The Prince of Pierogi

My Pap would have been proud.

A polka-stomping Pennsylvania miner, he wore his Polishness with pride.

Though he was a man of few words, Pap would have loved to chat with Krzysztof Krol, the Prince of Pierogi, and he would have been astonished to see a drive-through pierogi restaurant right here in Wisconsin.

O jejku!

We discovered this culinary curiosity on a recent trip to Door County, where we even met the Prince himself. Krzysztof runs two Prince of Pierogi restaurants, one in Ephraim and one in Sturgeon Bay. We popped into the one in Sturgeon Bay.

Of course, we ordered a range of pierogis, but I also ordered a cabbage roll and (cover your ears up there Baba), that giant halubki was one of the best I’ve ever had.

I was just so tickled to be eating such authentic Polish food right there in Door County!

The food taste authentic because Krzysztof is as Polish as they come. He grew up in Siemianowice Śląskie, a coal mining town in southern Poland, and found his way to Door County as an exchange student in 2012. Krzsztof loved it so much he returned every summer and eventually decided to open his first restaurant, using recipes from his mom and grandma back in Poland.

This spring, he opened a second location in Sturgeon Bay and it even included a drive-thru window.

Now that I’ve whetted your appetite, I am sorry to tell you that both locations are open seasonally, from May 1 to November 1. We just happened to hit the Sturgeon Bay location on one of it’s last weekends of the year.

The good news, though, is that the Prince of Pierogis travels south in November. Since 2022, he has hosted a stand at the Wrigleyville Christkindlmarket. It opens November 23.

So, you can check out all the delicacies there, or head up to Door County in May.

Tell them Micky’s granddaughter sent you.