Southie: Home of the best Pierogies in Boston

Much like the North End and its large Italian population, people often associate South Boston with its Irish population.  But the neighborhood is actually made up of a great many different groups, including what was once a sizable Polish community.  In fact, the area between Boston Street, Dorchester Avenue and Columbia road is known as the Polish Triangle.  While the population is declining (as this well-written piece in the Boston Globe covers), evidence of the Polish community still exists throughout the area.

My great-grandparents were married at Our Lady of Czestochowa church back in the early 1900s.  At that time the Polish community in South Boston and Dorchester was quite large, and it would grow even larger as immigrants from Poland moved as a result of World War II and during the Solidarity movement.

Many of the younger generation has since moved on to cities like Randolph and Stoughton, but during the holidays hundreds of families return to the area to celebrate (in large part because Our Lady is the only church in the Boston area that offers daily mass in Polish).  With Poles ready to get their Easter on, the Polish Triangle is ready to once again serve as the destination for the Polish community to congregate in the Boston area.

It’s also where I chose to start this next itinerary…

Itinerary:

Afternoon: Lunch at Café Polonia, then explore Dorchester Heights
Evening: Dinner and Cocktails at Franklin Southie

 

Cafe Polonia

Afternoon:  Lunch at Café Polonia

Located just a few minutes from the Andrew Square T stop is Café Polonia, one of the few Polish restaurants in Boston.  Started by the same family that owns the Baltic European Deli across the street, this is the place to go for homemade Polish fare.

So, what should one order when at Café Polonia?  What is traditional Polish cuisine, even?  It’s certainly not Coconut Shrimp, which has somehow found its way onto the Café Polonia menu. But besides that little hiccup, this is a pretty authentic menu as far as I can see.

Poland may not have the same culinary reputation that other groups have, but they’ve done their part to make my stomach happy! Kielbasa, pierogies, and barszcz are all crowd favorites, and of course the crowning achievement of Polish cuisine is the invention of vodka.  Vodka is an aggressive choice for lunch, so let’s kick things off with a Polish brew.  Café Polonia place has several different offerings, from Zywiec to Tyskie and Okocim. In Poland the ladies will often get a shot of raspberry syrup in their beers – it’s an off-menu request, but they’ll serve it here too.

Mmm…

Soup is a big part of Polish cuisine.  While barszcz is as delicious as it’s hard to pronounce, I’d recommend checking out the soups of the day to see what they offer.  When I went most recently they had a great mushroom soup.

For the main entrée I go with my favorite – pierogies.  These little dumplings are served with many different stuffings – meat, cheese and potato, sweet cheese, mushroom and cabbage, etc.  I went with half meat, half sweet cheese. Served with onions and sour cream, this lunch hits the spot and is a great introduction to Polish cuisine.

Get in my belly!

 

About a 15 minute walk from Café Polonia is Dorchester Heights.  Why call this place Dorchester Heights if it’s located in Southie?  Dorchester used to be a lot bigger than it is today (which is saying something, considering Dot is the biggest neighborhood in Boston), and at one point Dorchester Heights was in Dorchester.

Dorchester Heights – come for the view!

Great, so what is this place and why should you go?  This is a location of historical significance that doesn’t get the same attention as other locations on the Freedom Trail.  There is a monument here (designed by the same firm that created the Custom House Tower in Boston) commemorating the role the area played in the Revolutionary War.

It was at this location (one of the highest natural geographic locations in Boston) that revolutionary troops gathered and occupied after the defeat of Bunker Hill, where they were able to regroup and build fortifications that forced British Troops to eventually withdraw from the city. That’s a BFD, no?

So, if you’re looking for a new place to visit, this is a beautiful park to walk around and explore on a nice day.

Evening: Dinner and drinks at Franklin Southie

If you haven’t noticed a trend yet, I enjoy a good drink.  I’ve tried to incorporate a good cocktail destination in each of my posts, and I was looking to continue that trend here.  I had heard good things about Franklin Southie but hadn’t had a chance to visit until last night. Being just a five minute drive from Dorchester Heights, I decided to give it a try.  I’m glad I did.

While the cocktails here may not be the same mixologist-level quality of other places I’ve recently reviewed, the drinks are tasty and bar is worthy of a visit.  They offer their own infusions, and provide a good selection of beers on tap.  While I did not have an opportunity to try any of the food here, what was coming out of the kitchen looked delicious (including their very own pig roast!).  With great ambiance, a fun vibe and what looks like outdoor patio space, I plan to come here in the future.

The bar at Franklin Southie

 

So, what did you think? What would you have done differently if you were writing a one-day itinerary for the Southie? Share your thoughts with us in our comments section. Cheers!

Alex: I like to make the most of my day, especially when visiting a new place. My itineraries tend to pack in as much as possible – attractions, museums, etc. – with stops for a drink between destinations. I love visiting main sites, but do my best to locate something off the beaten path that other tourists may not know about.

Dorchester: Adventures in “The Dot”

Yes, I know Dorchester sometimes has a bad rap. I was born in Dorchester and moved when I was five to Braintree, but you can’t help but embrace the hidden gems of “The Dot.” My itinerary will keep you on the move, visiting some of Dorchester’s finest bars, restaurants and places to enjoy yourself, just make sure you bring your street smarts with you.

1. Morning: Ledge Kitchen & Drinks
2. Late Morning: Franklin Park Zoo (weather permitting)
3. Afternoon: Boston Bowl
4. Evening: Blarney Stone

One of the up and coming areas of Dorchester is “Lower Mills.” I would be amiss if I did not give a quick shout out to my hair dresser, Karen, at Curl up & Dye in Lower Mills somewhere in this blog post. Located just steps away from the salon is one of my favorite restaurants in Dorchester, The Ledge Kitchen & Drinks. I try to spend as much of my time outdoors, however, the winter has put a damper on things. But when spring arrives and the sun is shining, The Ledge’s outdoor area is something you must experience. When you enter their outdoor bar area you immediately forget you are in Dorchester and the police and ambulance sirens seem to disappear. It is a great place to go for brunch. Their Sunday Jazz Brunch is amazing. It is a great way to unwind and prepare for the dreaded work week. Also, many people do not know and would not expect, but The Ledge maintains its own rooftop garden full of fresh herbs and vegetables used in their menu. So grab a bloody at the build your own bloody bar and the cornflake crusted french toast to soak up the booze.

Delicious Bloody Mary at The Ledge

Now a little Boston history…Boston has been fortunate to host many movie sets over the last 10+ years. Many people may not know, but the Zookeeper with Kevin James was filmed at the Franklin Park Zoo. In addition, Ben Affleck’s famous, Gone Baby Gone was filmed in the streets of Dorchester. Many extras in the movie were Dorchester’s own “townies.” Mystic River was also filmed in Dorchester. Now, if the weather was about 40 degrees warmer, I would suggest a visit to the Franklin Park Zoo. So save this activity in your back pocket for when spring arrives and time can be spent outdoors.

Once afternoon hits, you may be getting hungry, need a drink and some competitive activity to get the blood moving, so I suggest visiting Boston Bowl. Many people, even my family that grew up in Dorchester, did not know that Boston Bowl is a 24/7 bowling alley! Yes, it’s open 24 hours a day, I kid you not. Sooo if you feel like bowling at 3 A.M. or 3 P.M., or 3 P.M. – 3 A.M., YOU CAN! And to sweeten the deal, Boston Bowl has its own brewery and café, Deadwood Café and Brewery, nestled conveniently next to the bowling alleys. The beer selection is somewhat limited but it does the trick and if you are hungry they have your basic chicken fingers and french fries that I myself will never outgrow. If you are one that enjoys a brew while cranking out strikes, this is your place. I would suggest going around 6-8 PM when the children are not running around screaming at birthday parties. Don’t forget your free, Boston Bowl logo socks when you are leave, you paid for those gems!

Deadwood Cafe & Brewery

4th place..woo!!

After dominating in bowling, you will most likely be ready for a good meal in a comfortable atmosphere. I would suggest you visit the Blarney Stone. This bar is located on Dorchester’s infamous “Dot Ave.” A street that does not lack in the watering hole department. My personal menu favorites are the coconut calamari to start, the grilled salmon fillet as an entree and paired with a glass of wine. The Blarney Stone hosts trivia on Wednesday nights so if you don’t catch it this time, make sure to come back to test your random knowledge.

Now don’t let the Blarney Stone be your last stop for the day. Definitely feel free to explore more of Dot Ave’s other fine establishments, The Banshee, The Harp & Bard, Tom English Bar, Peggy O’Neils, etc., many of which host live music and serve delicious pints. And if you get ambitious as you make your way down Dot Ave, you will eventually enter South Boston where you can explore one of the locations on James’ itinerary. The only thing I would suggest, don’t visit this area solo. I am not responsible for your safety at this point.

Enjoy!

Diana’s Bio:
I enjoy spending as much time outside as possible even if that means finding a bar with a roof deck. I am always up for a challenge, whether it’s hiking a mountain, bowling or singing karaoke in front of complete strangers, I will do it. As long as the day involves a glass of wine, family or friends and a good laugh at the end of it, it’s alright in my book.