Töska Restaurant & Brewery

When a friend asks you to hit up a Philly brewery with them, that's another way of saying they want to relax in an industrial warehouse with a beer and complain about potholes the size of Hagrid’s footprint. These meet-ups all kinda feel the same. So the next time someone invites you to a brewery, avoid IPA déjà vu and suggest the Albanian-leaning Töska in Mount Airy, especially if you're hungry. The platters and pizzas are more interesting than that bag of Herr's, or whatever you usually eat while glugging something with citra hops.

At first glance, Töska's food menu covers the beer-adjacent classics: pizza, wings, and sandwiches. Only the wood-fire pies are topped with sujak and creamy kajmak that you'll get a whiff of as soon as it comes your way. The hefty crusts taste like free breadsticks at an Italian restaurant, in a nice way. Slice-for-slice, this is some of the better pizza in Mt. Airy, even if it's nowhere near the best pizza you'll eat all month.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Töska really hits its stride with Albanian spreads and meats. The garlicky cevapi brings a much-needed shakeup to an otherwise forgettable food lineup. And the bright green and spicy feferona peppers would be good on your next sandwich. Unfortunately, the Albanian food only makes up around 20% of Töska's menu. Eating here is like dipping a toe into a cuisine that's majorly lacking in Philly. We want to jump into the whole pool.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

So go ahead and get a pizza and some meats, even if the people next to you only ordered Kosovo light lagers. In addition to serving wine, cocktails, and local cider and beer, the staff at Töska brew about seven beers, including a few versions that nod to their Albanian heritage.

Töska is especially useful for Happy Hour, which runs weekdays from 4pm to 6pm and also from 10pm to 12am on Fridays and Saturdays. But a noticeable lack of screens means this two-story brewery doesn't work so well for gamedays—there's probably no other place in Philly with this much beer and people staring at a çifteli on the wall instead of a TV. Bring a casual date to their dining room, get a $5 beer during Happy Hour, or just stop by when you're sick of the same old breweries your friends keep suggesting.

Food Rundown

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Töska Mezze

This platter comes with feta, Albanian olives, Albanian sausage called sujuk, spicy feforona, and roasted red pepper dip. The combination of smoked, salty meat and creamy cheese on the board means it's hard to stop eating once your start. Skip past the heavier dishes on the menu—especially the short rib poutine—and get this to split.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Motherland Pizza

Our favorite pizza. Mostly because you can't get this mix of toppings anywhere else in town. San marzano red sauce and melted saputo gold mozzarella get sprinkled with spicy Albanian sausage, caramelized onions, and fig balsamic glaze. It's charred, sweet, and crunchy.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Korean BBQ Pizza

Another pizza that's worth ordering. This one has short rib drenched in gochujang, caramelized onion, cilantro, and chili crisp, all hanging out with some cheddar and smoked gouda. Your lips are going to tingle for about 20 seconds. The cold beer should help.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich

Even with the 12-hour brine, this pretty much tastes like every crispy chicken sandwich we’ve ever had. It comes with a butter pickle, house slaw, and a hot honey drizzle. And the chicken breast is large enough that it spreads beyond the bun’s real estate—the way we imagine Joel Embiid looks sleeping in a twin bed.