Halgo European Deli & Grocery

Halgo is a great little stop in Durham. If you’re ever wanting Eastern European meats or sweets this is the place to go. They always have a selection of homemade cookies that are wonderful. A couple of them I haven’t had since my Ukrainian grandmother baked them years ago and they are just as wonderful as I remember.
We always go around lunch time and grab a sandwich and get the owner’s recommendation for which kielbasa to buy based on the dish we’re planning on making. We always bring our family here when they’re visiting, we only wish we lived closer!

I wanted to give them 4 stars because of the lack of convenience for some dishes — you have to call ahead for pierogies for lunch and you have to call 2 hours ahead for the thinner kielbasa and kraut roll, which isn’t on the posted menu. However, Halgo gets 5 stars for a bunch of other reasons. It’s an amazing to-​go lunch option if you work in RTP. You know how when you grow up of an eastern European descent and everyone has a different definition of kielbasa? If you’re looking for what you know to be kielbasa, Halgo probably has it. REAL kielbasa. They also carry chrusciki — hard to maintain crispness in the NC humidity but tender, fall apart amazing chrusciki just like I remember growing up.
I wish their lunch menu had more traditional options readily available without calling ahead, just because it’s that good. I also wish their lunch sandwiches came with a full pickle instead of half.

You need kielbasa, and this is where you need to get it. Don’t eat that stuff in the supermarkets. Get it here. One day I was hungry and I stopped in and asked the mom behind the counter if I could get a sandwich. She asked me what kind. I said just make me something nice. And wow, was it ever!

When you put European in your Business name I fantasize about Eastern Europe and Hope for Turkish, Bosnian, Russian, Romanian, Polish, Georgian Piknik in the yard… What just happened!
Polish is the Emphasis hear and it is a GREAT Grocery Store and Deli… We got a Dozen Candy Bars, some Almond Cookies AND a Polish Ham (Kielbasa Ham) Sandwich! Delicious!
To Go ONLY (No Tables inside, though they do have one Piknik Table Outside)
Deli: : They have a short list of Sandwiches they make and they recommended one for first-​timers and it sounded good so that was the one we chose: Kielbasa Ham, sliced thin and piled high (see photo), Tomato, super thin sliced Onion, Mustard, Tomato and a little Cheese (I asked them to omit Mayo and Lettuce and cannot imagine how hard it would have been to eat with it)! Hopefully next time I will request a little more onion! I could have eaten the whole sandwich by myself though for many reasons was glad to let my eBay Bride enjoy almost Half! This IS quite a Sandwich!!!
They have a: : :
Pierogi Case
Meat Case
Dessert Case
Drink Case
and MORE
Candy: I checked out Four Candy Bars I was not familiar with, two were Chocolate covered Marzipan, two were Chocolate covered Jelly, one was Orange the other tasted kinda like Muscadine. All were enjoyable!
My Estonian Neighbor said «In my Country we swim with Ice Mountain, Ice Cubes fall out of the sky and everyone wears Speedo!» So glad!

We had sandwiches here — he had the traditional & I had the «ham kielbasy» — both were excellent (and we’re not sure what the difference was; his had bacon, but besides that, unclear). The mustard was spicy but not overwhelming (I would have liked more, frankly).
The owners were as promised: friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. We tasted the extra garlic kielbasy & bought some for later. We also bought some Polish spicy mustard, a jar of horseradish spread, some Polish lemon balm tea, and some frozen pierogis.
Mrs. Halgo’s walnut cookies are a delight: light, slightly sweet but not overly so.
If you like Polish food, this place is a treasure. We are used to living near several great Polish delis & miss them; we will likely make the 30-​minute trek again for a good sandwich. Next time: I’ll call ahead for the kielbasa platter with pierogis (they want a 2 hour call-​ahead for those).

I went to check this place out because I was craving sandwiches So glad my husband looked up Unilocal and found this gem!
The place is incredibly clean and organized. There were Polish and European treats all around. Their deli section looked delightful. We had never been and we asked the lady behind the counter if we could order sandwiches. She told us the serving time ended at 3 (it was 10 mins after).
However, she was super nice and still offered to make us a traditional sandwich (pretty sure she felt sorry for us and it was our first time there and all). Anyway, on with the delicious sandwich description. It was Polish style ham, smoked pressed bacon, sharp Swiss cheese served on Polish Rye Bread, with lettuce, tomato, onion and Polish mustard mayonnaise.
Let me just say, it was delicious! There was a generous yet balanced portion of the meat and it was juicy, tender and flavorful. The sandwich was very yummy and hit the spot.
We also bought some super cute little flower cookie’s made by Halina (lady behind the counter). My husband and I will definitely be coming back again!
Seriously though, if you want the Kielbasa with sauerkraut on a roll make sure to order 2 hrs in advance. That will be the next thing we try and I can’t wait! :)
NOTE: Does not take American Express! :)

The meats and bread here are delicious. Had the traditional sandwich with ham, bacon and Swiss and the quality of ingredients show in each bite. There is a nice little table outside for sitting – though I do wish there was more space for enjoying their sandwiches on-​site!

This was my third time getting take-​out from Halgo and it is consistently amazing. Their hot kielbasy sandwich is where it’s at. The bun is wonderful. The kielbasy is not your average state fair variety — real quality meat. And the sauerkraut is my favorite part — it has a wonderful texture and flavor. I served these sandwiches to my parents, who are very harsh food critics, and they both thought this sandwich was top notch. My mom couldn’t understand how they got the saurkraut to taste so good whereas my Dad said «good bread makes the sandwich.»
I echo some of the other reviewers comments about the pierogies. They cook them for you from frozen, so it’s good but not mind blowing.
The couple who run the store are very sweet. Be sure you order your kielbasy sandwich very far in advance. One time I tried ordering it 30 minutes in advance and they said they couldn’t do it. This time I ordered two days in advance and it was hot and fresh at the exact time I arrived. The first time I ever got their food, they asked where we were going because they did not want the food to get cold — they care very much about your experience and the quality of their work.

I’ve seen this place for years, but never racked up the courage to step in. One day I did, and it was glorious. The owners are a sweet older married couple from «the old world.» I don’t know if that is true, but there are few times in a brotha’s life when he gets to use the phrase, «the old world.»
Everything here is really good. I binged two Friday’s in a row, and got a ton of food for $ 40… seriously, it was a lot of food. Not only are the European treats, drinks, and different versions of Nutella all really good, but so are the fresh meats, side dishes, sweets, and sandwiches that the owners make.
Go in, be friendly, get curious. They are warm-​hearted and welcoming. Often when I ask a question they give me a piece to try. Best deli sandwich I have had in a very long time. Try a turkey sandwich and some birch juice with mint. When you leave here you will wonder if you just walked out of a fairy tale… from the old world.

These folks make a terrific sandwich! This could be my new favorite RTP take out place! Selections are pretty much set in stone, although for a small premium, you can build your own sandwich.
I need to take a good look at what’s in the deli case, it’s too easy to get caught up in the Polish knick knacks around the small store.
There are cookies and other goodies on display, and well, I think I just need to go back.
Some things to note:
–The pierogies are not «fresh» or made in the store, they are frozen, but they are very unlike what one finds at the local grocery store with several choices for fillings.
–If you plan to only get a sandwich, bring cash. They ask that for credit card purchases that the bill be $ 10 or more.

I was so amazingly impressed with this place. the gentleman that we mostly spoke to was knowledgeable, helpful, and gave us great suggestions and feedback. we are hosting our Christmas breakfast and were able to pick up so many traditional polish staples for the meal. I cannot thank them enough for taking the time with us, and for having everything we needed for a wonderful meal full of the flavors of my childhood. My parents and brother will be so impressed.

The couple that own this deli are great. They are passionate about the food they offer. I have tried many of their polish specialties. My favorite is their twice smoked kielbasa. It is fantastic on the grill or in the AM with eggs and hash browns.
It is well worth your time to seek this deli out!

A shopping gem in South Durham! Don’t pass this place by like I did so many times. It’s a cute little shop packed with Polish and European treats including homemade pastries, like kolaczki, a packed meat counter and made-​to-​order sandwiches. While the pastries are made on site, one of the main draws (for me), pierogies, are not. No worries, it’s by far the largest selection of potato dumpling varieties I’ve found in the area. Including strawberry, mushroom and beef pierogies. Also in the frozen selection are blintzes… yum! The deli/​meat section is equally mouthwatering, most of the descriptions are in Polish, so feel free to ask the very helpful lady behind the counter and she’ll guide you in the right direction and even give you samples to try. Visit Halgo if you’re looking for some authentic Polish treats and meats!

For a Polish girl who loves her sausage, herring, and other delights of the mother country, this place is wonderful. There isn’t much competition for Eastern European food in the area, so I’m 100% satisfied with the products and prices. I don’t make it here often enough since it’s a bit of a drive from Chapel Hill, but well worth the excursion if you are craving pierogi or other Polish goodies!

Growing up in a state with a huge Polish neighborhood, and having my very own babcia and dziadzia I may know a little about polish food. Walking in they have more Polish food that I know what to do with. They have a ton of smoked kielbasa. Score, but that is not what I was looking for. I was looking for fresh kielbasa. They had it, and although it was not fresh fresh, it was frozen fresh. I took it home slightly disappointed that it had been frozen but after making it all I can say is WOW! It was great. A total win! No more do I have to bring some back when I come from home. The pierogies were also frozen and they had a great assortment. It is so great to have such a gem in the area! I will be back for sure. Maybe for lunch soon! And definitely for more shopping.

It took me 6 years to step foot in here because, well… I kind of hate all things Polish.
NOW, before you go calling me a «racist» or anything… I’ll have you know I grew up with a Polish Stepmother, and she was a real asshole. Not only that, but she was a terrible «drunken dialer». Christ. You see? This is why I avoided this place.
SO, I finally got past my aversion and stopped in.
The owner said they get their kielbasa and pirogi’s from New Jersey and Chicago. The pirogi’s are unfortunately frozen, but still very good. And there’s at least a half dozen varieties of kielbasy.
There’s also a bunch of Polish sweets and stuff, if you go for that. Prices are a little high (and yes, sliding scale… if this were on Milwaukee Avenue it would get 2 *‘s…).

These guys are really nice. Unfortunately, I don’t eat polish sausage… so there’s not much else there for me other than pierogies and (omg) euro-​cookies and sweets. Giant bags of those wonderful «Hit» cookies; in fact, they get 5 stars for having a two-​pound bag of those things!
Okay, it’s an awesome store. And honestly, there’s about 12 different kinds of sausage in there!
Again, they’re so nice. They sampled me cheeses and their homemade cookies. If there’s anything you want that’s Polish, they’d surely go out of their way to get it for you. This store is such a great addition to the area.

A Polish food market in my back yard! What could make this Polish girl from Chicago feel better?!! To have a place to buy pierogis, Polish sausage and just about anything else my heart could desire.
I’ve been visiting Halgo since it opened and it’s a dream come true!
The owners are a dream team who just want to make their customers happy. They couldn’t be nicer and will always tempt you to taste test something from the deli area. What makes it even better is it’s right in my backyard. Thank you Universe for hearing my pleas!
The pierogi selection is the best! If you can’t find what you’re looking for here you won’t find it anywhere else in the Triangle insofar as Polish food goes. If you want a special order they’ll get it for you too as they make trips to NJ to restock every couple weeks.
I love that they’re also serving some hot and cold sandwiches and pierogis so you can try things out! Check them out, you won’t be disappointed.

Halgos is my favorite Polish deli in NC. Not that I even know about another one. Halgos is owned by a cute, older couple who work hard to make sure they only stock the best products. The store is immaculately clean (100% sanitation score). They are very helpful and will always offer a sample if you are not sure about buying something.
Their double smoked kielbasa is outstanding. We grill it up and serve with some Polish mustard. The pierogies are decent, although not as good as the fresh ones I bought in NJ. We like the potato and bacon ones best. They also stock some fresh bread from Guglhupf Bakery.
They serve hot kielbasa sandwiches at lunch and if you call ahead will have pierogies ready for you.