Porubsky Grocery and Deli, Topeka, KS

I've been wanting to try Porubsky's since I was in college at KU many years ago. Classmates from Topeka raved about it, telling me I must go, particularly in the winter months, when they serve chili. But, perhaps unsurprisingly, to get out of Lawrence we tended to head east to Kansas City. After a night in Lawrence, my son and I confirmed they were open today and headed to Topeka for lunch before our semi-annual trip through the Flint Hills to scenic Winfield. Were it not for Google Maps I'm quite sure we would never have found it, nor would anyone ever happen to come across it by chance. It sits in a decaying part of North Topeka, along railroad tracks of which I'm not sure which would be the wrong side. A small building houses the deli on one side, and a shotgun bar on the other that serves sandwiches and chili from the deli. From the deli people get meat and cheese trays and sandwiches, chili, and pickles to go. On the other side people come to eat the same in the bar with a beer. The chili was pretty typical of my youth in Kansas, ground beef, beans and tomato purée. Warming, good, but ultimately nothing that would outdo my grandmother, or any other grandmother. The hot pickles on the other hand, almost made my 5th grader cry. He's no wimp when it comes to heat, but these pickles were so laden with horseradish that they were hard to get down without an extreme reaction from the sinuses. But they were so good that we continued to punish ourselves. My son had a corned beef on rye and I had a liverwurst on white bread. Nothing at Porubsky's lived up to the hype except for the ambience. The place is a relic, the staff exceedingly friendly, and it's an inexpensive place to grab a perfectly satisfying, if not spectacular meal. If ever in Topeka, it most definitely is worth a visit. But be forewarned, the pickles will get you.

C W Porubsky Grocery & Meats
508 Northeast Sardou Avenue
Topeka, KS 66608