Gourmet deli goods, fine wines and cookbooks on Helmholtzplatz…
The original Goldhahn und Sampson, located on the Dunckerstraße side of Helmholtzplatz in Prenzlauer Berg, was founded in 2006 by Andreas Klöckner, Sascha Rimkus and Thomas Goldhahn. Taking its original cue from the Slow Food movement, this Aladdin’s cave for foodies has gone from strength to strength with two more stores across the city, while remaining commited to “slow and conventional food: far flung and local, fancy bling as well as down-to-earthness”.
In practical terms, that means a food store whose shelves brim with an almost dizzying array of items from around the world as well as locally-sourced products: everything from champagne and wine, Italian ham and German blutwurst, organic lentils to tinned fish. The kind of shop you could spontaneously drop into and find something you never knew you needed—or the place to find that exotic Sissi Chen ingredient.
The shop supports organic and fair trade products and, wherever possible, deals directly with farmers and local producers; for example, the bread comes from Kreuzberg sourdough bakery Sironi and there’s coffee from small roasteries like Nano or August63.
It’s difficult not to get lost in the rows of gorgeously-packaged goodies: one minute you’ll be drooling over habanero chilli paste from Madagascar, Pap…