Very cool local kitchen goods store. This is exactly the kind of place I seek out when traveling. I ended up with a couple of items to take home, which I would never have ended up with otherwise. The lady who runs the place is very nice and friendly. Recommended for all of us who like quirky cooking stuff. read more

The Culinarium - I like these timers - Specialty Food Near Me - Ashland, Oregon

The owner was very rude, i asked him a question and he wasnt helpful, he just said "dont you know how to read instruction?" Then as he was checking me out, he would toss my purchases on the table and throw my receipt in the bag, i have never meet such a rude person in my life. Why have a store if you dont know Customer service read more

Has some really cool cultural cookware, love the language learning cards and the owner was very sweet. Overall a cute and charming place!

I love being able to get good gift-quality kitchen items in a small, local shop. Expensive? Yes. But no more so than Williams Sonoma and get to support a small business. Friendly, as well. read more

I am so impressed these days when a business goes above and beyond to be helpful. I never used to be so surprised by customer service, it was part of the norm, but since COVID, helpfulness is far and few between at times. So my dilemma was my daughter and her husband booked a room to go to Ashland for a night to celebrate their wedding anniversary. I was 3 hours away and wanted to ave a cheese/wine/food basket delivered to their room. Since Ashland is wine country and has a great shopping area, I thought this would be easy. I called around 8 places and could find no one who did such a thing and no one I spoke with had recommendations. And then along came Brenda! I knew Culinarium was more a kitchen store, with olive oils, etc., and they didn't carry wine or have the cheese, meat basket looking for. I asked Brenda if she could recommend anyone. Mind you, I already asked several people I'd called and just got the "I don't know" over the phone. Brenda asked if I had tried Oregon Cheese Caves. I had come across the Oregon Cheese Caves. The web page wouldn't open (turns out it's under construction) but the listing said they were in Florence, OR, which was too far away for delivery. Brenda told me that they were closer than that, just down the rod in Phoenix, and that she believed the woman did deliver to Ashland. Brenda also told me If I had no luck finding anyone to give her a call back and she could put together some good food items, less the wine, and make sure it go delivered today. I saw on Culinarium website they had things like crackers, pesto, olives, etc. I was so grateful to have a back up plan. As it turned out the Oregon Cheese Caves store Had exactly what I had in mind and I was able to put together a very nice wine, cheese, meat basket and the woman at Oregon she is delivered it to my daughter's hotel after she closed the store. I am sure I've visited Culinarium before because I visit Ashland 3 to 4 times a year and love kitchen stores. And if I haven't been there before, I will definitely go next trip I take up there just to meet the nice people. read more

Delicacies & Imported Goods For The Gourmet! SITREP On my trek through the beautiful Pacific Northwest beginning in Oregon, I traipsed through Jacksonville for a couple of days. The Jacksonville Mercantile was one of those little treasures you trip upon and leaves a wonderful imprint with you. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jacksonville-mercantile-jacksonville?select=bBm_GvscodsCCkZEhmxr8g THE SETUP The wonderful thing about Jacksonville Mercantile is the large selection of imported goods it has from Southern Europe and the Mediterranean regions. If you are into pastas, olive oils, balsamic vinegars, truffles, and a number of other delicious delicacies, then this is your stop! ITEMS GALORE! * Speaking of pastas, I always marvel over the shapes and sizes of traditional European pastas! They aren't *sanitized* to the lowest level common-denominator of what is believed to be the American market, and bravo for that! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jacksonville-mercantile-jacksonville?select=SvBnmhN9cdkP3e2XIbLfaQ * The cracker selection is de-LISH! There's something about European grains & organic preparation that gives a level of enhanced flavors with every crunchy bite! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jacksonville-mercantile-jacksonville?select=5Qc6ltTnC_PyC7-0HF84vw * We got to sniff & sample some spices, and talk about waking up your tastebuds with some incredible flavors! (Makes the spice aisle at Safeway & Bel Air seem very very lax!) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jacksonville-mercantile-jacksonville?select=vpGKqCyP6Ucs_L5vCLpPpQ * Traditional German/French style Duck Fat! I've always been a fan of the Duck Fries that are prepared at LowBrau, the very eclectic gastropub a mere 5 block walk from my front door, and now I have an idea how they do it so well! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jacksonville-mercantile-jacksonville?select=b4CDpzn1FtERKd0LkEj5ow * Vinegars galore! And we are just talking about the usual array of delicious imported vinegars that Jacksonville Mercantile excels at providing: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jacksonville-mercantile-jacksonville?select=7WVEboXpUir3kfk-UQalOw We're also talking about the 80 year old and the 100 YEAR OLD vinegars they carry! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/jacksonville-mercantile-jacksonville?select=xH4vN9ApeWkxv46ieGjGew We spent only an hour in here - tasting & exploring some of the true delicacies the gourmet world has to offer, and I barely touched upon the wines, the cheeses, the very cool cooking implements, etc. etc. that Jacksonville Mercantile has to offer. Check it out. SHIPPING AND as a West Coast distribution center of many delicacies, once you've had a chance to explore their considerable inventory, shipping is available if you just have to have some more of those fennel spices and duck fat! THE LOWDOWN An outstanding store of imported foods and goods that will make any gourmet chef very very happy! read more

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5 stars service provided by Brenda Lee, she was FANTASTIC, she was not pushy, she was friendly, honest and so caring! I thought for a second she owned the place!! The place has everything for anyone who cooks in every level of capacity, the store is impeccably clean and well assorted. Brenda Lee is a local who through out her retail career helped other businesses get established in this beautiful educated college town. Ashland owes you a great deal of hospitality and warmth Brenda, don't change and keep being that wonderful human being you are!! read more

Best ingredients and tools for everyone and anyone who enjoys or is just learning to cook and/or bake! You can find a wide range of organic foods and ingredients from around the globe and the most complete selection of kitchen gadgets and equipment. Try unusual and delicious PNW fruit spreads, honey from around the world, a deep line of truffle products, delicious olive and avocado oils, and incredible selection of flavored balsamic vinegars, salts, spices. Oh, plus French table linens top shelf cookware made in Europe and USA. read more

This is a really fun store. We live in Ashland and have made it a regular weekly stop. The items that they sell, both food and non-food, are top notch selections from the U.S. and Europe. I particularly like the blue cheese stuffed olives, the aged balsamic vinegar and the various tomato sauces from Italy. Kitchenware is beautiful. Very friendly and helpful staff as well. Good job. Keep up the good work!! read more

I found this place when it was the Jacksonville Mercantile. It was a fantastic stop for unique gourmet goodies, including a variety of oils and vinegars that were available for sampling. I got hooked on their barrel aged balsamic vinegar and would make annual stops in Jacksonville just to get more. Now they're even more conveniently located in Ashland near the Shakespeare Festival, so I don't need to make a side trip to get my balsamic. All of the staff I've talked to in the store have been friendly and knowledgeable about the store products. Definitely worth a stop if you're in town. read more

I had noticed an ad for The Culinarium in the theatre program, so when Nina and I were walking along Main Street yesterday I recognized the name. We looked in the window and there was a vibrant yellow Provençal style tablecloth covering a round table and that drew us in. We walked around the shop, which has flavored salts and sugars and more tablecloths in varying sizes and patterns. There were also various kitchen tools and what seduced me was the most gorgeous mortar and pestle, the mortar made of wood and the pestle made of metal, the handle hanging over the side yet beautifully balanced. It was $65 and I had to have it. The brand name was Nuance. The proprietor was friendly and helpful. He had his guitar on a stand next to him and a music stand. He wasn't playing but told me sometimes he does. When I looked up the shop to write this reviews I noticed that this thread combines reviews for its previous incarnation as the Jacksonville Mercantile w/ its present incarnation as The Culinarium. I'm not sure when they moved to Ashland, but I think it's w/in the last year. I didn't ask. When I looked at their cheese knives I wondered whether I had bought one of mine at their store in Jacksonvillle several years ago. It's well made and I really like it. In any case, I like the store and its merchandise and it's a welcome addition to Ashland, which evidently has lost its other kitchen store. They used to offer cooking classes in Jacksonvlle and I assume they offer them here as well. read more

I recently purchased the 10-inch Greenpan sauce pan. David assured me of its quality and performance. I have been extremely happy with the purchase. Its always great to come in to the store knowing that Constance and David are there to offer their expert advice. Jack Defo read more

I love this place! I recently took up cooking and have been experimenting with different types of cuisine. Many of my experiments require odd or unusal ingredients. I can spend all day going supermarket to supermarket but why when I can just stop in at the Mercantile. They have had everything I need. The staff is great, as is the selection. It's a blast just to shop around the store and find new and interesting things to try (wood smoke olive oil!). Plus, I always grab a chocolate (or two) on my way out the door. read more

This place is fantastic! I just took the "Mushrooms & Truffles" cooking class and had a blast. The instructor was informative, interesting & humorous. The mercantile store had all sorts of interesting cooking spices, salts, teas and more. Great gift ideas too! read more

A highlight for my wife, who is a chef, every time we come to Ashland. The only souvenirs we bring back each year is from The Culinarium.

I was looking for a Shun Chef's knife or Santuko knife, and discovered a sale at Williams Sonoma. Turns out, The Culinarium regular price was the same as the same price as the Williams Sonoma sale! They were very helpful and I was happy to find the knife I was looking for locally in Ashland:) read more

I stumbled into this kitchenware shop in downtown Ashland earlier today and fell in love. I've never been in a kitchenware shop that inspired me to seek out creativity in the kitchen. I spent 30 mins gazing at the French and Italian kitchenware, linens, and food items. Oh, and Constance (the incredibly informative and passionate chef owner) introduced me to an adorable German "rondo" pot if you are cooking for 2. I literally lost myself for 30 mins in this shop, purchasing gifts for myself and my loved ones (from a cooking book on soups to a professional juice press). If you find yourself in Ashland, check out this gem of a shop. read more

This place has been a favorite of ours for many years. Their barrel aged basalmic vinegar, as well as other flavored vinegar and oils keep us coming back over and over. The owners are friendly and knowledgeable, and their monthly emails have some fantastic recipes that incorporate some different and tasty foodstuffs. read more

I enjoyed my experience at The Culinarium. The owners are kind and informative. Constance stated that there was nothing in the store she wouldn't use herself. It is apparent that every item was carefully selected for its quality. Prices are competitive with the online market which makes this place a successful brick-and-mortar store. I will be back! read more

This place is lovely, and Constance is so nice and helpful. My guy and I picked up chocolate with white truffle, some gorgeous pasta, and lobster oil. read more

I walked into this store with my family and from the moment we began browsing the owner began micromanaging every single thing we touched. She treated us as though we were mistreating her merchandise to the point of being condescending and totally rude. Her hounding was unnecessary And the entire experience left a terrible taste in all of our mouths. We certainly won't ever go back. read more

We first met David and Constance, the owners, when they were still in Jacksonville and we had begun coming up to Ashland with our friends to stay and see shows there for a week. Their selection of foods and condiments rivals any specialty shops in San Francisco, and their knowledge of the ingredients and how to use them is superb. Their newsletter is excellent, with great recipes, and the really beautiful store they have opened on Main Street is a perfect compliment to this wonderful street in Ashland. We recommend The Culinarium whenever we can. read more

Very good variety and quality. Also love the customer service! Whenever I need culinary advise just ask them and they'll know exactly what to do and how. read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE. Came here to buy Applegate wine trail passports and loved sampling all the olive oils and balsamics. They even ship packages if you are flying or need a gift basket. I cant wait to come back here. They have a really neat gift shop too. read more

This place has an excellent selection of southern Oregon wines. Wine prices appear to be the best in Jacksonville. It has a variety of chocolates. The store is big fun to browse, with a delightful selection of exotic foods/spices, etc. The building is vintage mid-nineteenth century, plank floors, tall windows, nice ambience. read more

A gem for Foodies or for those looking for the perfect gift for a Foodie or for those who aspire to be a Foodie. High quality selections at reasonable prices. Store is arranged beautifully - not stuffed to the gills like other Kitchen shops. Sales staff are friendly and knowledgeable. I love the linens and cookbooks. read more

Constance and David have created a wonderful specialty foods store in downtown Jacksonville, a working historic town in Southern Oregon. I have several pantry items from the Mercantile that have become staples. Our evening meals have been transformed into culinary delights with the addition of a few quality products. Enhanced flavor galore! read more

Knowledgeable staff took me right to what I was looking for. I'm a local Ashland baker and sometimes need to replace a kitchen tool right away. The Culinarium has saved me several times now. Love the place! read more

This culinary store ROCKS!!! They have a great ever-evolving selection of goodies. My husband and I regularly buy a case of their New Mexico chili-infused olive oil, Tuscan Kale Pesto from Italy, and mussels from Portugal. I've purchased several tablecloth and napkin combinatikns from them. One of the BEST purchases, however, was the set of skillets we bought. We love them!!! read more

Do you have a foodie friend that is hard to surprise? It's so easy to shop for my foodie friends in here! This is gift basket heaven!

We spent the entire day in Ashland. We decided this morning to take a hike in Ashland. Destination was, we think, Ashland Ponds, still don't know for sure. We stopped at Ashland Chamber of Commerce to ask about location of ponds and pick up a hiking map or two. After an hour chatting with the lovely man and woman at the chamber, we left with hiking maps and a dozen brochures and books on gallery tours, big book on Oregon Coast, another book on Southern Oregon wine scene, Mt. Ashland ski resort, and the first official Shakespeare Festival schedule announcements. Sorry we failed to ask their names. Instead of leaving the charming downtown and driving to the Ponds, we decided to couple the hike with an Urban Walk.  We got so wrapped up in neighborhoods, the architecture, landscaping, etc, we had walked five miles and still weren't close to the Ponds. Poor us, sometimes ADD just gets in the way of completing a goal. Decided to save Ponds for another day since Jim wanted to spend time downtown and visit this kitchen store called the Cullinarium. Between our soft and hard retirement we launched a business called il Fustino, the business was very high-end specialty foods with an emphasis on olive oil and vinegars. We've always been foodies, our son became a Chef, and the thrill of a well stocked and interesting high-end boutique shop delights us. This being said, the whole experience rests on the shoulders of the sales staff. We were helped by a lovely woman named Joy, name wasn't hard to remember, since she just allowed us to be joyful while we were in the store. Well done Cullinarium! We'll be back. read more

We stopped there while visiting Ashland to look at kitchenware. They have excellent products at reasonable prices. It is a very attractive store, and the proprietors are very friendly and helpful. Wish we lived closer to shop there again. read more

I love visiting the Culinarium, conveniently located on Main St in Ashland. They have wonderful oils and vinegars--my favorite is the Bergamon orange balsamic vinegar that goes very well with winter salads using fruit (e.g., pears or apples). For a small store, they have an excellent selection of exceptional kitchen items, perfect when searching for something special for a gift or your own home. read more

When I entered the store, I felt like I was in another country. There are products from a variety of places and it was fun to discover new and rare foods. It's worth driving from Ashland just to experience the many gourmet treats. There are plenty of tasting opportunities to help choose the perfect treasures. If that doesn't narrow it down, the owners are happy to help you find whatever you want or did not know you wanted until you heard about it. It is a perfect place to find a great gift for people who have everything, because you can be sure to find something edible, unique and wonderful. It is truly an enjoyable store. read more

Just took one of Constance's cooking classes: Mushrooms and Truffles. Excellent class , great info, and we got to eat what she cooked! Best risotto ever! read more

Wonderful store and service! Got a great table cloth and napkins. Very interesting foods.

Excellent selection of specialty foods and imports.