A pepper grinder has a body, a grinding mechanism, and a drive mechanism for operating the grinding mechanism by causing relative movement between two grinding members. The drive mechanism has a lever for reciprocating pivotal movement in opposite directions to produce a driving force, a first ratchet arranged to transmit the driving force from the lever, upon pivoting of the lever in the first direction, causing relative movement between the grinding members in a third direction to grind pepper, and a second ratchet arranged to transmit the driving force from the lever, upon pivoting of the lever in the second direction, causing relative movement between the grinding members in the third direction to grind pepper. Upon reciprocating pivoting of the lever in the opposite directions, the first and second ratchets alternate in transmitting the driving force from the lever to the grinding mechanism.