Spice Corner, the next level Bodega

True: I like any place about 3x more than I normally would when there are free samples. But even if the friendly man behind the counter hadn’t offered me a piece of freshly-made Kalakand (a Pakistani sweet made of milk, rose, water and sugar) as soon as I walked in, making me feel like I was sipping champagne while picking out my next Rolex, I am 90% sure I’d like Spice Corner just the same.

It may look like a bodega. With products taking up every spare square inch of possible space, it may feel like a bodega, too. But instead of discolored Rice Krispies that cost $5.99 and expired in 2002, it’s shelves are crammed with the flavors of the quality Curry Hill restaurants that surround it. Packages of fresh spices (Indian Chili Powders, Pink Peppercorns, Mace Powder and more) line the back wall and start at $2.99, not bad considering stale bottled spices sell around $4-$5 in the supermarket. They also sell their own brands of fresh made goods like Mango Chutney for around $4.99, non-Indian foreign favorites like Nutella and Marmite, and pretty much anything else you never realized you wanted so badly until walking into the store… which are thankfully listed for your convenience HERE.

Spice Corner may not be as famous as its neighbor Kalustyan’s, but it makes up for it in reasonable prices. And free samples, of course.

Spice Corner

135 Lexington Avenue (at 29th Street)

[Murray Hill]

Photo Credit: SpiceCorner.com