Square Cafe Review – Popular Brunch Spot in East Liberty

Published by Angie. Last Updated on November 28, 2023.

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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.

Heading Out for a Late Brunch at Square Cafe

Coffee at Square Cafe in Pittsburgh

We visited this one at their previous location on Sunday around noon when the weather was beautiful and got a seat inside right away (while others waited in line for a table outside). We'd heard the wait here can get pretty bad, but we think going a bit later on a Sunday helped with that.

We were happy to see a full espresso bar and started with a latte and a cappuccino, both served in really cool ceramic mugs. The mugs were a bit more memorable than the drinks, but they definitely provided the buzz we needed to get going for the day.

A Large Menu with Many Tempting Options

Chorizo Eggs Benedict at Square Cafe in Pittsburgh

The menu is huge and it took us quite a while to decide on what to order. There were several varieties of benedicts tempting us including a short rib variety, a chorizo benedict, and even a veggie benedict.

There's also an entire section of the menu for items from the griddle with many varieties of pancakes and french toasts, including butterscotch bacon pancakes that were seriously alluring. They even have vegan pancakes and gluten free pancakes.

If you're in more of a lunch mood there are also savory crepes, salads, paninis, and burgers, but we suspect it will be hard for most to pull themselves away from the large breakfast menu that is offered.

In the end we went with the chorizo benedict and the lemon berry ricotta pancakes. The chorizo benedict started with a traditional toasted English muffin topped with tomato, chorizo made in-house, eggs over easy, and finally some avocado and hollandaise.

The chorizo didn't seem to quite harmonize with the hollandaise but instead overshadowed the hollandaise with its richness and spiciness. Perhaps the veggie benedict would have been a more traditional option to overcome this.

Fruit and Ricotta Pancakes at Square Cafe in Pittsburgh

The lemon berry ricotta pancakes were a safer bet. The pancakes were studded with plump blueberries which complemented the lemon flavor well. The texture of the pancakes was a bit odd, and perhaps that was from the ricotta, but they seemed pretty dense.

Still tasty, but hard to eat three giant, dense pancakes in one sitting despite the addicting flavor. (Leftovers, anyone?)

Overall, there were some hits and misses here, but if you're in the neighborhood and looking for a weekend brunch, Square Cafe is a decent spot that has a great following in the city.

Square Cafe is located at 134 S Highland Avenue in East Liberty. They were formerly in Regent Square but relocated in 2020.

For more breakfast spots in Pittsburgh, check out Pamela's Diner, Johnny's Diner, Wise County Biscuits & Cafe, or Lola's Eatery!

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