The Spice House

Throw away All your old spices. Go here stock up and immediately up your cooking game. The cinnamon choices alone are well worth it. But then try the BBQ rubs, French herbs, Italian blends… salts galore… great helpful staff. Perfect.

The best cinnamon! I love the blends because it makes dinner prep much faster. Try the tandoori blend and the singapore curry. Great staff, as other reviews have mentioned!

Don’t believe the packages are tamper proof as required by law. I tried to return 1 oz of allspice unopened & was told I couldn’t because the package isn’t tamper proof. It’s just designed to look that way.
So don’t buy anything you may want to return. I later found allspice in bulk and bought what I needed for the ¼ tsp my recipe called for.
That means what is being sold might be contaminated by someone too.

I really love the Spice House and have bought and received many a spice from there for my culinary endeavors. You can tell the difference in quality from what you might buy at Trader Joe’s. But I had the most bizarre customer service experience there last night.
Usually, I go into the Spice House on weekdays during lunch hour when it is relatively empty. But this time I decided to go in the evening, when there were more customers. I walked in and was immediately asked by one of the employees if there was anything he could get for me, which was great. He put some spices in a bag for me (all the spices are in glass jars, and you have to have somebody to weigh them and place them in a bag for you – to keep the spices fresh, I guess).
I then wandered around the shop and found another spice I wanted to buy. First I asked a different employee if she might help me out. She gave me a thousand yard stare and said, in a harried voice, that she was helping someone else – as if it was my fault I was politely asking for help, since I was not supposed to get the spices myself.
They called another employee out of the back room to help me. She bagged my spice and then brought it over behind the counter. I put the rest of the spices I had collected next to that spice. The employee then started looking at some other spices (not mine) that had been sitting on the counter nearby, running around the store and trying to price them while complaining that they weren’t priced. I was kind of confused as I thought she was helping me. The employee who originally helped me yelled at her to help me; she said she was pricing things.
Lo and behold, she filled my bag with those spices that she had been pricing – that weren’t mine – and charged me for them. Luckily, I looked in the bag before leaving the store and asked for a partial refund. The employee kept saying how «weird» it was that those spices had been there, in a tone that implied she was blaming me. All she would have had to do was ask if those spices were mine before charging me for them. Finally, she gives me the refund, then, again in an accusatory tone, asks if I took the receipt – though she had just put it in the bag! I left in a really bad mood, despite the intoxicating spice smells. I might add that they tally everything by hand and hand-​write their receipts (though they do have a credit card machine), so this whole transaction took quite a while.
Maybe I’ll make my orders online from now on.

As an avid cook, I have been shopping at The Spice House for many years. I visit the nearby Evanston location routinely to stock up on an array of basic and hard-​to-​find spices/​herbs and am always very pleased with the huge selection (always fun new exotic finds here), and excellent customer service by the knowledeable staff who are always ready with new recommendations. If you have a long list of items to purchase and you know exactly what you need (and live locally) I suggest you call in your order as it can take a while for them to gather and ring up your order as everything is hand bottled and registered — all contributing to a old fashioned vibe (in a good way!) The close proximaty to my residence makes me feel a bit spoiled that I have such a gem of resource in my own neighborhood!

What can I say about the Spice House? I have been to them in Milwaukee (off Third Street), Geneva, and the one downtown. When I walk in the door I am already in love with the smells and all of the options. My spice cabinet is so full of spices from this place. Some of my favorites are:
— Old World Third Street (also called Central Street); this is great on potato dishes and beef.
— Bicentennial: this is the best poultry spice I have found for turkey and chicken.
— Vulcan Fire Salt; some salt with some real kick.
— Cajun Spice: I use it with Old World Third Street on burgers
For burgers, use plenty of olive oil and then add enough Old World Third Street until you can need it into the meat. Make your patties and then sprinkle with some Cajun Splice and grill the burgers.

Great customer service. I phoned ahead and bought a gift certificate. They enclosed it in an 8×10 bag with a spice magazine/​brochure, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Lovely.

I LOVE EVANSTON SMALL BUSINESSES! This place is amazing!
I’m seriously addicted to this place. I can’t say enough about the super attentive staff whom with I’ve had many an interesting conversation (ever try a pinch of nutmeg added to your chicken noodle soup?) and the fact that the spices are always fresh and the variety can’t be beat. The staff will offer samples, recipe tips and ideas, and taste adventure suggestions. Many of the spices are actually ground on-​site, so you know you are getting the fresh stuff!
As a lovely surprise, I was given a Seafood Seasoning gift (Shrimp and Crab boil, Cajun seasoning, Chesapeake Bay, and Pepper Lemon) set for my birthday last year along with a bottle of The Spice Shop’s LAVENDER SUGAR. (obviously my family knows what I like :)
We go fishing a lot, so this set has really came in handy. Not only that, but its great to use in other dishes that include eggs, potatoes, and even a dash of it added to a homemade soup adds that extra little ‘something something’. The lavender sugar is perfect for topping off cookies or adding another layer of flavor to my hot tea in the evening.
The shop itself reminds me of a country store, with large wooden barrels and rustic décor. Even if I’m just stopping in for one item, I love to browse the shelves and read the thoughtfully written details and reviews of there spices. Take your time in this place! You will probably find your new favorite flavor here.
Prices are reasonable, quality is excellent, and there is always something there that I haven’t explored yet. Its a taste adventure every time!

Now, I have to be honest, they have every spice you need. The prices are MEH, but it’s Evanston, so seriously, what did you expect? It feels like an interesting episode of Are You Being Served, where the staff weigh and measure out your requested spices and wait on you hand and foot. It’s actually funny. The other customer in there on Labor Day was overwrought because she had people coming into town, «Culinary aficionados who are well traveled» as she called them, and she wanted her spice rack to show that she had the appropriate amount of culture too. Lol. White people problems. She was deathly allergic to everything he suggested. Scallions… allergic. Lemongrass… nope. Cilantro… no can do. It was hilarious, and the man helping her had the patience of a saint.
Anyhow, I went in to get some spices for making a homemade green taco seasoning. They had everything I needed and more. Perfect. I was ecstatic. So, I go up to the counter to pay, and the gentleman asked me what I was cooking. and I replied that I was making some green taco seasoning, I told him that I was glad to have found their store becaus I had been ordering spices on Amazon, but now that I found them, I was happy to support a local business instead. He just looked at me quizzically, blinked a couple times, looked away and never said another word, taking my money, handing me my change and items in complete silence. Now, I’m not entirely against innocent chit chat at the register (a la Bed Bath & Beyond where the cashiers are paid to talk to you about what you’re buying as if they actually care… OH MY GOSH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SHOWER CURTAIN), but seriously. It was incredibly awkward to be asked a question when there was clearly no interest in hearing the answer. Especially, since I was actually paying them a compliment, and it was met with utter and complete disinterest. OHHHKAAAAAY. It was just really, really weird. and, I want to like the place, I love the dried jalapenos and lemongrass. Seriously, though, it’s too far to drive and pay for street parking and get some shop assistant snooty attitude. Amazon doesn’t have attitude, and Amazon is cheaper. I don’t mind paying more, but when the staff is weird, it’s just not worth it. The girl in there, however, was really, really sweet and helpful.
But, that’s Evanston for you.

It Was Love At First Spice!
I finally stopped in here after reading a few reviews from my Unilocal friends (Jennifer L, Lisa A, Tian Y, Nancy L, Natalie S, Kathy R and Kristen W.). I happen to work near by so it was easy for me to stop in after work. There happens to be metered parking right in front of the store. As I was approaching the store, I noticed from the moment that I was within 10′ of the door I could smell the spices permeating from within. It gave me a sense that this is what it smells like in a spice market.
I started to look around and noticed that they have several boxes of spices for you to choose from. They have special spices for BBQ’ing as well as themes of spices that are dedicated to Chicago communities as they are related to their ethnic backgrounds. I started off with choosing the small BBQ box. It comes with four spices jars of Jamaican Jerk, Trinidad Lemon-​Garlic, Cajun and Bronzeville Rib Rub. They also come in a sturdy box filled with packing materials that are spices (Korintje Indonesian Cinnamon Sticks, Whole Nutmeg from Grenada and Turkish Bay Leaves) and can be used to cook with as well.
Once I arrived home with my fresh spices, I took a package of chicken breasts out of the refrigerator and lightly coated them with olive oil and the Trinidad Lemon-​Garlic seasoning. I threw them on a hot grill and after about 30 minutes they were done. My wife and I both agree that the flavor was terrific.
I can’t wait to try and taste the other seasonings as well as stop in again when I have more time. So if you’re looking at spicing things up in your life, give this place a try, you won’t be dissapointed.
What, another 5.5 star review from Steve M.

I think all the 5 stars are probably appropriate for the North Shore upper-​middle/​upper class families who would definitely appreciate the convenience of the Spice House’s variety and full service set up, and friendly/​knowledgeable employees… and don’t mind their prices.
Variety here is great. They cover so much ground — many kinds of peppercorns and peppers, for example, and dried herbs/​blends, many types of vanillas, regional cinnamons, etc. And it’s organized decently well.
But the price… $ 1.99 for 1oz of szechuan peppercorns when you can buy 10x that for the same price in a normal Asian grocer… worth it? Probably not if you’re willing to shop at an Asian grocer. Same with the types of dried Mexican peppers. Even the jars of vanilla paste are like 25% more than Treasure Island in the city. Those stuck out to me because I’ve had experience buying them elsewhere, but I’m sure it applies to many of their items.
So basically, I think most of the items they carry are not necessarily rare/​hard to find, but conveniently gathered here for those looking to explore new things, or want a place to be able to reliably shop for many regional spices and herbs in one place. But if you want to be more economical, I’d seek these out in the appropriate ethnic grocer of choice (or whole foods, even).
I’ll say that the spice blends they have seem very unique/​convenient/​interesting. Most don’t have ridiculous ingredients in them that you couldn’t think to use yourself, but I tried a few and they were all pretty unique. I think that’s worth checking out here, even if you prefer to buy your individual spices elsewhere!

I finally returned… I just love it when the spice clerk talks about spice — he really knows his spices and eagerly shares of his abundant knowledge. I suspect he’s a better cook than myself and my daughter’s boyfriend, (who also shops at this wonderful place). The spice clerk knows just the right spice that will add zing or a subtle hint of flavor to just about anything.
This time I came in looking for a spice to sprinkle on my salads,(I’m not too big on dressings and spices are a great alternative). He asked pertinent questions for clarification and went straight to work offering a taste of this and a dash of that. I couldn’t decide on a single spice so I purchased two. I also smelled some very aromatic curries and decided upon the spicier one. He even suggested a more cost effect purchase — which sweetened the deal and to boot he went out of his way to make sure that I was satisfied and offered his thanks at the end of his service.
Once school is back in session in the fall, I’ll be back a bit more regularly, (I can see Christmas shopping here — now that would be a different gift), or I could run into the Spice House in Geneva; I was just at State Street Jeweler. There are three other locations as well, Chicago, and two in Milwaukee.
What are you waiting for — GO, with my blessing :-) … As if you needed an invitation to spice up your life

My fiancé and I discovered this quaint little spice shop in August last year and have been hooked ever since. The Chicago neighborhood spices, specifically the Lake Shore Drive Seasoning and the Back of the Yards Garlic Pepper Butchers Rub are the best spices ever.
The Lake Shore Drive is an intoxicating mix of chives, scallions, green peppercorns, shallots, salt, onion and garlic powder. It works really well on fish, specifically salmon. We also enjoy in on vegetables (green beans in particular) and also on top of egg whites (scrambled or omelette style).
My fiancé is a steak-​lover and enjoys using the Back of the Yards rub. It’s an aromatic blend of Tellicherry black pepper, garlic, Kosher flake salt, sugar, red bell peppers, shallots, and parsley.
The great thing about these spices is that you can really taste each ingredient shining through and they all compliment each other really well.
We were so impressed that we quickly rushed back in once our spices ran out. We’ve bought regular spices, like garlic powder and even some hot cocoa mix. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a big fan of the cocoa so that’s still sitting in our spice cabinet.
The staff is super friendly and willing to help and make suggestions if needed. They also sell gift boxes included Chicago themed boxes that would make a great gift for the cook in your life.
Just an FYI for those too lazy to travel to Evanston or their shop in the city — they also sell their spices online so you can have them delivered to you. They are also an artisan on Artizone, which features many local artisans in the Chicagoland area.
Check them out the next time you run out of spices or want to add something unique and interesting to your mix!

I don’t really need to add a review since everyone else has already expressed how awesome this place is. but I thought I’d join the masses!
Great customer service, awesome original blends, and fantastic selection. I think I’ve only ever not liked something I purchased, once.
Such a lovely place to learn about and experience new spices. Also, great atmosphere!

The Spice House tickles my fancy!
Living right down the road on Central Street, I frequent here. Hands down the best shop on the block. There is no comparison in the quality of the product here to any other store in the area.
I have read articles stating that The Spice House is world-​renowned. The owner travels to the indigenous areas of the spices, buys them whole and grinds them fresh at the shop. The potent smell smacks you in the face as you walk close to the entrance and penetrates the walls into the businesses next door! It’s marvelous.
Aside from their vast array of dried peppers, extracts, dehyrated corn (I can’t even think of everything), they have MANY assortments of spice blends that are SO amazing! If I had to pick a favorite, which is nearly impossible, would be the Gateway to the North (on popcorn). They also have created blends representing different neighborhoods of Chicago. They have other blends intended for specific protiens, such as chicken, seafood, etc. They have blends intended for veggies as well. Box sets are sold, that I constantly give as gifts! Everyone raves about the box set once they try it!
The staff is friendly, well educated in their craft and they encourage customers to taste the spices. All of the products are labeled and have suggestions of what to use it on/​in. They also sell spice, flavor and cookbooks and spice racks.
Honestly, I can’t say enough good things about this place. Go here, bring your friends and family here and buy them gifts from here! Mad Spice House Love!

Great store, spice selection, and amazing staff! Yep, pretty much seconding what the other reviews said.

Even if I don’t need spices, I just visit The Spice House to inhale the wonderful aromas. I’m sure there is some spice in the world that they don’t have, but it would be an amazing challenge to find it.
Try working your way through the row of cinnamon, tasting each one from the sample shakers (provided for nearly every spice in the place). Who knew there could be so many different types?
There are dozens of pre-​mixed seasoning combinations, including some that don’t contain salt that are my favorites. And speaking of salt, there are probably close to 100 types and blends including smoked, and sometimes even salt blocks for cooking.
All spices are offered in a variety of sizes and packages that can be measured out for you. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and helpful.

This is truly as good as it gets. The Peppercorn Royale whole pepper blend is my favorite go-​to spice for everyday cooking and eating. We keep our pepper corn mill full of this wonderful spice that has a touch of heat with some nice notes of the pepper rainbow — green, white, red and black peppers. At $ 29.99 plus tax for 16 ounces, it is perfection.
The spice selection is vast and surprising. The aroma is divine. I could spend all day in here smelling and trying different, unique and hard-​to-​find spices from course salts to herbs and custom blends. They also package up custom spices for marinating, rubs for all types of meats and for all occasions — smoking, grilling, baking, sauteeing, etc and each has the Spice House’s own recipe recommendations as well.
No matter where you are, this place is worth the trip or call and have them ship items to you. I’ve picked up several pepper and salt mills here for gifts as well.

Before they opened in Evanston, IL. Our family had found them in Milwakuee, Wi. We have been life time customers at the Evanston store. This is the best small business in Evanston. If you are into cooking, know someone into cook or grilling, this is the very best store to get gifts from. Since the opening of the Evanston store in about 1996, I have used them for the best gift boxes. (Ethnic Chicago Neighborhoods Spice Blends Deluxe Gift Box) Everyone I have ever given a box set to, has become life long customers.
My top three list:
California Seasoned Pepper Blend (I buy 8 oz at a time)
Lake Shore Drive Seasoning
Back of the Yards Garlic Pepper Butcher’s Rub

I would give this place 6 stars if I could. Simply put, the Spice House is a paradise for those people who love to cook and bake.
As a home cook, this place has become as indispensable to me as my neighborhood grocery store. It’s THE place to find the absolute highest quality spices, herbs, extracts, and seasonings. The spices here are so much more fragrant than the ones you’d buy at the Jewel or even ethnic markets and that really makes a noticable difference in your cooking. They carry all of the hard to find ingredients for different cuisines — everything from mango powder to smoked paprika to preserved lemons — so you’re bound to find whatever you’re looking for here. Even mundane spices like salt and pepper are amazing.
A few tips and recommendations:
— Be sure to check out of their flower extracts. The rosewater and orange flower water smell like heaven.
— The spice blends here are great especially the North African spice mixes Ras El Hanout and Baharat. Works really nicely in place of garam masala.
— The crystallized ginger and freeze dried corn are more addicting than crack. Try at your own risk.
Bottom line, everything here is top grade, extremely fresh, and cheaper than the spice jars at the grocery store. You don’t have to be a chef or foodie to appreciate the Spice House. There is something for everyone here. The staff here is very knowledgeable and offer a lot of good advice.
Can’t wait to go back!