A large piece of battered, fried fish that hangs well over the bun, a Catholic Lenten staple that runs year-round. Church fish fries and old market counters both serve their own versions.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Pittsburgh's heavily Catholic, Eastern-European population made the Friday fish fry a fixture, especially during Lent, when parishes and fire halls battered and fried cod by the hundreds. The habit spread to year-round counters: Wholey's in the Strip District has fried its famous oversized fish sandwich for decades, and The Original Oyster House on Market Square has served fried fish since 1870. The sandwich is judged by how far the fish overhangs the bun.
Common allergens: Gluten, Fish
Tip from the editors. Keep the batter cold and the oil hot; that contrast gives the crisp, blistered crust.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Wholey's on Penn Avenue is the Strip District's landmark fish market in Pittsburgh, in business since 1912. Fresh seafood and a fish-sandwich counter.
Tip: The giant fish sandwich at the counter is the move. Look for the moving fish sign out front.
The Original Oyster House on Market Square serves fried fish into the evening downtown in Pittsburgh. The 1870 counter and a giant fish sandwich for a late.
Try: Fried fish sandwich
The Pub Chip Shop on East Carson Street in the South Side fries fish and chips late in Pittsburgh. A pub kitchen for ballast during a South Side night out.
Try: Fish and chips
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