Olive n' Vinnies

Taste & Learn

We believe the best way to fall in love with great olive oil and balsamic vinegar is to actually taste it. Explore our guides below — then come into the store and experience it for yourself.

Free In-Store Tastings Every Saturday — Come taste your way through our full lineup at 449 N. Main Street, Glen Ellyn

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Always Available

Try Any Oil or Vinegar, Any Time

Every single oil and vinegar on our shelves is available to taste before you buy — any day we're open, no appointment needed. Walk in, ask to try anything, and our team will take it from there.

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Special Events

Featured Tastings Every Saturday

Every Saturday we spotlight a curated selection of products — new arrivals, seasonal favorites, and staff picks — with guided tastings and pairing ideas you can take home and try that night.

The Complete Guide

Everything You Want to Know

From what makes extra virgin olive oil truly extra virgin, to the difference between infused and fused, to why our balsamic is nothing like what you find in a grocery store — these guides cover it all in plain, friendly language.

🫒 Olive Oils

Extra Virgin
Olive Oils

What makes extra virgin the gold standard — and why freshness and polyphenol count matter more than the label. Plus our Ultra-Premium standard explained.

Read the guide
🌿 Olive Oils

Flavored Olive Oils:
Infused & Fused

Infused vs. fused — what's the difference and why does it matter? Plus our six flavor families and how to use each one in your everyday cooking.

Read the guide
Olive Oils

Premium
Gourmet Oils

The oils that make chefs stop and take notice. Pungent, smooth, and nutrient-rich — and far more versatile than you'd expect. From French fries to the most elegant finishing applications.

Read the guide
🍇 Balsamics

Aged Dark
Balsamic Vinegars

Trebbiano grapes. Copper cauldrons. Wooden casks. Generations of Italian tradition. Here's how real balsamic is made — and why ours is nothing like the grocery store stuff.

Read the guide
🥂 Balsamics

Aged White
Balsamic Vinegars

Same Trebbiano grape as dark balsamic, different process — and a completely different character. Crisp, naturally sweet, and incredibly versatile. Plus: it works beautifully in cocktails.

Read the guide
🍷 Vinegars

Specialty
Vinegars

The finest wine vinegars we've found — French Red, Sherry, Champagne, Serrano Honey, and Lambrusco. Well-balanced, beautifully crafted, and the finishing touch that separates good from great.

Read the guide
🌶️ Spicy

Spicy Oils
& Balsamics

From a mellow smoky chipotle to a five-alarm cayenne challenge — global heat at every level. Includes a heat scale guide and breakdown of all nine spicy products.

Read the guide
Come See Us

The Best Way to Learn Is to Taste

No guide can replace the experience of tasting a fresh-pressed extra virgin olive oil for the first time, or trying a Dark Chocolate balsamic drizzled over vanilla ice cream. Come visit us and our team will walk you through anything you're curious about — with no pressure and no pretension.

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Location
449 N. Main Street, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
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Store Hours
Mon – Fri
10am – 5:30pm
Saturday
10am – 5pm
Sun (Dec only)
11am – 4pm
Get Directions
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Saturday Tastings

Every Saturday, 10am – 5pm — we feature a curated selection of our favorite oils and balsamics for guided in-store tastings.

New arrivals, seasonal picks, and staff favorites are highlighted each week so there's always something new to discover.

Can't make it on Saturday? No problem — any oil or vinegar on our shelves is available to taste any day we're open. Just ask!

Not sure where to start? Our team will happily guide you based on how you cook and what you love — no expertise required.

65+ tasting stations covering everything from delicate extra virgin olive oils to bold spicy chili fusions and aged Italian balsamics.

Find your flavor

With more than 60 tasting stations, oils from 16 countries, and balsamics aged in Modena, choosing can feel like a lot. This is the help you would get at our counter, wherever you happen to be. Answer six quick questions and we will point you to the bottle we would hand you in person.

Start below
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Olive 'n Vinnie's
Michelle's Picks

Let's find your flavor

Six quick questions, the same ones Michelle would ask you at the tasting counter.

Question 1 of 6

First things first, who am I helping you shop for?

Question 2 of 6

How well do they know olive oils and balsamics?

Question 3 of 6

Want a tried-and-true favorite, or should I surprise you?

Question 4 of 6

What flavors do they lean toward?

Question 5 of 6

How will they actually use it?

Question 6 of 6

Olive oil, balsamic, or should I surprise you?

Pulling something off the shelf for you…

How to choose a bottle

It comes down to three questions, the same ones we ask at the counter. Answer these and you are most of the way there.

The use

How will you use it?

A cooking oil is your everyday workhorse for heat. A finishing oil is a condiment, added at the end where its flavor can come through. The same goes for balsamic: everyday bottles for dressings, thick aged ones for drizzling.

The flavor

What flavors do you love?

Bold and peppery, bright and citrusy, rich and earthy, or sweet and fruity. There is no wrong answer, and it is the fastest way to narrow sixty bottles down to a few worth tasting.

The person

Who is it for?

Something approachable for a friend new to all this, a hidden gem for the person who has tried everything, or a workhorse for your own kitchen. The finder steers by who you have in mind.

Questions we hear a lot

What is the difference between dark and white balsamic?
Dark balsamics are aged longer and taste deeper and sweeter, with notes of fig and molasses. White balsamics are lighter and brighter, with more acidity and less sweetness, and they will not darken a dish. Reach for a dark balsamic over strawberries or a cheese board, and a white balsamic on a green salad or fish where you want the color to stay clean.
Which olive oil is best for cooking versus finishing?
For cooking with heat, use a milder, sturdier oil so you are not wasting the delicate flavors that break down in the pan. Save your best, most flavorful extra virgin oil for finishing, added at the very end over pasta, soup, grilled vegetables, or bread. Having one of each is not fussy, it is just using the right tool for the job.
How long does olive oil last once opened?
Olive oil is freshest within a few months of opening. Keep it away from heat and light, use it rather than saving it for a special occasion, and buy a size you will realistically finish while it is fresh.
Can I cook with extra virgin olive oil?
Yes, it's one of the best oils for the job. Extra virgin holds up beautifully to frying, sautéing, poaching, dressing, and baking thanks to a high smoke point around 410°F.
Can I substitute olive oil for butter in baking?
Yes, though keep in mind butter is solid and oil is liquid, so your baked goods may come out with a slightly different texture. Swapping one liquid fat for another is a much more even trade.
Are your olive oils Kosher, gluten-free, and dairy-free?
Yes to all three. Our EVOOs and custom blends are Kosher certified (Pareve), and every olive oil we carry is gluten-free and dairy-free. Ask our team in-store for a copy of any certificate or allergen statement.
Is your butter olive oil dairy and soy free?
Yes. The butter flavor comes from a plant-based essential oil, not dairy, so it's completely dairy and soy free.
Are your balsamic vinegars gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan?
Yes across the board. None of our balsamics contain gluten, dairy, or any animal-derived ingredients or processing aids.
Are your balsamic vinegars Kosher?
Not currently, no. Our balsamic vinegars are not Kosher certified at this time.

Taste with us in Glen Ellyn

The finder is the next best thing to standing at our counter, but nothing beats tasting for yourself. Stop by, sample across more than 60 stations, and let us help you find your new favorite.

Olive 'n Vinnie's 449 N Main St, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
(630) 534-6457
Mon - Fri10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sat10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
SunClosed