Pierogi ruskie @ U Bercika
229 Stanley Rd, Kirkdale, Liverpool, L5 7QD
I’ve yet to find anyone who’s tried pierogies and doesn’t love them. Despite this they’re far from ubiquitous here. Ravioli and gyoza can be found in the fridge and freezer sections of every Co-Op or Sainsbury’s Local. If you’re lucky you might occasionally stumble across Pierogi in Lidl, and then probably only if it happens to be ‘Polish Week’.
Have often thought there’d be an opportunity for a viral fast food pop-up serving them. Possibly this sort of thing already exists in Poland or Ukraine (or even America and Canada) but I honestly believe it’d clean up in the UK.
Loaded pierogies, chipotle chicken pierogies, Biscoff pierogies — the menu practically writes itself. Coming to a street food market near you.
U Bercika is about as far away from a viral fast food pop-up as it’s possible to be. A small restaurant attached to the Polskie Merseyside community centre, it serves a range of traditional Polish dishes including Gulasz Wołowy (beef stew), Żurek (sour rye and sausage soup) and, of course, Pierogies.
You can choose Pierogi z Miesem, dumplings stuffed with meat, or Pierogi Ruskie which are filled with creamy mashed potato and salty curd cheese. Boiled and served simply with melted butter and tiny slivers of sweet, caramlised onion.
Best accompanied by a pint of chilled Kompot — a soft drink made from stewed cherries and other fruit — rows of which sit under the glass counter at the front of the café.
