Gene's Sausage Shop and Delicatessen
Deli · Lincoln Square ·
Sausage market with 40+ varieties, imported foods, deli & rooftop
Sausage market with 40+ varieties, imported foods, deli & rooftop
"With a wood grill, draft beers, a flower and herb garden, and wooden picnic tables, Gene's feels like a German-style backyard barbecue. Locals and European beer-lovers flock to Gene's for the market, then pop up to the roof for wood-grilled German brats, Polish sausages, beers, and seasonal cocktails. Like your friend's backyard, it feels comfortable, convivial, and relaxed." - Nicole Schnitzler
"We might be biased about this one since we did their branding, but the people agree—this shop is two thumbs up! They’re a gourmet delicatessen and European market in the heart of Lincoln Square. We shop here regularly—they have just about anything you could need to make a meal at home. Their meat counter always has a wait, but it’s so worth it. Aside from chicken, beef and pork, they offer 40 varieties of homemade, natural wood-smoked sausage. Our favorite is the Alpine sausage—grab a long link and grill it up at home. Get a side of cooked sauerkraut and cucumber salad to go with it. If you’d rather have someone cook you lunch here, they will! Make your way to the roof and enjoy a German-style lunch on their deck, complete with a bar and grill, picnic tables and lounge chairs. We encourage you to support these guys—they're family-owned and terrific people." - Knoed Creative
"The rooftop at this Lincoln Square market and deli is no frills. The menu features grilled sausages, pierogis, sides like potato salad, and beer and wine. There’s no shade, but guests will enjoy a nice view of the city. Beware: It can get crowded here on nice days, so plan accordingly or be prepared to wait on weekends and holidays." - Jeffy Mai
"Gene’s is an old-school Polish deli that serves traditional sausages and other specialty Polish items. In the summer, they also open up a rooftop beer garden, where they grill sausages and serve beer. Grab a couple of each and hang out on the picnic benches for an excellent afternoon." - adrian kane, john ringor, nick allen, sam faye, josh barnett
"Owned and run by brother-sister duo Derek and Yolanda Luszcz, this Lincoln Square gourmet European butcher shop specializes in sausage (they have 40 different types of smoked sausages and 30 varieties of sliced deli meats), but you can also get a leg of lamb, whole Amish chickens, and pork roasts. Gene’s says they use authentic, Old World sausage-making methods. Most places use pellet-driven computerized smokers, but Gene’s uses a traditional European smokehouse with cherry wood they get from Michigan and mesquite chips, along with natural cases. Lincoln Square is a historically German neighborhood, but Gene’s pulls from all over the European continent, with goods and foods from Lithuania, Spain, Poland, Switzerland, and more. Another bonus? Their rooftop beer and wine garden, where you can hang out with your friends and stuff yourself with homemade sausages and charcuterie. They also have one of the widest varieties of uncommon meats in the city, with duck, rabbit, bison, venison, pheasant, oxtail, alligator, and crawfish sausage (both are blended with pork), and capon, a castrated male chicken that is fattened up for eating." - Nylah Iqbal Muhammad