Any of the Indian or Asian groceries. In the strip there's WFH and lotus foods.

Im sure if you put in the thyme you’ll find a shop better suited to your tastes.

Not an expert, but could buying cumin seed and grinding it fresh give a better result? not sure if cumin seed might also go bad as quickly

There are a million local markets for whatever you are looking for, cumin you can get anywhere. Mexican IGA on Broadway, Black cumin from the uzbeck/russian store in Mt wash, indian from 1 of the 30 stores around town. You don't go to penzeys cuz it's super cheap, you got to penzeys for quality and to support one of the only loudly outspoken anti republican establishments in this hick-ass hellscape.

The east end food co-op has a great bulk spice selection at good prices.

This! And the prices are great too.

River city growers has fresh herbs, like basil. Believe it’s by appointment only bc they do not have a store front yet.

Second this, especially if you just need enough for one recipe, so you just scoop like a dollar's worth. Plus you can smell the jar when you open it, so you can confirm they're strong enough, haha.

I mostly do this, because I do find the taste and aroma better, but sometimes you just don’t have the time or equipment ready to grind spices in the moment. I still keep ground cumin on hand for this reason.

There are a lot of places you could check in the Strip before Penzeys. My normal search order is:

1. Salem Market
2. Many More - in the back past the fish tanks
3. Lotus

Salem has bigger bags of good quality cumin for a couple bucks.

Gryphons tea in Bloomfield has quite a lot of spices at bulk prices!

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I go to salems

Pittsburgh spice and seasonings got a ton of bulk spices for real cheap

I hope you did not literally buy a gallon-sized container of cumin and expect it to be any good at all after a year. I’m all for saving money but there’s a threshold beneath which things are too cheap for a reason.

Second the advice to shop at Indian groceries.

It depends on what spices you want. I get a lot of spices from Salim's on centre ave because those are the types I use. Salim's, not Salem's.

There is also Bombay Market and Sultan Bey right up the street from there.

Not fresh, but crazy cheap to buy spices at las Palmas. Come prepared with the Spanish name of the spice you are looking for.

I am Reddit dad-joke bot and this qualifies as a good one

Tried Lotus cumin seed. Wish me luck. Hopefully the double whammy of whole seed and fresher makes the dish.

Trying it. Bought some seed from lotus.

Salem is tremendous. Great lamb and really good British chocolate

Imo fresh herbs don’t always add the kind of dried and ground spice flavor the OP is looking for, just for some insight.

3rd-ing this. Great quality and you can buy any amount you like.

Pro tip- whatever you go, get cumin seed. Toast it on your stovetop and then get a bladed coffee grinder (you can usually find one for really cheap at target or Walmart) to grind it into powder. The flavor will be intense.

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Good bot.

Patel Bros in Monroeville

This is the correct answer. You will pay so much less for spices and you can buy in small quantities that actually match what you can use up before it gets old and flavorless.

Buy them online, seriously. You can get it fresh no problem. I buy spices by the pound online like three times a year, then I split them, vacuum pack them, and freeze them. When you need more you just grab a frozen pack and refill your bottle. It works great and saves money.

Make sure you waft the spicy stuff. I maced myself doing that once (not the actual nutmeg mace).

Don't forget to toast it before grinding it

Have you tried harvies? They source their products from farmers and small businesses. They deliver too

Sage advice.

Go to an Asian store

You got Stamooli Bros. and Penn Macaroni across the street

Haha, it’s more like a pint. One of the Mexican brands (I think badia or something)

And Salem’s has a ton as well

Salems and Penn Mac will, between them, cover most of your spice needs.

If you can easily get to Patel Bros., there's no reason to buy spices elsewhere.

Definitely going to check them out

Fresh from farm or co op

Or spice house. Com for high quality dried spices.

It's not a secret hookup or anything, it's just a chain grocery store for primarily Indian/East Asian food/culture. The stuff you pay exorbitant prices for at GE are cheap there.

Don't go hungry.