Swiacki Meats — Local services in Philadelphia

I'm born and raised in Philadelphia but live in Florida now and I'm of half Lithuanian descent so I love my kielbasa and pierogies amongst other things.

My parents have been going to Swiacki's since the 1970s and there is nowhere I've ever had that has better kielbasa... Especially the fresh!

Keep the kielbasa whole, brown it in a pan with some butter on each side (and whatever you do do not cut it up) so keeping its whole boil it with a couple cups of good quality sauerkraut, a head of cabbage cut into manageable pieces a few inches or so in length/width, a handful of small potatoes cut in half or quartered, a few bay leaf, some black pepper and red pepper flakes, a little garlic, salt to taste, and (just cover) the whole thing in water and cook slow and low for about two and a half hours or so until it practically falls apart.

Get yourself some good Philadelphia rolls, some Polish mustard and horseradish if you like it and enjoy the best kielbasa sandwich (or any sandwich for that matter) that you'll ever have!

Don't forget to eat the cabbage and potatoes too, they are divine!

God bless...

Totally solid place. I really like both their smoked and fresh kielbasa. If you're like me as tend to have an upset tummy after kielbasa, Swiackis is THE PLACE for you. I've enjoyed their Kielbasa two days in a row without any of the typical adverse effects one experiences from the good stuff... yippee!

It's also a deli with all the dietz and Watson lunch meats and cheeses you'd expect, but also some house special meats and polish ham! What a treat.

Non-meats include local jarred pickles, sauces, etc. I've also had excellent kapustas (with and without bacon), enormous galumpkis, and outstanding babka. I've actually never had a babka I've liked as much as the raspberry cheese, but I can't wait to try the other flavors.

Expect a line when you get here, it's a good idea to call ahead to see how it's going. You'll wait at least an hour before any major holidays but...

No frills meat shop. I can't believe that I never tried this place throughout the three years I lived in the neighborhood. My bad. I'll just have to drive here regularly.

I'm just going to make it easy for you. If you like kielbasa, you'll love this joint. The smoked kielbasa was amazing. And pirogies? Yep, they've got lots of them (I recommend the spinach as well as the herb garlic).

I've been a casual kielbasa person up until a recent trip to Poland. Now I get it. It's serious and the flavors are amazing. We are privileged to live in a city where Swiacki Meats are providing us with such authentic tastes of Poland.

Do yourself a favor. Stop buying those prepackaged sausages from the grocery store. Take a trip over here, say "hi" to Stan and load up. Your grill will smell nicer and your taste buds will...