Published by Richard Cook, Amanda Reed of Pittsburgh Magazine | Read the article
Digging into a delicious fried (or baked) fish dinner with a wide variety of sides is just a click away.
The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17. Lent is a 40-day season of reflection and preparation before the celebration of Easter. It is also the season of fish fries when tons of battered fish and side dishes are produced in the kitchens of churches, fire halls and restaurants.
The pandemic shut down most fish fries last year but many are returning this year, operating solely as take-out operations.
Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, recognized for its commitment to finding jobs in the foodservice industry for at-risk community members, will host a takeout-only Fish Fry on seven consecutive Fridays between 11 a.m and 7 p.m. at its location at 107 Flowers Ave. in Hazelwood. Orders can be placed here.
Fish Fries are also big fundraisers for Catholic Churches in the Pittsburgh area. You can find the one closest to you at this Fish Fry Guide.
There are also dozens of other organizations that host Lenten Fish Fries, and that’s where the Pittsburgh Lenten Fish Fry Map comes in.
The map is an official project of Code for Pittsburgh, a local subsidiary of Code for America, an organization focused on using technology to improve how the government serves the public. A group of volunteers sources the map data from news outlets, social media and public requests.
It even distinguishes between church and community organizations, if you’d prefer to get your fish from Sister Mary Catherine in a church basement over Bob in a fire hall.
Users can also filter through locations that are open for lunch, serve homemade pierogies, have takeout, are handicap accessible, are open on Good Friday and serve alcohol, in case that’s not your Lenten sacrifice.