Polska Laska — Restaurant in Sharpsburg

Cozy diner with insanely comforting food! I found myself in Sharpsburg on an early Saturday afternoon and was so excited to finally try them out.

Nice mix of counter seating and tables to accommodate small groups. I grabbed a single seat at the counter and never felt crowded even with a full restaurant. The place was buzzing the entire time with satisfied diners, folks checking in for the wait list, and others picking up take out orders. Even though they were busy, service was still fast and friendly. I was in and out in under an hour.

The owner was so welcoming and nice: she took time to answer the few menu questions that I had, and kindly instructed me where to get water and utensils. The self-serve mismatched/vintage glasses and utensils added to the overall cute/quirky vibe and created a fun "choose your own adventure" when creating my place setting.

I tried one of the specials: an open-faced rye toast topped with white fish salad, radish, pickled onion, and lemon. Nice doneness on the toast, with creamy salad and crisp texture from the radish. The acid from the onions and lemon added the perfect bite.

I also had some pierogis, and they were some of the best I've ever tasted. The outer dough was tender but with enough structure to hold in the generous amount of filling without bursting. You could tell that each one was lovingly hand made. I also loved that not all of the pierogi flavors are potato-based, since I avoid nightshades in my diet. I got a mix of the farmer's cheese & herb and kraut & shroom. All were browned nicely and served with sweet caramelized onions and sour cream.

My side of beet salad was a refreshing accompaniment that helped to cut the richness of the pierogis. I'm sure the cucumber salad would have been equally fresh and tasty.

I was so happy with my meal, and eager to share the my delicious discovery, that I texted my partner the menu to get her to-go order. I took home some potato/onion, farmer's cheese/herb, and an order of haluski. The pierogis come pre-boiled and bagged, so they are easy to transport/reheat/brown/serve. I couldn't help but try a few bites of the haluski, and it was just as delicious as the rest of the meal.

Prices are reasonable, especially if you get the platter. I didn't, but everyone around me who did had more than enough food. It's enough to split and you'll definitely get your money's worth. For the non-meat eaters, it would be nice to have some platter substitution options in place of the kielbasa... even if it were more pierogis, another side, etc. They might have been willing to substitute if I had asked, but I decided to keep it simple since they were busy.

If you're craving comfort food, this is the place to go. I'll definitely be back next time...

If you find yourself drifting along the industrial fringes of Pittsburgh, where the warehouses loom like sleeping giants and the scent of steel still clings to the air, there’s a little place that will punch you in the face with Eastern European nostalgia. Polska Laska isn’t here to coddle you. It’s here to feed you.

Walking in, you’re greeted by the clatter of mismatched silverware, an orchestra of chipped chairs and unmatched tables, and the dissonant whirr of a lone window AC unit trying, and failing, to keep the summer heat at bay. The place is packed; elbows brush strangers, and you order your feast at the counter like you’re at a bus station cafeteria in Krakow circa 1982. You grab your own canned Diet Coke, rummage through a bin of utensils, and pour your own water into glass cups that have seen better decades. There’s no ceremony here, only hunger.

It was too busy inside, so we sweat it out at a sun-baked table outside, praying the flies didn’t get to our food first. And what food it was. The $25 Polska Platter is a magnificent, unapologetic carb and pork bomb: five pierogi so pillowy they could double as comforters, smoky kielbasa that snaps with each bite, buttery haluski, tart kapusta, a crisp pickle, and a cup of apple sauce for a sweet, incongruous punctuation mark.

The temperature inside bordered on purgatory, and the chaos of seating turned dining into a contact sport. But the food, the glorious, delicious food, redeems every sweaty minute. Polska Laska isn’t for date night or quiet conversation; it’s for filling the void in your soul that only potatoes, sauerkraut, and kielbasa can touch.

Come for the pierogi. Stay because you can’t move after the pierogi.

4 out of 5 would risk heat...

If you walk around Sharpsburg around dinner time, specifically a Steelers Sunday, you smell Eastern European food being cooked lovingly by families. Polska Laska smells like that all of the time.

The owner, Olive, is one of the kindest people you will ever meet. She has thoughtfully curated such a welcoming space to match. While it is a small space it’s cozy and somehow doesn’t feel awkwardly crowded. The owner always greets everyone with a smile, is so inviting and answers any question someone might have. Go more than once and you will think you are visiting a cousin in their home kitchen.

The quality of the food is unmatched and I think the prices are great considering that the food is handmade (hand rolled Pierogis - Mrs. Ts could never) with quality ingredients and to be honest for the soups or salads it would cost you roughly the same amount if you bought the ingredients and made it yourself (because chances are you won’t have every spice, herb, etc. on hand). I think the priciest item is the platter but it looks like it could easily feed 2+ people.

I have enjoyed everything I’ve ordered. A few things I didn’t love, but I took a risk ordering them knowing they wouldn’t be my favorite — and that is how you know it is well made, I might not love something because of my own preference but still appreciate the flavor profile and now know if I don’t like it here I won’t like it anywhere because Polska Laska sets the standard.

Would recommend anyone go and check them out. They do sell out (and thankfully are quick on their social media to...