Not surprisingly, culinary historians aren’t in complete agreement regarding the origin of pierogi. Most believe dumplings likely traveled from Asia along the Silk Road to Eastern Europe. Perhaps they were even brought over by Marco Polo or Turkish traders. That’s the more likely origin story. The more popular Polish origin story credits St. Hyacinth of Poland for the pierogi. In fact the Polish exclamation “St. Hyacinth with his dumplings!” is a call for help during hopeless circumstances (much like St. Jude being asked to intercede in the resolution of hopeless causes).
There are two legends involving St. Hyacinth and pierogies. During a visit to a village in Poland, a hailstorm broke out, destroying crops and leaving people with the prospect of famine. Hyacinth told them to pray. The next day, the crops were miraculously restored. As a token of gratitude, the people then treated Hyacinth to pierogi made from those crops. The second legend mentions Hyacinth feeding people with pierogi during a famine caused by the Mongol invasion of 1241.Whatever the true origin of pierogies may be, you can’t dispute that divine intervention was involved in the creation of one of the most universally popular foods throughout Eastern Europe. They are undoubtedly Poland’s culinary gift to the world.
No nation is as passionate about pierogi as Poland though pierogi are a staple across all of Eastern Europe. Thanks to cultural migration and integration, pierogi have spread globally. In the United States, a region in the Northeast and Midwest that encompasses New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana along with such cities as Chicago, Detroit and parts of New England is known as the “U.S. Pierogi Pocket” (sometimes the “Pierogi Belt”) In this region, almost two-thirds of America’s pierogis are consumed. These areas boast of a strong Polish heritage, serving as a heartland for their beloved pierogi. Similar populations of pierogi paramours exist throughout Canada.
My friend Pedro “Hedgehog” Lochowitz grew up feasting on pierogi. He reminisces fondly: “My nana was the one who made the pierogi, and the stuffing was cabbage, ground meat, mushrooms, or any combination thereof. As a young, dumb kid, I never paid much attention to the process, but I think the pierogi were cooked in boiling water for several minutes. I remember, though, that the best part was eating leftover pierogi the following day(s) – in order to heat them up, nana would sizzle them in a frying pan for several minutes (using butter or lard?), and that would give the pierogi dough/shell that great-tasting golden-brown color.”
With the Red Rock Deli, Albuquerque is blessed to have a prolific purveyor of pierogi, the ultimate Polish comfort food. Owner Mark Toczek spent his formative years in Poland before moving first to Germany then to Chicago (which he visits frequently to stock up on the items which grace his shelves and his deli’s menu). I wasn’t specifically looking for a restaurant specializing in pierogi when I happened to find a Phoenix New Times article listing the “12 best restaurants in Mesa.” Among the distinguished dozen was the All Pierogi Kitchen which earned Best Eastern European Restaurant in the Best of Phoenix awards for 2024.
The Phoenix New Times feature honoring all Pierogi Kitchen indicated “Owner Nataliya Koshalko serves the foods of her native Ukraine, along with regional specialties from neighboring Slavic countries, and her extensive menu is a celebration of hearty meat-and-potatoes fare. The namesake pierogi are here in abundance, served up hot in the restaurant or frozen to take home from the market next door. Boiled or pan-fried, they’re hefty little lumps of tender dough stuffed with the likes of ground meat, sauerkraut, pork and cheese.” How could we possibly ignore such an enticing eatery. We brought along my Kim’s brother Tim and his lovely bride Lola. The four of us recalled dining at Bohemian and Polish restaurants throughout the Chicago area.
Natalia is three-quarters Ukranian and one-quarter Polish. She moved to Phoenix in 2001 and launched her restaurant nine years later. Her restaurant’s website describes a culinary experience at All Pierogi Kitchen: All Pierogi presents a truly fairytale experience centered on indulgence. We make all our food from scratch and never use any preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors. This is because we believe in keeping our food fresh and healthy. Every mouthful is a wonderful journey into discovering fantastic flavors and textures, served in a comforting arrangement. Here you can eat diverse culinary foods not easily found in Arizona. Of course, don’t forget about our European-style chocolate and – did somebody say honey? – Yes, our famous honey cakes.” Wow!
Knowing the generosity of plating at Eastern European restaurants, we showed great restraint in ordering only a loaf of bread as our appetizer. A golden brown sliced loaf of the staff of life was delivered to our table along with butter and olive oil. This bread is a thing of beauty, as tempting as skipping church when the Dallas Cowboys have a game that conflicts with church. It’s topped with sesame seeds and is served warm. It’s sliced somewhat on the thick side, a real bonus when you’ve got bread this good. Restraint went out the window with each bite so we ordered a second loaf.
The All Pierogi Kitchen offers the usual selection of soft drinks as well as adult beverages (beers, wine and cocktails). Rather than imbibe the “same old” my Kim and I ordered carbonated beverages in bottles that would kick sand on American soft drinks. I’m at a loss as to how to spell the name of those beverages much less pronounce them, but can tell you that the two flavors we sampled–pear and tarragon–were phenomenal. They don’t have enough carbonation to elicit burping and they offer a very tasty, very different alternative.
No one else at our table ordered an appetizer. I had to have a gluten-free, vegetarian red borscht (served with sour cream on the side and house-made bread. Borscht made w/ beets, onions, carrots, tomatoes, dill, cabbage, potatoes, bell pepper, tomato sauce). Without a doubt, this was some of the very best borscht I’ve ever had. It’s a rich, complex amalgam of savory, sweet and sour flavors. You might expect the earthy sweetness to dominate the flavor profile, but this borscht is so balanced thanks to other complementary ingredients and herbs. The sour cream lends a creamy richness and cool notes. This multi-layered soup has the depth of a soup that transcends generations.
My Kim can’t say “no” to pierogi. It’s something that ties her back to her uncle Bill Adelsick who loved his Polish food. Her meal choice offered a combination of pierogi and kielbasa with sour cream and a fried onion jam. Six pierogi graced her plate, each handmade. The pierogi are made from high-gluten flour, eggs, sour cream and salt. She was allowed to pick two of each kind. Her choices were potato and bacon, potato and farmer’s cheese, and potato and onion. There are several vegetarian perogie options and she surprisingly chose two of them. The kielbasa was simply wonderful. Yeah, I’ve heard that kielbasa is just a glorified hot dog. That may be the case if you can’t discern differences that aren’t subtle. Kielbasa is more complex and bold. It’s smokier and its spice combination is more assertive.
With all I’ve written about pierogi, you might think I’d order a tableful. Though tempted to do so, it’s been so very long since I last had a really, really good goulash. Ukranian goulash, I’ve been led to believe may be the best. Don’t dare compare goulash to Dinty Moore stew. A great goulash is so much richer, so much more delicious. This was an oustanding gourlash, maybe the best I’ve ever had. It’s rich and savory with tender beef, a deep onion flavor and discernible warmth from paprika. It’s the type of goulash you can’t stop eating. It was served with roasted potatoes and green peas. I might have to move to Mesa to be near this wonderful dish.
After a meal at All Pierogi Kitchen, you might utter a prayer of thanks to Saint Hyacinth. Surely only someone close to divinity could create such great food.
All Pierogi Kitchen
1245 W: Baseline Rd, Ste# 101-103
Mesa, Arizona
(480) 262-3349
Website | Facebook Page
LATEST VISIT: 4 January 2026
# OF VISITS: 1
RATING: N/R
COST: $$$
BEST BET: Goulash, Roasted Potatoes, Kielbasa, Borscht, Pierogi, Housemade Bread, Pear Carbonated Beverage,
REVIEW #1512
Great article, Gil. I’m glad you enjoyed the goodies. I wish I could have joined you there, and meet Mark and Nataliya, too.