What is the best spice makers & peppercorns, according to chefs?

MyTastr’s top pick is Burlap & Barrel (single-origin), chosen by Rikki Giambruno (Hyacinth); Zoë Kanan (pastry chef). “I exclusively use Burlap & Barrel spices because the second I tasted them they just blew me away” (Giambruno). Kanan on Royal Cinnamon: “fiery, enormous flavor.”

What are the other top picks for spice makers & peppercorns?

No. 2 is Diaspora Co. (Aranya black pepper), chosen by Kalisa Martin (Kalisa Marie Eats). No. 3 is Kalustyan’s (blends, e.g. ras el hanout), chosen by Kalisa Martin (Kalisa Marie Eats).

How does MyTastr choose these picks?

Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot.

Best spice makers & peppercorns, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Rikki Giambruno, Zoë Kanan, Daniel Gritzer, Claudette Zepeda and 9 more. Recommendations come from eater.com, insidehook.com, seriouseats.com and thekitchn.com and 2 other sources.

Pantry Staples · The ranking

1
Top pick
Burlap & Barrel (single-origin)
Chosen by
- Rikki GiambrunoChef-owner, Hyacinth · St. Paul
- Zoë KananPastry chef · New York
Also chosen by
- Greg Baxtrom · Olmsted, Maison Yaki source ↗
- Daniel Gritzer · Serious Eats editorial director source ↗
- Matthew Cutolo · Gargiulo’s source ↗
- Claudette Zepeda · Chef · regional Mexican, San Diego source ↗
- Jamie Rothenberg · Dinner Party source ↗
- Raúl Duarte · Chef · NYC source ↗
- Jessie Sheehan · Cookbook author source ↗
“I exclusively use Burlap & Barrel spices because the second I tasted them they just blew me away” (Giambruno). Kanan on Royal Cinnamon: “fiery, enormous flavor.”
Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: eater.com ↗
2
Diaspora Co. (Aranya black pepper)
Chosen by
- Kalisa MartinKalisa Marie Eats
Also chosen by
- Bill Addison · Restaurant critic, Los Angeles Times source ↗
- Jessie Sheehan · Cookbook author source ↗
Heirloom, single-origin spices sourced directly from partner farms in India; “let black pepper be your exception” to pre-ground.
Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: eater.com ↗
3
Kalustyan’s (blends, e.g. ras el hanout)
Chosen by
- Kalisa MartinKalisa Marie Eats
Also chosen by
- April Bloomfield · Chef · cookbook author, A Girl and Her Pig source ↗
- Vikas Khanna · Chef · cookbook author source ↗
The NYC spice institution’s ras el hanout: “good on everything from stews to side dishes.”
Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: eater.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best spice makers & peppercorns, according to chefs?: MyTastr’s top pick is Burlap & Barrel (single-origin), chosen by Rikki Giambruno (Hyacinth); Zoë Kanan (pastry chef). “I exclusively use Burlap & Barrel spices because the second I tasted them they just blew me away” (Giambruno). Kanan on Royal Cinnamon: “fiery, enormous flavor.” Source: eater.com ↗
What are the other top picks for spice makers & peppercorns?: No. 2 is Diaspora Co. (Aranya black pepper), chosen by Kalisa Martin (Kalisa Marie Eats). No. 3 is Kalustyan’s (blends, e.g. ras el hanout), chosen by Kalisa Martin (Kalisa Marie Eats). Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?: Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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