Pierogi restaurant in Montreal's Mile End brings a taste of Ukraine to the city

There's a new Ukrainian pierogi restaurant in the Mile-End area of Montreal.

Known in Ukraine as "varenyk", most Canadians call them pierogies, and a plate of them is comfort food for all.

Little pillows of joy, the dough dumplings are filled with combinations like potato and cheese.

"Whatever you call them - varenyk, pierogis - have been around for many centuries," said Perogie Lili co-owner Nestor Lewyckyi.

Co-founder Gregory Bedek said people come for the food and the ambience.

"A lot of people from Ukraine come in and say, 'Oh! It's nostalgic,' and the people not from Ukraine think it looks like their grandmother's house on steroids with all the art and everything inside," he said. 

The Ukrainian art will tantalize your eyes while your taste buds are savouring the specialities, Bedek said. 

"People say the potato melts in your mouth," he said. 

A Quebec-inspired twisted topping at the restaurant is maple syrup and bacon.

"The mix of the salty and the sweet really like it, our favourite too," said Marika Melnyk-Nadeau.

The co-owners support their Ukrainian community by hiring people displaced by the war, like Anna Semenova, who was a graphic artist in Ukraine before the war forced her to leave two years ago.  

Serving customers helps her practice French and meet people.

"To know more Canadian community members and meet people from Ukraine and Canada," she said. 

Perogie Lili also supports the Canada Ukraine Foundation, Lewyckyj said.

"For the Ukraine community and the city, we are here, part of the fabric," he said. "Ukraine is still suffering and regardless of how we do, two per cent will go to humanitarian aid."