Boston's Best Pierogies
Pierogies are a hearty European, namely Polish, dumpling traditionally made with a mashed potato-filled pasta. They can be boiled for a tender shell or heated and fried or sautéed for a crisp approach. Chefs have come up with a huge variety of fillings to mix in with the potatoes to create everything from savory to sweet pierogies. Boston serves up a healthy mix of pierogies that diners will love. From the artisanal to the artistic, the city's chefs have it covered.
Scampo's Sugar Pumpkin Pierogi
215 Charles St.
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 536-2100
www.scampoboston.com
Scampo's is serving up a seasonal pierogi stuffed with pumpkin, shallots, ricotta, amaretto cookies, sage and parmesan. They are covered in a rice potato, flour, sour cream, salt and olive oil pasta. These sweet and savory dumplings are topped with butter and served with fried brussels sprout leaves, butternut squash, candied chestnuts and more parmesan. The pasta is made in-house for robust flavor, and diners can order large or appetizer portions. This is a perfect pierogi for the fall.
Bronwyn's Smoked Potato & Corn Pierogi
255 Washington St.
Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 776-9900
www.bronwynrestaurant.com
Chef Tim Wiechmann includes a lovely pierogi on his traditional German and central European menu. The filling has the perfect touch of sweet with smoked potato and corn. Cherry tomatoes and ajvar add a tasty and savory touch to the dish. Diners who want a little meat in their meal can start with a charcuterie or currywurst before moving on to these filling and flavorful dumplings.
Cafe Polonia's Pierogies
611 Dorchester Ave.
Boston, MA 02127
(617) 269-0110
www.cafepolonia.com
Cafe Polonia has several pierogi variations from which to choose. There are both vegetarian and meat pierogies on the dinner menu. Options of potato and cheese, cabbage and mushroom or meat-filled with bacon bits and carmelized onions can be either boiled for a soft pasta or fried for a crispy shell. There is also a cheese version that can only be ordered boiled. These are the pierogies that everyone is talking about and are well worth a try.
Related: Boston's Best Polish Food
118 Beacon St.
Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 576-7700
www.bergamotrestaurant.com
Bergamot has a traditional pierogi with a few flavorful surprises thrown in. The pasta is filled with mashed potato, celeriac, smoked cheddar, maitake mushroom, cabbage and horseradish. The horseradish adds just a touch of bite while the rest of the ingredients offer an earthy undertone that is perfect for this comfort dish. The menu is full of starters that will complement this dish, as well as sides like curried squash to round out the meal.
Mei Mei's Pierogi Dumplings
506 Park Drive
Boston, MA 02215
(857) 250-4959
www.meimeiboston.com
Mei Mei is a restaurant and food truck that has a traditional pierogi dish on the menu. The pierogies, which are less than $8, are stuffed with cheddar, vegetables and mashed potatoes. They are fried for that crisp and soft pasta that makes them so yummy. What sets this pierogi apart is the side Mei Mei serves it with. When diners order dumplings at Mei Mei, they get a helping of sriracha fried rice and pickles. The spicy sour side is a good substitute for sauerkraut for those who like a little kick.
Shelly Barclay is a professional freelance writer and amateur author. She writes on a variety of topics from food to mysteries. She loves to share the culture and rich history of her birthplace and home, Boston, with the rest of the world. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
