Anderson and Pinoyshki will be included in an upcoming documentary on Amazon Prime

(Image: Pinoyshki)

By Matt Dowell

A year into Pinoyshki’s tenure on Capitol Hill, chef Aly Anderson says she and the Filipino-Russian fusion bakery have “found our groove” on E Pine.

Pinoyshki was born when Anderson moved Piroshki on 3rd out of downtown and into the E Pine side of the Pike Motorworks mixed-use development. Pinoyshki is an invention of Anderson’s. It’s a mashup of words (Pinoy and Piroshki) and of cuisine. She combines flavors from her Filipino heritage with the traditional Russian Piroshki for a baked creation that’s been recognized on national television.

But there’s a lot more than baking behind any growing business. “It was definitely an adjustment,” she said of the move to Capitol Hill. “Last year was one of our biggest years. Moving from one location to another is not a small thing to do.”

The business has doubled in size, from seven employees to fifteen. “[We spent] last year trying to ramp up, making sure nobody on our team gets burnt out. I didn’t want anyone to work too much.”

Even so, there’s a lot to like about the new digs. “We love it here,” she said. “There’s a lot more foot traffic. The people that live here are all really awesome.”

“When we were downtown we were doing more traditional stuff, we didn’t fully lean into the fusion. Here, it’s a different clientele so we’ve had a chance to be a little more ourselves, really let everybody experiment and expand our menu.”

“And I think people in Capitol Hill are more open to trying new things. They’re definitely more adventurous. It’s been fun having people excited to try our Pinoyshki of the month, or whatever new flavor is out.”

The bakery and cafe space has been a welcome addition to the street and a nice center of daytime activity with the opportunity for a relatively affordable breakfast, lunch, or afternoon snack. A Pinoyshki will set you back about nine bucks.

Anderson and staff are pleased to have more restaurants nearby, too. “For the last few years downtown, it kind of felt isolated with businesses [around us] closing. If we stayed longer there I don’t think we would have survived.”

“It’s nice to be surrounded by other businesses again, to have that lively interaction.”

After a year getting comfortable in the new space, the Pinoyshki team is ready to trial some new ideas. There are Piroshkis of the Month, like the recent favorite Orange Chicken. Plus, new cocktails, a beer and wine menu, and new specialty coffees. They join a menu that already features the garlic beef asado Pinoyshki, pelmeni soup, bulalo, and much more.

Anderson will also soon grace the screen again. Per Pinoyshki: “She’ll be featured in Authentic or Not: The Filipino Food Revolution, a documentary set to drop on Amazon Prime in April 2025. It dives into what ‘authentic’ really means when it comes to Filipino food and how different restaurants approach it.” View the trailer here.

All the extracurricular activity hasn’t staled Anderson’s love of the craft. When asked whether she prefers the business or the creative side of her work, she said, “For sure the creative side. Even when we’re closed, you find me kind of puttering around here trying new stuff.”

It’s not just her. “It’s the whole team. Even now I think they’re [behind the counter] experimenting.”

“It just makes the place more fun when we get to be creative.”

Pinoyshki is located at 715 E Pine. Learn more at pinoyshki.com.

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