Finding Home: A Guide to Russian and Eastern European Grocery Stores Across the US

For millions of Russian-speaking Americans, a trip to the local gastronom (гастроном — a traditional specialty food store, from the Soviet-era term for a state grocery shop) is far more than a routine errand. It is a sensory homecoming: the smell of smoked fish, the crackle of dark rye bread, the familiar labels of beloved chocolate bars. Whether you grew up in Odessa, Kyiv, Minsk, or Tbilisi — or whether you simply discovered a love of Eastern European food at a neighbor's table — this guide will help you navigate the rich landscape of Russian and Eastern European grocery stores in cities across the United States.

Why do Russian and Eastern European grocery stores exist in so many US cities?

The answer lies in more than a century of migration. Russian immigration to the United States dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The early waves settled primarily in New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. Later Soviet-era émigrés reinforced these communities and built the food infrastructure that serves them today. Soviet émigrés added their own culinary contributions, reinforcing the presence of Russian food in the American diet, bringing with them traditional recipes, home-style cooking techniques, and a deep appreciation for quality ingredients. The result? Today, the United States is home to a thriving network of modern Russian and Eastern European grocery stores, a vast node of food culture.

Where is the heart of Russian grocery culture in the US?

There is no question: Brooklyn, New York, holds that title. New York City is home to the largest Russian and Russophone population in the Western Hemisphere. The largest Russian-American communities in New York City are located in Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn — Brighton Beach has been nicknamed "Little Odessa" due to its population of Russian-speaking immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Walking down Brighton Beach Avenue, you will find bakeries selling borodinsky (бородинский — a classic dark rye sourdough bread), delis piled high with cured meats, and produce stands laden with pickled goods.

The anchor of this neighborhood is NetCost Market. As experts in the food import and export business since 2000, NetCost Market carries sweet and savory foods from across the globe, stocking foods from Latin America and Asia, as well as Europe and the greater Russian region. The flagship Brighton Beach location has a storied history: NetCost Market now operates in the space of the old Millennium Theatre, built in 1934, which originally started out as a movie house and began featuring live performances in 1996. If you're the kind of person who likes to peruse offal at the butcher's counter or select from one of 50 kinds of butter, this is the place for you — Net Cost boasts an impressive beer aisle, a massive hot bar with everything from blood sausage to borscht, and a bakery that specializes in dark, seedy loaves. NetCost has since expanded with locations across Brooklyn, Queens, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

In Brooklyn alone, there are dozens of Russian and Eastern European stores, from Brighton Beach to Williamsburg. You will find everything from imported kvass (квас — a lightly fermented beverage made from rye bread, beloved throughout Russia and Ukraine) to jars of varenye (варенье — a thick, whole-fruit Russian jam traditionally served with tea) and tins of ikra kabachkovaya (икра кабачковая — zucchini caviar, a popular vegetable spread).

What does the Russian grocery scene look like in Chicago?

Chicago has long been a major center of Eastern European immigrant life. Non-Jewish Russians from the Russian Empire and Carpatho-Rusyns settled in Chicago alongside other northeastern cities. Today, Chicago's Devon Avenue corridor and its northwest neighborhoods support a robust array of Russian and Eastern European food stores. Top-rated spots include Rich's Deli, Alexandra Foods, Fresh Farms International Market, Old Lviv, and Shokolad, with shoppers praising the "truly unbelievable" selection of fresh Russian and Eastern European items. Shoppers can find everything from pelmeni (пельмени — Siberian-style meat dumplings, a staple of Russian home cooking) and smoked sausages to imported sweets and chocolates that are nearly impossible to find at a mainstream American supermarket.

How do Russian grocery stores look in California?

California hosts several distinct Russian-American communities with deep roots. Nearly 5,000 members of a Russian Christian religious sect known as the Molokans settled in California during the first decade of the twentieth century, forming the nucleus of what has become a 20,000-member Russian Molokan community concentrated today in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Russian immigrants have left an undeniable mark on American cuisine, particularly in cities like San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley, where vibrant Russian-speaking communities have flourished for generations.

In Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley — particularly the Valley Village neighborhood — serves as a quiet hub for Russian food shopping. While Los Angeles is not home to any "Little Odessas," a small section of Valley Village is the place to start for those seeking Russian groceries, baked goods, and prepared foods, with nearby Tashkent Produce adding to the options. In Sacramento, the small but celebrated Berezka Market has earned a loyal following: the market carries some of the best chocolates from Russia and other specialty goods, and the cheese is a particular lure — you often don't know what you're buying until you've had a taste.

Are there Russian and Eastern European grocery stores in smaller or newer cities?

Yes — and the network is broader than most Americans realize. In Portland, Oregon, the number of Russian and Eastern European stores reaches about ten , supported by a sizeable community of Slavic Baptist and Pentecostal families who settled in the Pacific Northwest over decades. The Portland store Roman Russian Market has operated for the better part of two decades , serving as both a grocery and a community anchor. In the Seattle area, Eurasia Deli House in Kent sells Eastern European and Central European specialties, with an emphasis on Russian and Ukrainian goods. In the American South, stores like Golden Hex in Cary, North Carolina, source high-quality products from countries like Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, and other regions like the Balkans and Baltics.

Americans have long been accustomed to large communities of immigrants from the former USSR — that is why in almost any major city you can find stores with Russian products. The shelves of these stores typically include buckwheat (grechka — гречка, roasted buckwheat groats, a cornerstone of Russian home cooking), pickled vegetables, smoked fish, and a wide selection of Eastern European dairy and kolbasa (колбаса — cured and smoked sausage).

What should a first-time visitor expect when exploring one of these stores?

Expect to be surprised, delighted, and perhaps a little overwhelmed — in the best way. Many Russian dishes have become widely appreciated in the US, not just within Russian communities but also among food lovers in general. A typical store will carry an eclectic mix: walls of imported cookies and pryaniki (пряники — spiced gingerbread-style cookies), rows of tvorog (творог — a fresh farmer's cheese similar to dry-curd cottage cheese), jars of gribochki (грибочки — marinated mushrooms), and a prepared-foods counter where you can buy fresh salat olivye (салат оливье — a mayonnaise-bound potato and vegetable salad) or stuffed cabbage rolls by the pound. Think of a large Eastern European market as something like a "Russian Whole Foods," with a huge prepared foods department, pickle bar, cured meats, smoked fish, dairy, bakery, frozen goods, butcher shop, and a rotisserie selection all under one roof.

If you are new to these flavors, ask the staff for guidance — most store employees are passionate about their products. Look for sushki (сушки — small, ring-shaped dried bread snacks, great with tea), dark borodinsky bread, kefir (кефир — a tangy, drinkable fermented dairy product), and bottles of sparkling morsy and fruit drinks. These stores are also wonderful places to discover the diversity of the post-Soviet world: Georgian adjika (аджика — a fiery herb and pepper paste from the Caucasus), Uzbek dried fruits, Armenian honey, and Ukrainian sunflower oil all share shelf space in remarkable harmony.

Can you shop for Russian and Eastern European groceries online if there is no store nearby?

Absolutely. For shoppers who live far from a physical Russian or Eastern European grocery, online retailers have stepped in to serve the diaspora and curious cooks alike. GoStockUp.com, a digital-first grocery store focused on authentic Eastern European, Russian, and Central Asian food products, launched nationwide shipping across the United States, expanding from its previous New York City and Long Island service area. The service allows customers in all 50 states to order from a curated selection of over 4,000 products sourced from Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, and beyond — including everyday essentials, specialty sweets, dairy, deli meats, and frozen items. Consistent demand has been noted from Russian-speaking communities across the country — from Florida to Illinois to California. Whether you are searching for a specific brand of grechka, a jar of varenye, or a box of beloved Soviet-era wafer cookies, the internet has made it possible to stock a Russian pantry no matter where you live in America.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a "gastronom" and why do so many Eastern European stores use that name?

The word gastronom (гастроном) comes from the Soviet-era term for a state-run specialty food store, roughly equivalent to a gourmet grocery or delicatessen. After the USSR dissolved, the word became a nostalgic shorthand for any well-stocked Russian or Eastern European food shop. You will see it used in store names across the US because it immediately signals authentic products to diaspora shoppers.

What are the most common foods you find in a Russian or Eastern European grocery?

Staples typically include dark rye bread, smoked and cured sausages (kolbasa), various forms of pickled vegetables and mushrooms, tvorog (fresh farmer's cheese), kefir (drinkable fermented milk), buckwheat groats, pelmeni (frozen dumplings), a wide range of Eastern European sweets and chocolates, imported jams and varenye, and fermented beverages like kvass. The deli and prepared-foods counter is often the star attraction.

Do these stores only serve Russian-speaking shoppers?

Not at all. While Russian-American diaspora communities are the primary customer base, these stores welcome everyone. Many curious American foodies, chefs, and home cooks shop there regularly for hard-to-find ingredients. Staff are typically happy to explain unfamiliar products, and many stores now label products in both Russian and English.

Which US cities have the strongest concentration of Russian and Eastern European grocery stores?

New York City (especially Brooklyn's Brighton Beach), Chicago, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Portland (Oregon), Seattle, Philadelphia, and the New Jersey suburbs of New York are all well-served. Smaller but growing communities in cities like Cary (NC), Denver, and Phoenix have also seen the opening of specialty Eastern European markets in recent years as the diaspora disperses across the country.

What is the difference between a "Russian store" and an "Eastern European store"?

In practice, the terms are largely interchangeable in the US market. Most stores that call themselves "Russian" also carry products from Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova, the Baltic states, Poland, and other parts of Eastern Europe. The broader category reflects the mixed heritage of post-Soviet immigrant communities, where shoppers from many different countries share an overlapping set of culinary traditions and comfort foods.

Are there online options for buying Russian and Eastern European groceries across all 50 states?

Yes. Several online retailers now ship authentic Eastern European and Russian grocery products nationwide. This is especially useful for shoppers in regions without a nearby physical store. Products range from shelf-stable pantry items like buckwheat, pickled goods, sweets, and teas to perishable items like cheese and dumplings shipped in insulated packaging.

What is "Little Odessa" and where is it?

"Little Odessa" is the popular nickname for the Brighton Beach neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. The name refers to the large number of Russian-speaking immigrants, many of them originally from the city of Odessa in Ukraine, who settled there from the 1970s onward. Today it is the most iconic Russian-American neighborhood in the country, lined with grocery stores, bakeries, restaurants, and cultural institutions.

Sources:
Wikipedia — Russian Americans in New York City
NetCost Market — Official History
TASTE Cooking — There's Resilience—Plus Pelmeni and Fizzy Things—at the Eastern European Deli
Polyglottist Language Academy — How Russian Immigrants Have Influenced American Cuisine (2025)