Cookbooks, deli goods and cooking classes on Helmholtzplatz…
Goldhahn und Sampson is a Slow Food haven located on the Dunckerstraße side of Helmholtzplatz in Prenzlauer Berg. Run by the amiable Sascha and Andreas, this Aladdin’s cave for Foodies offers everything from “slow and conventional food: far flung and local, fancy bling as well as down-to-earthness”. That means you get champagne as well as Italian–style salami and German blutwurst, rare Sake alongside organic lentils, and esoteric spices as well as freshly-baked breads from various bakeries across Berlin and house-baked croissants.
Goldhahn und Sampson is posh—even for Helmholtzplatz—but it isn’t snobby. It’s a lovely space in which to spend time, which is good because you will probably be here much longer than you’d originally planned.
While not a cafe in the classic sense, bar stools and a long drinks counter abut the large, street-facing windows, encouraging you to order an espresso and indulge in some people watching. The coffee, by the way, is excellent.
There’s a comprehensive cookbook section in the rear room, with English and German titles available. The choice of books, like the shop’s choice of products, is impeccable, ranging from mainstreamers like Jamie Oliver and cheesecake queen Cynthia Barcomi to classic ‘bibles’ like Larousse and an assortment of handsome coffee-table books.
The shop supports organic and fair trade products and wherever possible deals directly with farmers and local producers (for example they use Andraschko Coffee from Berlin). The shelves are stacked with a wealth of gorgeous goodies: imported spices from exotic countries; Habanero chilli paste from Madagascar; Papa dei Boschi hazelnuts direct from the producer in Piedmont; chocolates from Frederic Blondeel and François Pralus.
There’s also an alcohol ‘alcove’ brimming with hand-picked wines, mostly from Germany and Austria but also from France, Italy, Portugal and a wide selection of Hungarian wines.
Goldhahn und Sampson also offer a range of kitchen utensils like knives from Zwilling and Falcon Enamel Kitchenware and offer cooking, baking and wine courses at their location in Charlottenburg. You can learn how to make a classic Korean meal or how to bake a french baguette, and also what you need for a good stock or to make your own spice mixes. There are also cheese and wine courses available. In all, the shop offers over 80 courses every quarter by instructors from over twenty countries, with groups limited to 16 people; you also get to enjoy what you have prepared.
Altogether, the company has now three stores across Berlin, with the Charlottenburg store having the largest selection and the cooking school. The newest store, in Kreuzberg, is a fine addition to Markthalle IX.