The Spice House

That heavenly, heady smell of spices on this stretch of Old Town can be attributed to Patty Erd, the daughter of Milwaukee’s royal spice family, the Penzeys. Patty and husband Tom inherited the biz, expanded to Chicago and have been the go-to for bakers and cooks seeking seasoning for decades. Stock up on staples like sea salt and whole peppercorns, plus learn the difference between cinnamons (there are many) while splurging on saffron and snacking on crystallized ginger.