From the moment you walk in to Pepper & Bean you are hit with its fragrant aroma, sending your senses into a flurry. From the exotic spice blends to the distinct smell of brewing coffee, your nose will be twitching with delight as you walk past the full shelves. John and Justina don’t want you to tease your senses either – they encourage you to immerse yourself in the sensory experience, believing that herbs and spices aren’t just about smell, taste and flavour enhancement, but also the story behind where they come from.

Pepper & Bean stocks a wide range of herbs, spices, spice blends, salts, peppers, chillies and coffee beans, as well as grinders and books. The herbs and spices are creatively packaged in glass cork-topped test tubes, available in both 50 ml and 100 ml sizes, as well as glass 190-ml and 270-ml jars. If you only need a pinch of this and a sprinkle of that, you can opt for a self-serve bag instead. The store has also crafted custom-built wooden spice racks so you can display your test-tube spices with pride. As well as your usual paprika and oregano, Pepper & Bean stocks a wide range of hard-to-find herbs and spices, such as mace blade, juniper berries, Mexican and Indian whole chillies and Australian bush spices. And far from your standard ground supermarket selections, many of Pepper & Bean’s herbs and spices are available whole, coarsely ground or finely ground. A whole shelf is dedicated to salt and pepper, with varieties including smoked salt, Chile verde salt, Cyprus black lava salt, espresso bravo salt and mountain, Szechuan and pink peppers. Once you’ve made your selection, sit down for a cold fair-trade drink, artisan tea, coffee (which you can infuse with spices such as cinnamon or chilli) or a cold-drip cup of joe.

For opening hours and contact information, check out our Stumble Guide. If you can’t make it Paddington, head to Pepper & Bean’s online store.