Kowalonek's Kielbasy Shop

Great deli that specializes in Polish foods. Some of my favorites are the fresh kielbasa (smoked is good, I just like this better), bacon bombs, kielbasa dip, and kielbasa sticks. But also too many things to list. There are always seasonal items as well, and breads, dips, potato pancake batter and much more ..

Kowalonek's Kielbasy Shop is a renowned family-owned business in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, with a rich history dating back to 1911. Founded by Joseph "Dziadzi" Kowalonek, it began as a small grocery store and has evolved to use state-of-the-art technology while maintaining old-world traditions in meat production. The shop is famous for its high-quality kielbasy—a type of Polish sausage—and offers a variety of other products like smoked andouille sausage, homemade Polish meatballs, and more​​​​.

The shop is a significant part of the local culture, especially around Easter when people from different parts of Pennsylvania and even from other states like Virginia and Maryland come to purchase their kielbasy. This tradition is deeply rooted in Polish culture, where families would traditionally have their Easter food, including kielbasa, blessed on Holy Saturday. The kielbasy from Kowalonek's is particularly prized for its quality, with customers showing strong loyalty to the shop​​.

Kowalonek’s Kielbasy Shop has not only maintained its tradition but also adapted to modern demands. They offer a range of products that cater to different tastes, keeping the essence of their traditional recipes while embracing new culinary trends. The dedication to quality and tradition makes this shop a standout in the area, drawing customers not just for the products but also for the cultural experience it offers

This place has so many options it's always hard to choose. Our main go to is the smoked kielbasa. I'm from Philly originally and I prefer the kielbasa at this place over all others. The taste is absolutely amazing. They are so good that I waited in a line wrapped down the block for 45 mins in 26° weather and it was more than worth the wait! The prices are fair and the service is very quick and efficient.

This is a takeout place only with the best Kielbasa that I know of. The demand for their products are in high demand so be prepared to wait in line but you pick a number when you enter and they wait on you in a very fair manor. The employees are very courteous and very helpful. Thei place is worth the trip. The parking lot is small so it may be easier to park on the side street and walk across the street.

It is very busy here around the holidays. It is run very efficiently and people are waited on in a very timely manner. I usually get only kielbasa products and they are the best.

Some of the best kielbasy you can buy. There is no wrong choice when deciding on what to purchase. Everything is best described somewhere between delicious and incredibly delicious.

We go up to this area annually for greens, this year we were able to stop in here and stock up on kielbasa, pierogies and more. Everything is delicious! The customer service and atmosphere was amazing! For being closer to the end of there day, all the workers were super sweet and quick!

When I'm in the area visiting from Florida Kowalonek's is a must stop. Their kielbasa has been a family holiday tradition my whole life. YUM!

My all-time favorite and the only Kielbasa shop that I frequent. The staff are always very friendly and efficient. The only time that you will have to wait is near the holidays. They extend their days and hours open to help reduce the wait. If you plan ahead of time, you can avoid the line down the street. I have waited in the long line, though, because it is definitely worth it. They offer superb kielbasa and foods and also have an excellent business model.

This is the most amazing kielbasa and cured meats. It's no wonder they've been in business for over 125 years. You literally can't go wrong with anything they sell. And the staff is always super friendly. Get out early near the holidays though, because I was there 20 mins before they opened and I stood in quite a line. Worth every minute though.

Growing up, my dad used to go to Reading to one specific Polish butcher shop to get kielbasy that has since gone out of business. I've never had better and ever since we've been looking for a new place. That changed today.
We decided to take a 2 hour road trip based on reviews and a handful of my friends that said it's worth the trip. About halfway there my dad got a call from a friend who heard about our trip and asked if we could grab him a kielbasy loaf which only built the hype.
It being the day before Thanksgiving we had been warned of long lines but we were able to park out front and didn't even need to take a number. The staff behind the counter all seemed to work well together (there had to be seven ladies working behind the counter) and were friendly.
As for the hype - it DEFINITELY lives up to it! We had the raw grilled kielbasy for dinner tonight and it beats our old butcher by miles. Granted, I've been eating Dietz & Watson the last 20 years but this was way better than I can ever remember. Sadly I'm lactose intolerant and dislike cabbage so I couldn't have any fresh pierogi but we grabbed some potato and onion Mrs. T's on the way home (my parents loved the cabbage & potato and cheddar pierogi they got from the freezer tho).
I mentioned to my dad that we should take a trip up together at least once a year so I'll definitely be returning but he's retired so I'm sure he'll be there again before me.

Awesome spot to go to. I hear this place is known world wide so I had to check it out. The people in there are so friendly and the kielbasa is delicious

My only complaint is they do not put the price on things like the breads the nut rolls the things in this case. And at this time of year is so crowded to start having to ask for every price. I can tell you I spent a whole lot less then I would have if I knew the prices. I was not going to ask what all the different prices were it was way too crowded so I did not buy any extras.

Took the ride from Philadelphia PA area (we're a Czerws Family), because a buddy of mine said this place was just as good.

Boy was he right! They have every sort of kielbasa....from fresh, to smoked, to sticks to a loaf....To things I've never seen like bacon bombs (kielbasa wrapped in bacon...they just came out of the oven when we got there), kielbasa dip (like a hoagie dip if you've ever seen that). Fresh (but frozen pierogies), pickled kielbasa, bacon, kielbasa mac and cheese....

Holy moley they had so much stuff. Everything was fresh, and everything we've had so far has been phenonemal.

Funny, because we hit Yuengling brewery on the way home, and then stopped at the Port Clinton Hotel for lunch. We are sitting at the bar, and the lady next to us is talking about Kielbasa to the guy next to her and I was like "excuse me...did you just say kielbasa?". She's like yeah, I drive up here from Downingtown PA a few times a year and load up at this place in Shenandoah. I was like "Kowaloneks?" She's like yeah, I was just there!" My girlfriend says "did you have all those collapsable totes?" The lady was like "yeah!"....My girlfriend is like "We held the door for ya as we were leaving!!!"

Oh well, I thought it was funny....See the length people go to this place. Will I go out of my way to go there again, no. Will I go there when I'm up there camping, or going to Cabelas? Definitely!

Love this place! Their food items are excellent. Our regular items are kielbasy sticks (plain and cheese), kielbasy jerky, fresh and smoked kielbasy, and the bacon, either plain or farmer’s (which is some of the best!) Other great items are the polish meatballs, prepared items like kielsbasy bombs or Mac and cheese. Hands down one of the best meat markets around!

Very busy active business. People buying the best kielbasa in the state. Lots of choices and cuts of meats, ie jerky, beef sticks, and kielbasa.

Awesome food! Their kielbasa has been a holiday tradition my entire life. Christmas, Easter, funerals, Christenings, the list goes on.

The stand at heritage day was also great. I watched the kids helping make the food. It was nice to see.

It's one of the last few things that made Shenandoah a great place. It's part of our culture.

Delicious!!!

I live in southern Delaware and I wanted kielbasa. Good kielbasa like I had when I was a kid. I asked my aunt who has lived in the area all her life and still does and she said hands down Kowalonek’s. So I placed an order over the phone, drove up and it was ready. They asked me how I wanted it packed and they labeled my packages ‘Do not sell” so it wouldn’t accidentally be sold to someone else. I needed to add to my order for friends and family and they had no problem with that.
The place was very busy but it moved quickly.
Since I have been home I have eaten the sticks, the fresh and smoked. YUM! Even my daughter who announced that she doesn’t like kielbasa now likes the sticks.
When I go to visit family again, in the fall or early winter, I will be stoping for more of that delicious meat.
**I saw a review that mentioned the price being a bit high. To that I say what do you expect?…inflation.
I highly recommend.

I make an hour and a half drive a few time a year just to shop at Kowalonek's store. Not pictured are the two trays of bacon bombs they didn't make the trip home!! They were to good!!

Wow...more variety than I expected. The sweet bread was a nice surprise. Of course the kielbasa and the smoked kielbasa were amazing. Another nice surprise were the meat sticks...the Hawaiian was my favorite! The seasoned ribs were a definate winner at our house. Super friendly and worth the drive! Can't wait to go back.