By: Michael Franco

The long wait is over! I never thought I'd see the day when we in Buffalo would have our very own Penzeys Spices store. But that long awaited day is here. Penzeys Spices opened their door to customers this weekend, and the Elmwood Avenue location looks great.

I first learned about Penzeys many years ago while watching Food Network's live TV program "Cooking Live Prime Time with Sara Moulton". She often sourced Penzeys for the show's spices and I began to mail order from them. With stores in cities nationwide, they carry a vast array of herbs, spices and other seasoning ingredients. Penzeys supplies restaurants and delights home cooks with products that are at their peak of freshness.

Three years ago on a trip to Pittsburgh I stopped in the Penn Avenue location of Penzeys and talked with the store manager, Frank. I got to know Frank from my frequent shopping pilgrimages, so he knew I'd be excited by the prospect of a Buffalo location. He mentioned Penzeys was looking at a few neighborhoods in the city of Buffalo and we discussed potential locations. Long story short, we have our store! And it was worth the wait.

Whether you are an avid cook or know someone who likes to cook, this is the store for you.

Penzeys Spices
783 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14222
176.887.9777
Mon. - Sat. 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sun. 11:00am - 5:00pm

Michael Franco is a Buffalo native with a life-long passion for food and cooking. His grandfather, a Sicilian immigrant, was a farmer and fisherman who taught his family the importance of fresh, healthy, local food. As a writer, Michael has been published in local magazines and on his blog, livetoeatmjf.blogspot.com.