You'll know you're right at home as soon as you walk through the door. For anybody that's wondered…read morerows of disorganized shelves of stuff all over the place or spots that are less than well kept, look no further. Oaktown Spice Shop is immaculate, well organized, and staffed with folks that are quite passionate about the goods! Also helps that it smells amazing, but it really speaks to the quality of their stuff. If you had any doubts about them, put that to rest and just visit or use their online store! Any foodie worth their salt (hah get it) will be able to appreciate what this place has to offer.

Oaktown Spice Shop is my to-go shop for keeping my spice drawer fully stocked with everyday spices…read more(ie. Vietnamese Cinnamon, Whole Nutmeg, Aleppo Chile Pepper) as well as new-to-me spices to try, like Vadouvan and Mahlab. Today I needed to refill my Vadouvan because I want to make an aromatic soup from their website. I found out about Mahlab from their blog and must make the cereal that Samin Nosrat shared! The staff are knowledgeable and helpful. In addition to a beautiful array of spices, they sell amazing cookbooks and a few small gift items.

Tonight I stopped in to pick up a few supplements and herbs, and Farah (sorry if I spelled your…read morename wrong) was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. Without her guidance, I probably would've spun myself into a little tizzy trying to choose among all the options. I've been going to this store for almost 30 years. I started coming in the second half of the '90s, back when it was a tiny shop a few doors down, before they moved into a larger space. Over the years, I've always found the people there helpful when I need it. Even during the years I lived away from Berkeley, I made a point of stopping in whenever I was back in town -- it's a shop I genuinely love and have continued to return to.

Very helpful and knowledgeable team. They have lots for quality wellness products and personal…read morecare. If you want to start holistic health and supplements, this can be a great place to try. Lots of less toxic options to choose from.

On our stroll of Solano Ave, we stopped by this spice shop. Talk about spices. This shop has an…read moreamazing large selection of spices from all over the world. Two in our group bought several types of spices. The workers were friendly and answered their questions. If you are in need of spices and hard to find spices, you will find it here. I must shop for you home cooks out there.

The variety of items are amazing. The service could be improved and a bit more friendly.read more

Nice selection of good smelling handmade soaps - I enjoy just looking around here as well as…read moreshopping. They organize their herbs and teas by intention and I find that logical and accessible. Friendly service and tasty tea, recommend coming in if you're looking for a healthy looseleaf tea blend.

Groovy shop with helpful wonderful people and magical potions. They have the far out items I need…read moreand of quality source.

Just walking into all those smells makes me happy. The people that work there are so informed, and…read moresuper friendly. I LOVE this store. The store is so clean and organized. The herbs there are the best quality!

Stopped by Penzey's in Menlo Park to stock up on a few staples, cocoa powder, Mexican vanilla (it's…read moredelicious and our favorite), pumpkin spice, and a couple of other blends we wanted to try. You can smell the spices as you walk in! The customer service is okay - hence deducting 1 star. For most spices they have, you can smell them as they keep a test container, which was fun to go around sniffing a few that we wanted to check out. The cocoa powder is incredibly smooth and deep in flavor (though hard to sprinkle out of the bottle, not sure why that is), and the Mexican vanilla adds such a beautiful aroma to my coffee every morning. Their pumpkin spice might honestly be the best I've ever had - it's perfect for making it at home without any sugar (I just add a dash to an espresso shot, froth almond milk with a bit of vanilla, and it's perfection). The store is well-organized, easy to browse, and located right in downtown Menlo Park. Plenty of parking in the back. The spices are expensive than traditional stores FYI, but you only need small amounts, and they are good quality.

The Pros: Massive Variety: Truly a "one-stop shop" for tea…read moreenthusiasts. Low Pressure: The staff greeted me and then stayed hands-off until I had questions. The Price: Easily some of the best values in the city. The Con: Sealed Packaging: Everything is pre-sealed in 1lb plastic bags. Because of the sealing, you can't smell the tea before buying. I'd love to see them implement scent jars in the future to help with the selection process. Neutral Observations In-House Packaging: All the tea is packaged identically in 1lb bags, which suggests they likely process and bag everything in-house. Labeling: I didn't notice any specific organic labels on the packaging, though I didn't explicitly ask. If this is a deal breaker, you may want to ask. Review If you're looking for a genuine loose leaf tea source -- your search ends here. I stumbled upon this place after endless online searching (blogs, search engines, etc) and it was well worth the effort! Just a heads-up on navigation: G-Maps is slightly off. If you rely solely on that, you'll be a few doors down. Look for the Volvo mechanics and the shop is located just on the other side. The exterior is unassuming, no windows, just a sandwich board on the sidewalk and a door. Looking inside it's a bit of a mysterious vibe, you'll see a stairway to the left and a hallway ahead. Go for it. Ignore the single pane glass, bank-teller-style window to your right (which directs you to the main door) and just head in. Also, keep an eye on the clock because, per the phone tree, they close for lunch from 12:30 to 1:00. I arrived right after 1pm and was able to park right in front. There was also plenty of other parking spot around at that time. IDK why, but before walking in, my imagination had prepared me for an old-world San Francisco opium den. I was thinking there was going to be this lingering aromatic smoke, plush floor pillows, people lounging, sipping tea, and the soft, ambient melodies of an upscale spa. I had also pictured rows of heavy, whiskey-style wooden barrels overflowing with loose leaf tea, topped with clear lids and metal scoops. The reality is much more utilitarian. This is not a den or a spa. It's clean, straightforward, and focused entirely on their product. The selection is robust and incredibly diverse. While they claim "wholesale to the public", I can't verify the industry margins, but I can tell you the prices are very good for the quality you receive. The employee greeted me and then stayed hands-off while I browsed, which I appreciated. When I did ask specifics, they had basic foundational knowledge. Honestly with the diversity and sheer quantity of products offered, it would take forever to earn a Tea Master badge. No harm no foul. The only real bummer here is that everything is pre-sealed in 1lb plastic bags, so there is no way to smell the product. I'd really appreciate scent jars in front of the bags. Since they seem to be doing the packaging in-house anyway, it makes me wonder why they haven't set aside a small amount of each batch for scent jars. It wouldn't require a change in their supply chain, just a few ounces and a glass jar to help customers navigate that massive variety. That aside, I absolutely loved this place. I've been searching for a spot like this for a long time. I'm just glad I finally found it. If you're at all interested in loose leaf tea, I'd suggest giving these folks an honest try.

I needed dried lavender for simple syrup and ice cream and found this place online. Prices are very…read moreaffordable and they have so many options! I'm not able to post all my photos but this is some of what they offer! Will definitely come back.

Really cool Indian grocery with hard to find Indian groceries, I got some pre packaged meals to put…read moreover rice. They were excellent and a good price.

Lovely Homesttyle Laddoo Dessert Balls... Seems like ' It's…read morea New Item '. Their Own Brand Name ... Tasted like " GONDH KE LADDOO - A CUTCHI SPECIALTY " DELICIOUS & ' Not Too SUGARY !!!! Been Shopping here with Mr. DEEPAK for Decades and Love the STORE !!! It's a GEM in Indiatown , Berkeley. Laddoos seem to have Channa Besan ( Garbanzo Flour , Guar Gim & Sugar ).. Worth a Try, and Cheaper that the Boxed Brand Name Goodies like Haldiram, Deep & Others !!! Well worth a visit. Owner is ' Very Obliging '. The Triangular Boxed Paans + Tons Of Indian Savory & Sweet Snack Foods, Indian Frozen Dinners, Algerian Dates, Gift Items and a Gr8 Selectiom Of Stainless Steel Cookware, Indian Teatime Biscuits , Nan, ROTI, RICE, LENTILS , GHEE &TEABAGS in a CLEAN, WELL LIT FACILITY !!!!!!

I stopped at this cute shop a few years ago. We were in the area as tourists and found the shop…read moreperfect for the neighborhood. The guy inside was very friendly and gracious. He answered all of our questions as we looked around the shop. He gave us a ton of attention although we were looking around and didn't purchase anything. I hope it is still open the next time I'm in the area because I'd stop in again.

Extremely helpful and friendly. They love to help and answer questions you have about herbs and…read moregetting the most out of them. They have a wide selection of remedies to help you get over drugs in a more natural way versus pills from the doctors. Also having a selection of things to help you have more energy or help to relax is wonderful. Plus they have sexy time herbs for you and your partner along with some really good tea for sexy times or tea to really relax you. The staff is super knowledgable and eggar to share their knowledge. Katie is my favorite, really cool and always offers up great recommendations depending on what I'm looking for.