Best Delicatessens In Minnesota

You can find a deli in almost every grocery story and co-op around the state, but just having a decent sandwich and an array of cold cuts does not a great deli make. A great deli is an essential piece of a neighborhood. For the finest foods, and some quality takeaway goods, these are the local places that are a cut above the rest.

Cecil's
651 Cleveland Ave S.
St Paul, MN 55116
(651) 698-0334
www.cecilsdeli.com

What feels like the a love-child between a classic New York-style Jewish deli and a Midwestern grocery, Cecil's is an institution of St. Paul's Highland Park neighborhood. You can look through their selection of salads, pickles, meats, cheese, bread and more, or just sit down at the restaurant in the back and try one of their amazing sandwiches, like the classic Reuben (piled high with some truly great pastrami) and a bowl of matzo ball soup.

Grass Roots Gourmet
920 E Lake St., Suite 130
Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 871-6947
www.midtownglobalmarket.org

The selection of delicacies, exceptional pickles, fish, mustards, honeys and more and made even better when you learn that everything is sourced locally. It's also one of the best cheese shops around, and the cheeses as well are all from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa... no need to leave the region to find quality products. This is a true Midwest deli; the fine foods that make a meal amazing. For lunch or a quick bite at the Midtown Global Market, this is always a win.

Be'Wiched
800 Washington Ave. N.
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 767-4330
www.bewicheddeli.com

We love a good sandwich in Minnesota, as evidenced by the countless sandwich shops both chain and local. At Be'Wiched, they're elevating it to a whole new level. You can get your pastrami on rye here, as is always necessary, but the roast beef, the tuna confit and egg salad are all must-tries as well. For vegetarians, the asparagus sandwich is incredible. And you don't have to limit yourself to a sandwich — check out the dinner, happy hour and brunch menus to find chef-driven deli  whenever you want them.

Related:  Best Sandwiches In Minnesota

Prime
4224 Minnetonka Blvd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
(952) 303-5813
www.primedelimn.com

As a deli with a Middle Eastern twist, you can find here both traditional sandwiches piled high with cured meats as well as excellent shawarma and hummus. An always excellent choice for a quick bite is the nosh platter, which comes with falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, garlic tahini, pickle, olives and fresh pita to hold it all together. It's all about quality, wholesome food and flavors that never fail to satisfy, whether it's pastrami or cumin roasted beets that also shouldn't be missed.

Kramarczuk's
215 E. Hennepin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 379-3018
www.kramarczuks.com

Bakery, restaurant, sausage shop and delicatessen are all words that can be used to describe this Northeast Minneapolis mainstay. For over 50 years, Kramarczuk's has been serving the finest foods to the neighborhood, and their sausages can be found all over the Twin Cities. Walking through the expansive store will take you on a trip to Eastern Europe, and fittingly the hot food on the menu is as perfect for cold Minnesota days as it would be back in Ukraine. Try the cabbage rolls with tomato cream, or the pillow-soft dumplings, and of course some of the house-made sausage.

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Adrian Schramm is a resident Saint Paul writer with a passion for all things local. Through his work with Saint Paul Almanac and Minneapolis Examiner at Examiner.com, as well as in the kitchens of bars and restaurants around town, he has discovered what truly makes the Twin Cities tick.