Épices Khan el-Saboun

A few doors from Tripoli's famous soap khan, this spice house has blended, roasted and ground for four generations. Seven-spice is mixed weekly in small drums; za'atar is cut with sumac pressed the same autumn, never older.

The house rule is dated jars: every blend carries its grinding week, because cumin at three months is not cumin at three years. What does not sell fresh is sold to restaurants at a discount — never left on the shelf for the retail customer.