Eat & Drink

K-Town Snack Bar Review – Mr. Bulgogi’s Calls Oakland Home

As far as Pittsburgh food trucks are concerned, it is hard to top the Korean truck, Mr. Bulgogi.

We've been enjoying this truck's delicious beef and spicy pork bulgogi bowls (plus ample mandu dumplings) at Pittsburgh breweries for years and always wondered when the owners would open up a permanent restaurant in the city as, let's be honest, we can always use more great Korean in Pittsburgh.

As it turns out, the answer was 2022 as the team here opened up K-Town Snack Bar right in the heart of Oakland. Even better? The menu here features many of the classics from the truck plus a few new dishes, all in a fast-casual setup that is sure to delight visitors to Oakland all the way to hungry college students looking for a quick meal on a budget.

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The Parlor Dim Sum Review – A Feast to Share With Friends

The Parlor Dim Sum, the latest concept by Chef Roger Li of Umami and Nanban fame, is a dim sum and Cantonese restaurant in Lawrenceville in the former Ki Ramen space. With a wide-ranging menu of dim sum, Cantonese barbecue, wok dishes, and more, this is the type of restaurant where it's best to bring a ton of friends and order family style to try some of everything.

We recently visited with friends and the meal hit so many high points for us with excellent cocktails, dishes with a mix of familiar and new flavors, and great service, all at a moderate price point.

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The Rib Room Review – Speakeasy Vibes at Meat & Potatoes

The Rib Room is an intimate 8-table restaurant hidden away in a room at the back of Meat and Potatoes in downtown Pittsburgh. As you might guess, this Richard DeShantz spot features prime rib, premium cocktails, and an exclusive vibe with prices to match.

While you likely need to be a big fan of prime rib to enjoy this menu fully, anyone who loves Meat & Potatoes and their delicious creations should consider snagging a reservation to this one!

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Goodlander Cocktail Brewery Serves Up Draft Cocktails in Larimer

Pittsburgh has breweries. It also has cocktail bars. But did you hear that Pittsburgh is now home to a cocktail brewery?

Goodlander Cocktail Brewery in Larimer combines the best elements of both of these styles of bars for a unique concept that puts cocktails on draft while also being available in growlers to go!

Naturally, it sounded right up our alley.

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Anthos Bakery Review – Greek Dining in the South Hills

Anthos Bakery in Castle Shannon is a delightful family-owned Greek bakery and cafe. In addition to their amazing sweet and savory breads and pastries, they offer a full breakfast and lunch menu brimming with Greek and Mediterranean goodies. The delicious food is served in an adorable cafe setting that's cheerful and welcoming.

The instant we walked into Anthos Bakery we were smitten – the pastry case beckoned us with its beautiful creations, olive oils, and other pantry items for sale called our names, and the cheerful Mediterranean design with blue and white tiles invited us to sit down and stay a while.

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7 Great Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants in Pittsburgh

While we are not vegetarians or vegans, we have to admit we have a love of fresh, healthy, and locally grown vegetables.

In fact, when we're not out eating our way around the best restaurants in Pittsburgh, we are often at home cooking meals that are oftentimes vegetarian or vegan using produce either from our garden or our local CSA farm shares.

That being said, while vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Pittsburgh are, sadly, few and far between, there are many gems you will want to check out the next time you are in the mood for a vegetarian or vegan meal! So in this one, we thought we'd share some of our personal favorites covering an array of cuisine styles.

As with everything on our site, this article features only a selection of great Pittsburgh vegetarian and vegan restaurants. It is not meant to be comprehensive and only features spots we have personally visited over the years. So let's get to it!

Disclaimers: This list will call out when restaurants are vegan, vegetarian, or have mixed menus including non-vegetarian items. While most of the restaurants featured below are either 100% vegan or 100% vegetarian (likely with some vegan options), those that offer mixed menus are included because their vegetarian/vegan options are quite strong. Likewise, menus can and do change regularly. It is not unheard of for area restaurants to offer a vegan menu and then change back to a traditional menu over time (e.g. when there is a change of chefs). We highly recommend reconfirming all menus before visiting to ensure your dietary needs can be met. Our guides, as always, should only be treated as a starting point.

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Sally Ann’s Review – Cafe-Style Dining in Downtown

Sally Ann's is yet-another Richard DeShantz restaurant concept, and it fills a much-needed niche of providing casual, veggie-forward breakfast and lunch fare in downtown Pittsburgh.

Taking over the old Pork and Beans spot, this large space in the heart of the Cultural District has a vibrant, casual feel with lounge-style couch seating in the center of the restaurant, plenty of high-top tables, and a large outdoor seating space on 6th Street.

Keeping in line with the cafe vibe, the food and drinks are all counter service- there is a dedicated register for ordering food, while drinks are ordered separately at the bar. There's also a separate line for coffee drinks during the day. While this took a second to get used to, it really highlighted just how different this one is compared to other restaurants nearby!

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Jian’s Kitchen Review – A Large Chinese Menu in Squirrel Hill

Jian's Kitchen is a bit unsual by Squirrel Hill standards in that it does not have a prominent storefront on Forbes or Murray.

To find this Chinese gem, you're going to have to go into the basement of an office complex via a narrow doorway in the heart of the Forbes business district. This truly is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it kind of place, so having an idea that this one is indeed in the basement with minimal front signage is key.

So, what kind of Chinese food does this one offer? To be honest this one features unique dishes from all over the country, including popular American Chinese dishes as well, but during our first visit we decided to stick close to the Northeastern China side of the menu!

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