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Penzeys Spices
Category: Food Specialty Food Herbs and Spices Herbs and Spices [Edit]
11322 SE 82nd AvePortland, OR 97266
Neighborhood: Southeast Portland
(503) 653-7779
- Price Range:
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$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
22 reviews for Penzeys Spices
Review Highlights
22 reviews in English
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Review from Shon K.
Portland, OR
1/1/2012
YOU NEED NOT SHOP ANYWHERE ELSE FOR SPICES, SEASONINGS OR FLAVORINGS EVER AGAIN!
This store is one of my favorite stores to shop at, even though I have more than enough stuff to cook with I just cannot help myself. So many different spices and seasonings to look through and flavors to take home and try - the chef I always wanted to be screams to visit this store every few days.
I grew up cooking - been cooking for myself since before I was in grade school and started taking cooking classes in grade school so finding a store like this (thanks Dad) is like heaven to me! Walking through these doors and smelling the goodness and potential gets me going and really makes me want to create something for someone to try.
They have pretty much everything you could wish for from many different types of salts to multiple peppercorns, various premixed taco seasonings, premixed chilli seasonings, BBQ seasonings, different ground peppers, cocoas, extracts, saffrons and you name it - they have it.
Do yourself a flavor, go check the store out in person and if there is not one near you then at least get on the website and browse that. Sign up for the catalog (it is FREE so no excuses and they will not sell your address to any junk mailers - don't worry) and just give it a try. Buy the small jar of Northwoods and try that on a steak or chicken breast - heck even corn on the cob - or any of the other flavors they have.
Buying spices here versus your local grocer makes a world of difference to your taste buds! -
Review from Danni D.
12/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent shopping experience from the minute you walk in the door. Their customer service is unparalleled. They can be as hands-on helpful or as unobtrusive as you require.
They sell four or five different kinds of cinnamon. Different kinds of cinnamon. I had no clue that cinnamon came in "kinds." But they have little info cards about each one, and they have smelling pots so you can compare and contrast.
They also sell "double strength" vanilla extract. The theory is that you can use half the amount a recipe calls for, but c'mon - if you love vanilla like I do, you're putting in the regular amount, double strength.
This is a terrific place to put together gift baskets for cooks in your life. Plus, with its glamorous Clackamas location, you're not fighting the parking wars that you would be if you chose to visit their Pearl District location. -
Review from Holly D.
Portland, OR
2/5/2012
This place is amazing..even if it does look like a franchise! It is like a little field trip through the spice world (in fact they do school field trips which are great!). I first went there after my cancer treatment..I had no appetite and my doctor suggested trying to cook something with spices. They gave me some suggestions and some recipes. I have been back many times, since, always bringing friends from out of town. I mean where else can you get juniper berries for sauerbraten? I still don't cook much, but I pick up wedding gift packs here, housewarming gifts and I just like to go in and look around! And after you are good and hungry go next door to Pho Huy and have a bowl of soup!
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Review from Misty T.
Lincoln City, OR
11/7/2011
I am a big fan of Penzeys spices and I always get great service. I cook quite a bit and I can be very picky about what goes into my dishes, but I always have good results with Penzeys.
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Review from Tabitha B.
Hubbard, OR
1/22/2011
Penzey's Spices is the best thing about Clackamas. And I love me some Clackamas. The store is in the strangest location, somewhere I'd never discover left to my own devices - sandwiched curiously between the Jenny Craig store and Home Town Buffet in the 82nd WinCo parking lot. Luckily, my mom from Seattle was privy to the spice purveyors from Cook's Magazine, and brought me along on a visit a few years ago.
I don't buy spices anywhere but Penzey's anymore. They are head and shoulders in quality above anything you'll buy in a typical grocery store, and a much better bargain than anything else you'd find at New Seasons or Whole Foods. They have all your savory and baking basics, including some great dried parsley and chives that will bring your homemade scrambled eggs to a whole new date-impressing level. They have multiple kinds of cinnamon, cocoa, peppers, salts... confused? Just ask one of the employees, they all seem excited about what they're selling and knowledgeable. If you don't want to talk to anyone, each individual spice has a nice write-up, a sample to smell, and sometimes even a recipe. You can also grab a free catalog, which has all the information and ideas for all of their stock.
The spice blends are also great fun. They're fun to experiment with, and you can buy small jars for just a couple bucks to find your favorites. Like I mentioned, the prices are very low, especially when you comparison-shop with the jars at any grocery store. Sign up for their mailing list and you'll get coupons for free spice jars, which is of course awesome.
The store itself is clean and very appealing, with a crate scheme that makes you feel like you've been let loose on some magical pirate ship of deliciousness. I could wander around in the space all day. -
Review from cassandra c.
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Review from Rachel A.
Portland, OR
3/29/2008
Simply put, it's spice heaven.
Have you been searching for that elusive spice for months and months? It's here. Has your favorite dish been missing that little extra something? It's here. Just need inspiration for dinner tonight? It's here. -
Review from Mark S.
4/24/2010 7 photos
Never thought a spice store would be quite this cool, but Penzey's in the Clackamas Square strip mall (just north of Clackamas Town Center on 82nd's east side) is pretty interesting. And, this is the only location around the Pacific Northwest. Every spice you can imagine, including spices for baking and a very wide selection of grilling spices.
The selection is so vast that you'll be sure to have many ideas for upcoming meals just by taking a look!
Penzeys has an excellent web site, were you can see everything they've got. You can also ship gift packages, which is how we discovered this brand.
I uploaded a few photos... -
Review from Catie L.
3/13/2008
The most vast, and fantastic assortment of herbs and spices I have ever seen, smelled and tasted. Penzey's is THE place to "spice" up your life for cooking and baking! I have long had a favorite salad dressing mix called "Green Goddess"; perfect, creamy summer dressing with dill and basil. Mmmm... I always thought I could only order through a catalog or online. I had no idea they were in the area!
I stopped in on a Sunday and the service was great; friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. They have mulling spices, the smell of which is so heavenly I may just go back to buy it for potpourri, let alone for some cozy Christmas cider. They also offer a turkey rub called "Bicentennial" that I'm dying to try. If you are serious about stocking up on your cooking spices and herbs, go here. They also have some nice gift sets that would make great wedding gifts for those who are culinarily inclined! -
Review from Jim C.
Portland, OR
4/12/2008
The only bad thing about Penzey's is location, location, location... If you're a NWer like me, it's about as far away from home as humanly possible in the Portland area.
Having said that, there are three things that make Penzeys indispensable. First, the quality and variety of the spices is absolutely amazing. Because they do such high volume, the spices are typically much "fresher" than you'll find in grocery stores, so they last longer. Which is important if you can't go through a jar of aleppo pepper in less than a year (n.b... you can and you will). Second, the "instant gratification" of being able to say "hmm... I think tonight I will have smoked lamb tacos with a Oaxacan mole sauce..." and to go find exactly the spices you need, without mail ordering, is pretty sweet. And lastly, the experience of taking a friend to Penzeys for the first time... "ZOMG! I never knew there were eight different kinds of cinnamon..."
The mail-order and Web sites are great, and the free Penzeys catalog (which is a PDF on the Web site as well) is great reading/inspiration. Their magazine "One" always disappointed me a bit, but if you don't read a lot of other (better) cooking magazines, I suppose it's ok.
Oh, and the one thing that EVERY cook needs... Penzeys has a line of stock starters... beef, chicken, turkey, ham, pork, seafood, vegetable, etc. that are absolutely wonderful. They last forever and are MUCH easier than trying to keep cans or fresh stock in your pantry. The ham stock in particular is indispensable. It's a wonderful enhancement to any dish where you want a nice smoky flavor. -
Review from Chris G.
7/13/2010
My mom is always raving about Penzey's. She always has several of their spices on hand and it seems that there is always at least one spice prominently featured in any meal she cooks. Last Christmas, she gave my wife and I a pair of seasonings from Penzey's their Greek and Sicilian Salad seasonings.
Needless to say, they were quickly consumed, which meant that we had to take a trip to Penzey's to check out the goods for ourselves. We were very impressed. I think that my wife was convinced that she had found "the one" (the must-have seasoning) about ten times before we decided to just get a refill for our Greek seasoning. I would say that their spices are reasonably priced, but certainly not cheap. However, buying the spices in bulk (resealable plastic bags) instead of jars will gave you some serious coin. This is especially nice if you're refilling a previous container.
All in all, this place is inspiring. From vanilla extract to ranch dressing mix to curry powder... the makings of a million delicious meals and treats are within reach at Penzey's. -
Review from John I.
Manassas, VA
7/3/2008
This is the place for cooks who need the fresh goods and know better than to buy stuff at the grocery store.
Ground spices start losing their flavor the minute you grind them. Then when you put them in a bottle and ship them all over the country they sit on shelves in warehouses until they make it to your grocery store.
Worse yet, they are not dated so you have no idea how old they might be.
Grinding them and toasting them yourself is the way to go, and Penzeys has what you need. If it's too far to drive you can use their web site and have it shipped to you!
Their main business is mail order, and we're just lucky enough to have a store here for emergencies :) -
Review from Marissa P.
Kansas City, MO
3/14/2010
Okay as you probably have gathered from the previous reviewer, Penzey's has everything. If they don't have it, it's either illegal or doesn't exist. I'm actually not kidding about the illegal part.
I went to Penzey's in search of a vital ingredient for a family recipe that had been handed down for at least four generations. I was on a mad hunt for something called charcoal salt. After hitting six other stores, my sister suggested that we go to Penzeys. I got lost among all the fragrant and wonderful looking spices. They didn't have the charcoal salt but they had great service and suggested a couple of other places for me to try. I later learned that Charcoal salt is as bad for you as it sounds and no longer in production. So I had to improvise a bit in the kitchen.
However, the point of the story is the same - if Penzey's doesn't exist it's illegal to produce!Listed in: Places the Make Me Homesick…
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Review from R T.
Portland, OR
4/9/2010
I'd been hearing about this store from friends for years but hadn't been in a town where one was open. I was delighted to find this location in Portland and went in to replenish my supply of herbs and spices.
I nearly fell to the ground when I saw the prices, holy moly they're steep. After catching my breath I realized I could buy bagged spices without the premium price of their lovely glass jars.
I broke my budget and stocked up on basics and exotics. Got them home and have been enjoying the exceptional quality ever since. -
Review from Bob M.
6/10/2009
Not only do they have impeccably fresh best quality spices, they have staff that is knowledgeable without a scrap of pretentiousness. Everything is the best quality, and very, very reasonably priced. They ship as well as gift box (packing material is spices, too, I kid you not). Their catalogue is wonderful, full of cooking ideas, information and recipes. They have a very reasonable magazine and a cook book for heaven's sake.
The location is completely silly--they are from the mid-west and surely spoke to the wrong people about this property, though it is not that big of schlep to get to and You Should.
Don't argue with me on this. -
Review from Beth C.
Portland, OR
2/17/2010
Having read the previous reviews, I have to completely agree that Penzey's has just about everything most cooks will ever want or need. Whether you're a foodie or just the average cook looking to improve on the flavor of your food, you should be all set there. The prices are way better than you'll find in the local grocery store, and the spices tend to last longer - they are so much fresher than most people are used to, that it's possible to use less and still get better flavor. There are no fillers, and for those interested, their vanilla is gluten-free!
The one thing I *do* have to disagree about is the location. Living down in SE, it's absolutely wonderful that there is a terrific specialty store that I don't have to drive to NW Portland to visit. It's rare that we get so lucky over here!
Regardless of where you live, it's well worth the trip to make a visit. You won't go wrong, and you will more than likely walk out of there in awe over all you have been missing...while carrying a bag full of spices that you never intended to get! -
Review from Kris W.
Longview, WA
2/14/2009
Buy your spices here. They are better quality and value than you will ever get at the grocery store, and they have samples out so you can sniff your way through the cinnamon or vanilla or pepper varieties and determine what you really like.
Friendly, engaging, helpful staff, and astounding variety. You should be shopping here. Location is not great, but seriously, how often do you need to buy spices? Twice a year? Worth making the trek. -
Review from Brianne G.
Hillsboro, OR
Updated - 8/18/2010
OMG --- They have a new store in the Pearl District! I don't have the address on hand, but it's fantastic!!! They even have a kids area with crayons and paper for coloring... It kept my son entertained during a whirlwind shopping spree. A Pearl District must-do!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/14/2009
I just love this place. Ridiculously love it. As everyone else says, the quality and value is… Read more »
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Review from Erika S.
Portland, OR
1/14/2011
I'll take one of each, please! Imagine the creations I could come up with from vanilla beans and cumin!
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Review from Tammy K.
Tacoma, WA
6/20/2010
I've always wanted to visit a Penzey's. I'm so happy right now. I left with grey sea salt, hungarian paprika, smoked spanish paprika, blue poppy seeds, whole nutmeg, chipotle, mexican vanilla and a shallot/pepper blend. Spice heaven!
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Review from CaLiLu H.
Happy Valley, OR
11/19/2010
I just recently discovered Penzeys when I was shopping at the Winco in the adjacent building. The storefront is pretty nondescript and I remember seeing it but not really being interested in what they sold. When I was given a Tunisian lasagna recipe that requires premium paprika, I thought of giving Penzey's a try, and I'm so glad that I did! As soon as I walked in the door, I was greeted by the amazing aromas of all the different spices. There were also a lot more customers milling about the store than I had thought. I love how each section is organized (according to cooking/baking purposes) and amid the many spices, I was easily able to locate the paprika section. Although there isn't a Tunisian paprika available, I was able to pick up some Hungarian paprika that turned out to be quite excellent. I also picked up some Madagascan vanilla, Indonesian cinnamon sticks, and some Provence spices. Just being in Penzey's helped to conjure some great recipes and I can bid farewell to the pitiful spice shelf at grocery stores and say hello to Penzey's which has become my first destination for all things spice!
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Review from Rebecca H.
Dublin, CA
2/27/2008 1 photo
Let's say you are making a new recipe, especially to impress he or she of the fair gender whom you are delicately trying to seduce and get in the sack, and you realize "OH NO! I don't have Burmese ruby roasted cumin with python scale chips, and without it this recipe will fail and I'll be loveless and sexless forever!" (side note, I'm married, so my husband gets crap meals from a can) What ever will you do? You go to Penzeys. They have EVERYTHING there, and if they don't have it, they'll find it for you. The people working there are incredibly nice and helpful, but not pushy. They have beautiful gift sets for that hard to find a gift for person. You know, the one who has everything, and buys everything he or she wants anyway. I bet he or she isn't going to buy SPICES! AHA! You've now one upped that person and can dance the victory dance. That is, after you get your groove on, because you found your cumin at Penzeys and kept your mojo intact. The only downer is the store looks kinda blah, like they ran out of creative ideas and just took a store front and stuck stuff in it, but so what, it's really the goods that stand out. It is in the skanky 82nd area, and around the corner is the Clackamas Mall, so you can really make a Crackamas day of it. Penzeys = food crack flavoring. Delicious!
