On a gorgeous fall day, my friend and I ate at Penn Brewery. Especially during Oktoberfest (mid-September), the Brewery is a local favorite, both for the events and the beer. The atmosphere is so Pittsburgh-like with a casual but quaint dining area.
As we sat at a high-top table, we could see a group touring the brewery, which is separated from the restaurant by a wall-size window. I watched their excited faces as they learned about the different beers and ways that Penn Brewery creates its unique flavors.
All of the Penn Brewery beers come from real German hops and two-row barley, with no added corn or rice fillers.
Upon looking through the drink menu, I decided on Penn Gold. It’s a delicious light-colored lager and a five-time Great American Beer Festival winner. It also received a medal for the World Beer Cup.
Everything on the menu looked good, so picking my meal was a hard decision. My style of eating is like that of a stereotypical pregnant woman with a strange craving.
I rarely eat foods that “go together.” It’s my money and my appetite, right?
I started off with fried pickles served with Sriracha aioli sauce. They had such a great flavor and were fried to perfection. My friend tried the Pretzel Trio with beer cheese, Heidelberg mustard, and Obatzda dip (a Bavarian cheese-based concoction). Talk about Oktoberfest!
As if that weren’t filling enough, here comes the entrée. I was so excited to taste my potato cheese pierogis, which have to be grilled perfectly for me to really love them. Let me tell you how amazing these were: perfectly sautéed and topped with grilled onions and sour cream. YUMMY!
I also tried a bite of my friend’s stroganoff with fillet. There’s my next choice when I go back. Beef tenderloin grilled perfectly over egg noodles and a wild mushroom gravy. My stomach is growling just thinking about it.
To top off our perfect lunch, we got the Pittsburgh Cookie Table, which is a sampler plate of cookies: Penn Brewery’s miniature version of the wedding cookie table tradition. They offered so many choices, and it was a delicious way to end the meal.
When we finished our cookies, we talked to the owners, Sandy and Linda about their favorite menu items. Sandy loves the Buffalo chicken pierogies, and Linda’s favorite is the kale salad with salmon.
Great conversation, wonderful Pittsburgh atmosphere, and amazing food. What more can you ask for on a beautiful fall day?
Location: Northside-Deutschtown Pittsburgh, PA
Price Range: $7.00–$28.00
Dress: Casual
