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Oaktown Spice Shop

@oaktownspice

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🌎 We source 300+ of the best-tasting spices from around the globe
đŸ’„ Ground and blended in small batches for the boldest flavors
Bay Area, California
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Big thanks to @jenniavins for the lovely shoutout in @lamaterialnews ❀ come visit us in Silverlake! Smell through all the spices, stock up your pantry and then swing by @silverlakewine for a bottle! by @oaktownspice
2
2 months ago
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New substack is live! Inspired by my dear friends, the owners of @honeyandco, who gave me a bag of this magical cereal back in 2018 and has had me hooked ever since. It’s a cross between granola and Cracker Jack with savory and crisp flavors. This snack continues to be a good thing in my life. So good that I included it in my new book 😇 This recipe includes the option of adding mahlab which my dear friend John, owner of @oaktownspice, explains here. If you are having trouble finding this spice you can order it directly from Oaktown Spice Shop as part of my #GoodThings marketplace collaboration. Happy Cooking! đŸ’đŸ„„ #mahlab #SaminNosrat taken in Oakland, California by @oaktownspice
23
a year ago
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Erica and John here, co-owners of Oaktown Spice Shop. As the season gets busy, we wanted to pause and say thank you for supporting our family-owned small business. We’re truly grateful for everyone who makes Oaktown part of their cooking life — whether you pop in once a year for holiday gifts or stop by every week to spice up your farmers’ market haul. Wishing you a warm, delicious, and very Happy Thanksgiving from our kitchen to yours! ❀ by @oaktownspice
32
a year ago
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This spooky szn, we all scream for ice cream. Sweet, spicy, and sassy: Bad Walter’s “Basic B Martini” frozen custard is anything but basic. We’re obsessed with their frozen take on our two favorites bevvies: the PSL and the espresso martini. We’ve been working with Miharu since they opened in 2020, when they fell in love with our Late-Harvest Peppercorns. Give them a visit in Downtown Oakland, or at their newly opened shop in Elmwood! Oaktown Spice Shop x Your Favorite Ice Cream Shop. October 8-25 by @oaktownspice
3
17 hours ago
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We get it: It’s Saturday morning and you don’t want to cook. Perhaps you had a late night, the alarm clock didn’t go off, or you opened the fridge and were out of eggs. We’re not judging! Fortunately, we have your brunch dates planned for you. The Bartavelle Sando at Cafe Brusco is inspired by the Persian Breakfast formerly served at Berkeley’s iconic Cafe Bartavelle. It’s perfect for breakfast in bed (just be sure to brush out the crumbs before tucking back in). The Paloma Croissant Swirl at As Kneaded Bakery comes to us from Oaktown alum and amazingly creative shop friend Amanda Salazar, who was inspired by our newest sugar blend to fill their already delicious croissant dough with luscious grapefruit curd. It’s worth going to bed early just to wake up for. We’ve been Poppy Bagels’ sesame-and-seasoning source since the Grand Lake Farmer’s Market days! Though we miss them as our shop neighbor, we could not be more thrilled to see them thriving in the Temescal community. This October, we’re thrilled to feature in their Golden Hour Bagel Sando - bringing a little sunshine to Autumn mornings. Oaktown Spice Shop x Your Favorite Brunch Spot. October 8-25 by @oaktownspice
0
2 days ago
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Dear friends, a celebration of 15 years of Oaktown! In 2011 we opened the doors to Oaktown Spice Shop with thrifted furniture, a small collection of our own spice blends and a dogeared copy of Business Plans for Dummies. We had a dream, a very strong smell of cumin on everything we owned, and more optimism than business sense. Some things we’ve learned since then: 1. We have the best customers. You’ve shared recipes, brought us leftovers, told us about the first dish you ever made with Kampot Peppercorns, and trusted us with your family’s holiday meals. Kids who used to come in with their parents have grown up and gotten jobs at our shops. We don’t take any of it for granted. 2. Running a business with your spouse is an adventure. We’ve survived disastrous inventory counts, many pounds of spilled peppercorns, arguments over spice blend names, and we’re still happily married. 3. Freshness matters. Fifteen years in, we still believe a good spice can turn an ordinary Tuesday dinner into something worth talking about. That has been the whole idea from the start. 4. We couldn’t have done it without our team. Like any good dish, a successful small business takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work that most people never see. All along the way, our staff members have shown up with care and attention to make this company what it is. From our early days as one small shop to now having the warehouse crew, four shop teams, operations and leadership, we are grateful to everyone who helped build Oaktown. Here’s to the next 15 years: more flavors, more stories, and hopefully fewer peppercorn spills. We’d love to hear from you, so let us know your favorite memory, your go-to spice, or what you’d like to see on our shelves next. With all our gratitude (and a pinch of salt), Erica and John, and here we are getting the keys to our first location on Grand Ave (2011) ❀ Scroll for a few more memories throughout the years
 Got our first logo! (2011) Early days at the original shop (2012) Moved into our present location in Oakland (2015) Opening our Albany shop (2017) Moved production into our Berkeley warehouse (2020) Grand opening of our San Francisco Shop (2023) Celeb by @oaktownspice
101
2 days ago
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In celebration of one of our newest blends - Umami Garlic-Onion Sea Salt! by @oaktownspice
0
3 days ago
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Salt, Fat, Acid, and Yeast: Our four favorite words. This October, we’re satisfying our cravings with five bubbly-crusty-crackly dishes we can’t get enough of. Flour + Water Pizza Shop is Uptown Oakland’s newest pizza shop. Their braised lamb pizza leans on two of our Moroccan spice blends to impart deep, smoky flavor. Temescal’s very own Ok’s Deli is known for the best sandwiches in the Bay. Perfectly constructed and overflowing with flavor, our nutty Sesame Miso Shake is the perfect pair for their salmon katsu sando. On any given night, you can find our Crushed Red Pepper Flakes table-side at Rose Pizzeria. This month, they’re featuring a Greek-style pizza with our spices, perfect for washing down with a glass from their expertly curated wine menu. When Sfizio needs high quality versions of Italian essentials like fennel, peppercorns, and chiles, they turn to us. Our fruity Late-Harvest Peppercorns pair beautifully with nutty miso in their take on a Cacio e Pepe. Our Grand Lake neighborhood joint MAMA serves the best Italian food in the Bay. This October, they’re bringing back their (in)famous meatball sub - a real IYKYK dish we’re delighted is back on the menu. Oaktown Spice Shop x Your Favorite Restaurant. October 8-25 by @oaktownspice
5
4 days ago
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When “I could eat” becomes urgent and hungry becomes hangry, might we suggest these in-between-bites and flavor-packed snacks? Chef-owner Melissa Perello discovered our shop years ago, after a hunt for Urfa Biber led her to us. Her restaurant Octavia’s take on a “Devil’s Egg” features a jammy center and plenty of Eastern Mediterranean Spice, highly recommended with a side of crusty bread for dipping. We are so excited to welcome Flour + Water to our community! They opened their first Oakland outpost last year, and their Grand Lake Shake wings have been a staple on the menu ever since. Kampot Peppercorns are the star of Michelin-mentioned Nite Yun’s Khmer Fried Chicken. Just looking at these crackly-craggy-crunchy-wings, studded with peppercorns, makes us want to hop on the ferry to seek them out. Grand Lake Kitchen has been our neighbor-besties for nearly 14 years! These juicy Lamb Merguez meatballs feature a smoky-savory pistachio Salsa Macha chile oil. We may or may not grab a plate on our lunch break. TAROCCO is our Berkeley warehouse team’s favorite lunch spot for flavor-packed salads. Their bright purple charred cabbage transforms lunch into art, and lunch-al-desko into something worth celebrating. Joodooboo is a tofu and banchan shop in North Oakland serving fresh dooboo and hyper-seasonal veggies. They’re featuring our Vadouvan dusted atop crispy-fried tofu this October like it’s 2010 again. Umami architects Yoko and Kayoko are serving up bowls of Sesame Miso Shake popcorn at their sake bar this October, the perfect pairing for our two collab cocktails also on the menu. Slide 9: Oaktown Spice Shop x Your Favorite Restaurant. October 8-25 by @oaktownspice
2
4 days ago
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You’re invited! To celebrate 15 years of spice with us 💕 We wouldn’t be here without you! Swipe to check out the parties and pop-ups we’re hosting in each of our shops. See ya there! by @oaktownspice
5
5 days ago
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We get it: The day doesn’t start until you’ve had your coffee. Good thing we know of four coffee shops across the Bay with autumnally-inspired lattes worth getting out of bed for. ☕ Andytown owner Lauren Crabbe has been a shop friend for years, but in 2024 incorporated our spices into their perennially popular (though sadly seasonal) Pumpkin Spice Plover, which features house-roasted espresso, sparkling water, plenty of Pumpkin Spice syrup, and a hat of whipped cream. Ritual Coffee has been using our spices since 2017, when an employee grabbed one of our Tonic Kits on a whim to make an espresso tonic. Nearly a decade along, they’re featuring our Mulling Spices in their take on a PSL, as well as a dreamy heirloom-apple butter latte. Cole Coffee is a Rockridge neighborhood staple! They use our spices throughout their Extra Spicy Chai Masala and scratch-made baked goods. The Caffe by. Mr. Espresso is Dowtown Oakland’s most beautiful coffee shop, serving top-shelf, oakwood roasted coffee and creative chef-inspired lattes. This year, their Chef Collab with Nelson German features our Apple Pie Sugar to perfectly complement rich apple butter and Neopolitan espresso. Oaktown Spice Shop x Your Favorite Coffee Shop. October 8-25 by @oaktownspice
3
6 days ago
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To celebrate 15 years of Oaktown Spice Shop, we’re launching two new additions to our umami salt lineup, and they’re available now! 📣 Our best-selling blend of sea salt, shiitake mushroom, and black garlic gets a savory boost from toasted onion and garlic. Layers of deep allium flavor round out that signature umami depth, perfect for burgers, roasted vegetables, or anything that loves garlic and onion. Our beloved Umami Sea Salt meets its bolder cousin. A hit of scotch bonnet chile brings medium heat and fruity warmth to that same savory depth, for a finishing salt that’s equal parts comfort and kick. by @oaktownspice
0
7 days ago
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