Neighborhood Report: Fresh Kielbasa and Bargain Smoked Fish in Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Faith Durand
Faith DurandSenior Vice President of Content at AT Media
Faith is the SVP of Content at Apartment Therapy Media and former Editor-in-Chief of The Kitchn. She is the author of three cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-winning, The Kitchn Cookbook. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband and two daughters.
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updated Sep 12, 2019
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When Poland’s first free elections were held in 1990, more than 7000 absentee ballots were cast from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Greenpoint. So it makes sense that cooks wanting authentic kielbasa, pierogi, and sauerkraut flock to this Polish enclave.

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Fresh Bacon at Steve’s Meat Market

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Buying Meat at Kiszka, aka W-Nassau Meat Market

The legendary butchers here draw many pork lovers. Our favorite is Steve’s Meat Market (104 Nassau Avenue, 718-383-1780), where men in jaunty caps sell slab bacon (often so fresh it’s still warm), and several kinds of house-made kielbasa. Or, brave the lines of grandmothers and the language barrier at Kiszka (915 Manhattan Avenue, 718-389-6149), for great prices on pork, veal, and beef.

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The Pickle and Sauerkraut Aisle at Green Farms

But man cannot live by meat alone. Green Farms (918 Manhattan Avenue, 718-389-4114) has barrels of locally made sauerkraut and pickles. Along with interesting snack foods, bakers will thrill to see European-style flours, pearl sugar, and cake yeast.

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Deals at Poland Farm

Locals rave about cheap fruit and vegetable stands on Manhattan and Nassau Avenues. At Poland Farm (889 Manhattan Avenue, 718-389-7912), red bell peppers are currently $0.99/lb, and kohlrabi are $1.49 apiece. Rachel’s Garden (122 Nassau Avenue, 718-349-9910) may have higher prices, but boasts cleaner floors and a wider variety of groceries. Organic market The Garden (921 Manhattan Avenue, 718-389-6448) is the go-to place for health foods, including seventeen flavors of kombucha.

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Acme Fish

Preserved fish abounds in Greenpoint, but nothing compares to the Acme warehouse (30 Gem Street, 718-383-8585.) On Fridays from 8-1, get wholesale-priced smoked fish – the same that Acme supplies to gourmet grocers across the city.

NB: Many Greenpoint vendors speak English, and you’ll get far with patience and speaking slowly. Write down your order, so as not to butcher tricky pronunciations. Or do as we do, and simply point to what looks most delicious.

Learn More:

Guide to Polish Food.

Guide to Basic Types of Kielbasa.

Map of Greenpoint

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This is by Nina, who is up for one of our new writer positions. Welcome Nina!

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