Czech Pleeze, a recently
opened restaurant on the east side of Binghamton offers city residents a new
source of delicious Czechoslovakian and American foods. Owner Dan McLarney was inspired by his family’s
rich history to reintroduce a type of food and culture back into the Binghamton
community.
Lifetime Binghamton
resident Dan McLarney is a Graphic Artist turned chef. Growing up in the first
ward of Binghamton, he spent time with his mother learning how to cook hundred
year old recipes. Unfortunately, the recipes he grew up with have slowly
disappeared from the area. For some time the only way to purchase sweets like Kolachki was during
holidays; lines formed in front of eastern European churches in order to
purchase old world favorites, but year round remained extremely hard to come
by. McLarney hopes that with his restaurant he can “bridge a generational gap”
and reintroduce the tasty and comforting flavors of Czechoslovakian cuisine to
Binghamton residents.
As a previously untapped
niche in Binghamton dining, McLarney wants to serve as an attractive
alternative to fast food options. Czech food is a “comfort food” said McLarney,
and there is something special about that. The ingredients his restaurant uses
are all bought locally, and McLarney constantly strives to serve his community.
He has “something for everybody” and offers American favorites like sub
sandwiches and pumpkin cookies in addition to more traditional options. He also
offers catering and pastry platters comprised of exquisitely baked delicacies.
McLarney’s vision is for
his restaurant to grow into a well known spot to purchase Czech favorites. Once
people try his food for the first time, they understand the magic that goes
into his cooking. While many residents have never tried Czech cuisine before,
those that do try it are always glad that they did.
Dan McLarney has heavily invested
in his community by selling his house and opening this restaurant. By bringing
a new business to Binghamton that offers something both new and old, an extreme
alternative to current restaurants yet a historical staple of the area,
McLarney and Czech Pleeze are working towards creating a more culturally vibrant
and diverse community.
Czech Pleeze is located on
223 Robinson Street on the East Side of Binghamton, NY. Their phone number is
(607) 217-4889. Information can be found on their Website and Facebook Page
