I went to Stumpy's to look for Christmas gifts-meat and cheese, they were low on products and…read moreprices in store differed than online gift boxes which was a disappointment. I ended up only buying one gift basket and picking up a few little jams and a smoked bacon Gouda along with half a summer sausage to gift to a friend. They were pretty busy when I went in but the ladies working were friendly and helpful. They have Cheese, smoked sausages, jellies, bbq sauce, Cashmere Popcorn and other jarred condiments available. The store is small and can easily be missed if you are not paying attention, the parking lot is also small, not a lot of stalls for parking.

This shop is a must-visit when buying holiday gifts or souvenirs. It's truly a one-of-a-kind place…read morein Topeka, locally-owned, operated, and sourced. I had been following for YEARS on Facebook (can't even remember how I found them!), and have since moved out of town, but I wanted to give my dad a surprise gift for Valentine's Day. I messaged the business on Facebook, and within minutes, Stacy responded to my inquiry. She made it so easy to order a gift basket and even offered to have it delivered to his home. I was blown away and incredibly appreciative of such great service. For a gift basket of 3 cheeses, sausage, beef sticks, crackers, jelly, and a cutting board and knife, it was only $65! They also threw in a couple of chocolates and a handwritten card to make it special :) Everything (I'm told) was super tasty, with the Habanero Ghost Pepper cheese being a favorite. I'm excited to continue gifting Stumpy's to friends and family in the Topeka area and beyond.

I was so excited that Eric R. found The Vault when researching Emporia for us to visit! We came on…read morea day trip and this is the first time I have traversed Kansas without a cooler and ice packs when I actually needed it! The owner Becky was so knowledgeable about all things cheese, meat, and gourmet treats (and moved to Emporia from New Jersey)! We got to sample a lot of different things, left to explore, and returned before closing to buy our goods. She provided us a cooler and we bought a small bag of ice down the street. There are pestos, tapenades, jarred beets, and other interesting items on the shelves. There is a frozen case with locally raised meat. Yet the star of the show is the case in the center, with cheeses and charcuterie galore! The menu organizes the cheeses by blue, single serving cheeses, soft, semi-soft, firm, and hard. There is a large list of salamis and then whole muscle meats. There were two items I was interested in that were sold out, the duck prosciutto and the queijo toledo. I will have to make my way back! I ended up buying from the single serving cheese a truffle chevre (which I had tonight with fennel, it was amazing), petit basque (my friend Melinda C. asked for a sample and we were all blown away by it), Saxonshires (five cheddars layered in colorful stripes: Double Gloucester, Chesire, Caerphilly, Leicester, and cheddar), and bresaola (salted, air-dried Italian beef that I usually have to get at Dean and Deluca in KC). Melinda C. bought the bay blue and chevrelait (smoked goat) besides a few of the same ones I got. We both are so excited that tomorrow we are having a bread-cheese-cured beef smorgasbord for dinner! Bring your cooler bag and ice packs to Emporia because this place is a must-stop (and has really cute decor too)!

Clean, well-designed shop with a lot of local products. Staff are always friendly. Have had…read moresandwiches here and recently brought a niece and nephew by for some ice cream.

The food was good,not great. My husband and daughter liked theirs a lot,I got the Ruben and it said…read moreit was grilled,it wasn't. The Ruben was done on a panini press,so it was warm and they didn't grill it with any butter on the bread so the bread never got crispy and also very little thousand island dressing on the sandwich. I also got the potato salad on the side which was a little pod that was commercially made,not homemade.

Great place to shop for locally sourced beef! The employees are super nice and they give you free…read moresamples to try. A lot of the steaks are pretty pricey, but their chuck roast is very good value (3 ish pounds ranges from 25-45 dollars depending on fat content). You can definitely taste the difference in the meat quality.

I had no idea there is a local wagyu shop in town! Last night Eric R. and I attended a HYPE event…read morehere for a wagyu tasting. Our host Tyler shared the history of wagyu beef in Japan, how it made its way to the U.S., and what is different between the two countries in production. Booth Creek's ranch is located just 20 miles away, so the cattle are raised locally. Marbling content is verified for each cow by a lab in Japan! There are three levels of marbling (silver10-15%, gold 16-25%, platinum 25%+). This is not a quality indicator but is along the lines of USDA's select, choice, prime (though the fat content in wagyu is much higher). The store has frozen cases divided by these levels, as well as a frozen bargain bin (20% off) and fresh cases in the middle of the store. The tasting began with beef charcuterie boards: jerky, jalapeno cheese snack sticks, and summer sausage with some cheeses. Then we were served wagyu meatballs cooked in Cox's BBQ sauce and honey from Booth Creek. The second course was a picanha roast, smoked and sliced like a prime rib. It was really close to the prime rib flavor and texture, but at a much better price point. Lastly, Tyler brought out KC strip steaks (platinum level, seasoned with salt and pepper only) that were sous vide at 127 degrees, and seared them on a flat top in beef tallow. After he let them rest for five minutes, he sliced them and we got to try them. They were incredibly juicy and tender, seasoned well. It makes me consider the sous vide method at home though I do not have the tools right now. They offered some bundles and discounts as they kept the shop open late for us. We ended up buying gold label fajita meat and filet mignon steaks plus a bargain bin silver label filet tips. I cannot believe I have access to locally raised quality wagyu beef here in Manhattan! Beef is definitely what I had for dinner last night!

Super nice place selling just about any meat you are looking for! Lots of seasonings & snack items…read more The owner is very knowledgeable & super nice. Great small business

Awesome meat store in small town Kansas. Stopped in on the way back from Flint Hills day trip. Two…read morevery nice ladies working inside that took the sanitizing very seriously and both were masked as were we. There was a huge selection of steaks, chops, ground meats and several types of sausages. We bought some polish and pepper jack sausages and some ground steak burger. I can't wait to grill. Prices were very reasonable. Definitely check it out.

By far the best ice cream around this area! I would assume the freshest since they have their own…read moredairy cows to milk. We had a cheeseburger and fries, which had great flavor and was great! We also ordered chocolate shakes, which didn't disappoint either! Seating area was pretty good sized and picnic tables were located outside to sit at too. A variety of items were available for purchase throughout the establishment. Fresh milk, fresh cage free eggs, fresh cheese, variety of meats, and other grocery items as well. The service was good and fast. Generally students are the people working in the facility. The prices are on the steep side especially being on a college campus. Highly recommend stopping here! The ice cream is a must try at least once!

Best ice cream I had all week while visiting the area. We also got some cheese curd and some…read moreoatmeal cookie mix and beer bread mix. All made by departments in Kansas state.

I'm not sure what age I was at but it was about after college and before graduate school I figured…read moreout how wonderful olive oil could command a meal into something really spectacular. It was an Italian restaurant in Queens NY, "Peps" on Lefferts Blvd. My colleagues from work took me to a "real" Italian restaurant. Everything was roasted with olive oil and garlic. The "everything covered in mozzarella cheese" ethos didn't exist here. Weeks after that dinner I was still amazed and somewhat ashamed by the experience. I slowly poked my nose into the world of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, armed with a fresh baguette. This is easy in NYC, in Topeka.. not so much. A crust of bread and some springy olive oil makes the tastiest lunch. So, I was surprised and happy that Tasteful Olive was here. If you are "into" olive oils I'm sure you'll find something here, great gift ideas too. If you are from either coast or especially Europe where olive oil is 25€+ and often diluted this spot is a inexpensive home run..

A true hidden gem in Kansas…read more The menu brings a vintage Route 66 vibe with a classic Kansas twist that makes the whole experience feel nostalgic in the best way. Everything is made fresh to order, so don't expect a quick in-and-out meal unless you call ahead. The wait is part of the process, and honestly, it shows in the quality. If you are vegan or vegetarian, there are a few things to be aware of. The menu can be a bit misleading. The grill top and utensils are shared with meat, and all fried food is cooked in beef tallow. That means fried items are not vegan or vegetarian. If cross contamination is a concern, I recommend letting the staff know so they can change gloves and sticking with options like a salad without meat toppings. The staff was extremely friendly and happy to answer questions, which made navigating the menu much easier. I didn't notice a microwave, and it was pretty busy during my visit, but it might be worth asking if the black bean or vegan patty can be prepared separately. There are gluten free and keto options on the menu. Others in my group really enjoyed their meals, and my salad was fresh presented well. I would definitely come back. I just wish there were more clearly food prepseparated options for vegetarian and vegan dishes so more people could fully enjoy what they offer. OH and if you dare, there is a food challenge with their habanero sauce!

We stopped at Do-B's on our way to Prairie National Reserve and it lived up to my expectations…read more It's on a quiet street in Emporia and has a lot of food choices, from fish to wraps to burgers etc. It's also one of the highest rated restaurants in the area and I can definitely see why. The place gave me a fast casual eatery vibe but also a little feel of grandma's house because of this small glass showcase they had with some items in it. All food items are priced decently. I got the blackened fish with rice and fries and my husband got the Hornet Burger with fries. Both dishes were really good. The fish was cooked just right, moist and seasoned really well. The burger was also done perfectly with a juicy tasty patty. Fries were fresh and crispy...cherry on top!! Service was quick and the staff was very sweet. The restaurant was also very clean. They even have some of their own sauces and salsas for sale, plus some grab-and-go options which is nice and convenient especially for college students. Note - they also have a Do-B's reaper burger challenge which sounds fascinating. However, I don't ever think i will be able to try it ever Haha. To conclude - 5/5 for me.

The store is a very great store to go to the Ambiance is very nice it's always clean the staff are…read morealways nice someone is always there to help you if you need assistance especially if you only speak English there's someone there to assist you in the items that you want or need. They have excellent produce the meat is always excellent prices. They have a hot Deli there the food is always excellent the ladies are very nice and polite with great assistance it seems to be when I come there it's always different in the hot Deli area great for breakfast lunch and dinner they also have specials.

Service was great! Love the meat counter. Can't wait to try the carnitas! Will review more about…read morethe store when I have time.

Toto tacoz was closed and apparently everything else closes by 3pm. In the area. This spot was open…read moreso that's where we went. We were the only customers. One person working in the entire place. Huge menu with lots of options.. A bit expensive for the quality. Not horrible food but super mediocre. The lone staff member was fine but after we got our check, he was on his phone and we were ignored. Nothing worth going back for. If it wasn't for the fact nothing else was open, we wouldn't have even go in.

Great place for a cold day. We checked out this place and it was cozy and delicious. Their…read moresouthwestern corn chowder soup was the soup of the day and it was perfect for the cold weather and the California club had plenty of meat, bacon and avocado. The service was friendly and attentive. I would recommend this restaurant if you have a stop in Wamego .