Does your taste for sausage skew toward the Polish variety rather than the Italian? If so, you’re in for a treat. Chef Michael Brenfleck is putting the final touches on a new restaurant experience in East Kensington, starting later this spring.
Little Walter’s is a 46-seat bar/restaurant will feature Brenfleck’s modern take on classic Polish cuisine. The former executive chef of Rittenhouse’s Spice Finch, Brenfleck is a longtime fixture in the Philadelphia-area restaurant scene.
Named for Brenfleck’s maternal grandfather, second-generation immigrant Walter Bubick, Little Walter’s owes its culinary inspiration from the Brenfleck family heritage and the rich culinary traditions of Poland. The core menu at Little Walter’s will naturally include pierogies, kielbasa and house-made sourdough rye breads. It is Brenfleck’s other musings on bold Polish flavors and comfort dishes that will expand diners’ knowledge and appreciation for Polish culinary offerings.
“Growing up, I enjoyed many Polish traditions but none more profound than Wiglia,’ a traditional Polish Christmas Eve supper,” Brenfleck said. “The annual feast instilled a deep love for pierogi. My love of this cuisine, and my take on it, is something I can’t wait to share with such a great restaurant city like Philadelphia.”
On the bar side of the Little Walter’s operation, Brenfleck has a carefully formulated menu of craft cocktails named after Polish professions and using liqueurs and other spirits from Poland itself. Among the offerings is a pickle juice martini called Pitkarz, or “footballer.”
Brenfleck is a 15-year veteran of the area restaurant scene who earned culinary degrees at Penn State University and Northampton College before putting his teachings into action across the Philadelphia area.
For more information on Little Walter’s, visit www.littlewaltersphilly.com or follow on Instagram at @littlewaltersphilly.
