Sahadi’s, a Middle Eastern Mecca in downtown Brooklyn, is known for their dried fruits (try the amazing unsweetened pineapple $4.50/lb, and the inexpensive no sulfur apricots, $2.60/lb), nuts and olives, all of which you can buy in bulk. But there is an amazing array of other products too.
They started as a Middle Eastern store and then expanded in the 60’s to include other specialty items. That would explain why you can also find chocolate twists (a bit like chocolate Twizzlers), tofu shirataku (noodle-shaped tofu, $1.60) and blackberry syrup ($3.75).
But probably the best reason to go out of your way to Sahadi’s is for the hard to find spices and herbs. You can find fenugreek for your Indian curry, asafoetida for your lemon rasam (see last week’s post for a lemon rasam recipe) or juniper berries for a loin of venison.
Part of Sahadis' charm is its other-era feel. You still take a number and wait for someone to scoop you slivered almonds ($4.95/lb), sesame sticks ($1.80/lb) or coffee ($4.99/lb) and you can still find Charles Sahadi unpacking boxes of Swedish cookies. Charles is the sort of store owner you can tell loves his job and the type to occasionaly spout mottos like “Friend first, customer second,” that you imagine him good-naturedly lecturing his employees with. And he’s full of store history. The abbreviated version being that his father opened up Sahadi’s about two blocks from his uncle’s place that was called A. Sahadi and Co., in Manhattan in 1941. A few years later his father moved the store to its current location and Charles took over many years after that.
In addition to the retail store, they also have a wholesale and distribution center called Sahadi Fine Foods. You can buy a limited number of products, including gift baskets, online at Sahadis.com.
I went last weekend. I got a giant container of popcorn (for almost no money) and some garam masala. Also a container of smoked paprika. Any ideas for the smoked paprika? Spices there are so cheap, though not as cheap as the places across the street.
Sahadi's is fantastic- I always end up with stuff I didn't even know I wanted and sometimes didn't even know existed. Just remember they're closed on Sundays!
oh my god!! I love Sahadi and thank you for writing about them... but you missed the most important reason to go! their Hummus and Babaganouj (sp?) is absolutely the smoothest and most delicious of any i've tried ANYWHERE EVER. it bears ZERO resemblance to supermarket brands of hummus... and is silken and very laden with tahini. it changed my life. their grape leaves, tabouleh, etc... all of those goodies behind the counter are top notch. and get more hummus than you think you'll want... you won't be able to stop snacking on it. and next door i believe is Damascus Bakeries where you can pick up fresh pita bread made that day, as well as wonderful baklava.
Sahadi is great, but I wish they would expand. They need more space. Also . . . Amy is right, their Hummus is fantastic, but if you choose to make your own, then you have to use Sahdi's tahini sause. Their tahini sause is what makes the hummus so great. Also, they have a great selection of cheese!
A co-worked just raved about their hummus and baba ganoush last week. I love Sahadi's; I went to high school nearby in the 60's and used to go over there during study hall to buy sheets of dried apricot.
another vote for their hummus! i really should try the baba one of these days! As for smoked paprika, I put it in nearly everything.. from pasta dishes, meat seasoning, halloumi (my new favorite food craze), anytime I want a little smokyness without heat - that's where the chipotle dust comes in! Also, Sahadi's has the best price I've ever seen for fetas, bulgarian is like, $3 a lb!
They also have the best chickpea flour of all the Middle Eastern markets on Atlantic (when you sift it, there aren't four or five flies separated out, which is a plus).
I remember watching an episode of Molto Mario, where he was cooking fava beans, and one of the guests said "where do you get those?" and Mario said "If you go to Sahadi's in Brooklyn, you'll find at least 3 kinds."
Way to get a shoutout from Batali!
i have sweet and non-sweet paprika from spain and i've been wondering what to put it in. the pasta idea is good. any ideas for the sweet paprika?
btw, nice post. i love the idea of snacking on unsweetened pineapple.
Many reasons to go to Sahadi - another is that fresh ground coffee is under $5 a pound for a nice French Roast...