But like many former Midwesterners, the Kurowskis soon missed the ability to get traditional ingredients and cuisine from their country of heritage. Knowing others had the same issue, they opened A to Z Polish Market in Surprise on December 14, 2021.
Since then, the compact grocery store with a full deli, bakery, and hot food counter has become a destination not only for Poles, but also for people with German roots as well as Hungarians, Romanians, Lithuanians, and others from all over the Valley. It’s an oasis for those looking for a taste of the old country — or countries, to be precise.
“Eighty percent of the store is Polish products,” says Michael Kurowski, the owners' son who manages A to Z Polish Market. “Fifteen percent is German, and there’s a mix from all over Europe.”
They try to get the most important items from each country, he explains, like Hungarian spices and German sauerkraut.
“I would cram in more, but I really can’t,” Kurowski says. “That’s our main issue now, is space on the shelves.”
The market has four aisles packed with everything from jars of imported pickles, sauerkraut, beets, and jams to fruit syrups, baking products, tinned fish, candy, frozen foods, wine, and beer. Prices are comparable to, or lower than, similar products at major grocers. For example, Babcia soup mixes are 69 cents, pouches of Winiary dessert mixes are 79 cents, and large jars of Cracovia pickled cucumbers are $2.99.
They also stock the popular Zywiec and Okocim beers from Poland along with Polish wines made from fruits such as cherries, strawberries, and blackberries, because grapes don't grow well there.
Plum wine is another hit, and a lot of Poles make their own. In fact, when A to Z brought in fresh Empress plums from a farm in Idaho for home winemakers, “they were so popular it was unbelievable,” Kurowski says. “We had people taking 50 pounds at a time.”
Just for the holidays, the market is carrying six types of glüwein, a spiced wine served hot that’s a staple at family get-togethers for those of German descent. The store also features a bakery that turns out homemade breads, cookies, and pastries.
“I come in at 5 a.m. with my mom and we bake all the breads in-house,” Kurowski says. “The pastries as well. Every weekend, we try to make assorted cookies with fruit filling on the inside.”
On Saturdays only, they make trays of paczki, the jelly-filled doughnuts popular on Fat Tuesday. But plan ahead, they tend to sell out early.
Another big draw of A to Z Polish Market is the deli, which features a variety of meats, cheeses, and pates. Some are brought in from New York or Europe, but most are custom-made in Chicago.
"Having the business in Chicago, we were able to build really good relationships with the highest quality meat producers and suppliers over there,” Kurowski says. “Everything is made to our exact specifications.”
For those who want to immediately conjure a taste of home, A to Z Polish Market has a hot deli counter and an outdoor patio for eating on-site. Everything is cooked from scratch throughout the day, and dishes change constantly based on availability.
The popular counter draws a line, particularly on Saturdays, when people drive for miles to do a big shopping trip. Arrive early or late to beat the rush. Hours for the store, deli, and hot food counter are 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The three things always on hand in the hot deli are pierogi, or dumplings often filled with potato, potato and cheese, or sauerkraut; golabki, or cabbage leaves rolled around seasoned ground pork and usually topped with gravy; and sliced, grilled Polish sausage with onions. Most food is sold by the pound for about $7 to 9, meaning two people can easily fill up for less than $35 and take home leftovers.
All of these favorites rival what any babcia can make. The tender pierogi have a fluffy mashed potato filling that isn't clumpy or salty. The meat in the stuffed cabbages is well-seasoned and silky, not greasy. The Polish sausage is smoky with the perfect pinch of spices. Also, on a recent visit, a pork cutlet was golden, crispy, and moist. Red cabbage had an ideal sweet and sour balance, sauerkraut was tender and tangy, and cucumbers were sliced thinly, as they should be, and featured balanced ratios of fresh dill and sour cream.
Red beets, pierogi, Polish sausage, and cucumbers in dill and sour cream are staples of a Polish meal.
Geri Koeppel
Whether you’re of Polish descent, have Polish friends or relatives, or have developed a taste for the meat- and carb-heavy cuisine over the years from an upbringing in the Midwest, the hot bar at A to Z Polish Market is stick-to-your-ribs satisfying.
And if you are Polish, you’ll feel especially welcome. All the workers speak both English and Polish fluently. Kurowksi attended Polish school throughout his upbringing and even has a Polish high school diploma because he learned history, geography, and other subjects along with the language.
“A lot of kids still do that in Chicago,” he says. The Windy City has the largest Polish diaspora outside of Poland itself, a population that is increasingly finding its way to Phoenix. That means hiring bilingual employees is essential, Kurowksi says.
“We still have a pretty small amount of staff in here, and it’s hard to keep up with how busy we’ve been in there lately, especially with the snowbirds coming back,” he says. "A lot of our customers only speak Polish.”
A to Z Polish Market
17221 North Litchfield Road, #50, Surprise623-444-5885
atozpolishmarket.com
