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Pleasant House Bakery
There are a few specific food items that remind us of 1950′s style TV dinners. Things like meatloaf, tuna noodle casserole, salisbury steak, and pot pie. But our meals don’t revolve around the Ed Sullivan Show, which means rarely, if ever, are those the kinds of things we want to eat. At least that used to be the case until Pleasant House Bakery made pot pies cool again.
Pleasant House has been bringing sexy back when it comes to all sorts of savory meat-filled pies, or “royal pies,” since they like to use the British term. We’ll let them say whatever they want though, because even Justin Timberlake would struggle to give pot pies this type of swagger. In addition to English terminology, the staff at Pleasant House hits you with extreme English niceties. It’s not fake either - the husband and wife duo who started and run this place have roots in England, which explains the idea and execution of Pleasant House as a whole.
From the outside, this tiny Pilsen storefront looks like a a weird liquor store that’s hiding cash and drugs. But the inside is far from that. Pleasant House stays true to its name, and the inside is full of friendly people, great smells, and a cute little space where you can order at the counter and sit at one of a handful of tables. This stretch of 31st street has a real familial, neighborhood feel, and Pleasant House is a great place to grab a quick bite for less than $15 or get something to go. Get yourself a royal pie, plus maybe one of the great sides or desserts to go along with it. It’s a simple idea and concept, but one that comes together exceptionally well.
So well, in fact, that we owe pot pies an apology for associating them with tuna noodle casserole. Special thanks to Pleasant House for making us see the light.