On February 14, 2024, Christians throughout the world observed the beginning of Lent, the 40 day period of prayer commemorating the time Jesus spent in the desert fasting and abstaining from temptation. Lent will end on Holy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter, which is when Jesus and his disciples shared the Last Supper. During this time, many of the faithful choose to abstain from eating red meat, a tradition that dates back thousands of years. But what is a Pittsburgher to eat when pepperoni rolls are taboo? Enter the Fish Fry.
Found in church basements and restaurants around town, believers and non-believers alike come together every Friday to enjoy battered fried fish, pierogies, coleslaw, and of course french fries. You can’t really go wrong when it comes to a Fish Fry, but if you’re not in the loop it can be tricky to find a good one. I talked to Gary Minnaert, a local Fish Fry expert and father of staff writer Claire Minnaert ’27.
Mr. Minnaert first began his Fish Fry journey ten years ago, “I worked downtown and the Epiphany Catholic Church had a lunch Fish Fry for office workers which was very popular.” His current favorite is at Community Kitchen PGH in Hazelwood whose Fish Fry menu includes an impressive array of sides such as haluski, pierogies, coleslaw, and clam chowder. When asked about his worst Fish Fry experience he said, “I don’t know if I really have a worst, but GetGo and other places will advertise fish sandwiches during Lent, and they are not the same as a Fish Fry at a church or fire station.” I can probably speak for all of us when I say that you should never be getting your seafood from a place that also sells gas.
Along with Community Kitchen PGH there are many other great Fish Fries in Pittsburgh. As featured at Morning Meeting, the Edgewood Volunteer Fire Department has one every Friday. There are also many resources to find the Fish Fry for you. Linked here is a fish fry finder for the Pittsburgh area and linked here is the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh’s Fish Fry guide.
Whether you are an observant Christian or a non-denominational gourmand, it’s a great time to be a fish eater in Pittsburgh. Just don’t waste any time – there are only 5 Fridays left in Lent!
