Apteka

Our dinner here with friends was the highlight of our time in Pittsburgh. What an odd and interesting combination: vegetarian eastern European fare. Between the six people in our group, we tried most everything on the menu and loved it all.

Polish cuisine makes great uses of grains, millet, rye, & wheat. Pungent, aromatic and dense flavor palate, using nutmeg, juniper, mace. Old spice cupboard flavors that taste like something ancient, respected. A feast as homage to an old way.

Earthy flavors, deep browns. Cold weather & dead leaves, crisp frosty airs inspire appetites of starches and root vegetables. Hearty, hefty portions reasonably priced. A treat for the cold-weather season, indeed!

ecoRDN chose the the Tartines to start. Like crostini or bruschetta, tartines are open faced sandwiches prepared on Apteka‘s grainy house-baked rye. Carrot pâté with pickled cucumber, radish & dill, sweet garlicky toothy bites, polish salad with pickle, celeriac and potato, reminiscent of sweet chunky heavy mayo salads of picnics past. See Apteka’s daily menu for alternating varieties.

The Horse & Pepper jumped right off the page, a sandwich boasting a huge slab of fried veggie pâté served on a hulking crust of baguette holding hands with sweet pepper sauce, crispy cabbage salad, black garlic butter & spicy peppers. The pâté resembles tempeh, in a traditionally set terrine cut into a massive rectangle & cooked to a nice crisp bark. Earthy, rich, and filling.

O M -effing- G, Apteka’s Pierogi are the Apis Patella!!! Heavenly wedges stuffed with a mix of smoked potato or a mash of mushroom and sauerkraut, underneath a sweet nut-based rich mayo-like yoghurt sauce that tasted like sweet pickle relish, creamy & perfect accompaniment along with the beets and fried cabbage, make it rain with chives. Non-nut options available upon request. The smoked potato pierogi is DIVINE. Smoked potato + parsnip+ turnip greens, a salty woody mash mixed with the carrot-like parsnip & mild bitter turnip greens. The mushroom & sauerkraut provided a perfect balance, earthy deep mushroom flavor marries so well with the pungent aromatic bite of the sauerkraut. A guaranteed umami face explosion!

For dessert we chose the Tarta Jablkowa (apple pie) w/ tart cherry compote. The buttery pastry soaked up the sweet spiced pureed apple, like the consistency of loose pumpkin pie,. A melange of fall aromatics underneath super tart port-y cherry compote, those cinnamony sweet browns, all that good time spice! The buttery flaky pastry is plant-based, as are all the options at Apteka. Another great place to visit where no-meat/no-dairy gourmands need not worry and go all-in for a memorable feast perfect for the cold time of year!

ecoRDN.com

Updated from previous review on 2016-12-12

Probably the best pierogies I've ever had. My wife and i split two sandwiches on the rotating menu, and they were pretty damn amazing.
Decent beer selection on tap and in bottles.
My only negative takeaway was likely my own fault for ordering a scotch drink from a drink menu instead of ordering straight scotch. Super sweet and not my style, but they gladly replaced with a beer when i asked.
I would absolutely visit again when we're back in Pittsburgh.

I had a business trip to Pittsburgh and in researching vegan restaurants learned about Apteka and put it on my list to try. I am so happy that I did. The menu is very original with combinations of ingredients such as endives with beech mushrooms and prune puree. This dish as well as the borscht, smoked celeriac toast, mushroom/sauerkraut perogies. buckwheat stuffed savoy cabbage and apple tart with sour cherry compote all had a depth and complexity of flavor that is truly gourmet. I took leftovers with me to enjoy the next day (in containers made from recycled materials here in the US). I will be heading there again at each opportunity. The atmosphere is fun, eclectic and suits the University area very well.









Updated from previous review on 2016-11-02

The staff is so nice, The lady remembered me after I came in a few times. The cocktails are unique and AMAZING, some of the best I've ever had, and they're reasonably priced. And the pierogis which have been called the best in Pittsburgh vegan or non-vegan in a media source (I believe... I can't track down the article I read on facebook) are reasonably priced and INCREDIBLE. I've taken numerous omnis and they loved it.

All vegan, many food options. Clearly labeled what is gluten free or nut-free. I had the Piergis and endives w prunes, and a gin and celery seed drink. Everything was excellent taste, low prices, friendly staff, nice seating area. The drinks were great, would definitely return.

I wasn't sure what I was getting into from looking at menu, but I'm so happy I took a chance. The cashier (pay when you order) was so helpful in picking out dishes. My friend and I shared Kanapki, 4 pierogi, and a sandwich (baba jaga). It was way too much food, but we wanted to try it all. Everything was delicious and new to me. I especially loved the seed bread that the Kanapki and sandwich were served on.