Madison Kwiecinski – Editor-in-Chief
mvk5945@psu.edu
Photo Credit: Facebook @ Porky’s Pizzeria Erie
Are you looking for the perfect college take-out food? Then you cannot beat ordering from Porky’s Pizzeria, a college staple that is more than just a pizza joint. Porky’s Pizzeria has two locations in Erie, with the Wesleyville location located on 3512 Buffalo Road being the closest to Penn State Behrend’s campus.
While Porky’s does offer dine-in and pick-up options, my favorite part about this place is having a delicious, cheap restaurant that delivers right to my apartment. However, if you do choose to dine in, the restaurant allows for a BYOB option. The additional Porky’s location is Downtown Erie, located at 302 West 8th street.
Now, to dive into their food. First, and perhaps most importantly, they have delicious and crispy wings. Finding a place that can deliver crispy wings, and especially a place that provides a variety of different sauces for them is a difficult task, but Porky’s has it all. With over twenty different wing sauces, which include several dry rubs as well, you really cannot find a better option for wings near campus.
One of my favorite things about this unique little restaurant is that there is something here for everyone. They offer burgers, hoagies, wraps, calzones, hot dogs, sandwiches, pizza, calzones, and more. You name the food, and it is probably somewhere on the menu.
The salads at Porky’s are not only delicious but are portioned very well. The wraps, which are one of my personal favorites, are only six dollars and are huge for the price. They even offer chicken alfredo pasta, chicken bacon alfredo pasta, and penne pasta with meatballs.
The pizza options here are also endless, with multiple options for those who have dietary restrictions. For example, they offer cauliflower crust pizza for those who are gluten-free and even provide “cup-o-pizza” for those who stick to a low-carb diet. There are also thick crust, stuffed crust, and flatbread varieties of pizza.
Everything I have mentioned so far does not even touch on Porky’s extensive menu of appetizers. Personally, I am a huge fan of the stuffed jalapeno pretzels, potato skins, and cheesy bread sticks. Another fan favorite, of course, is the “pepperoni ball sliders” which cost only $2.99 and are essentially pepperoni rolls you can stuff with the filling of your choice. They offer taco, combo, meatball, chicken parm, and buffalo chicken varieties.
Another unique aspect of this restaurant is its “greek food” something I had never experienced outside of Erie. There are greek fries, greek dogs, and greek burgers served here. Originally, I thought this meant that the food would come topped with tzatziki sauce, maybe even with some feta cheese, but I was mistaken. Greek dogs and other foods in Erie are coated in a sauce that is essentially a chili with no beans in it and often comes with cheese on them as well. It is a unique food, and worth a try.
As a final note, I want to mention the “Porky’s Pig Out,” a special pizza that costs a total of $26 because of all the unique topics. It is a large pizza that comes topped with chicken tenders, onion rings, cheese sticks, fries, honey mustard, and ranch. All of this rests on top of a steak and cheese pizza, and although I have not tried it, the combination stands out and would make for an interesting pizza night with friends.
All in all, if you are looking for the next place to order from late at night, or even for your friend group’s new regular restaurant, give this place a shot. Porky’s is unique, delicious, and close to campus.
