Life in an expanded Sahadi’s
It’s a revered Brooklyn institution, as renowned in many circles as the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. When out-of-town guests visit, it’s a must-see on a tour of the neighborhood. When one leaves the Museum or Garden, one’s soul is fed; when leaving Sahadi’s, the specialty food store on Atlantic Avenue, it’s the taste buds and stomach that reap rewards.
Sahadi’s has just completed an expansion and renovation, connecting the interiors of 187-189 Atlantic with 191 next door. The latter address was used over the past several years as a seasonal holiday shop, where customers found decorative food baskets and other gift items for Christmas.
By uniting the spaces, square footage of the main store has increased by 2,000 feet, Charlie Sahadi, the affable captain of the ship, informed me during a recent visit. The change allows for customer flow among the newly created stations. The dried fruits and nuts counter retains center stage, but the coffee bins now have their own boutique, where customers can order a home supply while enjoying a cuppa of fresh-brewed joe. The experience can be made even more enjoyable by pairing the coffee with a croissant from the bakery section or a pastry from the sweets counter.
The popular deli, which features Middle Eastern specialty prepared foods, has been expanded. Here you will find such items as curried cous cous, fava bean salad, hummus, baba ganoush, potato herb pies, and sundried tomato feta pie.