Wasyl and Anna Kramarczuk fled Ukraine during World War II, settled in Minneapolis’s Northeast neighborhood, and in 1954 opened a Ukrainian and Eastern European delicatessen and sausage shop that has been a Minneapolis institution ever since. Three generations of the family have run it across seven decades, maintaining the house-made sausage program — kielbasa, bratwurst, and over 30 varieties made in the on-site smokehouse — that Wasyl brought from the Old World. Kramarczuk’s appeared in Season 10, Episode 1 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Family Joints,” which aired August 30, 2010. Guy Fieri found borscht, pierogies, stuffed cabbage, and a sausage case deep enough to require a second lap to fully appreciate. He called the Ukrainian borscht “a symphony of flavors” and declared the kielbasa the best he’d ever had.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Kramarczuk’s Sausage Company
City: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cuisine: Polish / Eastern European
DDD Season: 10
DDD Episode: 1
Episode Title: Family Joints
Original Air Date: August 30, 2010
Address: 215 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612-379-3018
Website: https://kramarczuks.com
Status: Open
What to Eat
The Ukrainian Borscht, a deep red beet soup with vegetables and pork that Guy called “a symphony of flavors,” is the bowl that defines what Kramarczuk’s does. The Kielbasa, house-smoked over real wood in the on-site smokehouse, is the sausage that earns the “best I’ve ever had” designation. The Stuffed Cabbage (holubtsi) — ground pork and rice wrapped in cabbage leaves and braised in tomato sauce — is the Ukrainian comfort food centerpiece. The Pierogies, boiled and pan-fried, filled with potato and cheese or sauerkraut and mushroom, are the dumplings that regulars add to every order. The full Sausage Case with over 30 varieties is worth browsing before leaving — taking a few links home is non-negotiable. Find a Minneapolis hotel on Booking.com.
Plan Your Visit
Check the website for current hours. The deli and sausage shop are open for both dine-in and takeout.
Address: 215 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: 612-379-3018
Website: https://kramarczuks.com
Status: Open
Triple D Essentials
Stream the Family Joints episode on Amazon and bring Eastern European cooking home with Guy Fieri Cookware for stovetop pierogies and stuffed cabbage prep.
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Kramarczuk’s appeared in Season 10, Episode 1 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Family Joints,” originally aired August 30, 2010. Wasyl and Anna Kramarczuk opened the deli in 1954. The restaurant has been family-owned for three generations.