The Spice Trader & The Olive Pit

Smashing IT! This store has everything that you need to enhance your culinary talents and tickle your taste buds. Great customer service and amazing range of delectable STUFF to make that special dish that much special. If you're a bread dunker like me, then you're going to want to pick up one of their amazing wide selections of balsamic vinegars. From spices to finishing salts, the variety and choices are many. The staff are also extremely knowledgeable, which is an advantage if you're not sure which item to pick from regarding what it is that you're preparing etc. The Spice Trader & The Olive Pit is unique and rare gem in the city and you owe it to your taste buds to give it a visit. Check them out, you'll be very happy that you did.

We love the Spice Trader! We discovered it years ago after moving to Canada, while taking a long walk down Queen Street. The spices (and oils and vinegars) are always top quality—better and fresher than any we have purchased elsewhere. We live outside the city so we normally buy by mail order. Everything comes promptly, and the staff is always helpful if we have questions or in finding substitutes if they happen to be out of something we like. (Generally, though, they have everything we want in stock.) This is a gem of a business and one of Toronto's best specialty stores in my opinion.

The offerings are quality and the variety is inspiring, so no need to go elsewhere! I love scanning the website for new ideas and of course my favourites. My one "disappointment" is that items are often out of stock, as well as refill packages. I can only re-use those lovely tins so much and hate to toss them. Granted, obtaining timely supplies are out of their control, but it's just a bit frustrating. Love you and your fabulous store!

Love ordering difficult-to-get spices (and occasionally other gourmet things) from this shop. Quality is always excellent, the tins are attractive, and delivery very fast. I had them send my nephew in Germany two themed spice collections, with matching cook books, as a wedding gift a few years back (he and his wife are foodies) and they were thrilled!

I love this store. It is such a unique and wonderful space. Just incredible. I could spend hours perusing the and smelling the spices. I knew my partner would love the Advent calendar. He can't wait to discover all that is inside!

Love, love this store!! My family has enjoyed trying new spices that we had never heard of before. We enjoy trying the accompanying recipes, as well. The Advent Calendar is a Christmas treat!

We bought the Spice Traders Advent Calendar last year and loved it. The quality, variety and guessing game each day were all perfect. This year we've bought two, with one to share with family. The delivery went smoothly, everything is in place, and we're looking forward to beginning the adventure on December 1st!

Always a pleasure shopping with The Spice Trader! I have been a customer since they opened a loooong time ago! Have since moved outside of Toronto but still visit and order online regularly. Excellent quality spices and the best gift ideas. Also, Alison’s recipes are so good.

If I lived in Toronto, this would be my spice and olive go-to. They carry a large quantity of ground and whole spices and work directly with the 'spice traders' that provide for them. Lots of olive and tapenade options, a whole selection of salts and peppers. I picked up black salt, but it was hard not to walk away with more! I want to note that the woman working the counter that day was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. I probably asked her about 8 different spices and she went into depth on how to use and pair each of them. I'll be sure to order from them online!

I ordered $100 worth of spices through the Spice Trader website to send to my sister for Christmas. Their delivery service screwed up the delivery, it was lost or delivered somewhere else. I was told it is not their policy to offer refunds unless they make the mistake, adding they were " truly sorry". Needless to say I won't be shopping at The Spice Trader again. Online shoppers beware. UPDATE After a week and six emails back and forth they gave me a refund, saying the order had been returned to them. I don't think I would have received a refund if it hadn't. Altogether it was an unpleasant experience.

What a delightful little store. I happened to be walking by and also needed some more extra virgin olive oil for dipping bread so I stopped in to inquire. Allison was so kind and had a wealth of knowledge to help me pick an olive oil that I'd like (despite them not carrying a Croatian olive oil, which is what I was originally looking for). She offered a few samples for me to try so I could taste the differences and she accurately guessed the one I'd like the most. I was in a rush but it looked like they had lots of other little gastronomical items that would be great for gifts. I would definitely come back if I was in the area.

Fantastic spices, oils, vinegars and the like. Maria was extremely helpful, and let me sample some tasty wares to help me decide. I will definitely be back!

Stopped by on a neighbourhood walk, and they ended up changing my life by introducing me to true olive oil and I am a convert. The service was excellent and knowledgeable. You can do curbside pick ups. Lots of interesting products, treat yoself!

Allison, the owner was very friendly and helpful as soon as I walked into the store. I was impressed at all the spices and oils that were available. She and I had a nice conversation about food and she mentioned that they also run specialty event nights at the shop-- everything ranging from truffles and how to cook with them to wine tastings and how- to cooking classes. Spices were a little steep in price, but the quality seems to be there. I also like the small tin packaging and the amount that is sold. Buying spices in huge quantities is a giant waste unless you piece it off and give some to friends. This tins are the perfect personal amount for the savvy home cook. They also had some great gift boxes for the person in your life who likes a little spice!

With Christmas fast approaching and me not wanting to venture into any malls, I decided to take to my own neighbourhood in search of the perfect gifts for my family. They are all farmers who enjoy their food.. well... bland. I have made it my mission to spice up their eating experience. With that being said, I wandered into the The spice trader and olive pit. I couldn't have been more satisfied with this store. The spices are endless, the olive oil divine and the sea salts, in abundance. To top it all off, the owners are absolutely remarkable and incredibly helpful. They clearly enjoy their store and everything it has to offer. Go once and they will remember you always. If you are in search for the last minute, perfect gift, might I suggest a trip to this store; i guarantee you will find something for everyone on your list.

I love this place! Great selection of spices and oils for great meals and excellent gift options. Plus the people are really nice and helpful. The Souvlaki Seasoning is the best I've ever tried! 5 stars!

This is an excellent store to get your spices, including any obscure ones. The Spice Trader prides itself on organic spices (sometimes this is not possible and they will try and find naturally grown or wild harvested). Each tin tells you the origin and if it is organic. The spices here are super fresh and potent. If you've been hanging on to your 7 year old spices, do yourself a favour and go to this store. Because I've been using Spice Trader spices I sometimes have to cut back on the amount I use otherwise the flavour would be too strong for me. Staff here are very knowledgeable and are willing to chat with you on ways to use the spice. I buy all my spices from here now. The spices may seem pricey, but when I compared it to an organic grocery store brand, they were on par. Note: They seem to have discontinued their garlic powder, but have minced garlic and garlic granules available. P.S. Also check out The Olive Pit which is downstairs. They sell balsamic vinegars and oils.

Family run, with personal service as a result. Interior is very cool. In terms of product, excellent selection of olive oils - highly recommend the smoked olive oil by caastillo de canena which is hard to find in North America - but they carry it. In terms of spices, it's definately on the pricier side, but the quality is good and fresh. Plus the cool tins are a nice touch.

I was looking for a herb blend for grilled chicken for a mini dinner party and walked into the store to get some suggestions. The lady on duty was so patient in talking me through some options and i got to 'sniff test' some blends. I settled on the Rib Rub...and a bottle of truffle oil I rubbed the blend into the pieces of chicken and marinated it for 24 hours. Drizzled some truffle oil on the chicken...then grilled them for 45 mins on 350F...everyone raved about it. The rub was amazing. smoky, tasty...i didn't have to do anything else with it. Quality product, good service- Thank you! Highly Recommend

Gosh this place is posh! It really is a very striking place, with dark wood, marbled paintings, and a ceiling fresco which evokes a very maritime, spice route trade kinda feeling. This store stocks an endless array of spices, olives, olive oils and vinaigrette: for every kind of setting, event, person and day. I was on the lookout for a special strain of cinnamon and cloves; they had those in stock and then some. The proprietor is super knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating. I look forward to doing business here.

This is a posh shop with a fine selection of olive oils and spices. They have beautiful tins (50$ each) with about 6 different spices each. Packaging has different themes such as Thai or Indian. Individually packaged spices are also available. They give samples of their olive oils in the back of the shop. The person conducting the olive oil samples did a great job explaining the oils and is the star of the overall service experience. Prices are high, but the shop exudes an air of exclusivity and product knowledge that gives purchases from here a sense of value.

quality makes a difference....I make this healthy Tuscan Kale Salad (search Dr.Weil Tuscan Kale Salad on youtube) A quality olive oil is key in this recipe & this store has it....even at the lower end they bottle their own line which is fantastic...I had visited it many times for the olive oil only, dismissing the herbs as something I could pick up at the grocery store...mistake....until I tried their Jerk Rub. I rubbed it generously into a cheaper cut of clodhammer from the Healthy Butcher and the aromas were fantastic. I had some guests over last night & it was a hit. Eye opening, really...quality spices really do make a huge difference.

I haven't gone to the store physically, but I did order a couple of their spice boxes online & had them shipped to my home. I gave them away to some close friends for Christmas gifts & they really loved them. It can be hard to get good quality, authentic spices these days, so I was happy to discover them from a write up in a magazine.

It's a hit and miss for me. Mostly a hit, but the tiny miss is on the price (I can't dock any half stars for it, so I'm giving it a full 5). The spice range, and the way they're packaged = 5 stars. The prices? Well.. they're a bit more pricey compared to where else I can purchase them (namely organic grocery stores). I also am not really keen on not being able to look at the spices or give them a sniff to see if they're old or not. That said, I LOVE the layout of the shop, it smells like heaven when you walk in, you can find obscure spices for the most part, and the shelf for salt made my heart flutter.

The quality of these spices is everything you would expect: fresh and packed with flavour. I was especially pleased with the Saigon cinnamon, lemon thyme and smoked paprika (sweet). The spices were pricier than average, but not much more than McCormick's organic line. I purchased 8 tins that ranged from $5.65 to $8.30. Their friendly, knowledgeable service was the highlight of the shopping experience. I will definitely return.

It's more than the fact that they always have what I'm looking for. It's that, when your there, you are greeted pleasantly, helped at every corner, and always welcomed back. This place is great for it's products and it's staff, please keep it up!

I have been frequenting this place for years now. Ever since I discovered the difference between the taste of regular olive oil and the real deal, this has been my go to store. They have a large selection of fine oils and vinegars and a table set up at the back with a staff to walk you through a tasting (much like wine tasting). If you have a foody on your gift list this year, definitely consider The Spice Trader. It's not cheap but a good olive oil drizzled over your salad is worth every penny.

The Spice Trader is like a drug to me. I walk on the other side of the street to avoid the temptation of the little green tins of fennel pollen, ancho, marjoram, ceylon cinnamon, long pepper and epazote. If you want a spice, they've got it, and can tell you what to do with it. The prices may scare some people away, but I promise that the spices you buy here will last twice as long as the ones from the grocery store, they are much more potent, fresh, flavourful and organic.

They know whatsup when it comes to olives. They offer samples of products to ensure you'll enjoy the product. Very friendly service.

I've walked by this place a millon times (I live less than a block away) but never went in until recently. I was looking for something really obscure that I couldn't find anywhere else in the city - White Truffle Salt. Yes, they had it. I took a look around and they have what seems like an endless selection of spices, salts, and other things like fine oils and vinegars. They have more selection than Whole Foods, and way more than the spice store in Kensington, although a bit pricier. If you are looking for something specific then this is the place to go. Also, the customer service is beyond excellent. Every person I have interacted with there is very nice, but more importantly, they are very knowledgable and willing to share their knowledge freely and without any of the attitude you can sometimes encounter in other foodie stores. Highly recommend!

This is where I did my hard-to-buy-for-people holiday shopping and they were unbelievably helpful. Guess where I'll be heading to first next year?

i used to be a big fan when i first moved into the neighbourhood years ago. However i find for their spices, its hit or miss really, and some of the prices are too high imo. some of the blends are not very authentic imo, such as the garam masala My favourite part of the store would be the olive oils. The customer service experience from the staff is generally very friendly. however having had one or two "sour" instances with the owner Allison I have found it hard go back in the past year and a half at least. She has a long way to go in regards to courteous customer service

the worst customer service ever. Do not shop here, there are so many other places you can buy quality spices from. they do not honour their satisfaction guarantee, enough said.

I went in looking for a bottle of Eau de Rose that I had purchased from the store in Christmas 2011. I use this for an Ayurvedic receipe, so I need the rose water to be food grade. Allison, the friendly and extremely helpful shop owner, told me that there was not any in stock at present. She suggested I check out the No Frills on Lansdowne, as they have a huge selection of ethnic produce and staples. Allison then proceeded to give me her own half full sample bottle of Eau de Rose! When I asked her if I could pay her for it, she said no. I suggested that I would be happy to buy something(there are so many lovely oils/spices/salts to choose from). Allison looked and me and said " Come back when you need to buy something ". I WILL! Future house warming, kitchen warming, anytime gifting is going to involve me going to Allison's shop. Highly recommend this wonderful store and it's wonderful owner. Thank you, Allison!