The first retail location for Meherwan Irani’s spice brand Spicewalla is now open in Old Fourth Ward as part of Ponce City Market’s Central Food Hall expansion, the company Monday announced.
The spice shop offers its full line of 250+ individual spices, exclusive blends, and collections, plus product collaborations, cookbook bundles, home goods (tiffins, masala dabbas, etc.), and a tightly-curated selection of pantry goods from fellow AAPI makers. Spicewalla joins sibling restaurants Nani’s Piri Piri Chicken and Botiwalla in Ponce City Market.
“The chefs, creators and enthusiasts behind Spicewalla are on a quest to help consumers harness the power of fresh and high-quality spices to become better cooks,” according to a press release. Spicewalla’s spices and exclusive blends are roasted, ground, and packed by hand in Asheville and now easily accessible in Atlanta.
Five-time James Beard–nominated Chef Meherwan Irani founded Spicewalla in 2017, eight years after opening his flagship restaurant Chai Pani in Asheville, named Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation this year. Initially founded to supply fresh, high-quality spices to professional kitchens, Spicewalla quickly expanded to home kitchens after being named to Oprah’s Favorite Things list.
Customers from local chefs to amateur cooks can browse Spicewalla’s full collection: single spices A-Z (from Ajwain to Urfa!), signature blends like Chai Masala, Modena Balsamic Rub, and Za’atar, and gift-worthy collections ranging from 3- to 18-packs. Collaborative products include Spicewalla’s four recipes with Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn and chocolate bars made with neighbors and friends in Asheville, French Broad Chocolates. Additionally, Spicewalla has curated their favorite products within the AAPI community including Fly By Jing, Brooklyn Delhi, Momofuku, Yun Hai, and Moonflowers Co. and will continue to build out these offerings.
The 250-square-foot retail space, framed by marigold garlands, glows ultraviolet across from Umbrella Bar and between JJ’s Flower Shop and Vietvana in Ponce’s Central Food Hall. The Spicewalla team plans to roll out retail experiences like roasting and blending on site and cooking demos later this year.
