Penzey's spices! I've gotten hooked on Vietnamese Cinnamon, Mexican vanilla, FRESH and BIG bay leaves, ancho chile power, chipotle chile powder, dried chiles of all types and spice blends that I would never have imagined before Penzey's. Best of all, opening the sample jars and taking a good deep whiff of all those heavenly smells is a treat in itself. Before Penzey's first landed in Squirrel Hill, I'd get the catalog, peruse and ponder what to buy, what to buy...send in my order with a check and anxiously watch the mail. Okay, that was back PRE-internet and ordering online. Sounds almost Neanderthal! We are SO lucky to be one of the few cities across the country to have a store right here. And thank goodness it moved to the Strip District. Yes, there are cheaper herbs and spices in the strip....and I do buy my granulated garlic at PennMac and my anise and star anise at Stamooli's. Penzey's spices aren't expensive, but they do cost a little more....quality is worth it. Heading there Thursday....I'm giddy to walk in the front door and breathe deeply! read more

I fell in love with Penzey's in Columbus and was pleased to find the Pittsburgh location is well-stocked, fairly large, and has very friendly employees. Penzey's is a national spice company with 40 stores and an excellent website. Every spice you could possibly want is here, reasonably priced, and available in a variety of sizes. I started going here to get spices for Indian dishes and just keep coming back. They make their own spice blends, and a number of them are salt-free for anyone who is concerned about their blood pressure. They have all their spices in little jars so you can smell them before buying, and as a result the whole store smells delicious. They also sell a lot of different gift boxes - a perfect wedding or housewarming gift for a foodie friend. Today we got a huge jar of their hot chocolate mix, whole black peppercorns, a big bag of bay leaves, turmeric, cumin seeds, and coriander - total $20.26. A lot of their spices come in bags so you can just refill the jars you already have - and their jars are very sturdy. If you like cooking or baking, definitely get yourself to Penzey's. read more

Fabulous spices! Love everything I've tried from here! Beautiful little store! Stop here And then try a bunch Of the other foods On This street! read more

I have some relations who swear by Penzeys Spices, so I was glad to see this store in the Strip District when I was doing Christmas shopping. The store is large and well laid out. They have every imaginable spice and some home made blends. I liked the fact that they had some pre-made gift boxes with different styles of spices, and also some empty boxes you could buy and make your own a la carte selection. I took advantage of both. Prices seemed pretty reasonable for a specialty store like this. They have different sized jars of each spice. It's a great store to buy gifts for people who like to cook or spices for yourself if you cook. read more

The ONLY reason Penzeys doesn't have a five star review is on account of the location and parking situation. Otherwise, we love walking into Penzeys! Everything about it is fresh, clean and cozy. It's never cramped in the store, and when it comes to buying a gift for the friend or family member that seems to have everything they could possibly ever need - you'll never go wrong with a Penzeys gift set. I have never encountered an unfriendly staff member or ever had a bad experience, despite the hustle and bustle of the Strip District. In our house, the favorite go-to's are: Fox Point Seasoning or the Turkish Oregano. The free coupons are also a crowd pleaser! read more

While on a trip to Pittsuburgh, we stopped into this store while walking around the Strip District. Now, I love to cook, so it was essentially like Disney World in here. The store was laid out very well, and it is very easy to find anything you might be looking for. I think my favorite part was that they had a sample of just about everything in a jar that you could smell. I'd much rather buy a spice that I could essentially sample than take my chances on a grocery store stocked brand. Needless to say, we walked out of there with quite a few goodies. The staff at the store was great to talk to and really knew their stuff. From talking to one of them, it sounds like they mostly hire cooks, which is really nice. If I lived in Pittsburgh, I'd probably make this my one-stop spice shop, but I don't. I need to find some place like this in Cleveland. Any suggestions? read more

I'm a spicy kind of guy in general. I love bold, intense, exotic spices. Those aren't the kind you find on typical grocery store shelves. That poses a dilemma perhaps? But wait!! Penzey's to the rescue!! Talk about a stroll through the spice markets around the world, the aromas of some of nature's finest herbs hitting you in the face as you lift the lids of the remarkable sample jars. Man, this is good. They have everything. Things I never heard of and variations of typical spices. We just picked up some jerk pork spice and some strong black peppercorns since I am a black pepper lover. It's not your McCormick spice container for sure. If that's what you want, head to Walmart. If you want to walk on the wild side for a bit, come to penzey's. And buckle up. read more

Hands down my favorite place in the Strip. It smells amazing, but what you make with these spices will taste even more amazing, I guarantee it. They can get a little pricey, but you are paying for good, high-quality ingredients. Staples are: bottles of the vanilla and almond extracts - if you get the double-strength vanilla, you can cut the called-for amount in half and still have the full flavor. The Dutch-process cocoa powder makes anything chocolate that much better. Ceylon cinnamon. Krakow nights seasoning. Peppercorn of any kind. And the soup starters. I doubt I can add much value to what's already been said. If you're looking for a particular spice, extract, dried herb, etc, chances are, they have it. They also have pre-made gift sets, make your own sets, and empty Penzeys-style jars available. read more

The only spices in my kitchen are Penzey's. No joke. It's taken years to make it happen but it's done. A good friend of mine started me on their spices and she buys me new ones for birthday and holiday gifts. I now buy them for others as well. They have a variety of gift sets to choose from. The staff is very knowledgeable and will help you select the right blends and sets and help mix and match for all cooking and baking needs. I've ordered through their catalog for a long time but absolutely prefer the in-store experience. read more

I. Love. Penzeys. People - once you shop here, you will never buy spices at a Giant Eagle again. Penzeys spices are: 1. Fresher. 2. Cheaper. 3. Unique-r. Their spices haven't been chilling out in a storeroom for weeks before you buy them. The prices are WAAAAAY more fair - you easily pay twice or three times as much at another grocery store, for more poor quality. Also - their selection is unparalleled. Got a recipe with some bizarro spices in it? Where (you ask) will I find annatto seed? herbes de provence? fenugreek? You will find it at Penzeys. They also have great spice blends - just used their original Taco Seasoning last night to make enchiladas, and they had such a beautiful, authentic flavor. It's a don't-miss on the Strip. You can order online too, if you aren't able to make it in person! read more

Really awesome place to come to get unique spices. They have TONS of spices and everything is organized well. This was the only place I could find garam masala. I was able to buy it in a small amount, which was perfect because it's a spice I don't use incredibly often. I highly recommend checking this place out if you're a foodie who loves to cook! read more

Love Penzy's and their spices! Such a great big location down in the Strip District. Lots of selection and deals! Join their email list for special offers! read more

Wow - I love this place and you will too! I had been searching everywhere for food grade lavender to make shortbread cookies with and not only did Penzey's have jars of it, but at such a reasonable price too! You can find any spice possible in this store, and in varying sizes, so you don't have to feel guilty about buying an obscure spice or seasoning for a single recipe that you want to try. Also, the employees are extremely helping in offering suggestions or pointing you in the right direction. It doesn't get much better than that! Remember to sign up to receive their catalog - not only can you order their spices from it, but it also comes with great recipes that you'll want to try immediately! read more

Yes, Penzeys has locations all over the country, and not just in Pittsburgh. But this particular location is just wonderful--it's spacious and the atmosphere always seems calm, a nice respite from how claustrophic Penn Ave can get on the weekends. (Visit the Penzeys location in NYC's Grand Central Terminal--it doesn't have the same vibe at all.) Let me be blunt: I like smelling things. The nose knows. So I love that Penzeys has sample jars of every single spice and flavored extract. The store is always neat and well-organized, the staff friendly and helpful. And when it's summer and you're as hot as Hades, the store is always delightfully cool. You can even buy gift sets of spices for any cooks/bakers in your life. (Hint, hint? No? It was worth a try.) read more

I love everything about this shop... Smells: overall the place smells amazing, but you are also encouraged to smell each source for those nuances you may be wondering about, as you ponder exactly which variation you should choose. Layout: the place is always crowded when I go, because it's always Saturday. However! Stay the course, follow the path and you can easily ensure that you miss nothing, and you always find something you didn't know you couldn't live without! Variety: powdered, granulated, cracked, crystallized, big container, small container and geographical harvest point. They have it covered. Price: great and competitive. Staff: friendly and knowledgeable Penzy's will get your epicurean imagination moving. read more

This is one of my favorite shops to hit up when I'm walking the Strip. I was initially hesitant to go to Penzeys because the storefront looks so upscale I thought I would never be able to afford anything they sell. Boy, was I wrong. Their prices are CHEAPER than Giant Eagle and they have a MUCH better variety. Not to mention that they are fresher and local. Oh, and if you sign up for their mailing list, they'll send you coupons -- I've gotten several for FREE 1/2 cup sized jars of spices! The coupons come attached to a catalog that is packed with delicious recipes -- we've tried four or five and they don't disappoint. Inside the store, almost every shelf has a covered container of spice so that you can smell them yourself before purchasing, so Penzeys always smells good. And the selection of spices is A-MAZING. I've never seen anything quite like it. So many different varieties of common spices, and LOTS of uncommon ones. They have a great baking section, so if you enjoy baking as much as I do, you can find all sorts of flavorings and extracts and specialty sugars and cocoas here. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, too -- so don't be afraid to ask a question! read more

Are you looking for a hard to find spice from your recipe? Penzey's is your place! When visiting Pittsburgh and strolling down the Strip District, this place is a must. Don't worry, if you're a Raven's fan then there is a Maryland location and you can order online. #SteelersNation, I digress... Tip: When ordering online you can get freebies if you search for a coupon code. read more

What a delight! To a couple of curious cooks, this store was such an incredible find. While taking a morning stroll through the Strip District on a trip to Pittsburgh, we stumbled across this little gem. The spices were arranged alphabetically, with small jars by each variety for you to open and smell. It was a culinary playground, and it was difficult not to scoop up armfuls of spices to take home. The staff was friendly and good at answering our questions about the uses for the rarer spices. Our friend asked whether the store owners trained everybody to know all of the spices and their uses, and the cashier replied, "No. They just hire good cooks." I bought the largest bag of Dutch Process cocoa I could find. We also walked away with whole peppercorns (a rare variety we had never seen before, but were completely sold on once we smelled it), and Smoked Paprika. I wish I had a Penzey's down the street, as I would give them all of my business in the future. The store was adorably decorated, the staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the spices wonderfully presented and arranged. I can't wait to get cooking! read more

This is a great place. Everything Emily H. said in the review below mine is completely true. The spices here are much cheaper and higher in quality than grocery-store spices. Probably my favorite things from here are: 1) Double-strength vanilla extract. The vanilla extract has the vanilla bean still sitting in the bottle, which is cute, and the vanilla really is extremely strong. You could use half as much, if you wanted, but I usually just use the same amount and my baked goods taste extra vanilla-y and delicious. 2) Cinnamon. They have several different varieties of cinnamon, but it's definitely worth it to get the extra-strong, extra-sweet Vietnamese cinnamon. It makes things taste way better. 3) Turmeric. I know, it sounds weird. But I cook a lot of Indian food and I use a lot of turmeric. Penzey's is super-strong, with a really rich color and nice flavor. The spice blends are almost all good, too, and they have a really good selection of dried chili peppers. read more

Yes, it's a chain. But since there's virtually no competition on "spice shop", it's awesome all around. They have the freshest, best quality spices I've ever seen sold. Their mixed spices and marinades are great. Everything has a sample jar available so you can smell it. Only gripe is that for some things - cumin, for example - the local ethnic food shops have it just as fresh, at 1/5th the cost. read more

Like cooking? Spice much? I haven't found an equal for Penzey's spices. Good things cost alittle money yes, its not cheap. But if you like making good food your not going to care if your spices cost you a little extra. I hadn't realized it was even a chain until I saw one in Wisconsin. Apparently there is also one in Oregon (I find as I write my review). Regardless take your imagination and hunger with you and go get yourself some world class spice. There are so many spices there I can't image you could possibly walk out without what you want. read more

I don't care if its a chain, if loving Penzey's is wrong, then I never want to be right. This store has provided me fragrant cardamon, the best dutch cocoa I've worked with, the ability to make homemade mustard, and the first stop for most foodies that come to visit us in the city. Everything is priced well, often far better then at the supermarket, the jars are perfect sizes for most spice racks, and its super high quality. read more

I needed a gift for a foodie, but didn't find anything at the kitchen supply store next door, so I came in to Penzey's. What I love about the store is that they know nothing could be more boring to kids than a spice store. So they give them a nautical themes coloring station so mom or dad can search the great selection. My son hunkered down while I scanned for acceptable presents. I was correct in coming here. Penzey's sells pre-made gift boxes of spices in several sizes and price ranges. I ended up buying my friend a "kind" box for 13.95 it Has 4 different Penzey's blends in it, but wait there's more! Someone put a coupon at the mug display , for a free matching mug (8.95). I scooped up the mug too. You can also choose your own spices for the boxes. read more

Wow! This place is cool. I've been receiving the Penzey's catalogs, but wasn't sure about ordering their spices (we don't have a Penzey's store in Alaska), so when I knew we would be in Pittsburgh I made a plan to stop here, and then loaded up on spices I wanted to try. The catalog describes the spices so well, and has several recipes so I had a list of things to get when I went in. The store is well lit, nicely arranged and easy to navigate. The staff were very friendly & helpful (even for directions to the next place I was going). While I was browsing I came across several other spices I just HAD to have. They have a large variety of pretty much anything you could want, and then some. The spices come in several different sized glass jars (small ones are great for trying a new to you spice), and they also offer empty glass jars for sale in several sizes. Now that I am home I'm anxious to break out my new spices and get to baking. read more

I think a lot of people mentioned a lot about the great qualities of this store but during my recent trip to the strip, I really wanted to see the extent of spices this store actually carried. I come from very traditional home where my mother and grandmother pride themselves on their spice collections and how they use them throughout their cooking. So I thought lets see what this place has to offer. The beauty of this place: the service, the selection, the organization. The service is great because the staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. they were willing to help me find everything i was looking for as well as help me with the types of spices i could use in different recipes. The selection was vast, but by the far the best thing about this place is how they organize the spices by geographic locations. This makes searching and just browsing a lot easier and more fun. I found some spices from India that I did not know about. Overall: this place is great to find that one or two spices that you like and cannot find other places or use on special occasions. read more

I smelled this store before I saw it. The smell lured me in. They have so many gourmet spices and common spices. I liked the section of gift sets. Spices make great gifts for foodies. The store has a nice clean set up. The spices are arranged in alphabetical order going around the store. My cashier was cheerful. read more

Penzeys Spices - Celery Flakes and Trinidad Lemon-Garlic Marinade - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Yummy smelling shop filled with all kinds of spices and dried herbs. Anything you would need to flavor something, you'd be able to find here. Reminded me of a Harry Potter potion shop, but less Harry Potter and more Sur La Table lol. read more