Wifey surprised me with a box of elegant chocolates for Valentine's Day from Zi Spice Cafe (pronounced Zee) in Ashland. They are melt-in-your-mouth delicious and looked like little polished celestial planets packed in a precious box of 9! This "hidden gem" (pardon the cliché) opened last year by Razia Hayden (owner & chef) and often has live music being played on the enclosed patio. She serves unique savory dishes, inventive desserts and beverages based on her knowledge of global seasonings, rooted in Mediterranean flavors. Most everything is gluten-free, locally sourced and made with spices originating from India, Indonesia, North Africa and the Middle East. I feel a certain kinship with Razia, since her dishes combine spices and flavors that aren't pulled from a cookbook or 3rd party recipe, but purely from her own creative chops, travels and heart. Before diving into her handcrafted chocolate bonbons filled with various creams and ganache (fair trade cacao BTW), I first enjoyed their French toast to prime my sweet-tooth. It comes with three slices of their house-made bread, soaked in an orange blossom custard, finished with a dollop of saffron whipped cream. Other menu items include: Lamb Pilaf with Saffron Rice, Turkish Eggs, Harissa Chicken Crunch, and a unique cardamom-spiced coffee to mention a few. I'll be back to try more! Truth... read more

Zi Spice - They kindly made a list of the chocolate bonbons in my box. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ashland, Oregon

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Holy profit margins, Batman! It seems the basis of this restaurant was to take simple, inexpensive elements and up-charge based on the infusion of spices, often in an unbalanced and excessive way. We ordered the kebab sandwich and French toast. In total, this ended up being 5 slices of identical fried bread, accented differently. The French toast was not traditionally battered before preparation, so a bit of false advertising if you are expecting a fluffy exterior. It came with several clashing flavors of orange, mango, cardamom, and saffron. Not much subtlety and a little bit of flavor confusion. The kebab sandwich didn't match the menu, which described sliced beef, goat cheese, tamarind, and yogurt. It was rather a heavily cardamom spiced hamburger patty with salad, picked onions, and a light sauce. With missing internal components and no sides, not worth $20. The drinks were also a bit confused, with the aftertaste becoming cloying from too many competing spices and floral elements. While spice is the flavor of life, I'm not sure a spice-forward restaurant is my cup of tea. Perhaps spices should be used more as an accent than a staple. read more

Zi Spice - French toast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ashland, Oregon

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Great food made by great people -- Zi Spice Cafe is a must-do in Ashland! Ivan and Savannah make this place as great as it is. They're friendly, knowledgeable, and talented! Their passion for their work is evident and it pays dividends. Specifically from the menu, I highly recommend all of the following (i.e. everything I had): - Kebab Street Sandwich - Eggplant Sandwich - Lamb Pilaf W/Saffron Rice - Root Remedy (Ginger, Turmeric, Pineapple, Orange, And Black Pepper) - Any Chocolate! But the entire rest of the menu looks great too and I look forward to trying more! The vibe of the cafe itself is warm and comfortable; a place of warmth on a cold winter's day, and I'm sure also a cool retreat on a hot summer's day. read more

I had the beef kebab salad and the cacao elixir. My sister had the eggs and toast. The flavors popped in your mouth and made you want to keep relishing each bite. They were super slammed when we went in around noon on a Thursday and that speaks for itself! The owner never lost her cool and handled each person just as kindly as the next. The decor is very simple and modern with some Fun photos of chickens and the inside of their handmade chocolates. All the food is organic and regenerative! I'm blown away! They have parking and an outside, covered seating area. I even bought a loaf of their gluten free sourdough despite baking my own at home, I'm on a trip and wanted some! read more

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I came here with my son for mother's day. It was busy but not completely packed. The girl at the counter was friendly enough, she pointed out an open table. It seemed to be a chaotic environment behind the counter.I attempted to ask if we could sit outside and she told us she was just informed it would be a 20 minute wait. I replied that we would just take the table she originally gave us inside. She then clarified "it's a 20 min wait to *order* ". She told us we could go walk around and come back in 20min. Or stay and hang out and she would bring us menus. I told her we'd stay, as we didn't want to lose a table.. So we went and found a table outside. I figured someone would surly come by with menus and water at the very least. Minutes go by and finally the same girl comes by after checking on the table next to us. She's empty handed, and I politely asked her if we could get those menus, while also politely notifying her that my son has a headache and I'd like to get him water. She goes back inside and that is the last time we saw her. She was very nice, but seemed overwhelmed. I sympathize with her. My review is not due to disorder, nor is it due to the wait although these things were a factor. The reason for my review is because the whole time we were there the table behind us was getting catered to hand over foot, while we were avoided/ignored. The same few wait staff were walking by us repeatedly (to wait on the table next to us) like we weren't even there, and didn't even stop to offer us water.. finally one of the wait staff stops (again after doing something for our neighbors) and nicely asks if we were "just hanging out?" I was a bit perplexed by this question, because we are there to order food and are more so *waiting* rather than "hanging out". I politely tell her we were waiting on menus and water, so she goes back inside, but when we see her come back out it's to wait on other tables.. at one point I saw another waiter appear with waters and I thought: oh good! only to watch him take the waters to another table. I also noticed there was a lot of fuss being made about the table next to ours. One staff member in particular seemed very familiar with the people at that table, and were consistantly checking to make sure they were being prioritized. All the while completely and utterly acting like we weren't there. I even tried to make contact with this particular person a few times, but it was apparent she was avoiding looking our way all together (for refrance she had fair skin, was wearing her hair in a bun, and had a pink apron). There were also at least two other staff (a male and another girl in pink Capri pants and black hair) that didn't stop to acknowledge us either. But I will say the girl with the bun was the one coming by the most to check ONLY on that particular table. We ended up leaving, NOT because we were upset about the wait. We left because we were being blatantly ignored. And there is absolutely no excuse for that. We ended up going to Louies. There was double if not triple the amount of people there, yet we were given waters and menus right away. The service was friendly and efficient. We felt well taken care of. It was night and day compared to zi spice. Our 1st experience with zi spice we ordered food to go. I did notice the prices were a bit high. My son ordered the avocado toast, and I ordered the egg toast. My son got both pieces of toast in his box. Mine (although good) was missing a piece of toast, as there was only one SMALL piece. I payed over $10 for this .. the kicker? They definitely weren't busy that time, as we were the only ones there when we first arrived/ordered... It wasn't a short wait for toast either. This place definitely still seems to be trying to get it's footing. I was trying to give them another chance when we went in the 2nd time because I wanted to love them. however ignoring patrons is inexcusable. read more

Such flavorful, fresh, and exciting food! You can even take your non-celiacs here, everything is so good. read more

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Great food! Best gluten free bread I've ever tried. Interesting Indian influence on the cocktails:)

I was excited to try this place but the food was either over or under spiced and totally underwhelming. They put lettuce on a grilled cheese. read more

Winding down my visit with the kids before returning to Portland required two stops here barely 4 hours apart. My daughter said it was new & wanted to try since she lives just up the hill. When your staff provided a beautiful description of your fried chicken, we came back just for that. Loved the comfy & cozy nature, seeing the meal prep in the open and the beautiful touches in tableware & food presentation, quality I would recommend to anyone visiting Ashland. Will be back! That orange blossom French Toast & saffron whipped cream on a pistachio brownie turned into the perfect shareable brunch. Thank you! read more

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This place UNDERSTANDS spices! I had their delicious kabob salad. The meat was not warm when it was brought to the table and the salad was not dressed. If those two things had been different, this dish would have been spectacular. In addition, I ordered the Rose Cardamom Latte, which I was very excited to try. I should have asked more questions before ordering. I never order a drink that uses syrup because I can't stand overly sweet things -- and they aren't good for me. I didn't realize that they would use sugar syrup so to make this latte. I left half of it and I won't order it again. I gave them 4 stars because really sweet people work here and because their use of spices is just wonderful. Very few Americans are like me and that they actually avoid sugar so I am hopeful that this marvelous place will do very, very well!!! read more

The food is healthy, delicious and imaginative! Nice staff and owner. Love going there!

The food is so......flavorful! Love the crunchy chicken sandwich as it was bursting with flavor and spice! Their Masala Chai is not too sweet as other coffee establishments and is loaded with spice. The bonus is hearing the Ashland Icon, Daniel Sperry perform. We've been there twice now and will return weekly when Daniel is performing. read more

Stopped in late when they were closing but was able to get a quick order of hummus and housemade toast. The toast was fabulous and lots of flavor in the hummus. Look forward to the Turkish eggs next visit! read more

New place we discovered on this trip to Ashland. Molasses lemonade is excellent, for example. And the baked goods are delicious looking. Lots of people here demonstrating interest and satisfaction. Staff is very accommodating, helpful, and kind. Love giving local businesses like this our patronage! read more

Zi Spice - Cute little space with five indoor tables and outside seating as well. Plenty of parking, too. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ashland, Oregon

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Wow - far and away this is the best new restaurant in Ashland - freshly baked gluten-free bread, pastries and cookies and other treats every morning, including the best blueberry muffins, "gulab jamun" (donut holes but better) and wonderful pistachio cardamom cookies - which sell out really quickly every day. Amazing coffee and chai bar, house made flavors and all natural, locally sourced ingredients- the avocado toast has already become a favorite for brunch, and the kebab sliders are delicious. Bonus - artisanal chocolates you can mix and match!! Lovely indoor and outdoor seating, great service and friendly ambience. A must-visit spot whether you live in the area or are visiting Ashland. read more

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Awesome gluten free bread!!! The best texture and taste I've had! The avocado toast is tasty and gluten free cookies are delicious. Love the choice of chai teas and drinks. read more

Zi Spice - Avo toast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ashland, Oregon

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Excellent food and service. Very nice inside. Will DEFINITELY be back. Tasty and creative menu items. Also custom gourmet chocolates to die for! Pistachio crusted chocolate chip cookies...mmmm...everything gluten-free yet tastes delicious read more

Wow! We were impressed on this, our first visit. Zi (pronounced ZEE) Spice offers truly delicious hand-crafted small plates and baked goods. Their restrained and exotic spicing is a standout in the brunch/bakery category. Their mixology for Chai and fruit drinks is unique and exciting, and the coffee is nice. Exotic bonbons are an added bonus for anyone needing a sweet bite after the avocado toast, or to assemble into a box for a special gift. Did I mention the delicious homemade, light-textured, gluten-free bread? They have a parking lot in downtown Ashland (it's the former Hither space) with both indoor and patio tables. Order at the counter and scope out the cookies and chocolates before tapping your credit card. read more

Fantastic flavors!! I had the smoky eggplant toast. The bread was so delicious light, fluffy and crispy the best gluten-free bread I've ever had. . My husband had the lamb pilaf and the spices in there were amazing. We weren't looking for gluten free but what a treat. I wanted to buy a loaf of bread to go but she sells out very quickly. A must stop for anyone looking for gluten free but amazing flavors as well. read more

Everything was delicious. We came back for a second visit the next day and the couple in front of us in line was doing the same thing. Excellent GF bread. read more

As if saying the name "Zi Spice" isn't fun enough, the cafe's menu is both fun and imaginative AND delicious! Using South Asian spices, many of the dishes (but not all) borrow from that magical cuisine. Take the amazing Tikka Taters... balls of mashed and masala-seasoned potatoes, cooked until they're golden, topped with a tamarind sauce and served with a spiced yogurt for dipping. Add an egg, and it's a delectably unexpected and ever-so-healthy breakfast! Next up for us: a Zi Spice lunch! read more

The food was presented beautifully and the flavors blended so well. We both had avocado toast and the addition of a slice of lime on the side was amazing. I had the saffron cocoa and the server described it as a taste of home. Delicious! The staff were enthusiastic and friendly and the vibe is great. read more

beautiful and unique food with so many unique flavors to try! i can't wait to go back and try more to discover my favorite. an added bonus is that the owner is a master chocolate genius, her hand painted bon bons are a must try! read more