Pittsburgh is one of the country’s most important cities with its strong imprint on the automobile and electronics markets.
Nicknamed “The Steel City” for its copious steel-related businesses, the city has earned respect for its innovations in the aforementioned markets.
A slew of noticeable people have called Pittsburgh their home, including Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist Wiz Khalifa, NFL Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas, and Olympic gold medalist and WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle.
When it comes to food in Pittsburgh, the city is best known for its selections of chipped chopped ham sandwiches and pierogies. The city also has a slew of fantastic restaurants ranging from Alaskan food to Neapolitan dishes. These are 13 of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh.
1. Proper Brick Oven and Tap Room
$$ | 412-281-5700 | WEBSITE
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In 2013, Suzanne Hrach decided to open Proper Brick Oven and Tap Room as a “thank you” to the town where she grew up. If you’re into pasta, the restaurant has a handful of favorites, including shrimp primavera, brisket mac and cheese, and funghi.
For its delectable pizza offering, they allow the addition of pork belly bacon or bacon candy for a few more dollars.
There’s also a slew of gluten-free food available, including barbecue glazed salmon and pan-seared hanger steak. Proper Brick Oven and Tap Room is closed on Mondays.
2. Monterey Bay Fish Grotto
$$$ | (412) 481-4414 | WEBSITE
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If you’re into seafood, Monterey Bay Fish Grotto arguably has the best food selection in Pittsburgh. The highlights include crab cakes and seafood, but they also offer great chicken and steak options.
Their offering is so important, the restaurant was able to team up with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.
The restaurant offers separate private rooms for both lunch and dinner with its own unique food menus. Every now and then, you might get treated to some live music from local acts.
3. Pasha Cafe Lounge
$$ | 412-688-7415 | WEBSITE
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Pasha Cafe Lounge delivers the best Halal food in Pittsburgh. For its entrees, the restaurant includes meals such as fillet mignon beef shish, lamb chops, and a mixed grill meal.
When it comes to chicken, meals such as chicken kebab and chicken chops are available. Lamb and chicken meals both come with salad, jalepeno, rice and grilled tomato. Pasha Cafe Lounge also does catering for upcoming parties.
4. Point Brugge Cafe
$$ | 412-441-3334 | WEBSITE
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Since opening in 2005, Point Brugge Cafe has been delivering some great Belgium-inspired food. For lunch, the restaurant delivers two great mussels dishes: small bowl of moules and moules frites, which come with french fries.
Their dinner menu offers meals such as chicken milanese and carbonnade flamande.
On Sunday, the restaurant offers a brunch menu, which includes buttermilk fried chicken, smoked salmon eggs benedict, and the fan-favorite poutine. Point Brugge Cafe is closed on Mondays.
5. Altius
$$ | 412-904-4442 | WEBSITE
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B DeFrancis and Chef Jessica Bauer opened Altius following the success of their previous bar Bistro 19. The restaurant features a great selection of caviar, including beluga kaluga and Italian supreme osetra white sturgeon.
For the main course, Altius offers dishes such as footprints farm breast of duck and vegan wild mushroom papillote.
There is a private dining room available for those looking to celebrate special moments. For this restaurant, business attire is required to enter. People not dressing appropriately can be turned away at the door.
6. Pamela’s Diner
$$ | 412-281-6366 | WEBSITE
Since 1980, P&G’s Pamela’s Diner has been serving Pittsburgh with a fantastic food selection. For breakfast, there’s California French toast, corned beef hash, and a bacon & cheese omelet.
Lunch will always feature grand selections, such as a breaded chicken tender sandwich, buffalo chicken wrap, and a grilled cheese sandwich.
Unlike most restaurants, P&G’s Pamela’s Diner closes early in the afternoon, which means interested people should arrive early for some great dishes.
7. Gaucho Parrilla Argentina
$$$ | 412-709-6622 | WEBSITE
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Gaucho Parrilla Argentina offers some fantastic food from Argentina for residents of Pittsburgh. Their most noticeable selection is their fan-favorite chimmi-curri.
Their selection of wood-fired meats, including New York strip steak and beef tenderloin, comes with chimmi-churri, toast, and casa salad.
If you love their selection, you can give a gift card to someone you know so they can try it out as well. Gaucho Parrilla Argentina is closed to the public on Sundays and Mondays.
8. Turkish Grille
$$ | (412)-235-7215 | WEBSITE
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When it comes to Turkish food, Turkish Grille has a fantastic selection for individuals. Their three big meal entrees include chicken, lamb, and seafood. All meal entrees include either a side of rice or makarna and house salad.
There’s also a slew of appetizers, including stuffed grape leaves, mixed eggplant, and ezme. Turkish Grille offers catering for big events such as weddings and graduation parties. They can also accommodate private parties of up to 40 people.
9. Pizzaiolo Primo
$$ | 412-575-5858 | WEBSITE
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Pizzaiolo Primo has a grand selection of Neapolitan cuisine. Pizza lovers will be thrilled to try out Prosciutto E Arugula, pancetta & onion, and spicy meatball pies.
With its pasta selection, Pizzaiolo Primo brings the goods with rigatoni aglio olio, penne vodka, and spaghetti pomodoro.
Pizzaiolo Primo offers a private room for special events such as a business meeting or a bachelor/bachelorette party. For private events, a limited selection will be available.
10. Church Brew Works
$$ | 412-688-8200 | WEBSITE
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Church Brew Works stands out for taking place inside an actual church built in 1902. With so much history behind the building, many people come in just to check it out.
Fortunately, Church Brew Works has a great food selection to keep those individuals coming back for more. Their selection of sandwiches comes with a wide choice of slaw, black bean salad, or fries.
Their dinner entrees include grilled salmon, barbecue ribs, shrimp and grits. The restaurant also has some merchandise for those looking to show their love for the spot.
11. Eleven
$$ | 412-201-5656 | WEBSITE
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Eleven Contemporary Kitchen pays homage to Pittsburgh with its stylish decor. When it comes to the food, they bring a string of delectable dishes for your choosing.
The dinner menu comes with dishes such as Scottish salmon, pork chop, winter squash and goat cheese ravioli. On Sundays, the brunch menu is live, and it features some tasty dishes such as steak and eggs, roasted chicken salad, and smoked short rib and egg.
Private rooms are also available for special events along with pickup catering services. Eleven Contemporary Kitchen is closed to the public on Mondays.
12. Luke Wholey’s Wild Alaskan Grille
$$ | (412) 904-4509 | WEBSITE
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Luke Wholey’s Wild Alaskan Grille brings some Alaskan flavor to Pittsburgh. The main entree menu offers great dishes such as jumbo lump crab cakes, shrimp and chips, and baja shrimp volcano.
If you’re not looking to drop a lot of money on food, there’s a great offering of small dishes, including house cut fries and mashed potatoes.
There’s also Luke Wholey’s Wild Alaskan Grille newsletter, which offers discounts, special events, and secret menu entrees to all subscribers. The restaurant is closed to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays.
13. Meat & Potatoes
$$ | (412) 325-7007 | WEBSITE
Meat & Potatoes is exactly what you expect it to be. The restaurant, which is the first gastropub in the area, offers the best of both worlds. While their menu is predominantly filled with meat and potatoes, there are some salads available for those trying to eat healthier.
There’s a special rewards program for frequent patrons who can earn points for items. The restaurant also has a merch store filled with items such as shirts and beanies. Meat & Potatoes is closed to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Summary
With so many selections, you might have a hard time deciding which restaurant to try out first.
The beautiful thing is that you can go at your own pace with testing out these grand restaurants. Be sure to show your great friends this list of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh.
Hayden has been a digital director for years. He has five years of experience editing and writing about food, restaurant, and recipe review content. At Birch Restaurant, he’s in charge of scouting, showing up unannounced in different restaurants, and writing a thorough food guide!
