Penzeys Spices

So sad to hear this store closes on Sunday May 29, 2016. Rising rents in Rosedale cause them to pack up. Have you tried the Foxpoint or Berbere seasonings? Go shop online for now until they decide about replacing this store (no plans at this time).

Penzey’s is the kind of place I would expect to come upon walking along a cobblestone street in another century. And in the same way, having happily gone over following lunch next door, and having no idea of its existence, I was beyond delighted to discover it.
The layout is perfect for meandering and taking time to open the pots and sniff inside the jars. My favorite part was comparing all the different varieties of cinnamon. I ended up leaving with Penzey’s own special cinnamon mix and the Chinese cinnamon for a gift. I think this is one of the ways Penzey’s truly excels: they have many gift boxes and combinations already packaged, and I think these would make great gifts. Or if you want to make your own, there are many other options. The mulling spices, hot cocoa, apple pie spices, and rubs were all excellent options. I also picked up a rosemary powder that I’m very excited to use.
I found the employees helpful and friendly and will definitely be back next time I’m in Austin. It doesn’t bother me that you can’t buy spices here in bulk. I think the different size options are excellent, and for a specialty shop, I found the prices reasonable.

The staff here are great, and very helpful.
If you are into this kind of thing, then it’s a great place.
The selection is WONDROUS.
In fact, if you are into cooking at all, give this place a go.
You never know what you’ll stumble upon.

My go-​to place for spices that I need in a large quantity of a high quality.

Well, I guess I still have A LOT to learn about Penzeys.
I’ve just upped the stars thanks to talking to several friends all over the country while exchanging Thanksgiving recipes. It turns out, Penzeys is the go-​to place on the internet to order spices. And it’s just now I understand why Austin is lucky to have a brick and mortar Penzeys. Some of my friends live in remote parts of the country, with no access to African, Indian, Chinese, Spanish/​Mexican, Brazilian/​Portuguese, or any other international specialty stores where they can purchase their herbs and spices (fresh, whole or ground). We are extremely lucky in Austin and my initial review screamed «First World Problems».
So, for the quality of spices my friends in Alaska or in the middle of Alabama, Minnesota, or Wisconsin — Penzeys is apparently great for ordering fresh herbs and spices online. Now I understand why they do not carry a huge array of spices locally. My apologies for dropping stars on my initial review. If this company keeps my friends elsewhere happy, I cannot complain.

Is there anything better than walking into a store that smells THIS GOOD? You know the moment you set foot inside that everything in here is of the highest quality.
You walk in and you’re first hit with the amazing inventory. There just isn’t a spice they don’t have. Next there is a smiling face there to greet you and ask what you need today. Of course you must walk around every single display because if you don’t you might miss something. There are sample jars of everything out for your to smell and look through. You will not be disappointed.
Highlights:
Vanilla — get some. Get all of it. They have beans and extracts.
Cinnamon — They have like 5 or 6 (or 7?) different kinds of cinnamon. Can’t decide? Try the Extra Fancy Vietnamese first. It’s AMAZING.
Lavender — Yes! Wonderful jars of lavender, sometimes hard to find in your usual spice racks. Of course it’s delicious!
Diamond Kosher Salt — another difficult to find item that is a must have for serious cooking and baking.
Almond extract — Hard to not just drink it out of the bottle and wear it as perfume.
Ginger — All kinds of candied and otherwise.
Rubs — They have LOADS of different spice blends and rubs. Unsure what to do with them? No problem, all the jar labels have suggestions and the staff has plenty more. Recipes are on cards, in their catalog and on their website.
Gift sets — They have lots of combinations of gift boxes and if there’s not one to your liking, you can make your own.
Go today!

Wow, is this cooking heaven!
I went here on a very fortunate jaunt to Steeping Room, so happy they are next door, and found spices I never thought I’d find so easily. I’ve now come here twice and gotten exactly what I wanted/​needed. Even the elusive Epazote. After I smelled it, my mouth was watering!
I love that they have smelling jars of everything. They have obscure items, whole brown and yellow mustard?! Awesome! They have blends, they have gift packs, it’s just heaven, really. Oh, and each has its place of origin on the label. Too much awesome. Variety of sizes, prices. I could just go on and on…
Staff is so kind, helpful and glad to help. I can’t wait to find uses for herbs or spices I’ve never had the guts to try before.

Anybody who loves cooking owes it to themselves to check this place out. It’s truly a great experience. They have an online store that offers free shipping on $ 30+ orders too. Cheers!

This place is awesome! Never heard of a certain spice in a receipe they will have it. Along with an explanation on what it is. Sample jars everywhere to smell or even try. Trust me not all spices, herbs and seasonings are created equal.
They even have mixes easy enough for noncookers to use. Like buttermilk ranch dressings, green goddess and vingerrates.
Yummy hot coccoa mixes too!
I could go on and on for hours.
So let me sum it up by saying. JUST GO!

A wise man once told me that you can’t judge a company by how they treat you when things go well, you judge them by how they treat you when there is a problem.
A few months ago, I was in Austin, TX, which is about 100 miles from the town I live in. I stumbled on the Penzey’s store on Lamar and found it delightful. I bought a number of different herbs and spices: oregano, smoked paprika, bay leaves, thyme, and a small jar of shallot salt.
The store clerk was very nice and friendly and helpful. He answered all my questions and gave me some good information.
I brought the spices home. I used the shallot salt once, and when I went to use it a second time, it was a solid brick.
Yesterday, I was back in Austin and made a special trip to the store to show them the salt. I was the only customer in the store, and the clerk did not appear to be busy or involved in anything complicated. Our conversation went like this:
Me: I used this salt only one time and now I can’t use it.
Nice lady in the store: Oh, did you store it in the refrigerator?
Me: No, I didn’t.
Nice lady: Oh, you always have to store it in the refrigerator.
Me: Oh! No one told me that.
Lady: Well, we always tell people to store it in the fridge. Anything with shallots needs to go in the refrigerator.
Me: No one told me that when I bought it.
Lady, now not-​so-​nice: Well, we ALWAYS tell people to put it in the fridge.
Me: Well, no one told me that. The clerk who I bought the spices from didn’t tell me to refrigerate it.
Lady, now more unpleasant than nice: Anything with shallots needs to be refrigerated. Everyone knows that.
Me: It doesn’t say anything on the label about refrigerating it. If it should be refrigerated, shouldn’t it say so on the label?
Lady, now clearly annoyed: There’s no ROOM on the label. Everyone KNOWS you have to refrigerate anything with shallots. EVERYONE.
Me: I assure you, I am not lying to you, nor do I make a habit of destroying a $ 5.00 jar of spices so I can drive 100 miles to complain about it.
Lady, no longer interested in talking to me: Just stick it in the refrigerator for three days. Then you’ll need to break the salt up with a sharp object or toothpick or something.
Me: Thank you.
Lady, turning her back on me: I’m sorry you had this problem.
Me, walking out of the store: I’m sorry you didn’t offer to replace this jar of salt. I guarantee, I will never shop in this store again.
The man who sold me the spices was very nice and helpful.
The woman who I asked to help me solve a problem did everything but call me a liar, and only offered her sympathy as I was walking out. Her attitude was that she was completely disinterested in me as a customer, and certainly not interested in any kind of customer service or satisfaction.

I drive from san antonio (about 90 miles) to come here. The people are friendly and I love the atmosphere. I love their spice blends the most (sunny paris!). Also, their hot cocoa is THE BEST I’VE EVER HAD. Sometimes (don’t tell anyone) I eat it right out of the jar. No milk necessary :)
If you’re in the area, or even if you’re not, stop by!
Also, some of their basic spices are a bit more expensive, I’m thinking of the sage and cinnamon. Both are better than grocery store quality and don’t require as much for maximum flavor.

I’ve been in love with Penzeys for many years. Having moved from the Midwest, where Penzeys is well known and has a good number of locations, I had almost resigned to the need to start ordering from the catalog.
That would have been fine, and I know what we buy, but it is definitely nice going in and smelling things you haven’t tried before. So, I was more than delighted to find that there was a Penzeys in Austin.
What’s to love about Penzeys?
Terrific, fresh spices that make everything taste better — whole or ground (get whole and grind them yourself when possible), and in many sizes (you can pay more for the bottle to start, then save by buying bags and refilling the bottles later).
They have all the standard things you’d look for (pepper, cumin, oregano, etc.), but more varieties than you might be used to, and DON’T underestimate the taste difference when buying high-​quality FRESH spices. (Try buying one of their delicious cocoa powders and making the best homemade hot cocoa you’ve ever had with the simple recipe on the bags.)
They have all the hard-​to-​find spices you may be hunting for.
They have MANY unique and tasty blends and spice mixes to make your own dressings. My family LOVES Fox Point Seasoning and 4S, and we use loads of it. Wonderful spices make the healthiest foods taste awesome.
They also have very reasonable prices for the quality.
If all that wasn’t enough, sign up for their free catalog. It comes packed with great recipes that we’ve enjoyed for years, and if that’s not enough, there is usually a coupon for a FREE jar of whatever spice they’re featuring for the catalog).
If you like to cook or eat, you will love Penzeys.

How many different types of peppercorns do you need? You’ll never know until you visit Penzey’s. (I personally require three).
I love this place. It has several types of every spice or flavoring that you might want in your kitchen. For example, you can choose from a number of different cinnamons, which range from sweet to super-​spicy. All the offerings are extremely fresh, and the people that work there are very friendly and will offer plenty of cooking advice.
Some of my favorites?
Trinidad – a ridiculous concoction of salt, garlic, and lemon peel, perfect for fish, chicken, and veggies.
Rogan Josh – I now make my version of curry (with chicken, sweet potatoes, and coconut milk) with this every week, and the jealous looks and comments I get when I warm it up in the office microwave tell me all I need to know.
Cumin – I think I get the Indian Ground (I’m not in my kitchen right now), and it is a perfect addition to chili.
Just go in. You can sniff and smell each spice and spice blend to your heart’s content. The prices are high compared to some of the crappy, stale spices you can get at some stores, but they are comparable to the higher-​end stuff you can find at Whole Foods and Central. However, if you have a discerning enough palate/​olfactory sense to tell the difference between different types of curry, you should just do yourself a favor and pony up the extra one or two bucks to get some truly quality stuff. Your kitchen will thank you for it.

Excellent staffers — the nicest folks, who smiled and wanted me to sniff everything and ask questions and hey do you have this thing I read about?
I worry for this location, it needs everyone in town to START BUYING SOME SPICES. Move beyond cupcakes and cookies. Spice gifts. Salt samplers. Peppers! I would love it if a local restaurant (or seven) could pair up with the store to have fresh samples and blends cooked into tasty items. Herb education classes. I know that Central Market is basically across the street, but trust me, you want to support these folks.
And buy me a jar of Sunny Paris.

Spice. Overload. That basically sums up this wonderland of spices.
I have a feeling I’ll be heading back to this spicy little place quite often.

Laurie and Marie were dueling «Spice Divas» entertaining me with wonderful information and ideas as I sniffed my way through this new and exciting shop. Spices, herbs, rubs and cooking implements make this a wonderful shop for foodies and chefs. I was glad that my nose could enjoy the tester jars and not become overwhelmed like it would with perfume or candles.
I purchased three small size bottles for a total of about $ 10.00. As soon as I got home, the Orange Peel went right into my mulled cider. It was the missing flavor and perked things up nicely. The Extra Fancy Vietnamese Cinnamon is a little fiery and I plan to use it in my Chai Lattes and chocolate treats. I have not used the Foxpoint yet but it smelled so heavenly I had to have it. The «Spice Divas» said it will go well on a baked potato, in dips, and on chicken and fish.
The website tells the story of how Pam Penzey began her business after growing up cooking with her grandmother. It features recipes like New Mexican Chili, Cherry Almond Muffins and Foxpoint Salmon. If you order the catalog, it arrives with a coupon for use in the store. My nose sends a shout out to Jessica S. whose review sent me in for a sniff.

I received a box of cinnamons as a gift. Who knew there were so many different flavors of cinnamon?! And there are! If you taste them separately, they really do taste different. Who knew?
In need of a gift for a cooker/​baker, I decided to come to Penzy’s to try it out. The nice worker asked me how I was and all that and I told her I was over-​whelmed. Which was true. I was. Didn’t even know where to start. She helped me out a bit and I went smelling on my way.
It’s a fun little place. And I like that you can smell some of the stuff. It’s amazing! I almost can’t wait to run out of some of the stuff that was given to me, just so I can go back and buy more for me!

Another exciting addition to Austin’s food-​scene! Penzey’s seems to be branching out from the comfort of its midwestern origin, and I think Austin is a prime city to be expanding in.
Penzey’s spices are so high-​quality. It’s wonderful that the cinnamon section alone contains at least four different cinnamons, all with subtle differences. I don’t have a whole lot of experience with Penzey’s, but I’m a little perplexed when it comes to their combined spices. I think one could mix his or her own spice mixture and it’d be just as effective. I realize it’s convenient to buy it already mixed… and it probably makes for a very nice gift.
If you cook, run to Penzey’s. And make sure to smell everything before you leave.

The problem with vegan food is that it usually lacks taste. Tofus and veggies can be bland, and I tend to salt EVERYTHING. I’m surprised I don’t have hypertension. One day!
I popped into Penzeys spices today. The smell of the store is incredible. I loved opening each and every single test jar, and sniffed to my little, over-​salted hearts content.
Different curry, pepper, herb, salt, hot stuff, vanilla, cinnamon, anything you want. And everything smells awesome. I walked away with 11 or 12 new spices, all for under sixty bucks.
Yes, two of those were new kinds of salts, but I couldn’t help myself.
I’ll try to cut down, but I probably won’t, because I have Penzeys Shallot Salt. What?! Oh yes. It smells like heaven. If heaven smelled like salt.
I’m sure it does.

I have been ordering from Penzeys Spices for over 2 years now via a catalog. When I heard that there was a store opening a couple of miles away from my house I had a «Religious» moment! Love the store and the products they have… If you are as obsessed with spices and experimenting with different recipes and making your own creations, this is the place you need to get your spices!!!