There aren't too many places you can get Caribbean food in Pittsburgh, let alone Jamaican food, but Leon's in Allentown is one of them – and it's a spot we'd heard many good things about for quite some time. We recently made the trip there and fell in love with the kicked-up flavors of their traditional curries, stews, and wings.
Eat & Drink
Kiin Lao & Thai Eatery Review – Visiting for Laotian Cuisine
Kiin Lao and Thai Eatery in Squirrel Hill is Pittsburgh's first Laotian restaurant, having recently been transformed by the owners from a purely Thai restaurant into one serving both Lao and Thai dishes. Whether you're looking for some classic Thai dishes or are wanting to expand your palate and try Laotian food, odds are you'll find something that strikes your fancy on the diverse menu at Kiin which includes starters, salads, and entrees.
Kiin Lao and Thai Eatery used to be Bangkok Balcony, a beloved Squirrel Hill restaurant that we enjoyed over the years and used to be our go-to Thai place when we lived in the neighborhood. So when we heard the Bangkok Balcony owners were transforming the restaurant into a Lao and Thai eatery we knew we had to check it out.
Mola Review – Sushi, Bao, and Rice Bowls in East Liberty
Mola in East Liberty is a sushi-focused restaurant, although the Asian menu has much more than just sushi if that's not your thing. The menu also includes small plates, bao, and rice bowls. We recently tried takeout from Mola and were very impressed with the food and that they executed a wide variety of dishes so well.
Shelly Pie Review – Large Pizzas in Turtle Creek
Whenever we share our Pittsburgh pizza roundup post, we often receive a ton of recommendations of where to go next. This is not surprising as Pittsburgh has one of the highest concentrations of pizza shops per capita of any metro area in the country. Naturally, this means our to-do list is quite large on the pizza front.
One shop that came up time and time again was Shelly Pie in Turtle Creek (just east of the city) and we decided to visit as quickly as possible to see why this one is so popular.
Little Bangkok in the Strip Review – Thai Cuisine With Ample Portions
Little Bangkok in the Strip is a stalwart Thai restaurant that serves up a wide variety of noodles, curries, stir-fries, soups, and appetizers with classic Thai flavors executed perfectly. We recently ordered takeout from Little Bangkok and were pleasantly surprised with the high quality and well-balanced flavors.
Big Shot Bob’s Review – Wings, Wings, and More Wings
Normally when we think of getting fried chicken wings, we think of heading to a gastropub where we can enjoy a dozen or so along with a few pints of beer from Pittsburgh breweries. We do this mostly because of the availability, but also because ordering wings for takeout was never really something on our radar.
That is to say, until we tried Big Shot Bob's House of Wings. After having these, there may be no going back.
Mi Empanada Review – Empanadas and Sandwiches in Lawrenceville
Mi Empanada has been on the Pittsburgh food scene for a few years now slinging their Argentinian empanadas at local events and brewery pop-ups. Now they have their own storefront in Lawrenceville where you can order takeout empanadas, sandwiches, and sides.
We were well-acquainted with Mi Empanada having tried them at several of their pop-ups around town over the past few years. At events they always had long lines and it's no secret why – their empanadas have a rich, tender dough and the fillings are a mix of traditional and creative options, including a lot of vegetarian options as well.
Needless to say, we were ecstatic to learn they were opening up a storefront in Lawrenceville. The spot is takeout only, but they offer ready-to-eat empanadas or a “take and bake” option which we haven't tried but also sounds delicious. Sandwich options include a steak or chicken milanesa, and they also offer sides like salads, rice, and polenta.
10 Pittsburgh Institutions For Food That You Must Try
When we published our article about famous Pittsburgh foods, we got a lot of feedback and recommendations for restaurants that are famous (and rightfully so) but are not necessarily offering foods that are quintessentially Pittsburgh.
Places like The O in Oakland (now closed), Lenten fish fries, and Gus & YiaYia's were a few great suggestions. These all have die-hard followings, but we can't say that French fries, fish sandwiches, or ice balls are universally identified as being “Pittsburgh” despite their popularity.
We made the distinction in that article to only focus on foods that were either invented in Pittsburgh, adopted as regional cuisine, or offer the definitive dish in a few key categories. Simply being a popular restaurant in the city does not necessarily make the cut for what we were going for there.
Instead, we consider these popular spots to be Pittsburgh institutions. These are spots that have die-hard followings, perhaps are historical in nature, and have tried and true offerings that have stood the test of time- be it for decades or generations. While there may be some overlap on institutions that also offer famous Pittsburgh foods, we view these as being distinctly separate topics.
So in this one, we're going to share awesome Pittsburgh institutions for food and beverages!
202 Hometown Tacos Review – Short Order Tacos in Bellevue
202 Hometown Tacos opened in Bellevue in mid-2019 and focused on having short order tacos in Tex Mex / modern American style, as well as a robust bar stocked full of Mexican and domestic beer (plus an array of liquor).
During my visits to this one, I was able to sample my way through several of their tacos plus their aptly named Bellevue Bowl. While I walked away somewhat disappointed by the tacos, the bowl is something I'll be thinking of time and time again.
Luke Wholey’s Alaskan Grille Review – Higher-End Seafood in the Strip
If there is any staple restaurant for higher-end seafood in the Strip District, it is most certainly Luke Wholey's Alaskan Grille. While this one is known for its entree-style seafood dishes, the menu is also complete with sushi, sandwiches, and more which gives a number of options for any guest.
Naturally, we tried a bit of them all when visiting.