Polka Deli is an absolute gem! Walking in immediately transports you with the smells of authentic…read moreEastern European comfort food--it's like being welcomed into a European kitchen. The service here is truly wonderful, always friendly, patient, and happy to offer recommendations. Everything I've tried is excellent, from the pierogies to the borscht, but you simply must try their sausage. Whether you get it to take home or on one of their fantastic sandwiches, the quality and flavor of their house-made sausage is out of this world. It's savory, perfectly spiced, and the highlight of any visit. If you are looking for real, hearty comfort food and a fantastic, old-school deli experience, Polka Deli is the place! Highly, highly recommend.

Came here with my Polish friend and it was really wonderful to see her light up with all the…read moreclassics she saw eating as a kid in her family home. A lot of these foods are really familiar, and the selection is just so far and wide. I especially love how everything here is true to the ingredients and the pure authenticity of what the food is. Everyone we saw were delighted to greet the folks behind the counter cutting cold cuts, or just to show the sheer amount of pierogi they were stocking up on. At the counter, we ordered from their menu which had a very delicious borsht. It came pipping hot with some dill, and the veggies were nice and cooked down. The sampler is a must try if you want to get a good sense of the foods they offer, really enjoyed the varity of kielbasa and the hot mustard it comes with to dip. Gołąbki was generously filled and pan fried served with stove top potatos. A lot of their pastries are either imported or made in house, and it came in a good variety like poppyseed flavor. We enjoyed the food in their eating nook and enjoyed the really peaceful views of the strip mall. Really here for the homey vibes, something for just about anyone who is missing these nostalgic flavors. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

I love this store! It's a hidden gem. Everyone is friendly and knowledgeable. The food is fresh and…read morethe store is clean, always.

Neat store apparently well-maintained. Owner is courteous. From when I walk in the store he greets…read moreme and lets me know he is here to help if I cannot find what I need. And in truth no matter how busy he gets, once you ask him a question he is over to help. I love that this store is conscious about COVID and the importance of hygiene and keeping the store below capacity. And gosh they seem to have everything! From raw meats and fish to foodstuff to Lagos street snacks Nobody raises their voice at you. Owner's children are so well cultured and respectful. This store is a delight to visit.

This shop has exactly the kind of stern-looking owner you would expect from a European grocery…read morestore. You may feel tempted to thank him for accepting your money, but beneath the tough exterior he seems to have a good heart. The store offers a great variety of high-quality Eastern European products, including a strong selection of meats and dairy. Prices have gone up quite a bit recently, but that is probably unavoidable given inflation and the fact that the store is a bit farther from the main cluster of New York-area shops. Even so, it easily beats the other Eastern European shop on Nicholson Lane. Recommended.

Wonderful store - they have everything! The staff is friendly, welcoming, and always smiling,…read moresometimes even offering treats. You can always find what you need here, and everything is fresh, clean, and pleasant. Highly recommend - I keep coming back!

Made a stop in this international market for some Russian treats. They had loads of breads,…read morechocolates, ice cream and more. I came for the fresh pickled cucumbers. Crunchy, salty, and oh so fresh! Also bought some of their deli items. The fried fish was delicious, light and flaky and the air fryer made it crunchy again. Also had the rice and chicken and chicken kbobs. All around, a scrumptious dinner for 3 under $50. This place is worth a trip to explore all they have. Dust off your Russian.

This is hands down the best place for quality meat. The grocery stuff is not that good though…read more Anybody who loves to eat goat meat around Elicott city, they have the most tender meat. I have been buying goat from them for the last 10 years!

I don't get out to the Sauson International Grocery as often as I used to, but I still make the…read moretrip 1-2 times a month for mainly one thing: some of the freshest and tastiest bread in all of the DMV. Every culture has their own interpretation of taking the basic ingredients of flour, yeast, salt and water and transforming it via various baking methods into their version of "bread." There is a long history of using circular oval shaped ovens in Asia and the Middle East as a way of both conserving space and to efficiently cook foods with even heat distribution and small footprints in otherwise cramped kitchens. In India these ovens are called tandoors while in Japan they are referenced as kamados. Sauson International Grocery has been in operation since 2011, and the owner, who everyone knows as "Mr. Rashid," is of Persian descent having emigrated from Iran. He is always super friendly and willing to answer questions I may have about the wide variety of Middle Eastern spices and foods this place stocks. Don't be surprised if you strike up a conversation with him, and he offers you a cup of wonderfully spiced tea and a cookie or pastry from the delectable dessert case. As some of the reviews have noted, parking is tricky. There is a small covered garage under the building. But you may have to park at the nearby church or on the street and then walk over to the store. This place is well known for their bread, which is being made throughout the day. I came a bit later today, so they had just finished making a few batches. But it's not uncommon to witness skilled bakers kneading and rolling, and then slapping the dough onto the circular metallic oven for a few minutes, before piping hot fresh bread emerges. The bread is amazing. It is pliable, without being overly chewy. It is slightly salty, with a great smoky almost charred flavor. I've had it cut into pieces and then dipped with hummus or rolled into gyros or used to sandwich kabob meat. And believe it or not, it's even pretty good as a PB&J. Everyone, and I mean everyone, I've introduced this product to usually asks: (1). What type of bread is this? and (2). Where can I buy it? Note: As of this review, the current price is $8.05 for FOUR large round pieces of bread. Apart from the bread, there is also a small butcher shop in the back, and a kitchen where hot foods like kabob platters are made. There is also a small seating area in front of the store, where folks can sip tea and relax while enjoying sweets from the display case. Sauson is a really cool place and while I usually go with the intention of only buying bread, it's not uncommon for me to walk out with a few bags of unique Middle Eastern groceries.

Impressive variety of selection and wonderful hospitality. Can't wait to go back soon.read more

Excellent!! What a wonderful place. The best kielbasa I have had in a loooong time (since leaving…read moreChicago in 1978!). The young lady recommended the cherry kielbasa and my only regret is I did not buy more. Wife and I ate up a full link in an afternoon just snacking! If you have had regular grocery store bought polish sausage... forget it!! Go here and try, you'll never buy kielbasa at a regular store again!! It's an hour drive for an old man... but I will make it up there as often as I am able. P.S. The stuffed cabbage is to DIE for! I just heated it up with a can of tomato sauce and BAM!! Memories of grandma and the family came flooding back!

Great service and selection! Stop by and see and Learn about Polish food. Be sure to pick up some…read morePirogies from their vast selection.

Friendly service. Lately encountered expired products which is too bad. Prices are exorbitant.read more

Horrible customer service. Went in today to get an item in preparation to the new year. Got yelled…read moreat for not making the selection fast enough or for not agreeing with the rude help??? Still not sure. Oh well, maybe it's time someone reminded them they are no longer in their third world countries? On another occasion bought some of their pre-cooked food. "Is it fresh", I asked? "Yes, made today" was the answer. Got home to discover the food was covered with mold. In between, right where I couldn't see. Had to make the drive back to get my money back. Horrible. The funny part is that's exactly how it is back in mother Russia. Not coming back, just going to order online. Not worth the drive. And not worth the reminder of the Russian terrors.

I've lived in San Diego for twenty years, but in my youth, in the '80's, I lived and worked near…read moreDC's Eastern Market. I'd walk there most Sundays, buying breakfast from the man who made fried chicken and biscuits. Then I'd stop and visit with Mrs. Calomiris. I called her, "Mrs." because it wouldn't have occurred to me to call her "Maria," and "Mamma" never seemed to offer the respect I wished to convey. She was smart and funny, and entertaining to watch as she gently promoted her customers into buying her beautiful produce. But most notably, Mrs. Calomiris was kind. On more than one occasion, she held overripe tomatoes for me until she had a good basketful, then called me to pick them up. I'd blanch, peel and seed them, then make sauce. A cook herself, Mrs. Calomiris approved of this old-school approach, and so was happy to help. As she did for everyone, when I came to get my basket, she always handed me a banana or a nice apple, something for lagniappe. And once, as I stood in front of Mrs. Calomiris' stall eating an apple she'd just sold me, she asked how it was; I said it wasn't bad, but that it wasn't quite ready, and that tiny woman reached up and took the apple from my hand as I was biting into it, in order to swap it for one that I'd like more. My family is Arab, immigrants to the DC area in the late '50's, so the enthusiastic hospitality I always received from Mrs. Calomiris was familiar. Except for her accent, she might have been one of my aunts. Maria Calomiris died of cancer in 2015, working at the Market until a few weeks before her death, having seen her husband, Chris, pass, just a few years earlier. The community and the City are the worse for these losses. But even several thousand miles away, Mrs. Calomiris' memory endures.

Homemade spanikopita and baklava (it's better than Kostas' at Greek Deli, I know, blasphemous)!…read more Like it's counterpart, Capitol Hill/Paik Produce, Calomiris Fruit and Vegetables has been around forever and boasts a wide selection of fruits and veggies (and has a secret double life supplying authentic ethnic foods). This place is more veggie heavy than its counterpart up the aisle, and it is usually better stocked on the odder things (eg. parsnips, turnips and rutabagas recently), and if they're not out on display they might have some stuff stocked in the giant refrigerator behind them. It can be a little pricey here, but the quality is usually superb. I also just adore that giant old fashioned gold register they use :) They also have a wide selection of dried fruit and nuts. Right next to the picture of a praying Mary of course. Don't forget to pay tribute to the legendary Eastern Market matriarch Maria Calomiris; she will usually stick an extra piece of fruit into your bag if she recognizes you ...and maybe even if she doesn't. (I heart sweet old ladies! and she makes the baklava herself). Some of the best customer service in the District for sure! Read about her in the post! (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/23/AR2009062300775.html) Location: This is next to the flowershop in Eastern Market in the center of the South Hall.

I came across Il Bastone at the Smart Markets Farmers Market in Gainesville, VA. They are a small…read morefamily-owned business with no official physical store location. You'll find them vending at Farmers Markets in Gainesville, Oakton, Reston, and Fairfax. The Smart Markets Farmers Market in Gainesville, VA is located in the parking lot of Virginia Gateway and is held every Sunday. Il Bastone specializes in artisanal sausages, empanadas, chimichurri and baked pastries. I had a Beef Empanada - very tasty, my only criticism is that I wish the pastry were hotter. I guess it is hard to keep them hot in a booth at a Farmers Market. I also tasted their home made Chorizo sausage. Outstanding! I will be back to buy some of that sausage!

I had the Choripan sandwich at the Smark Market in Manassas. It didn't look like much, just a…read moresmall baguette & the sausage wrapped in tin foil, but it was extremely tasty. I wanted to get the empandas also, but I'm trying to watch my calories, so next time for them. I can't remember exactly what they put in the Choripan, beef, pork, wine, spices, but it was flavorful without being overpowering.