Ingebretsen's Scandinavian Gifts & Foods

Ingebretsen’s is a truly one-of-a-kind gem and a cornerstone of Scandinavian heritage in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This store has been part of my family’s life for generations—my grandmother, my mother, and now me. I’ve been visiting since I was a child, and I am now in my 30s, I’m still in awe of everything this incredible marketplace has to offer. The experience is unmatched—authentic Scandinavian goods, beautiful crafts, and their legendary meat market, which is second to none. The lines that wrap outside the door and around the block during the holidays are a testament to their outstanding quality and the trust they’ve built in the community. The staff is just as remarkable—many of them have been there since I was a kid, and their dedication, knowledge, and friendliness make every visit feel special. If you’re in the Minneapolis area, a visit to Ingebretsen’s is an absolute must. This isn’t just a store; it’s a living piece of Scandinavian culture, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

A long-standing Scandinavian tradition in the Twin Cities offering a wide assortment of goods including food, clothing, and other interesting gifts, books, and fun items that would bring joy to anyone. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Highly recommend to anyone who longs for Minnesota's Scandinavian heritage or who otherwise would like to become more familiar with its food, customs, language and many other delights!

We went here to get ingredients for Swedish Meatballs and Pancakes. The gentleman who helped us at the deli counter was very helpful in helping us purchase the right portions, and giving us tips on how to prepare them, and extremely friendly overall (which matched our interactions with all staff). We made the food for my boyfriend’s family today (they are Mexican, where I am from part Swedish ancestry) and they loved it! Thank You Ingebretsen’s for helping me share a part of my family’s culture!

The stuff this place has is pretty great and they definitely have a lot of stuff that you can't really find anywhere else, but they're not open very late and when I tried to go there on Sunday they were closed. I came back today specifically to buy something from the deli and when I took my card out to pay the guy said it was cash only (you can pay with a card in the gift shop part). Who knows why - you'd think they'd want to handle cash as little as possible in the area where they're also handling food.

Very cute and quiet gift shop, sells mostly Scandinavian but also other various Minnesotan and European goods. Deli section of the store has a wide variety of ready-to-heat foods, snacks, and meats. Would definitely come back next time I'm in Minneapolis.

Been eating the foods from Ingebretsens for Decades! Pretty much my entire life. My grandmother would always go here and get the traditional Swedish foods for Christmas. Now I come here every December and ship to Florida my Father his favorite Swedish dinner. He says there is nothing that compares in SWFL. Thank you for all the holiday traditions Ingebretsens!

stopped in while I was visiting my cousin in Minneapolis after her knee surgery. I was delighted to see a selection of Swedish and Norwegian products! Such a fascinating little store with brilliant customer service purchased several items, and will be back for more.

A nice selection of Scandinavian items, evocative of Minnesota's history of Scandinavian immigrants. In a neighborhood that is clearly in transition from the influence of other newer immigrant groups now. We bought a few small gifts for friends. Deli foods looked good though we did not buy anything as we were traveling / passing through. Glad we stopped.

Such a quaint little shop to celebrate all things Scandinavian. Perfect place to get gifts for your nostalgic Swedish expat family members or anyone who loves that kind of thing.

After taking a trip to Sweden, I was longing for some of the things I found there. Lucky for me, Ingebretsen's could fill some of that void. There are two sections of the store, one more retail shop and the other based on food, more like a deli. We stopped in both. The food side was where I was really hoping to find some goodies. While not everything I had a hankering for was available, it did satisfy my Swedish tooth Staff were friendly and helpful as well.

Picked up some Scandinavian treats and chatted with the workers on my way back to the airport to head home. Wish I had a Swedish shop back home. While you can order Swedish through Amazon, it's not the same.

Spent an hour and a half in this wonderful store last month! Loved everything about it, the Scandinavian merchandise was top quality and all of it was displayed beautifully ! Very nice saleswoman too. Picked up great deli items as well , many hard to find for me so I was especially pleased.

Best braunschweiger ever!! Family absolutely loved it. Will definitely go back for more. My goto place for braunschweiger.

An actual Scandinavian Meat shop (and gift shop) Full Stop. (also, the meat shop only takes cash or check, so be prepared) It was our family reunion - all the kids and grandkids. We did the American Swedish Institute, then hit Ingebretsen's for dinner supplies. What a great choice. Six types of herring. Swedish Meatball Meat. Julekage. Limpa Rye. Scandinavian sausages and cheese. Store made Lefse. Candy, Fish, Crisp Breads, Lingonberry jam. We loaded up, wheeled to my daughters house, and had a wonderful family meal.

Right before Christmas I had a short wait at the meat shop but it was soooo worth it! The deli food is out of the world and it is always fun to talk to the others that were waiting. The man next to me said his mother used to go there years ago, and now he goes. I told him my mother and I always went together years ago (she probably started going in the 1930s) and I bring my own children. I am continuing the tradition and buy beautiful Scandinavian crafts, dishes. jewelry and gifts for family all year long.

The Abba brand matjes (young, immature) herring sold here are delicious. (I usually go for the German Rugenfisch brand, but they're much fattier and, well, more mature. Meatier, but not always in the best way. Matjes, on the other hand, are perfect for gobbling down with toast or crackers.) I also found lingonberries in syrup, lingonberry jam, lefsa, tisanes, sweaters . . . so much more Dropped around a hundred bucks in here. Could easily drop way more if I weren't on the road!

Ingebretsen's, I heard is a Lake Street classic and I finally paid a visit! There's free street parking available all around the store. I browsed the gift store with holiday gifts for my partner's parents in mind. They have plenty of goodies that are perfect for gifts from ornaments to sweaters to mittens, and books! They even have a great kids section. I ended up purchasing a pair of socks and a face mask that will be perfect gifts! Everyone is very friendly and I'll definitely be coming back! COVID-19 Notes: staff was wearing masks, hand sanitizer was available at the entrance, and they have a tap to pay card reader

This store is so cute! It's located on the corner of a busy street, and has all the Scandinavian goods and food you never knew you wanted. I wish I could have gotten some lutefisk, but I was afraid the hotel may have issues with me cooking it. It's definitely a great stop for unique souvenirs and gifts, it will be a must stop the next time I'm in Minnesota!

This market has a great ambiance that draws you in the store. Service was good. Didn't purchase food, maybe on my next travels to the city.

Great place for a gift shop and one stop shop for all things Scandinavian. Checkout photos for this gift shop! The shop has very high-quality goods but the items can get pretty pricey. There is a foods & gift shop and directly adjacent to the left is their knitting/yarn store selling apparel. They also host knitting club here which is cool to checkout. Lots of unique Scandinavian foods and gifts! Lutefisk, pickled herring, shrimp paste in a toothpaste tube, lefse, lingonberries, and so much more Make your own lefse, lefse tools also sold here!

I've just ordered from Ingebretsen's for the second time in a few years. I live in Northern California with my family. We returned from a winter visit to Stockholm in love with the candelabra that are featured in windows throughout the city in the dark season. I searched online and was delighted to find Ingebretsen's which supplied us with several. This year I've ordered traditional straw ornaments, a tree topper and some jewelry for family members. Some household "pretties" for the season too. It was great hearing from Gus in mail order who needed to adjust an item with me. He was prompt, clear and super courteous of course - I'd expect nothing less of a Minnesotan. Yay Ingebretsen's, bringing lovely Scandinavian goods, arts, crafts and foods closer to us all here in the States!

Adorable store with great, tasty food products, adorable knickknacks, clothing, and decor, and very friendly service. The friendliest person was the guy behind the meat counter, who gave us samples of the dill havarti and the salted caramel goat cheese which was delicious - of course, we ended up buying both. We also bought some chocolates and lingonberries of course.

What a great collection of Scandinavian goods! My Mom found some elusive fish balls that she wanted as she had childhood memories about them. I bought a funny "Uff da!" pin and a history of Nordic conquests through history magnet. They have do much really beautiful stuff of all kinds, very special boutique shop.

Great store. We were from out of state and I made sure we stopped by. I would go back if we were closer.

I'm a 4th generation Minnesota Swede. We ditched our family recipe for Swedish meatball mix because Ingebretsens' is so much better. We come here every Christmas Eve with a huge crowd of other people in Scandinavian sweaters and get everything we need for our traditional Christmas meal. Just be sure to bring cash or a check book for the market. (Yes, they were still accepting checks last I went.)

Loved it! I wanted to buy everything in the store. I am deducting one star for two reasons: One-Apparently the meat counter is separate from the store itself and takes cash or check only? One of the meat counter employees was super friendly and helpful but the other one-the one that helped me-was quite rude and scolded me for not being able to pay cash. He begrudgingly "made an exception" for me and allowed me to pay for my meat purchase with my other purchases at the front register. Maybe I'm missing something here but I really feel that everything should be paid for at the front register, not the meat counter, and credit cards should obviously be accepted. Number Two: Some of the items in the store are insanely priced. The dala horses, for instance, are 25 dollars for the teeniest one (2 inches tall)! The biggest ones (8 inches tall) are $80 to over $100! They are beautiful, but that seems nuts to me. I reluctantly bought the smallest one, because I literally couldn't afford anything bigger. Not everything in the store is priced this way, but I had major sticker shock with some of the stuff in there. Complaints aside, I am still smitten with the store overall and will definitely return. The sausage I bought was delicious and I am very happy with the other items I purchased. Most of the staff, with the exception of the one individual, were very friendly. Would definitely recommend!

I've developed this obsession with knitting Norwegian ski sweaters. This was fine while the sweaters had crew necks, or had neckline zipper closures... but what to do about a sweater that closes with those fancy pewter clasps? They're kind of hard to find in my part of the world, so I took to Google and found Ingebretsen's. They not only have the clasps, they have several styles, they don't have to be ordered in pairs, and the prices are reasonable. I've ordered from them a couple times and have been happy with their service. I ordered more clasps (and, full disclosure, a book on ebelskivers - a treat I've been meaning to learn to make for several years). I didn't really expect them to arrive until after Christmas, since they're probably a little nuts around the holidays. I was happily surprised this morning when I found the package at my front door. Everything in perfect condition AND speedy delivery, too. Can't beat Ingebretsen's!

Ever since I was a little kid, I've heard rave reviews about Ingebretsen's and enjoyed their food. Their pickled herring is always so good and they have lots of interesting flavors. Likewise, they have lots of unique jams, cookies and meats. However, this was the first time I've ever been in the shop and the experience was totally underwhelming. While the shop employee was friendly and greeted us, the butcher did not and had a gruff attitude. Likewise, they were out of most of their herring flavors and the butcher was totally unapologetic about it. More so, the butcher was unfriendly (almost scolding us) when explaining that they don't accept debit/credit cards and would have to charge us $3 to process. Seriously? We live in 2022. The other kind of gross thing about the butcher is he wasn't wearing a mask but coughing without covering his mouth! Yuck! Honestly, as much as I love supporting local businesses, I can't say I'd go back to Ingebretsen's based on the poor customer service.

You know, I had never really thought much about Scandinavian countries before moving to Wisconsin. I grew up in Kansas and just about everyone is German there. It has been really fun getting to know all about Scandinavian food and culture since relocating up North. Everyone takes such pride in their heritage here and I love it! There are a few Scandinavian shops throughout the twin cities area and Ingebretsen's is probably my favorite. Half of the shop is comprised of Scandinavian food (whether dry goods or refrigerated) and the other half is made up of different Scandinavian themed knickknacks. I love the variety of Swedish made kitchen items as everything I have ever purchased from Sweden has been of superb quality. I love the biodegradable plant based fiber rags and I make sure to pick up a new one every few months. They have a variety of images printed on them (with ecofriendly ink!) and it is a really fun way to make doing the dishes more enjoyable. I also picked up a small Swedish made cutting board as it seemed very durable, compact in size, and the color was nice. Everyone that works at the shop is so friendly and welcoming. You really feel as if you belong there as opposed to feeling like an imposition. The building is well lit and very clean. You can tell they truly take pride in their establishment! This shop has something for everyone, regardless of heritage. If you enjoy tasty food, well made household goods, or simply expanding your knowledge of local and global cultures this shop is certainly worth exploring!

Here's the deal. Jeg er norsk (I am Norwegian for those who can't read Norsk). When I first moved here which was about a year and a half ago, I was surprised to have found this little gem in Minneapolis. I know there's IKEA but it pales in comparison when it comes to the selection and variety of products Ingebretsen has to offer. Now this cute corner store is split into two sides. 1st side when you walk in is a gift shop where you can find the most exquisite Scandinavian souvenirs and all kinds of novelty items. I've found myself surrounded by Nordic cookware, glassware and a variety of custom-made wooden figurines. Heck, I even found myself an ostehøvel (cheese slicer) here. The foods and godteri (confections) section makes up the other side. This is where I spend most of time perusing through their offerings on display. They do have a full glass showcase of deli meats, cheese and of course LEVERPOSTEI (liver pâté). You will also find quite the selection of different jams displayed on their shelves. They also sell the WASA crispbreads which I miss from home. There's also a limited selection of chocolates/candies. I say limited because they don't have all the ones I want which is unfortunate but then again, I don't see them selling much of the chocolates as they are somewhat pricey. $4 for a single pack of Kvikk Lunsj (Norway's version of Kit Kat). Heck, I can buy a whole bags worth of Kit Kats for that amount of money but make no mistake, if Kvikk Lunsj was close to me, I'd get it over Kit Kat any time of the day even at that price. That's how good it is. You can really distinguish the distinct cacao taste of the milk chocolate. It's silky smooth and MUCH better than your average Kit Kat (Sorry Hershey's). I can probably write a whole essay about Kvikk Lunsj but why write about it when you can munch on it for a divine mouthwatering experience? Also as a side note and pretty important one at that, is that they ONLY use cash or check at the foods section. You can use whatever payment method you want at the gift shop. These are two separate counters where you pay. It's been noted here before me that it's not possible to go to the checkout lane in gifts shop if you have stuff from the foods side. I did, somehow luck out on the first visit since I didn't know any better and was told to go use my card at the gift shop. I knocked down a star due to this wonky payment system. Everytime I come here I leave SAD because it makes me miss home. Everytime I come here I bring a little piece of Norway back home with me which leaves me HAPPY!

A+! They always ship quickly and items are packaged expertly so that they arrive in brand-new condition. I am a repeat shopper and will be back again!

Good source for hard to find Nordic items. It gets extremely crowded during the Christmas season when it's everyone's go-to place for Lutefisk and other traditional Nordic seasonal foods, as well as shopping for Christmas gifts among the the clothing, jewelry, cards, music, knicknacks, home decor, kitchen utensils, and whatnots from the old country. Other times of the yeard

Very nice selection of cheeses and meats! If I were visiting longer, I would have loved to check out the butcher counter as well!

After living in this town for 30+ years, I finally made it to this place in mid-January, and then again in early February. I was surprised and delighted by the variety of comestibles they offered. I saw so many things I wanted to try, and I also noted some prices on certain items that seemed like a steal (specifically, butter and eggs, both from towns in Minnesota). I've tried their ground beef, which they grind in house, and their ham, which they smoke in house. Both were excellent in quality and flavor. The men working behind their meat counter are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, as well as courteous. It seems they make it a habit to focus on one customer at a time, and most customer politely wait their turn. Next time I go, I want to get some of their lefse and some of that 'bargain' butter...

Pickled Herring isn't usually fantastic, but it is at Ingebretsen's! Same to be said for lefse! Can't wait to try out the Swedish meatball mix! And if I ever strike it rich I'll buy some mittens next door at the gift shop! I've heard the potato sausage is excellent (a good friend of mine that's Swedish highly recommends it).

I rarely give five stars, but the service I received today deserves it. I was a first-time shopper and foolishly didn't check whether they took credit cards. They do not, in the meat market, but the gentleman overseeing the entrance line pointed out the nearest ATM and allowed me to keep my place in line. The men working the butcher area were knowledgeable, efficient, and very helpful. The prices were quite reasonable, too. I managed to get 5lbs of Swedish meatballs, 4 pints of gravy, a pint of pickled herring, a whole smoked whitefish, lefse, lingonberry jam, and rosettes for just under $100. Everything I purchased looks amazingly fresh and tasty. I cannot wait to host a perfect Swedish Christmas for my family this weekend!

I buy lefse from here because I have relocated to Louisiana and I had all of my coworkers try it and they loved it! So fun showing off my heritage and family traditions to other people who have never heard of any of it!

Ja, vi elsker dette landet! Yes, we love this country are the first words of the Norwegian national anthem and going into Ingebretsen's remind me of my friends and visits to the beautiful country of Norway! My dad is 100% Norwegian and he will not let you forget it. He has instilled in us the true values of being Norwegian and to me that is knowing Ole and Lena jokes and saying oh! or you betcha! after any sentence. Going to Ingebretsen's always helped me feel a little closer to my Scandinavian heritage and I especially loved how I could get all the fixings for a wonderful Norwegian dinner here. In the past I would have to add all the spices to my meatball mix, but it is all made up for you to take home here. They have it all here.... lutefisk, pickled herring, weird shrimp paste in a toothpaste tube, lefse, lingonberries, and so much more. The gift store is especially nice for unique gifts and I love that I have a place to buy a troll to add to my collection! Tusen takk Ingebretsen's!

I love Ingebretsen's. First of all, it's so out of place on Lake Street that it is hilarious. Mexican, Mexican, Mexican, Scandinavian, Mexican. As a half-Ojibwe, half-Norwegian girl, this place helps me get in touch with my lefse-eating, star mitten-knitting side. The yarn and needlework shop is a rare commodity, not many places offer tatting classes. The ladies have been very friendly with me through the years, despite me not looking like the typical tatter or lace knitter. There are many great, solid patterns and a good selection of Dalegarn. After swinging through the yarn store, I usually pick up some refrigerator pickles, lefse or Freia's Melkesjokolade, the best milk chocolate I've ever had. My Norweigian exchange students in high school would bring it over and I got hooked. Over all, a fun little store.

Do you want to know how good Ingebretsen's Swedish meatball mix is? I stood in line outside in 8-degree weather for two hours two days before Christmas Eve to procure some. And I would do it again, by gum, I would do it again. Those were two hours standing in line with 50-80 year old men with Scandinavian heritage asking me about my family and telling me how happy they were to see the young people keeping some traditions (Swedish meatballs for Christmas) alive. They told me about their holiday gatherings and their kids and their grandkids. They laughed at me because I did not --at all-- anticipate how long the wait would be just a few days before Christmas. So come prepared. Everyone will be very jolly and sweet, but you will also be cold. Ingebretsen's has two sides: the gift shop side and the meat shop side. Here's something important to note: the gift shop side takes credit cards and all manner of payment. The meat shop side is a cash-or-check business. You can't pay for your meat-shop-stuff over on the other side, either. The lefse, krumkake and meats are all top-notch. You'll also find pre-made gravy and lutefisk (if that's your thing) and lingonberry and cloudberry jams/jellies. And the gifts? Glass and wood objects, cooking implements (lefse griddle, anyone) and various other Scandinavian sundries are available. Scandinavian Christmas decor abounds at Christmas time. Ya know, it's just a nice place to be with decent folk.

Ingebretsen's is the place to go for anything Scandinavian. It's a quaint little shop in South Minneapolis where you can buy all kinds of Scandinavian gifts. But the best part of their shop is their food. They have freezers full of lutefisk, pickled herring, and other unique foods you'd only know about if you grew up in that culture, or that part of the world. I love their meat department. We make special trips there for their beef franks. At their core, their just hot dogs, but they're really good hot dogs. Some of their other offerings were featured on Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern where he sampled lamb jerky, blood sausage, and pigs toe. Who says Asians are the only ones who eat weird parts of animals? Being that Minnesota is Scandinavia Central, I'm surprised there aren't more little shops like this around town. Or maybe there are and I just don't know about them.

I simply adore Ingebretsen's. How could you not? Well, actually, there are a lot of you who won't get it. And that is okay, because truth be told, I wouldn't want you to. My loving spouse brought me here to expose me to part of his Scandinavian heritage, to introduce me to some traditional food and some of the craftwork of the store. And the first few times, I have to be honest, I was appreciative but not wowed. Until a rainy day a few weeks ago after I made an off the cuff remark about wanting to learn a new skill (knitting, if you are curious) he oh-so-casually brought me back here. To which I am grateful! There are two parts to Ingebretsen's: the main grocery and gift shop on the corner and along the street slightly farther down, a smaller gift shop with a classroom for traditional crafts. The wonderful ladies (Joan and Pat) were incredibly gracious and patient with me. I was a bit sheepish and overwhelmed and who could blame a girl with the quality of finished, hand-made products that they offer? But they steered me into the right direction, helping me pick out needles and yarn and then sat me down for an hour to teach me the basics. And this was after the lessons were done for the day!!! I know Joan stayed a bit later just to teach me beginners skills. The shop offers classes for many traditional crafts and the uniqueness of the gifts they have there is really something to see. I highly recommend stopping by some day to casually browse, perhaps buy a thoughtful gift for a loved one or learn a new skill to keep you busy in the winter months.

THE place to go for anything & everything Scandinavian. I remember coming here ever since I was litte with my Dad & Aunt. My Dad always makes a traditional Swedish meal on Christmas, so we come here a few days before to stock up. However, they carry most items all year! Here's our typical shopping list: -Lefse -Meatball mix -Lingonberries -Herring (pickled, creamed & dill) -Ginger thins -Dried beef -Julekake -Potato sausage I'm sure there's more but that's all I can think of!

Absolutely an amazing place if your Scandinavian or of Nordic decent. Or just love AN AWESOME DELI!!! During the holidays the line out the door is also wonderful as most everyone is excited to get their shopping done. It's truly a gem in Minneapolis.

Holy lutefisk, I am in heaven. I finally got to go to a proper Scandinavian store while visiting my birth state!! This store has everything- Scandinavian foodstuffs, decor, jewelry, kitchen accessories, Christmas products, basically all the items that remind me of being a kid raised in a semi Norwegian-American setting. If you're not into Scandi culture it's still a cool place to get gifts, and cute baby gifts at their adjoining store one door down. And that place is also filled with knitting supplies! My aunt told me this was in a bad part of town, but it looked cool and charming to me. But then again I live in Atlanta where you can get robbed with an AK-47 in broad daylight. Anyway, go. I have started stalking their site, you should too.

The gift store is nice. A slice of Norway in the US. Some of the goods are pretty reasonable. Some of them be prepared to pay Norwegian prices. If you are looking for Norwegian items in the midwest you will not do better than Ingebretsen's. On the the grocery side. Where to begin. They have the best sausage and Swedish meatball mix I have ever had. Including grandpa and grandma's. They have varieties from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. When I have parties and make this - people gobble it up like a starving child throwing down some fresh macaroni and cheese. The smoked midday sausage is perfect. Don't leave without some. Lefse is top notch. Put a little butter on top and sprinkle a little sugar on top of that and you have what it quite possibly the world's most perfect food. The guys behind the counter are helpful, but not overly friendly. But you are in a Scandinavian store in Minneapolis so don't be expecting lots of smiles and hugs. That's how these people roll. They are more friendly than the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld and less friendly than the hostess from some breakfast restaurant in the Deep South. Just don't go in there pretending you know everything about the culture and the language unless you do. The store is in an odd, yet inviting, location. Lots of Mexican stores on all sides. But it works for me. I don't think there is another street in the country, perhaps the world, where you can get potato sausage and walk a few steps and buy some fresh tamales.

Great scandinavian store! This place is magical and has been around for 90 years, opening back when this colorful section of Lake Street was home to immigrants from Scandinavia. Definitely coming back around Christmas, some of the stuff in the deli you can probably find cheaper elsewhere, but they have some specialty items and goods that you can't find at Lund's or Byerly's or the International section of Cub Foods, etc. There is another section of their store right next to the meat market with clothing - note the free coffee and ginger cookies (delicious!). Just go past the older ladies chatting and knitting - they lure them in with the cookies and coffee. I came here to pick up some kransekake rings (still haven't successfully made a cake though, it's tricky!) and will definitely be coming back - especially around Christmas time!

How did lunch at the Capital Grille Land me here. I found out that what they sweeten the grapefruit soda with is Elderberry Flower Syrup. I did a search and this is one of the few places they carry it. Ikea is another. This is a bottle of it as a drink concentrate, a product of Sweden. It's the only item I was after, though it could have easily have been 10. I can see lots of stock piling for the upcoming holidays. With MN having such wonderful diversity, don't rule out how awesome Scandinavian food and imports can be.

I am 100% Scandinavian. We live in Chicago, but were up in St. Paul for a concert, so we decided to visit Ingebretsen's and pick up some food products to take home. Others have listed the plethora of available choices from the deli counter, so I won't repeat it. Everything we got was very good. My only complaint was the service. We came a very long way for less than friendly treatment. It sort of killed the thrill as it were. I'd probably stop back because of the wide variety of good Scandinavian food products, but not enthusiastically for sure.

Ingebretsen's is a wonderful, customer-oriented store! I recently ordered a Danish Iron Candleholder for my daughters' wedding gift basket but unfortunately the incorrect design was sent to me. I received a sincere apology when I called to tell them about the mistake. The correct candleholder was shipped immediately with a prepaid label so that I could return the original candleholder with no additional hassle. They even included a roll of tape for me to use when returning the item. Now, that's service! I'm happy to report that my daughter loved the candleholder, which she received on her wedding day.

After my husband (a 2nd generation Scandinavian) grieved the loss of his grandmother's ability to make all the cookies, Krumkaka and Lefse, I had to learn the 'ways'. I couldn't believe I had driven past this location many times (to/from World Market and other Lake-area things) and never noticed it. I made sure to stop in at 9:00am on the dot and was amazed at the line stretching ALL AROUND THE BLOCK! Surely I was missing something... The meat market. All the customers were calmly waiting (in the rain I might add) to go in, one at a time, to the meat market. I was able to bypass the line and enter into the gift shop entrance to by my Swedish krumkaka iron and oils (at $47.00 total). The prices were fair, the products all superb quality and the staff were overly friendly and informative. I didn't have time to shop, but thank goodness - because the whole store if full of beautiful nick-nacks that I'm sure could get out of hand. I hope to head back for the meat market experience and look forward to my return to Ingebretsen.

Ingbretsen's in Minneapolis is actually made up of three connecting stores. There is (1) a Scandinavian Gift Shop, (2) a Butcher Shop & Deli, and (3) a Needlework store. (1) and (2) are in the same establishment, but run separately. (3) is next door. This is a review for (3). I was pleased to see a Norwegian knitting shop and heartened to see that they have class is nordic knitting. I wish they carried more yarn though and carried the occasional pattern in Norwegian. If I lived nearby I would explore some of the classes here but it is unlikely that I would buy yarn here. The yarn is reasonably priced but nothing is on sale and the selection is small. I found the staff particularly unhelpful. We were struggling to track down some patterns for displayed items and were essentially left with the message that we should just figure it out on our own. The women working there seems nice, but not actually helpful or encouraging. It seemed possible that this was a fluke and there was a non-knitter minding the store while the knitters were teaching a class ...

Lots of fun stuff in this store, you will really like it here if you are of Scandinavian descent.

This store actually carries a great selection of meat products, other food items, and various Scandinavian designs/souvenirs. The meat is done by the Ingebretsens themselves! If you need your many kinds of Norwegian food products chances is thy Ingebretsen's have it!!!!!

Ingebretsen's is, along with Schatzlein's saddle shop--a relic of the other ethnic history of South Minneapolis; the bazillions of Scandinavian, German and other folks who populated the area, worked like dogs at sawmills, grain mills, and factories, and died and were buried at Pioneers and Soldiers cemetery on Lake Street. My fisherman grandfather came from Norway with two brothers in 1912 with seven dollars to his name, and wound up in a tenement with 42 other guys in little rooms divided by bedsheets. His brothers died, one of tuberculosis, and the other in a factory accident. But he worked his way up and out, learned english (kind of badly), and built a teeny little house by Minnehaha creek--he felt he'd lived the American dream! This is the story of South Minneapolis! Then and now... So, while you may think of the area as presently an ethnic neighborhood, it was ALWAYS an ethnic neighborhood! Which is why I so love that I can go get some fantastic tamales and Mexican mystery pastries up the street, and then walk a block and buy some Limpa bread and potato Sausage and scandahooovian whatnots. I'm always headed for the deli side, which is full of good tasty stuff. I love the Limpa bread, the herring, Gjetost cheese. Be warned, cash (or oddly, checks---for those who remember such things) only, and they mean it! Much is made in house, fresh--and is superb. That's the stuff to seek out. I tend not to shop the Boutique side much, not my thing. There are some lovely handicrafts and some hokey stuff too (little wooden dwarves and such). And the truly odd--my wife bought a ice cream scoop there on sale for a couple bucks today. It is called an Eisdipper, and is sorta clever in design, so we grabbed it. Then we noticed it is made in.....WEST germany (For you less historical-minded folks, Germany reunited in 1990) Gotta love a store that puts a 22 year stuff on sale and just waits, and waits, and waits, and waits....until somebody buys it! That tells you a bit about what a quirky place it is, and that's why I love it! The word "quirky", by the way, is of Norse origin. Just sayin...

I'm sorry Knut feels he was treated badly by someone at Ingebretsen's. THAT doesn't make Minnesota Nice look so good, now, does it? I have never been disappointed with anything from Ingebretsen's and have always been treated INCREDIBLY well by the staff. I happened to be on Lake Street last week, during their Fall sale, and was compelled to check in for some pickled herring and some cream herring. I was minding my own business and preparing to pay and I heard someone order some meatball mix. Well, damn! I figured I might as well get some, too, as long as I was there. I made my meatballs last night. Could be heretical to bake them instead of fry them, but I did. (1" balls, 425 deg on a parchment lined pan, 15-20 minutes.) My sauce sucked (too thick) but it was tasty. Be sure you put some sour cream in it. Now I have to remember to eat my cream herring. So much good food, so little time. During the month of December I always chuckle when I see the older gents lined up with their marching orders from mormor. They're loading up on herring, meatball mix, gjetost, lingon, lefse, and the rest of the ingredients for a proper Scandinavian holiday food spread. I'm not Scandinavian and I don't do that kind of spread but the people watching is great. :-) It's *almost* as good as being in Kramarczuk's during Holy Week. Did I mention that Ingebretsen's hams are excellent and that they'll even sell you maybe a quarter of a ham (instead of a half) if your need is less. At least they did a couple years ago when I was there and boy did I hold THAT over the heads of the guys at Everett's Meats when they were reluctant to do that for me. Vell, I should SAY! I overheard a lady saying their smoked ham hocks are the best. Next time.

If you're looking for any Scandinavian gift, they'll have it. We bought a beautiful, hand painted Christmas ornament and can't to show it off around the holidays! If you have the time, take a class. We took a woodcarving class and found it to be informative, unique, and fun! For an all day class (6-7 hrs) and all supplies/tools included, it's $70 and absolutely worth it. If we were in town longer, we would have tried some of the other classes they offer- rosemaling, cooking, knitting, etc. And the staff is more than welcoming- we'll be back! We even featured it in our Minneapolis episode of our webseries "Sus and Chlo On the Go."