Penzey’s Spices

Love Penzey’s. They have some great spices. Mexican oregano, chipotle pepper, pacific sea salt and more. They also have other mixed spices that come in handy when cooking. I will always go back.

I’m a home cook, on a chef’s level. I can find everything I’m looking for here! The staff is super friendly and helpful. The catalog is fantastic for mail order since this store is about an hour drive for me.
The only downside, is that they don’t seem to have Organic and that is why they didn’t get 5 stars from me.

There are a lot of unique spices here that are difficult to impossible to find anywhere else locally (save, I expect, for the WSM or the other Penzey’s shop in Ohio City). If you’re looking for celery seed or Sichuan peppercorns and are striking out at Whole Foods, you’ll be able to find what you need at Penzey’s.
The spices I’ve purchased at Penzey’s are good quality but a bit expensive. I’m continually disappointed that they don’t really have anything in the way of organic offerings: while I know it’s not always possible to source everything as organic, there’s really no excuse for such an upmarket store to not even try.
The store itself is Spartan, and not in a good way: there’s little in terms of decoration, with some old burlap bags tacked to the wall and plain wooden shelving. It looks a lot like one of those temporary holiday mall storefronts, where everything has been deliberately kept dull to make it easier to take the whole thing apart again in a few weeks. Again, it’s just not what you’d expect for an expensive store in one of the most high-​end shopping malls in the city.
My final annoyance with Penzey’s is the short hours: they close at 6pm! I often feel the urge to buy some exotic spice after work for that day’s dinner, and the early closing time makes it next to impossible. Maybe this says more about my planning skills than anything, but still…

I stopped into this place on a the recommendation of a co-​worker while I was visiting Cleveland on business. They have a vast selection of fresh spices and unusual mixtures to spice up any of your cooking creations. They have great gift boxes and catalogs available to take unique gifts and a piece of this place home with you if you are not local.

Penzey’s is a really interesting place to shop, and a must for the home cook. There are jars for sniffing all over the store so you can compare (for example), 4 different kinds of cinnamon and discover they really are different. They carry a wide array of products that are much higher quality than grocery store spices for much lower cost. In addition to basic spices, Penzey’s makes a large selection of spice blends from taco seasoning to bbq rubs to salad dressing mixes. Every time I go in, I end up buying some new blend I haven’t tried yet. The store seems to carry all the same products as the catalog, but sign up for their mailing list anyway and you’ll get coupons for freebies a few times a year. The catalog also has great recipes that are always a hit with my family.

I stopped in here yesterday thinking that this place would be a waste of time. I was pleasantly surprised that they had a really deep selection of hard to find spices. I am not quite sure how they stay in business in such a high-​rent district as Eton, but their selection is pretty good.
Although I didn’t buy anything, they had a lot of stuff that I was interested in getting, but don’t have a need for currently. There were about three other people in the store, which also surprised me. Nobody was buying though, they were all just wandering around.
The store itself is setup poorly. The décor should embarrass the owners. Burlap sacks tacked into the wall? C’mon– spring for some pictures of spices close up or something. Make this place appealing. And there is no good smell in there– like something cooking on a hotplate. They would sell a ton more if peoples mouths were salivating. And play some music or something– it’s just dry in this joint, which is why they received three stars from me rather than 4. You have the products but failed at the delivery.

This place is awesome for spices. They have individual stuff & nice blends. Tons of great dried & ground peppers too.
Nice & friendly staff that is more than happy to help you find the correct spices. They also have a mail-​order catalog that they send out monthly, and the shipping is cheap.

For those of you who’ve never experienced Penzy’s Spices in Woodmere and like to cook, do yourself a favor and go immediately! The place is heavenly! Their spices and herb blends are so much more aromatic and fresh than the stuff you find in a normal grocery store. If you don’t believe me, each spice has a tester (like the candle store). Sniff the flavors until your hearts content!
Since I discovered Penzy’s, I’ve completely replaced my old spice/​dry herb collection. They also have hard to find spices that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else (gumbo file, juniper berries, zater, celery seeds, etc.). Even if you’re in the market for a simple spice such as curry or paprika, they have multiple variations and flavors.
Another thing I like about Penzy’s is their own mix blend seasonings and rubs (ie. BBQ 3000, Florida Peppered Seasoning, Fox Point, Mural of Flavor, North Woods, Chicago Steak Seasoning, English Prime Rib Rub, Shrimp & Crab Boil, Corned Beef Pickling Spices, etc.). All are amazing. I’ve tried every one of them!
If you’re already a regular Penzy’s freak like me, I do suggest subscribing to their monthly magazine which you can do so free at the store. Oftentimes the magazine comes with a coupon for a free spice of the month. The magazine also features a lot of great recipes that use the exclusive Penzy’s blends.
If you’re a foodie like me, you’ll understand that using top notch fresh ingredients makes a world of difference in your meal. With Penzy’s, we finally have a place that can satisfy the foodie in all of us!

So I have not been to many spice stores but I do enjoy browsing in this place. This is where I was educated on the various vanilla beans, found my poppy seeds for my lemon poppy crepes and found herbs de provence that rival those found overseas. I did not find much kick in their adobe spice but it does the job somewhat. I wonder what I will find on my next adventure?

specialty stores are hit or miss. sometimes you wonder if there really is enough demand for a small boutique specializing in swords for renaissance faires.
yes, those types of specialty stores make no sense to me.
but then there are the *other* kind. if you’re an avid cook or baker, hobby-​wise or professionally speaking, you should check out penzey’s.
they have sections and sections of spices and rubs from all over the world. three different kinds of cinnamon, several different types of curry, barbeque mixes, and unique mixtures of herbs and spices you won’t find anywhere else in cleveland.
throughout the store there are large jars for you to smell each seasoning. there are usually different sizes of each item as well, in case you have a gigantic request of dutch chocolate in a chocolate cake recipe.
they can be a tad pricey depending on what you are buying. i mean, it is a specialty store, and they are spices (which are pricey to begin with). but penzey’s really is a great place for cooks. they also have a list to sign up for their catalog, which often gives you discounts and deals on their products, and recipes too.
i really like their hot chocolate mix with a hint of mint. and the vanilla sugar. i bake, so with all their baking stuff i have small bursts of contained excitement when i look over the different types of extracts and powders.
overall, i approve of this unique boutique.
and avoid any and all specialty stores in ren faire swords.