All roads lead to Mom–Mom’s Kitchen on 15th and South Streets. Viewers of Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive–Ins, and Dives, late–night patrons of Bob and Barbara’s Lounge right next door, or loyalists of Polish dining alike all find their way to this “brick and mortar food truck.” From vegans to cheesesteak fiends, their small menu manages to offer something for everyone.
My go–to is the potato pierogi (which they also make vegan!), the most popular dish on the menu. It's uber crispy on both sides, with a steaming hot, melt–in–your–mouth filling. It only takes about ten minutes for Mom–Mom's to prepare your order, enough time to schmooze with the friendly staff or take in this quaint section of South Street.
Equally delicious is the kapusta (meaning cabbage) pierogi, which is actually the most authentic version of this Polish dish. Sides of sauerkraut, apple sauce, and sour cream round out any meal. While Eastern European fare can be meat–laden, Mom–Mom’s is an authentic, delicious, and vegetarian–friendly option for those looking to expand their culinary horizons.
Much like a food truck, their setup on South Street only offers takeout. There is no inside seating, but guests are allowed and encouraged to take their meal to the iconic dive bar next door, Bob and Barbara’s. (But only if you promise to clean up after yourself and buy a round of drinks.) Street–side tables are also available, and depending on your comfort level (and blood–alcohol level), curbside seating is always an option.
While waiting for my order, I ask about the “Polish Feast,” where $50 will get you one of everything they've got. The cashier promises me that it's a good amount for two people, but I challenge him on his low expectations of a single determined consumer of Polish cuisine. That mega order is a good way to try their offerings beyond just pierogi. It includes gołabki (pronounced “gowumpki”) which are meat–filled cabbage rolls, as well as kielbasa from Czerw's (“Chev’s”), a restaurant in Port Richmond.
Featuring food from other Polish establishments, such as Czerv’s, is just one way that Mom–Mom’s bridges Philadelphia's old–school Polish culture with the hipster dining scene. In a similar vein, you can catch their food truck at the monthly Richmond Street Flea Market, a community–wide revitalization of the Polish neighborhood on the last Sunday of every month. Mom–Mom's are no strangers to hitting the road, and you can find them at farmer’s markets and food–truck pop–ups around Philadelphia every weekend.
This type of culinary outreach was the goal of founders Ryan Ellmore and Kaitin Wines, who wanted to honor the delicacies of their Polish grandparents while adding a “grandchild’s twist.” Even without a culinary background, their “hand–made and home–made” food has been popular since the opening of their food truck and original northeast Philadelphia location in 2018. The hype has followed them in their transition to the current South Street location two years ago.
Their biggest contribution to Philly's dining scene, however, must be the cheesesteak pierogi. Deliciously sacrilegious, it represents the perfect fusion of Polish and Philadelphian cuisine. Though the concept is adventurous, the dish is as straightforward as all of their other offerings: simple pierogi dough, ground–up rib–eye steak, and shredded cheese, pinched, boiled, and fried–up like their other traditional offerings. While I can't try it myself, Fieri awarded the cheesesteak pierogi the title of a “legitimate, groundbreaking, destination dish.”
In a city with such a rich dining scene, it’s easy to get lost in the sauce. While some restaurants can feel like a culinary adventure, Mom–Mom’s feels like a warm hug: few enough options to avoid decision paralysis, and the “Polish feast” for those who still can’t make up their mind. Serving meat–filled and vegan options ranging from the glutenous to gluten–free, Ellmore and Wines have created the perfect simple food that can still cater to everyone.
Mom–Mom’s is a testament to the joys of no–frills dining. Portable, versatile, and delicious, they don’t need anything more than grandma’s recipe, a pot of boiling water, and a flat–top grill to cook up a meal that tastes like home.
TL;DR: Mom–Mom's pierogis will have you feeling right at home, whether or not you grew up with a Polish babcia.
Location: 1505 South St.
Hours: Wednesday–Friday: 4 p.m.–10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m.–10 p.m.
Price: $
