Year: 2022

tako Torta Review – A Fast Casual Adaptation in Bakery Square

In the past, we've raved about the high-end taco restaurant, aptly named tako (Japanese for octopus), in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. This restaurant features artisan tacos, a stellar tequila bar, and an ambiance that perfectly fits its location downtown.

One thing the restaurant is not, however, is approachable. Prime reservation slots are often booked up weeks in advance, and an order of their namesake tako tacos (yes- an octopus taco) clocks well over $20. A decent price for octopus, but an extreme one for tacos all the same.

So when we heard that the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group was opening another tako in Bakery Square, we had a moment of pause. “A high-end restaurant there?!” was our immediate gut reaction. Thankfully, the restaurant, called tako Torta, takes a fast-casual approach to this restaurant's delicious menu with tacos, torta sandwiches, and more!

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Fujiya Ramen Review – Go for a Japanese Feast in Shadyside

Fujiya Ramen in Shadyside is a Japanese restaurant serving up not only ramen but also other traditional dishes like rice bowls and yakitori. While we love sushi, we also love other Japanese foods and are happy that there are more and more restaurants in Pittsburgh showcasing the breadth of Japanese cuisine.

Naturally, we had to make our first visit a feast!

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Girasole Review – Flawless Italian Dining in Shadyside

There are some Pittsburgh restaurants that are straight-up classics. Places that execute their menus with a level of perfection where you want to go back over and over again while also having survived the test of time.

Girasole in Shadyside is one such restaurant.

While it took us many years to finally make our way into this Italian restaurant for a meal, we certainly won't be waiting that long for our 2nd, 3rd, or 4th visit. 

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Los Mayas Review – A Wonderful Mexican Spread in Harmony

When it comes to drinking and dining north of Pittsburgh, Harmony and Zelienople are standing out with a wealth of options. These unassuming boroughs have become a bit of a hub in recent years for new breweries, restaurants, cafes, and more- with spots opening up all the time.

Los Mayas opened up in Harmony to fill the void of delicious Mexican cuisine and rocks it with their robust menu that will have you going back again and again just to get through it all.

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Mandy’s Pizza Review – An Allergy Conscious Pizza Joint in West View

Mandy's Pizza in West View is a popular pizza joint that has a robust menu of appetizers, sandwiches, salads, pizza, and more.

But where most pizza shops would simply thrive on a vast menu alone, Mandy's goes one step further with being incredibly flexible with customer requests- especially around dietary restrictions. Gluten-free? You got it. Allergies? They can handle it. Vegan? That too. 

In fact, Mandy's is probably the most vocal business we've seen in Pittsburgh when it comes to catering to dietary restrictions, so if you fall into this category but still crave pizza, this should be great news to you (but as always, pending the severity of restriction it is always best to call and talk with them about their practices).

But during our first visit, we stuck with a fairly traditional order of pizza and fries. So let's share what it was like!

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