If you think the hardy, savory flavors of Eastern European cuisine can only be achieved with ingredients like meat and cheese, take a trip to Apteka in Bloomfield and prepare to be wowed by their completely vegan menu that totally gets to the heart of Eastern European food.
Eat & Drink
Runner Stone Mill House Review – Seasonal Food and Cocktails
The Runner Stone Mill House restaurant at the Pittsburgh Airport Marriott hotel is an excellent addition to the Pittsburgh hotel dining scene. While it's relatively easy to find good hotel dining in the downtown area, as you move outside the city limits it definitely becomes trickier.
Luckily, the Runner Stone Mill House hits all the right points to help fill this void.
It's got a sleek, modern decor with different seating options ranging from high tops to more intimate lounge-style seating, and it's got a great craft cocktail list and a seasonal dining menu that uses fresh, local ingredients with lots of house-made touches.
Noodlehead Pittsburgh Review – Thai Street Food in Shadyside
Noodlehead in Shadyside is a casual, affordable, and delicious Thai noodle joint.
While service tends to be lacking, we give it a pass because the food is just that good. From dumplings to noodle soups to curry noodles and pad Thai, you can't go wrong with any dish on the Noodlehead menu.
Huszar Review – Hungarian Food and Music in the North Side
Huszar, a Hungarian bar and restaurant in the North Side, is the kind of place Pittsburgh could use more of. With a community vibe, bi-weekly live music from a gypsy strings group, and traditional Hungarian food and drinks, it's a great addition to the North Side scene.
Butterjoint Review – Happy Hour and Burgers in North Oakland
Rumors of amazing burgers and happy hour specials recently lured us into Butterjoint in North Oakland for a casual weeknight out.
We entered planning for one round and to split a burger, and left having tried so much more.
16 Distinctly Pittsburgh Foods the City is Known For
When we get visitors to Pittsburgh, one of the most popular questions that we hear is “what are famous Pittsburgh foods?”
The first one is easy- everyone knows Primanti Brothers. From there, what we would call iconic food in Pittsburgh can vary substantially based on who you ask. Is a pierogi a Pittsburgh food? What about Beto's pizza? Or how about something more unusual like chipped chopped ham? Or how about famous desserts, breakfast spots, and more?
When we sat down to think of it, we came up with a list of several definitive Pittsburgh foods. Some are famous because they were created here. Some are adopted foods from other cultures that are widely integrated into our local diet. Some are in specific categories that have die-hard followings (like our local famous chocolate shop- every city has one). Others still were created in nearby states but popularized in Pittsburgh as its first major market.
While this list is not comprehensive to hit everything that could be considered popular food in Pittsburgh, we did opt to select what we believe are the most well known and are unique to the region all the same.
For more of our opinion from restaurants mentioned below, click the respective links to learn more!
Square Cafe Review – Popular Brunch Spot in East Liberty
In August 2020, Square Cafe relocated from Regent Square to East Liberty.
Recently relocated to the vibrant neighborhood of East Liberty, Square Cafe is a weekend brunch destination that hits all the usual highlights: a bright, cheery space with typical breakfast cuisine utilizing ingredients from local farms and vendors.
Its menu of pancakes, omelettes, eggs benedicts, breakfast sandwiches, and crepes isn't breaking any boundaries, but it's a good spot for a comforting, reliable meal that has Pittsburghers coming back time and time again.
Industry Public House Review – Pub Fare and Beer
If you think finding a place to drink on a Sunday in Pittsburgh is difficult, try finding a place that's open on Monday. Harder still, make that Monday a public holiday when the entire city is virtually shut down.
Throw in our desire to go out and have a beer with friends, and that's how we ended up at Industry Public House in Lawrenceville on our recent visit.
Although this intro may make it sound like we were desperate for anything, which is somewhat true, Industry Public House had been on our list of places to try for quite some time and was rushed to the top due to this odd string of circumstances.
Thankfully, it ended up being a great choice for a beer-filled pub meal.
D’s Six Pack and Dogz Review – Hot Dogs in Regent Square
Thanks to Pennsylvania's unusual liquor laws, many businesses have popped up around the state offering different outlets for thirsty citizens.
One such outlet has been the beer mix-and-match shops where you can go in, find a selection of hundreds of beers, and come out with your own customized six-pack. These businesses often come with attached short-order restaurants and bars, and a good number in Pittsburgh specialize in hot dogs as their menu item of choice.
One popular shop in Pittsburgh of this style is D's Six Pack and Dogz in Regent Square. With a gourmet hot dog menu and over 1,000 beers in their beer cave, this one certainly has a worthy reputation worth seeking out.
After hearing so much about this one over the years, it was time for us to finally check it out to find out why it is so popular.
La Palapa Review – Authentic Mexican Cuisine in South Side
In 2017 La Palapa moved locations in South Side and expanded their menu. Our review is from before the move and we hope to check out the new location soon!
When it comes to finding authentic Mexican cuisine in Pittsburgh, it is truly a difficult task unless you know exactly where to look. Rather than celebrate the incredible food culture of Mexico, we are only able to find poor imitations and Tex-Mex restaurants that are just not the same.
But one South Side restaurant is going against the grain and is making some of Mexico's best meals right here in Pittsburgh. That restaurant is La Palapa and, along with their food cart of the same name, this one is changing the way we look at Mexican cuisine in the city.