Ten Penny succeeds because it doesn’t try to be everything to everyone. It’s a neighborhood joint that accidentally became a destination. The servers are friendly without being fake, the food is elevated without being pretentious, and the bathrooms are actually clean. That’s the trifecta, people.
It’s the restaurant you suggest when you can’t decide where to go. It’s the “everyone will be happy” pick. You know how sometimes you suggest a place and someone always has a complaint? “Too loud.” “Too expensive.” “Too hipster.” Not here. Ten Penny is the Switzerland of Pittsburgh dining—neutral, pleasant, and full of chocolate (pierogies are basically savory chocolate, right?).
A Final, Honest Thought
If you haven’t been, go. Bring a friend, bring a date, or bring your own solitude and a good book. Sit at the bar, order a cocktail and those famous pierogies, and just let the evening happen. You’ll leave a little heavier in the belly, but a lot lighter in the spirit.
And if you see someone hugging their plate of fries, just nod. You get it now. You’ve been Ten Penny’d.
