Preserved

The store is great! The new location is so spacious. Everyone who works here is super nice and really helpful. They'll give you tons of tips on how to get your ferments going strong, and then they also offer classes for a little Hands-On experience.

I went to Preserved super new to canning. For a store that is so full of high level equipment and specialized supplies, it is a unique talent to create an atmosphere that is as welcoming, accessible, and un-intimidating as it feels walking into Preserved. It's clear that the staff is extremely knowledgable and easily answered all my questions. They met me at the level I was at and explained everything in a way that felt totally doable and showed me basic canning supplies at various price points. My canning supplies ended up being so much simpler and more affordable than I expected, which was great because it opened up my budget to shop around the rest of the store. Even if you aren't doing some kind of preserving, there are beautiful items throughout the store that anyone can use. My supplies were not more expensive than they would have been at any big box store. In fact, the money spent at Preserved was an even greater value, because I left with so much knowledge and information I knew I could trust. As I dive deeper into the canning/fermenting/preserving world, I know that this store will be an invaluable resource. I canned my apricots yesterday and all my jar lids sealed.

Wonderful, unique and unusual small store focusing on fermentation and accessories. Super helpful and knowledgeable staff. Right now I have 2 one gallon kombucha brews going and 1 red and 1 white wine vinegars. Worthy of your support.

I loved this store and wish we had more like it. If you're in need of some specialty ingredient for baking or ferment, you gotta check this place out. It's the only place I know where I can get diastatic malt powder in small home-baking quantities. Thanks so much for being here, hope business treats you well.

Really well curated selection of products and books to make jams, kombucha, vinegar, butter, tinctures, cheese, and other fermented and homemade products. The staff is really knowledgeable and they have a lot of courses you can pay for. While not necessarily the best prices, it's nice to not have to buy a dozen jars or lids at once and support a local shop instead of Amazon.

Highly recommend the coconut probiotic yogurt!!! I’ve tried several different brands, but the one at Preserved is by far the best.

While it may not be the best choice for you if you are looking for something simple like canning jars, this one stop shop has plenty of specialty tools you cannot buy at the grocery store. The store is small, but the stock is well organized. You can find what you're looking for relatively easily, and you can check products carried online. I am satisfied with the cherry pitter I bought here. The woman working said it was a replacement for their usual stock, but it got the job done just fine. She was also able to answer questions about the specific tool (she tested it at home). I would recommend this store to anyone, but even more so to people new to preserving because the woman working has a lot of experience and can make recommendations to you. 5 stars.

The kindest most helpful staff that is always willing to give great suggestions! This is my go-to place for hostess gifts and their selection is always so visually pleasing.

This was a lovely find on my walk down telegraph waiting for my child's hairstyle. They have cheese making supplies, pickling, and sourdough starter. I bought some super cute mason jar lids. I had just lost all my lids somehow so it was a pleasant surprise to find. The person working had a very thoughtful and very patient conversation with someone on the phone about cheese making while I was shopping. I hope to be able to attend one of their classes. They are held in the evening so childcare might be an obstacle. 10/10 highly recommend!

A really well thought out specialty store that has kitchen gadgets and tools for just about any project you might want to undertake! They have pantry items that are top tier. Friendly and knowledgeable staff make the store a very special place. Check out their website for their in-person class offerings. Very cool place!

Preserved is such a great resource! I have been here a number of times over the years for my various culinary hobbies. A few years ago my child was obsessed with kefir, so I was immersed in the making of milk kefir. Today we stopped by for some pickling supplies. My seven year old will eat almost any vegetable as king as it is pickled. We have mostly quick pickles so far. Vegetables pickled to date include beets, carrots, onions, asparagus, cauliflower, garlic and green beans. We wanted to increase our pickling game and came by for their vegetable fermenting kit. We LOVE Bubbies baby dills and have high hopes to recreate them, eventually. They have a giant range of products in their small storefront and are incredibly knowledgeable.

Long overdue review. I love this store they have so many great gifts for the person who loves to cook in your life or for you. They are incredibly knowledgeable about all of their products and how to use them. They also host various classes on different topics. Such a gem of a store, always happy to support them!

I love this wonderful shop! It's as though walking through a time portal to a simpler place and time, when preserving our food was just part of life, and shoot, it still is! And this shop brings it all back to the timelessness of healthy living. I do want ad a big Thank You to Nina, who has been supportive, patient, and helpful with my budding love for making homemade cheese, Thanks Nina :)

Today was the first time I've been to this little shop and I was thoroughly impressed! I took a Kefir and Yogurt class by the owner. She had an amazing knowledge of fermentation. She gave us history, health benefits, alternative methods for preparation and answered any questions thoroughly from all of us that participated in the class. We all went away with heirloom cultures to prepare our Kiefer. I was so excited that we got to taste yogurt and Kiefer in different stages of fermentation. We even got to taste yogurt and Kiefer that had been fermented a bit more and she made cheese, it was yummy! This shop has so many amazing products including raw milk, high-quality gelatin, and anything you would need for fermentation. I will be back again and again Because a lot of these products are so hard to fine. So I've been back for two more classes, a sauerkraut class and today a Kombucha class. I'll be back again and again this place is awesome, I am a fermentation convert. It's not only fun and creative it's great for your health!!!

Very kind and knowledgeable. Great shop! I make water kefir now and microgreens. And both are delicious!

Goodness me, mark my words EVERYONE should visit preserved. Coming here might put you at risk for leaving the city, calling it quits. Let me explain how it will go, you'll make some jam and before you know your pantry is stocked with things you've made, your attachment to technology will fade. You darn your socks, knit a hat, go to Craigslist and list your flat. Life is too fast-paced in the Bay, you become obsessed with getting away. You sell your computer, quit your job. You learn to make an oven from cob. You move to the woods, live off the land, your partner leaves "this is way out of hand." You culture yogurt, press tofu Read Noma's fermentation book through. Jars with air locks bubble away while you make sausage the old fashioned way. Your carrot harvest aligns with the stars, you pluck em, pickle em, put em in jars. With your bounty you'll be hungry never. You are one with the land, changed forever.

excellent resource with knowlegable staff!

Suuuuper cute store - Elizabeth is very knowledgeable and passionate about her craft!! We got some sourdough starter and have been baking delicious bread with it! A++++++ can't recommend enough.

Took a ricotta and paneer cheese making class with my wife here over the weekend. I love to cook so my brother bought me the class for Christmas, and it was a great present! The class was informative, interesting and importantly, broke things down well so I feel very confident in going home and making ricotta on a regular basis! Really cool stuff!

I love this little shop! I went there yesterday to get some canning supplies to make sauce out of my bumper crop of tomatoes. The owner was very helpful and even showed my a couple DIY tricks to make this new adventure more likely a success. I also picked up a few sourdough tools that were on my Amazon list, plus another banneton (Mr. Bezos doesn't need any more of my money!) I can't wait to start making cheese, they everything for that jouney too :)

Obvi our experience here is very different from that of the other reviewers. We signed up for a marmalade class and for $60 per person (for a demo class, no hands on) we had high hopes and were looking forward to the day. Sadly, it was a big phail. We thought going to a class at a place called "Preserved" would be down home, DIY, but instead it was a 2-hour infomercial about the instructors book ("The Bible" and "only real book" on jam making), and the shop's products "the $$$$$ copper pot sold here is the ONLY effective pot for this", the best funnel in commercial cooking, the best asorbic acid in a plastic bag that will last years, the best silicon spatula , the best this and the best that. Yep.$$$$$$ Martha Stewart would indeed be proud (and cashing in if she could)!! Very high priced items -- a cotton apron for $92?! Um, ok I think I'll head over to Coles hardware store and find the same item for $25! There are so many truly down home venues in Oakland, you don't have to go "high price/ the best" to actually get what you're looking for. Check out Pollinate, for example. And so many other truly down home options. But if you live in Temescal and want to support your local biz -- and have the bank for it -- then go!

I LOVE this place. Everything you could ever want when it comes to fermented foods. Very kind and knowledgeable staff and a nice neighborhood feel to the place. I can't wait to go back.

My husband and I took a sourdough bread making class here. The class was very fun and informative and we got to take home two jars of sourdough starter and two sets of dough to bake the next morning. The first got a little burnt on the bottom but was still great otherwise (we cut the burnt part off and the loaf was delicious). We made some adjustments for the next loaf (put the pan one shelf higher in the oven, added a pizza stone on the shelf bellow to catch some of the heat coming from the bottom) and also made a deeper slash on the loaf and honestly it looks like something you would buy at an artisan bakery. Highly recommended, looking forward to taking more classes here in the future.

Amazing store for pickling/ baking/ vinegar enthusiasts. Incredibly knowledgeable team and high quality selection of equipment, raw materials, starters and books. Bonus: educational website and cards with tips. My favourite cooking store in Bay Area, hands down

We stopped into the shop when we were in town last year. I picked up some amazing olive oil and vinegar, and felt so inspired for more. Months later, I ordered the vegetable fermenting kit online. Customer service has been amazing. I'd love online classes, if they ever become available!

So happy we decided to venture south on Telegraph to visit this shop. We went to investigate Kombucha making classes and spent a solid 10 min with one of the owners. The space is small and intimate but they have really cool culinary cooking concepts products and utensils. Books and how too guides abound. But the warmth of the owner, the eclectic nature of the offerings with a specific foodie home grown orientation was very refreshing. Armed with our newly purchased citrus press and listing of upcoming Kombucha classes, we vowed to return at scheduled time signed up and raring to go. I personally do not like the drink. Perhaps because the pungent acidic vinegar taste is so acrid that it completely turns me off. The owner let me smell their culture in a large jar. You literally had to put your noise right at the brim to smell the vinegary smell. But it almost smelled like bread and yeast. Not too bad. I'm sure I could hook some up with flavors to mask that funk with some floral and sweet ingredients. Besides as the owner pointed out it's so easy to do and it is really good for you. Besides which it's much cheaper than buying it at the store. Next time in the area I made a mental note to pick up a jar of these mountain capers that looked huge.. to put on my Beauty's bagel and cream cheese. Don't let the line at BSB discourage you!!! Spend a few minutes in Preserve you will learn a thing or two!

Do you even know three methods to store the sauerkraut you just started fermenting? Preserved sure does. They have multiple gadgets to help make your fermentation fantastic. Fear not fans of ceramic crocks, mason jars, and other homesteading supplies. This place is practically your mecca. Also they have amazing supplies to help you mash, pulverize, strain, and mix to your heart's content. Are you perhaps curious and don't know how to start saving money by making your own jams, miso, pickles, or kimchi? Well that is where their workshops come in to save the day! Come check this place out and be inspired to reawaken your kitchen exploration. The fun here never stops! Well, actually I think they close at 5 on Sunday, so plan ahead.

What a great little shop. I've been pickling home grown peppers and pickles for a couple years and heard about this place only recently. I was on the mission to do some sauerkraut to cap off some home made pastrami I was working on, and decided to check out this shop. What a gem. I wish I went earlier. So many great things and it's local. Julia was a pleasant and knowledgeable person and helped me get a few things along with some advice. I will surely go back and am pretty pumped on getting into a couple classes there. It's places like this that make a community and I hope they will be here a long time!

One of a kind store that's clearly a reflection of its amazing and wonderful owner. Where else can you find kanji to make your own Miso or Grape leaves to firm up your pickles? Preserved.

It's like dying and going to heaven. I walked in just to grab a kombucha to go with my BSB's chicken salad and ended up wanting to buy half the store. I was impressed at the breadth of resources and materials for any preserving project and love being able to roam around in a store to learn more. I would practically just go there to hang out....like a library.. Elizabeth was gracious and kind answering all my questions about different products in the fridge (coconut milk "yoghurt:" yummy!) and was so courteous going back and forth between me and the other two customers there at the time. I am thrilled to have a store nearby sell Claravale's raw milk and so many other goodies. I have the class schedule on my fridge and can't wait to talk a class.

I notified the owner 4 days before a class I had paid for that something came up (family death) and I couldn't attend. I didn't ask for a refund just a credit toward a future class. She responded the following evening via phone msg that their policy doesn't allow for this -- I should give the class to a friend. I had attended a previous class, receive their newsletter...but now with this experience, I will never support their business again.

Instant East Bay gem right here. Perfect place to buy gifts. Incredible collection of yummy goods, drinks, and kitchen equipment, all high quality and well curated. Classes are amazing! I've taken kombucha and sourdough classes and was blown away. Some of the best classes offered in Bay Area.

Cutest store ever!! Came in looking for a beer kit for my Dad and they had a variety of fantastic options. The person at the front was SUPER nice and helpful and packed it together perfectly for me. All the adorable jars and goods made me want to pickle everything in my kitchen. This place is the best for presents for yourself of others! Will definitely return:)

I absolutely love this place. High end fermentation and general kitchen products at surprisingly affordable prices. I made the best sour dough bread I've ever had today using starter I bought there and a recipe, they provided and gingerly walked me through.

I'm going to cop to the fact that one of the reasons I actually went to a brick and mortar store to buy something like a scale was because I've grown tired of my dog's obsession with our front door. What used to be kind of adorable ("awwww, you're in a big city and think you're in charge of protecting us! CUTE!") is now a full-blown Fire Drill event (bark-roaring, throwing herself at the door, "CHELITA! SHH! CHELITA! THE NEIGHBORS!") and I've started adding my rapidly-fraying nerves to the cost of shipping at Amazon. So I swung past the shop I'd noticed by our laundromat, and it's perfect. She curates- my favorite trait in a shop owner- and has excellent taste. I was not bombarded with seven different scales, all of which had their own unique personalities and partisan supporters. I did not need to go through 293842839 reviews of The Best Scales of 2017 for Bread. I was given the exact scale I needed: a scale that measured grams that didn't look like it belonged in a college dorm room weighing out my latest eighth of weed. I've used it and that shit is accurate. Turns out she also had other things I needed: affordable jars for making jam (which I do now because Trump is president and somehow those are related- not sure why) and Ball jars for everything else. I told her I was making my own starter for the first time, and she sells starter- she even let me smell it- and just knowing if I messed up super bad I could go buy a jar of the stuff was actually pretty comforting. Like starter training wheels. OH one more thing: I called the other day to see if they had bread knives. They don't, but recommended another independent kitchen store in Montclair that I'll totally be checking out. Appreciated that they upped another local shop. Very classy.

Elizabeth from Preserved was so helpful. I mentioned, in an off-handed way, something extra I didn't know how to deal with. (Too much dairy in my fridge, left over from baking projects. I live alone, and barely ever drink the stuff!) A funny, attentive series of questions follow, and I'm off with a wacky project. She is so smart, interested, and knowledgeable. Carries exactly what I needed. Gave great advice beyond what's on the package insert. And the whole shop is full of fun, interesting gear. I will definitely be back. Highly recommending!

Cute little store with lots of fun and unique items for preserving, pickling, etc., for sure worth a look if you are in the area. We took a class Sunday morning on salt fermentation which was fun but would have benefited from less talking and a little more hands on. There are also some brewing supplies and yeasts to be had if you are a home brewer. Fun local place and the owner is very passionate about all things fermentation!

Excellent service, fabulous system for shopping during Covid, and great selection. I will be back.

Preserved is great! My mother and I recently attended the sourdough making class taught by Liz from Homestead. Both my mother and I are obsessed with sourdough bread and we both love the sourdough bread from Homestead - so this class was absolutely perfect for us! Liz is an amazing teacher! We learned the various steps of sourdough baking - working with the starter, making leaven, forming the dough, shaping the dough, and actually breaking the bread. We were provided starter to take home with us - it's the starter that Homestead has been working with for years! We also were able to bring two loaves worth of dough home with us - ended up baking two fantastic loaves of sourdough! With the starter in tow, I've been able to bake a ton of bread since - for my friends and family. So happy I took this class! Will be back again to try another class - have always been interested in pickling!

This place is fun and inspring. Lots of supplies and knowledge to try different perserving methods - kombucha, sauerkraut, olives etc. Plus lots of classes to help you learn. A bit pricey - ergo the lack of final star but it's par for the course in that neighborhood. Highly recommend

Took the sourdough class and truly enjoyed it. Elizabeth was so knowledgeable about nutrition and every aspect of the bread making process and it's so fun to learn from someone that passionate about what she does. It was a lot of fun, I learned a lot and will definitely be back!

The proprietor provided some great recommendations for some items we were looking at, and the store is beautifully stocked. Great location too! This will be a regular destination for us.

O.k. This place is just plain awesome. I've been canning, pickling, fermenting and salting for...over forty years, and this place is like a toy store, a really good toy store. Packed into a relatively small space is the basic equipment for dozens of different preservation techniques, and the books for a dozen dozen more. And better than that, it is full of ideas, inspiration and encouragement. I came in just as a beer brewing class was finishing up, everybody was cheerfully packing up, a very lively and very happy place.

If you do any fermenting,pickling, brewing or just general cooking this place is where to shop. They have all kinds of things to help you out, including the person working there. If you need a new starter for that sourdough bread, or some new flavors for your kombucha, Or something to store your latest batch of kraut. You need to stop by and check it out. you won't be disappointed .

Elizabeth is super helpful and awesome. She came through for me on very short notice with a special order of supplies. I love these people!

Such a great shop. Great products and new things to try. Staff was so helpful. Going back to take a class soon!

Wow wow wow wow, my partner and I took a marmalade class at Preserved today and it was WONDERFUL! This store is the coolest! It makes me want to make everything from scratch. They have all the equipment and some of the ingredients for making cool stuff from scratch, whether you're looking to ferment things, or preserve things, or even make beer. The classes are inspirational and just a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours on an evening or weekend. I highly recommend that anyone interested in preserving or pickling or fermenting or...whatever it is you do to make beer plan a visit the store or sign up for a class!

This place is a local gem! Elizabeth the owner, has an encyclopedic knowledge of not just fermentation, pickling and canning, cheese making, beer brewing, soap making, etc etc, she also has a passion for and deep understanding of holistic nutrition and sustainable agriculture. I see this store as more than just a boutique selling amazing food, and beautiful stoneware crocks, it's a community resource center that empowers and teaches people to deepen their own connection to the food and ecological systems we are all intimately part of (from our own intestinal microbiome to the farmers, makers and merchants that make up our local economy). This kind of food is medicine and it can play a pivotal role in healing from the host of chronic diseases that afflict those on the Standard American Diet (SAD). Do your guts and our taste buds a favor: visit Preserved, eat some kimchi, drink some kombucha and take a workshop. It might change your life!

i came here for the kombucha class yesterday, and it was great. elizabeth is a wealth of knowledge and is super inspiring. after the class, i went home and already started brewing my own batch of kombucha. in addition to classes, the store is well-stocked w/ everything for your preserving, fermenting, brewing and pickling needs.

Preserved is such a great addition to the Oakland community and yet another reason I'm so proud to live here. I had a great experience in the shop looking for supplies to make sauerkraut. The associate walked me through my options and helped me find something that would work for me in my budget. I called them this morning because I had a few questions about a home project (making fire cider) and the person I spoke with was very knowledgeable and patient and answered all my questions. They are a great resource. Thank you Preserved! Sending you some gratitude.

This place is awesome for all your fermentation needs! Everytime I go in there to shop they have so much good information and helpful tips. Their quick guide for making kombucha is a super helpful guide to get you started and it's a great deal! It seems like they have intel and equipment for all types of different fermentations. 10/10 recommend if fermenting's your bag of tea!

I love it when I find a locally owned store where I feel like I get special attention from the staff/owners because they live here, they're invested in the community and they're doing what they do because they love it. And that's exactly what Preserved is. It's clear that Elizabeth loves what she does and that she wants to share her knowledge with others. My wife and I bought our kombucha starter packs from Preserved. Then, over the next couple of weeks, we had a couple questions about whether we were doing things the right way. So we reached back out a couple of times and, each time we did, Elizabeth was so incredibly nice to listen to our newbie questions, answer them, and coach us so that we'd feel confident enough to take the next step on our own. You really don't get this kind of interaction with any other stores/staff. She's definitely earned our repeat business, our support, and our referrals. Check out the store if you're at all interested in fermenting, pickling, brewing, etc.... You can't go wrong.

Doesn't get much more inspiring then popping into Preserved and chatting with Elizabeth about all the delicious (and simple!) foods you can make at home. From stove top beer (!) to cheeses, shrubs, hot sauces, and on and on and on, I am always excited to try something new when I leave this shop. I dare you to stop by and not come out with a new hobby, that just may turn into a lifestyle :)

i love fermented foods and this place is very helpful and knowledgable. A great resource to learn about all the fantastic fermented foods out there!

Wow! Wow! Wow! This place is fantastic. I took a Thanksgiving Jam making class yesterday from Rachael Saunders of Blue Chair Fruit. I thought I knew how to make jam but it would be fun to go anyway. The class was fantastic. She taught just the right amount of technical and plenty of creative. I left so energized. The shop is AMAZING. It has the best of everything you need. It's like an awesome art supply store for preservers and makers. Just the best vibe there. I will be back and recommend highly.

This is a beautiful store with an amazing selection and I want to love it. But I went in for the first time recently and was surprised not to be greeted by the salesperson until I realized she was on the phone. I assumed it was a customer and kept looking around, until later realizing it was a personal call. I was basically ignored until I went up to the register with my purchase and, once she asked the person to wait, was simply told the amount before she took my money and got back on the phone. Fine, it's the end of the day and you're ready to go home, but this store is made for interaction and discussion of the fantastic--but perhaps for the home chef occasionally perplexing--merchandise. A bit more attention to customer service would have probably resulted in more than a $5 purchase and much more enthusiasm about a return visit (rather than a trip to Amazon.com).

A really fun and inspiring place where creativity and cultures abound! I had to take my dad to Oakland today so I planned to take a side trip to Preserved, drove 30 miles to get here, talked to the sales person, bought a kombucha kit. They said I had everything I needed to make the stuff. I went home to start the kombucha: read the recipe, where the last step is "add1-2 cups plain kombucha" to cooled tea solution. Do I have this? No! They should have sold me this at the store, too, so I'd have everything I need to make a batch. It's not so easy for me to run to the store, I have a spinal cord injured husband at home who can't be left alone. I have to find someone to stay with him before I can leave the house. Who knows when I'll be able to get to the store? Please, sell us everything we need to make the kombucha before we walk out the door! Prevent frustration!

I came here and took two different workshops... it was great. Very informative! Every lil item in this place has a purpose... for all types of preservation purposes! I love this place.