Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Penzeys Spices in Menlo Park

4.8 (121) 771 Santa Cruz Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025, United States

Categories

Spice store
Gift basket store

Location on the map

Menlo Park, San Mateo County, California, US

Phone: +1 650-853-1785
Site: https://penzeys.com/locations/

Opening hours

Monday:10 AM–6 PM
Tuesday:10 AM–6 PM
Wednesday:10 AM–6 PM
Thursday:10 AM–6 PM
Friday:10 AM–6 PM
Saturday:10 AM–6 PM
Sunday:9 AM–3 PM

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.8

121 Reviews for Penzeys Spices 2024:

Review №1

2023-06-20 15:10:02

Always looking for that one obscure spice and have no idea where to find it? You will find it here at Penzeys. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. The selection is incredible including Curry, Aleppo Peppers, Mexican Vanilla and regional blends from around the world. Amazing gem in the heart of Menlo Park.

Review №2

2020-02-01 02:51:21

Just picked up some Penney’s Spices. You can order direct as I did. Located in Menlo Park California.They are made from top notch, all organic herbs and spices. The have an array of salt free spices as well. I purchased Air dried Shallots, California seasoned pepper which has black pepper, red and green bell pepper, granulated garlic and onion, Pasta sprinkle. “Which has sweet basil, Turkish oregano, thyme and garlic”Pico Fruta “ which has chili pepper, sugar, lemon peel, citric acid, salt and cilantro. Mural of flavor “ which has spices, shallots, onion, garlic, lemon peel, citric acid, chives and orange peel”. Pure Almond Extract. and last but not least Sicilian salad seasoning “which has dehydrated Romano cheese, sheep’s and cows milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, salt, toasted onion, red bell pepper, tomato, white onion, paprika, Tellicherry, black pepper, Time, rosemary, cayenne and basil. Man I can’t wait to get cooking!!

Review №3

2023-11-17 00:13:02

Great choice of spices and mixes at reasonable prices, sometimes good special offers.

Review №4

2018-12-08 04:02:06

I love their spices - the only ones I buy. The store isnt organized very well organized b(neither is their website), but they have good staff to help you find things. Be sure to get some fox point! You can use it on everything!!

Review №5

2023-08-09 15:25:59

Love! Love! LOVE Penzeys Spices!!! Penzeys Spices is now second on my list of favorite spots in downtown. Second used to belong Jason’s before the restaurant closed. (Okay have to update this, nothing against Penzeys, but Jason’s Cafe re-opening means it is back on the list at number two. So Penzeys is tied at two with Jason’s). First is and will always be Draeger’s. Penzeys is absolutely wonderful. Great product and good friendly service. 💛💚💛🫶🏾💛💚💛🫶🏾

Review №6

2023-05-27 01:41:03

An absolute great retail addition to downtown. I really appreciate the variety of spices that are always available and quite interesting. The sales can be surprisingly enticing.

Review №7

2023-09-17 18:52:49

Review №8

2021-11-01 22:32:38

Great store with a bear assortment of spices. The quality of their spices is outstanding.They also have some interesting blends. I will be trying Forward and Singapore this time.If you are going to take the time to cook using their spices are to the success of the dish.

Review №9

2020-12-06 01:23:28

Terrific service. I ordered spices as gifts online and did the contactless pickup. It worked perfectly. Found one bag wasn’t sealed and left a message at the store. Within a minute, Rich called me back to solve the problem. He went above and beyond and I had the replacement a few hours later. Great quality and great service. One of the best businesses!

Review №10

2019-08-27 18:25:30

If you like a wide selection of excellently sourced herbs and spices youll love this place. It almost feels like a remnant of the past, a shop that specializes on just that category of goods, but it allows them to do it right. Everything Ive tried from there has been excellent. I highly recommend the cinnamon and vanillas for any serious bakers.

Review №11

2019-05-30 01:55:35

I have (happily!) spent a small fortune mail ordering from Penzeys and was so excited to run across a storefront here in Menlo Park! The store is clean, well laid out and smells like heaven. I purchased our favorite toasted garlic and also some ground cardamom for my brother in London. I will be back for sure!

Review №12

2018-02-15 21:07:59

So many spices, herbs and flavors. Many delicious mixed spices. Great help from the people who work there. Also freebies! You can smell samples of almost everything. Even my 3 year old grandson enjoys shopping there

Review №13

2018-09-05 14:11:33

Ive never been to a shop like this. They have everything you would want. They have samples you can smell. Great store! If your a cook or like to cook, you need to check this place out. Weve spent quite a bit here and our spice drawer is now packed.

Review №14

2018-07-08 02:57:44

We drove a bit over 2hrs to buy our spices at Penzeys... that should tell you something! So many different spices, always fresh. Been ordering from them for at least 10 yrs. Soooooo much better than from a market! Love to visit the stores once in a while, smell the different spicy... but the nearest stores to me are a minimum of a 2 hr. drive.

Review №15

2020-02-29 02:04:50

Love their spices and wish they had another location south of Menlo Park. Usually get free samples but this last time I did not. Was disappointing. But the staff there is always knowledgeable and helpful. Im a fan of several spice collections and wont do without them at this point!

Review №16

2020-06-11 22:14:25

Absolutely one of my favorite stores ever. Just walking in there makes me happy with all the scents. The staff is always incredibly nice, their store is always spotless and I cant wait until I can shop in-store again.

Review №17

2018-01-18 00:52:56

Great selection, knowledgeable staff, and a company with a soul.Fresh spices make all the difference ! When you buy spices at a grocery store, the spices could be as old as 1 year!Free parking behind the store. Subscribe for great deals and coupons.

Review №18

2018-09-29 21:50:37

Penzeys spices are the best spices around! The company has ethical practices, also, strongly held beliefs, and their store reflects that. Wonderfully easy to navigate setup with friendly staff. Definitely worth visiting!!

Review №19

2018-09-08 19:25:34

A wonderful company with high standards. Their spices are excellent for both personal use and as gifts. Their email list gives out free spices often and their staff in stores are professional and knowledgeable about their products.

Review №20

2015-08-10 15:57:41

I love this store. The people working here are always so friendly and helpful. They offered to take a photo of me in front of the store display. They carry obscure and well-known spices alike. Whenever I come here, I spend quite a bit of time just browsing and reading ingredients and about countries of origin. Here I found out what differences there are between fennel, anise seeds, cumin and caraway (they all look pretty much the same). They usually carry both alkalized (European-style) and acidic cocoa powder. I saw Ceylon, Indonesian and Vietnamese cinnamon, Mexican and Mediterranean oregano. I even found dry Thai basil once.

Review №21

2020-01-23 18:20:09

I wish I lived closer, I would be here all the time! Aleppo pepper and smoked paprika are my favorites, but they have fun spice blends too. Oh and great pie spice, I use it in pumpkin muffins.

Review №22

2014-10-07 15:55:05

My friend bought me a gift box with a sampler of four spice blends and I was hooked on Penzeys! They have amazing flavor combinations and many free recipes on their website. We are currently obsessed with the Russian Tsardust seasoning (amazing on chicken), Parisian Bonnes Herbs (use it on fish), and shallot salt. These spices make great gifts for friends that love to cook -- you can go with a pre-made option or select your own.The actual store is fun to visit because they offer many free recipe cards and you can smell all of the spices that they offer. They send out some great coupons for free spices every so often with their catalog -- if you sign up for it in store they will give you the free spice they are offering at the time! The people that work there are very friendly and helpful. There is lot of parking in downtown Menlo Park behind the store and a few spots in front.

Review №23

2015-12-05 02:07:07

Awesome place. This is the only store I know of in the peninsula area that sells single-origin spices. They have 4 different kinds of cinnamon (Chinese Tung Hing, Indonesian Korintje, Ceylon, and the ultra-potent Vietnamese), 2 kinds of nutmeg (East Indian and West Indian), and I lost count of how many different varieties of pepper they had. I really liked browsing their selection because everything was displayed neatly with descriptions of the spice origins and the qualities of each variety. I also liked that I was able to smell the spices in sample jars before buying, and I had the option of buying in small quantities so that the spices wont go bad before I can use them up. I came here looking for ingredients for homemade chai and ended up purchasing cinnamon chunks (which were a blend of Indonesian and Chinese cinnamon), whole West Indian (Granada) nutmeg, and powdered Chinese ginger. The rest of the ingredients I already had at home, but when I run out I will probably come back here to restock.

Review №24

2023-02-23 05:04:36

Penzeys has the best assortment of spices and seasoning. Very knowledgeable staff.

Review №25

2023-07-04 00:38:08

Very kind employees and probably almost every spice there is

Review №26

2019-04-07 21:50:03

The best spices. All the nice things nice stores apply - helpful staff, clean, well lit, labeled etc... But you come to a specialty spice store for great spices, and they got that. Plus good cocoa, broth bases.

Review №27

2017-11-27 16:48:00

Rude and arrogant service - I ordered spices from their online store. Unfortunately the quantities I received were not what I had ordered (3 bottles of Chili Spices when I ordered only one). I called this store which is 25 miles away to ask about their return policy and explained politely the situation. Surprisingly the shop person did not know the policy and had to call corporate headquarters. 10 minutes later, I received a call back and was told that if I returned the items to a store, all I could expect was a store credit or exchange. I said fine and told her that it would take me 30 minutes to get to the location but that I expected to arrive before their 3pm closing time. On the way, I experienced a thunderstorm. Realizing that I may not make the 3pm time, I called to alert them of the situation. The shop person responded in a haughty manner reminiscent of a 19th century schoolmarm indicating that if I did not arrive by 3pm, they would not let me in. I was surprised by this doctrinarian response considering that I was trying to solve an error caused by the company, that I had to drive 50 miles round-trip in the pouring rain, and that I was delayed by 10 minutes in my departure because the shop person did not know the return policy. Adding insult to injury, she added with all the arrogance she could muster that I could come back the following day when they opened at 10am. I arrived exactly at 3:03pm and the door was closed. The shop persons could see me outside as they tended to other customers but they refused to open the door. This sort of rigidity in a customer service person is the death knell for any business. It will a long time before I go back to this location.

Review №28

2018-03-22 03:15:06

I love to browse through the spices, herbs and blends. There are samples of most products that you can smell or take a small taste. The variety is great and the quality is high.

Review №29

2016-12-10 18:34:49

Splendid spices and delightful people! Introduced to their line by family in MN, happy to find them locally in the Bay Area, and deeply glad of who & how they are in the world, while purveying said splendid spices from around the world. Yum!

Review №30

2015-09-13 15:41:39

Ummmm, the smells. Open a sample jar allowing you to smell each spice before you buy. The best, freshest herbs and spice blends - many without salt. All from a down-to-earth company with a heart and lots of love. Check out their catalog.

Review №31

2017-05-29 22:23:17

Quality spices with helpful staff. They have something for everyones taste be it for meats, sauces or vegetables. They kick your daily recipes up a notch plus you can find new recipes on their website.

Review №32

2017-12-24 02:13:09

Absolutely the best spices ever! A great company, great people, great products. You will be pleasantly surprised by how much fun shopping at Penzeys can be.

Review №33

2018-11-22 15:09:27

Wow! This place is amazing! An incredible selection of high quality spices, herbs, and seasoning blends at very reasonable prices.

Review №34

2020-03-14 02:33:22

Great spice mixes. Advertised a bonus giveaway that they understocked. Did not offer an alternative. Said I should come back for it when it was restocked. Im rarely in this area- not a real solution.

Review №35

2018-11-29 22:12:37

Quality spices at reasonable prices. The gift boxes make excellent presents for the chefs and bakers in your life.

Review №36

2021-01-23 15:13:10

The spices here are much better quality than what you find at a grocery store. The staff is really helpful and knowledgeable.

Review №37

2019-02-19 01:26:55

A great place to find everything for your cooking and baking spice needs. The staff are friendly and willing to assist if you have any questions.

Review №38

2021-07-10 23:39:39

Top quality and genuine service. So happy they are open again for browsing. Always find something new for my cooking.

Review №39

2017-12-09 21:55:24

High end spice store. Everything you could ever want! High quality and high prices to match. Spices sold in jars and bags. Free parking in back.

Review №40

2021-08-28 18:12:03

Always a great experience, staff is super helpful and have a smile on their face. The selection is amazing and everything is fresh.

Review №41

2021-07-15 07:38:00

Great, always fresh selection of spices. Love that I can can get what I need in different quantities.

Review №42

2018-04-13 18:48:20

My go to store for all spice. It is as complete as the catalogue, but is there to see. I always tend to make a comPete tour of the store. Helpful staff, and free parking.

Review №43

2022-03-02 12:39:06

Huge selection of fresh herbs & spices. The only place I buy spices nowadays.

Review №44

2016-08-06 08:28:42

Go once. You will never buy supermarket spices again. Amazing vanilla extract - worth every penny. Try a variety of cinnamons.

Review №45

2022-06-11 16:12:50

Always get a great new taste sensation. Try the Pico Fruita on an Avocado toast.

Review №46

2019-03-07 01:19:56

The smells! Makes a great place to take your out of town guests. I always leave with all sorts of wonderful ideas for things to cook.

Review №47

2018-12-31 15:52:58

Large selection of spices and spice blends for cooking and baking. Sample aroma jars are available for each of the spices.

Review №48

2018-12-25 16:25:12

Great store and spices! Always friendly staff that will help you with sales and things you are looking for.

Review №49

2017-11-27 20:11:56

High quality spices. Good selection at decent prices; they almost always have some sort of promotion

Review №50

2018-12-16 11:58:35

I no longer purchase spices from the grocery. Not even salt and pepper. I give Penzeys as gifts for Christmas, birthdays, and to clients for business referrals.

Review №51

2019-04-08 20:37:42

Been wanting to come for years. Called a friend and we went today. Well worth the wait and spontaneous adventure. Spent way too much money.

Review №52

2020-12-08 23:28:35

Excellent selection of spices. Sadly they are serving online orders only during the pandemic.

Review №53

2018-02-02 23:18:16

Love PENZEYS, They have the absolute best DRIED Spices & Herbs youll find...Loyal customer for over 10 yrs. now!!😉

Review №54

2023-05-25 21:29:17

Lots of delicious spice blends.

Review №55

2023-03-10 15:31:01

Have loved everything Ive ever bought from Penzeys

Review №56

2021-01-27 15:35:04

This is the only place I buy spices. Wonderful selection. Great staff.

Review №57

2017-03-13 18:32:09

Friendly staff, always helpful and fun to chat with. Lovely selection of mixtures as well as individual spices.

Review №58

2017-12-14 20:18:12

Variety & freshness of products. Has kits or sets of spices for gifting. People who work there are knowledgeable & helpful

Review №59

2021-01-16 20:15:32

Just went back this week (1/21) and was met at the door with my order. Supper simple online service.

Review №60

2016-05-22 04:15:13

Love their spices. So much to choose from. Have been buying from them sine the 90:s.

Review №61

2022-04-15 18:01:32

Nice and clean shop with clearly labeled products. Helpful staff.

Review №62

2018-11-06 13:27:59

Great staff. Very helpful. Very good products and nice specials. Always a pleasure to visit.

Review №63

2018-07-26 07:46:04

I love getting my spices here. They have EXCELLENT flavor!

Review №64

2017-01-20 16:29:05

Great selection of spices! Pretty well priced too!

Review №65

2019-05-05 23:11:01

Best seasonings we have ever used. Great store

Review №66

2016-12-04 20:05:13

Many kinds of herbs and spice blends. Good gift boxes and specials.

Review №67

2015-12-23 02:49:30

Tons of spices to sniff and very helpful staff! Check their catalog for monthly promos.

Review №68

2016-12-10 18:38:52

The freshest spices anywhere with hard-to-find spice blends like those used on Top Chef.

Review №69

2018-10-27 23:39:07

Love this place! Fun smelling all the spices and blends!

Review №70

2018-12-07 00:33:55

Good place for salt pepper spices and herbs a large variety

Review №71

2020-07-08 00:30:08

Selection, store design and staff make every visit to Penzeys a pleasure.

Review №72

2020-03-02 18:33:28

This is a high-end, full-service fancy spice shop (priced appropriately)

Review №73

2019-02-18 09:53:15

Love, love this place. Richard is not only friendly & knowledgeable but extremely down to earth.

Review №74

2017-11-27 22:51:14

Bit on the pricey side but an excellent selection and knowledgeable staff.

Review №75

2020-02-09 01:07:04

Love this place! Reasonably priced and great selection.

Review №76

2019-12-29 22:32:11

Love Penzeys. There is always something fun there to try!

Review №77

2019-06-30 23:26:42

The clerks here are helpful and genial, and the spices are the best!

Review №78

2019-02-19 01:24:12

Helpful employees and a great variety of spices!

Review №79

2016-11-18 08:26:19

Owner is a bigot and does not tolerate people with differing opinions. Dont buy here.

Review №80

2013-02-06 05:23:46

Freshest spices for the cheapest prices. Will never by spices in stores again!

Review №81

2018-06-22 03:19:50

Great little spice shop located in the heart of Menlo Park.

Review №82

2020-01-25 23:03:42

Love everything about it, including his liberal politics. ♥️

Review №83

2017-11-12 19:05:18

Phenomenal quality and service, but prices are a little steep.

Review №84

2023-01-10 19:52:35

Shop here monthly for years.

Review №85

2018-09-16 23:28:32

Always Smells great in there...and the folks are helpful.

Review №86

2017-06-05 05:47:53

Huge selection, fresh herbs and spices!

Review №87

2017-12-22 15:17:12

Coolest spice shop north West of Madras India

Review №88

2023-08-26 15:18:36

Lots to choose from

Review №89

2017-05-01 05:14:52

Excellent selection, quality, service and value!

Review №90

2023-09-27 20:27:29

Rude staff

Review №91

2017-08-31 16:26:11

The only place Ill buy my spices

Review №92

2019-02-18 23:32:08

Very nice. Excellent selection.

Review №93

2019-05-04 20:47:00

Great shop

Review №94

2018-08-16 17:20:57

Lots of high quality spices

Review №95

2017-02-01 06:35:02

The best place for herbs, spices, and seasoning

Review №96

2017-04-04 14:38:31

The spice blends are wonderful.

Review №97

2019-05-13 21:49:27

I smelled everything. I wasnt disappointed.

Review №98

2019-12-04 02:14:00

Great service and wonderful product!

Review №99

2016-12-27 22:55:17

Great place and alot of choices

Review №100

2019-11-02 22:19:56

This is the PLACE!! Kind knowledgeable staff

Review №101

2017-09-11 14:17:48

Top quality with huge variety.

Review №102

2017-06-14 15:38:36

Best peppercorns and cinnamon ever

Review №103

2018-01-14 21:50:19

Penzeys is an awesome store!

Review №104

2019-10-10 14:37:06

Over priced rude staff!

Review №105

2019-06-09 23:31:58

Friendly, high quality

Review №106

2016-12-11 18:46:18

Great quality and selection.

Review №107

2018-09-23 21:19:55

Great quality, ridiculous prices

Review №108

2019-05-03 23:25:23

Great spice selection

Review №109

2019-08-23 00:33:28

Very unique place

Review №110

2021-07-07 20:45:01

Many, many spices .

Review №111

2018-08-17 01:21:16

Friendly helpful staff

Review №112

2017-12-05 18:40:53

Very nice staff

Review №113

2018-10-14 22:37:02

Terribly rude staff

Review №114

2019-03-05 03:55:42

Have some interesting spices

Review №115

2019-09-08 15:47:07

Best place for spice

Review №116

2017-12-09 01:19:59

Love this place!

Review №117

2017-11-24 21:53:18

Full service Penzeys.

Review №118

2017-12-09 23:31:43

Smells that delight!

Review №119

2017-11-13 04:00:19

Good herbs

Review №120

2017-11-16 00:16:03

Love this place

Review №121

2019-02-15 05:29:58

I really, really like spices. They are varied and strong and wonderful. Go ahead !