It's a Pierogi Party!
by Chris Lyons
Pierogi Week kicks off at the Green Rock Tavern,
2546 E. Lehigh Ave., on Feb. 26.
If you have a hankering for some piquant pierogies, it is well-established that Philadelphia’s riverwards are the place to find a favorite bite of this Polish delicacy — especially during Green Rock Tavern’s Pierogi Week, which takes place from Feb. 26 through March 4.
With the area’s strong Polish roots and culture, it’s no surprise that pierogies are such a hot commodity. And with younger generations moving into the community and immersing themselves in local traditions, pierogies have been finding an even broader fan base.
At the Green Rock Tavern, 2546 E. Lehigh Ave., the annual Pierogi Week brings out the best in pierogies. From unique flavors like its pork, peanut butter and Nutella pierogies, to more common styles like potato and cheese and sauerkraut pierogies, Green Rock has dreamed up new tastes for everyone.
And in keeping with Polish tradition, each variation always contains potatoes.
Jamie Mahon, who owns the Green Rock Tavern with his sister, Nicole Mahon, is pleased with the weeklong neighborhood celebration they have created.
“At this bar, we take simple food and we make it good,” said Mahon, who has been hosting Pierogi Week for three years.
The event also occurs at a generally slow time of year for the tavern, so it allows the owners to bring in new faces and meet new friends.
“My sister and I have been here for five years now, and the neighborhood is finally getting acclimated to us,” he said. “They know we’re not going away. More than half of our clients are from the neighborhood.”
It also allows Mahon and his sister to showcase what they do best.
“I’m shocked no one has done this before. It’s a predominantly Polish neighborhood and it just seems obvious,” he said. “And I’m not even Polish.”
And local, Mahon said, is the way he and his sister like to keep things around the bar.
“A good majority of our beer is local, especially the craft stuff. I’d say that ninety percent of that comes from within forty miles. A lot of it comes from Philadelphia Brewing Company. Kenzinger is our number-one-selling beer here, and that’s because it’s fresh. They drop it off, and within four hours, I tap it and serve it. People rarely get to have a beer that’s this fresh.”
The same can be said for the pierogies offered during the weeklong celebration.
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Pierogi Week will be held at the Green Rock Tavern, 2546 E. Lehigh Ave., from Feb. 26through March 4. There will be 12 varieties of pierogies and local brews from the Philadelphia Brewing Company.
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Note: Photo Credit - Bill Achuff (for the Star)