The Essential Ingredient

Such a range of items from the everyday to special occasions.We visited today to grab some treats for the upcoming festivities and were spoilt for choice.Cheese room has great choices and staff are quite knowledgeable.Excellent range, excellent quality, and excellent service.

We asked The Essential Ingredients staff for the pure (real) cinnamon - Not Cassia.We were sold their TEI ground cinnamon, made in Vietnam.We have subsequently searched on cinnamon and found the only true cinnamon is from Ceylon or Sri Lanka. No thanks TEI shop.

On a recent Saturday, I wanted to put together a hamper of locally made foods to congratulate some friends of mine in another city who'd had a baby.I visited the Essential Ingredient, where Kate listened attentively, asked intelligent questions, and showed me what they had available. The food they did have was amazing, but not much of it was from local sources. As a result, there wasn't enough to fill a hamper.She proceeded to charge me for the products I'd bought, and she was kind enough to put my goods to one side when I explained I wanted to buy more local goods from other providers. So I went shopping at the farmer's and wholesale markets in my city, and brought them back to the Essential Ingredient.Kate greeted me with a smile, and proceeded to create the hamper in front of me. It was beautifully presented, and the price (including postage) was very reasonable. I was very relieved, as I'd wanted to do this for weeks, and just hadn't been able to find the time.Today my friends recieved the package, and they are very, very excited. Even though they live in a bigger city, they haven't heard of half the stuff I'd packed, and so I think I've done both them and some of our regional food producers a good turn.I highly recommend this store for its friendly staff, wide range of delicious food, and their help in making life easier for me and my friends. Thank you very much for your help, Kate! :)

7 star actually. This was my first visit after a friend recommended it to me some months ago, saying it was her favourite shop for kitchenware & ingredients. She was being understated I think. This shop is beyond awesome. The range is incredible, from local artisan producers up to really top shelf products such as Shun knives as well as Kazumi and a bunch of top quality German knives. I am on a walking stick and bought more than I could carry. No problem. Lexie found a box and then carried it to my car - about 100-150m away. Where do you get service like that these days? Absolutely brilliant. I will be going back again. And several more against after that.

I just found this place by accident and what a find! All the cookware you could ever need, helpful knowledgeable staff, a great range of cook books and a cold room full of cheese. I’m in heaven! Bought a huge book that I am devouring with my eyes until I get home and start trying some of the recipes. My husband and I also enjoyed a selection from the cheese room for our lunch. Yum. I have added this to my favourite places and look forward to checking out the Sydney store when I go home. Congratulations on a shop well done!

Amazing store with amazing range! They stock all kinds of things that I would have otherwise needed to look online to find. The prices are quite good for what they sell, too, but it's still more than your regular groceries, naturally.

Excellent shopping experience in Canberra. Amazing products. I love this shop because it is one of the stockists of my favourite herb and spice range - Herbie's Spices. Street parking and parking at rear. Wheelchair accessible. Coffee available and some tasty cookies for sale. Good retail spot for gifts - especially for Christmas.

Very nice staff and an amazing range of food and spices from all over the world, I was pleasantly surprised to see such a great selection of Mexican items!

My parent's bought me a cheese making kit from The Essential Ingredient in Kingston back in October 2019. Upon getting around the opening it (January 2020) it turns out the store accidentally forgot to include a packet of Blue Mould cultures in the box.Despite over 4 months passing the found the extra packet, were very apologetic, AND are shipping it interstate for me!Now that is service. Great job, guys! Looking forward to visiting you when I'm next in Canberra.