If the busy storefront windows at Sahadi’s, on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, don’t appeal to your minimalist leanings, just get over it. You’re going to love this place, even if it takes you years to try all the products. The narrow aisles form a sort of labyrinth through the cramped space, where at every turn you’ll discover bins and jars of dried fruits and nuts or refrigerator cases full of cheeses. This is the place to buy anything you could ever want to eat from the Middle East, along with a healthy dose of European specialty goods.

When I asked the man in charge of the olive bar how many varieties he sold, he did some quick mental math and came up with an estimate.

“Thirty-four?” he said as he scooped a heap of shriveled, oily, black, Moroccan olives into a plastic container.

At the dried goods station, an eager man handed out samples of dried cantaloupe, gogi berries and kiwi slices.  As he handed over the sweet treats, he proudly announced the origin of every fruit.  “China!”  “California!”  He boasted that he had fruits from everywhere, except the Dominican Republic.  (I’m still curious about that one.)

Lactose intolerant? Be sure to take a Lactaid before you check out the SIX cheese cases, featuring everything from French Morbier to Greek Kasseri to Spanish Mahon.

You could drop a pretty penny at Sahadi’s, but if you’re smart you’ll pick up on some incredible bargains. As a fellow foodie pointed out, the Bulgarian sheep’s milk feta is just as good as the French version they sell, and markedly cheaper.

If you’re in a hurry, the prepared foods counter offers an impressive selection of pastries, salads and spreads.  Try the pita brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with za’atar, a tangy blend of herbs (sometimes oregano, marjoram and sumac) toasted with seasame seeds and salt.  I also hear the taramasalata is worth a taste.

But if slow cooking is more your style, peruse the self-serve spice corner (I spied juniper berries, hibiscus, fenugreek, arrowroot, sumac, star anise, and falafel spices, among countless others) and the wall of olive oils, which includes a lot more than Italian and Spanish varieties.

Whatever you do, make sure you come hungry, have time to wander slowly and take in all the mouthwatering foods, and, of course, bring a great big reusable cloth bag to cart all your finds home in!