Koppa’s Farwell Foods

When hunger strikes, I often walk a couple of blocks down the road to my favorite indie deli and grocery store, Koppa’s Farwell Foods.

It’s amazing to me that a neighborhood grocery store like Koppa’s can still exist, especially in an area monopolized by upscale grocery stores and markets. Still, Koppa’s continues to keep up with the Joneses by providing a respite from the trend.

Nestled in a corridor dotted with apartments and condos is Koppa’s, a family-owned business since 1982. Since I was only one year old then, Koppa’s just began satisfying my appetite when I moved to the East Side several years ago. Still, over Koppa’s 25 years of business, the local store has established itself as one of Milwaukee’s favorite treasures and the perfect stop for a 6-pack, the latest Sheppard Express, the day’s Powerball ticket, or a bite of one of the best sandwiches in town.

It was a frigid Saturday afternoon in March and all Eric and I really wanted to do was sit inside where it was warm, but since both of us had a ghastly case of cabin fever, we decided to venture out of my apartment and over to Koppa’s.

You see, Koppa’s is my favorite place to grab a sandwich for a picnic by the lakefront during Milwaukee's gorgeous spring and summer months. Since the long winter had been driving Eric and I to the brink of insanity, we decided to get a taste of spring by seeking out a specialty sandwich that would remind us of May afternoons and relaxing along the serene Lake Michigan, not of the current dreary day.

Koppa’s is home to the Fulbeli Deli which is known for its out of this world sandwiches. Many of these superb creations are named after a planet or something found in our solar system, but each one is able to tempt the taste buds and warm the soul.

Several years ago when I first meandered back toward the deli, I remember being in awe of the vast selection of sandwiches. It took me several minutes just to scan the assortment of cold double deckers, subs, vegetarian delights, home-style favs, and grilled specialties.

Named WISN’s 2007 A-List winner for Best Sandwich Shop, the Fulbeli Deli offers a menu that boasts over 20 different sandwiches – from the Pluto, Yeti, and Stralkowski (named for Mrs. Koppa’s maiden name), to the Elvis, which is, well, I’m sure you’ve guessed it, a fried PB and banana sandwich. All sandwiches range from $2.99 to $4.99 and come with several surprise pieces of candy too.

Many visits later, I now know the menu by heart, yet every time I come to Koppa’s, my indecision sets in and I have trouble choosing from their spectrum of offerings. On this particular trip, I ordered up one of my favorites, the Atlantis – melted mozzarella and Colby cheese, crisp green pepper, juicy tomato, cucumber, crunchy red onion, pepperoncini rings, alfalfa sprouts, cranberry mustard, and the family’s own secret spice all piled high on a lightly grilled pita. Eric requested the Bread Favre, which consists of shaved Cajun turkey breast, sharp cheddar, bacon, avocado, red onion, lettuce, tomato, mayo and dressing on a fresh baked roll. Pair that with Koppa’s seasoned fries and you’re good to go.

Promptly after placing our orders, Eric took advantage of one of the two orange vintage granny chairs conveniently placed near the deli counter. There he gladly took a load off as he patiently waited for his manly sandwich to be assembled. Meanwhile, I made a beeline for the Atari station and played a little Dig Dug – yes, I said they have an Atari. It’s employee-donated and it’s FREE, and quite possibly the best way to kill time while you wait for your grub.

The store also provides nearly 50 games such as Jungle Hunt, Defender, Pitfall, PacMan, and so on, which you can play at your leisure. I had a lot of fun browsing the game selection because each one evoked a sense of jovial nostalgia as I instantly recalled the games I loved as a kid. Sure, Atari may not be in wild demand these days like the Nintendo Wii, but for those of us who remember when it ruled the video game world, we know what lacks in bedazzlement, it makes up for with its character – kind of like Koppa’s.

Every time I walk into the quaint little shop, I notice something new. Last time it was the addition of the white-tailed buck adorning a wall in the lounge. This time it was the array of 1982 Brewers trading cards – complete with Paul Molitor and Robin Yount – garnishing the wall above the produce section.

To openly describe Koppa’s old-school décor as kitschy would be an enormous understatement, but nonetheless, its quirks give the place a very unique and oddly comfortable vibe.

Folks at Koppa’s don't take themselves too seriously either, actually not at all. Their sense of humor is evident by the peculiarly named sandwiches and the outmoded decoration and dated entertainment, but that's not even half of it.

Often, I’m rather amused by the goofy handwritten signs that poke fun at certain products throughout the store – gummy bears are labeled “gummy Adams grizzlies” – and the words displayed on the walls that are intentionally misspelled – “dairy” spelled “diary” and “frozen food” spelled “frezon foods.” Plus, I'm quite entertained by the fact that shoplifters are subject to public humiliation via notes on neon paper posted throughout the shop rather than lawful persecution. Undoubtedly, Koppa’s tries to throw some humor into everyone’s shopping experience. I love it!

These are just among many of the things that separate Koppa’s from larger grocery store chains. That, and the fact that Koppa’s plays WAY better in-store music than most grocery stores. Classic rock, 70’s punk, and a lot of indie-rock tunes blare from speakers around the place. Now that I think of it, they were cranking Stereolab on my most recent visit. How cool is that?

The grocery store itself has the typical staples: meats, cheeses, condiments, fresh produce, and the like. They also provide a decent selection of fresh and “frezon” organic foods, micro brews and imports (many great Polish beers), wine, and even atypical things like incense and T-shirts printed either with a Polish falcon graphic or with “Funkadelicasy” emblazoned across the chest.

Koppa’s has almost everything that bigwig markets have, except just a smaller quantity of each item, which I don’t mind because I’d rather make my purchases at a locally owned store than a gigantic chain anyway. Besides, no matter how bountiful big-name stores are, they won’t have free Atari!

So, after mastering four levels of Dig Dug, our sandwiches were ready. Unfortunately, you can’t eat inside the deli, however picnic tables are available outside along the sidewalk on temperate days. But considering it was mid-winter when Eric and I went for lunch, we decided to trudge the mere three blocks back to my apartment to indulge in our Atlantis and Bread Favre.

And just like we had hoped, as we sunk our teeth into our favorite sandwiches, it began to feel as if the sun had emerged from behind the gray clouds and was beaming down upon us, just like it does on warm days when we picnic in Veterans Park.

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Koppa’s Farwell Foods
1940 N Farwell Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Open Daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Comments

[Amanda]

Oh, I LOVE Koppa's! My favorite sandwich is also the Atlantis. I just love that cranberry mustard -- I think that's what makes it taste so good!

[Karen]

To try to describe why the Atlantis tastes so good would be blasphemous! But, you're right, Amanda. I'd also bet it has a lot to do with the sweet and spicy cranberry mustard! :)

[Eric]

I like the Elvis the best

[Karen]

The Elvis is the best PB and banana sandwich I've ever tasted! I frequently crave it.

Now that it's finally getting warm outside, we should pick up some sammies and picnic one of these weekends. Yes?

[sam]

Free Atari at a grocery store? Sold!

Based on your photos, this place looks pretty sweet!

[Julia]

I love, love, love Koppa's. We used to live across the street and it was so convenient to pick up anything - dinner, wine, whatever. I swear we went like three times/week. And Comet. Sigh, I miss my old digs. ;)

[Todd]

Love Koppas! I am probably in Koppa's 3 or 4 times a week. If I ever spot you I'll have to say hola.

My favorite Koppa's moment was when I went in there and the guys from American Movie were filming their latest film. After a hilariously awkward conversation with the main guy, we watched them film a scene behind the fulbeli deli. I'm still waiting for the grand opening at The Oriental.