A Pinoy bakery in Seattle serves asado, laing, and sisig piroshki

Seattle bakery Pinoyshki merges Filipino and Russian bread-making practices | Photo from Pinoyshki/Facebook

When talking about Filipino bakeries, a mental aroma of hot pandesal, pan de coco, and monay probably wafts instantly into your consciousness, as if triggering a Pavlovian response. A Filipina-owned shop Pinoyshki Bakery in Seattle deviates from this norm, though—all while still retaining the classic Filipino touch.

It was widely known as Piroshki on 3rd (it was located on 3rd Avenue then) before rebranding as Pinoyshki in December 2023 and relocating to Capitol Hill in January 2024. The bakery specializes in piroshki—an East European meat pie—infused with flavors reminiscent of the Philippines.

According to owner Aly Anderson, she first learned how to make piroshki from her European co-workers whom she fondly calls “babushka.” (Note: It means “grandmother” in Russian.) The taste and look of it reminded her of Filipino empanadas, which promptly ignited her culinary imagination.

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Think tender chunks of meat simmered in sesame soy sauce and encased in a flaky pastry shell—that’s Pinoyshki’s famous garlic beef asado piroshki for you. It’s like a fusion of an empanada and a siopao, using bread-making traditions from both the Philippines and Russia. 

This piroshki (Filipino version) quickly gained attention, not just from locals, but from the pros at Food Network, too.

The Pinoyshki story in a nutshell

It all started when Anderson was seven years old. As with any growing kid, hunger pangs randomly struck her one day, and so she sought her sister’s guidance in whipping up some banana bread. Little did she know that this innocent foray into the kitchen would spark a lifelong love affair with baking.

Fast forward to her twenties, Anderson found herself at the helm of Piroshki on 3rd, which led her to a couple of opportunities: to showcase a fusion of cultures (particularly Asian and European) and to integrate her own Filipino roots into Seattle’s baking scene.

Asado piroshki | Photo from Pinoyshki/Instagram

To date, Pinoyshki has a wide selection of Filipino piroshki apart from garlic beef asado: adobo, laing, sisig, Bicol express, and cornpilog (a reference to the popular cornsilog—corned beef, sinangag, and itlog—breakfast combo) among others. 

Besides piroshki, what else does Pinoyshki offer?

Don’t let the name fool you—Pinoyshki isn’t merely about piroshki. Its menu also boasts an array of croissants, pastries, soups, breads, tarts, cookies, and more. The best part? There are options for vegans, too.

“Whether you’re looking for a spot to enjoy a full meal, grab a quick bite, immerse yourself in a book, or focus on your laptop, our bakery will provide the perfect ambiance,” wrote Pinoyshki on its website.

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A post shared by Aly Anderson (@alywonkakes)

Moreover, a lot of people love Anderson’s seasonal desserts (especially the Mexican hot chocolate and turon) “so much so that she [has also] started partaking in couples’ happily-ever-after stories” by entertaining customized wedding cake orders.