As a Pittsburgher born and raised, I've always thought that French fries belong on Primanti's sandwiches, hotcakes from Pamela's beat any regular pancake, and that everyone should get a Smiley Cookie from Eat'n Park after finishing dinner. Pittsburgh is the City of Champions not just in sports, but every aspect of life, especially food. It's time for the 'Burgh to get the recognition it rightfully deserves for its diverse food and restaurants choices. This list has the very best places to eat in Pittsburgh for both newcomers visiting the city for the first time and Yinzers who are seasoned pros.
All the restaurants on this list put their own unique style on their cuisine, but they all share the drive to give the city of Pittsburgh the best food and service it deserves. Here are 50 places to eat in Pittsburgh before you die, from old favorites to new treasures.
1. Primanti Bros.
A lot of people from across the country know of Pittsburgh because of Primanti's and their heaping sandwiches that serve as full meals. Primanti's started the whole concept of coleslaw and French fries on sandwiches. The Pitts-Burger and Cheese sandwich is a must-try if you really want to get some black and gold feels.
2. Page Dairy Mart
Dinner isn't complete without a little dessert, and Page's does dessert the best way—with delicious ice cream. Every summer, I visit Page's a few times to reminisce about the days when my dad would take me here after school to get a cone dipped in blue raspberry chocolate. My go-to treat now is the Yinzer sundae, which is made with vanilla soft serve, caramel, and a fresh blonde brownie.
3. Grand Concourse
The Grand Concourse provides a stellar brunch and breathtaking view on the inside of the restaurant that you won't find anywhere else because it was a former railroad station. Today, the only train you'll see is a large train of food calling your name. If you aren't a fan of buffets, the price of brunch is worth it just to get their Bananas Foster.
4. Pamela's Diner
I don't get up early in the morning for anything, unless my mom bribes me with Pamela's hotcakes. I get their Chocolate Chip Banana Hotcakes every time, and I'm always more than satisfied. Even President Obama agrees with me considering he visited Pamela's Diner and raved about their hotcakes. This presidential seal of approval is all you should need to visit Pamela's.
5. Eat'n Park
My diet consisted of Eat'n Park's Smiley Cookies and chicken fillets and fries as a kid. Who am I kidding? My diet still consists of these items, today. Eat'n Park serves up every food item you could possibly want, with a friendly smile. Whether you want breakfast, lunch, or dinner, Eat'n Park has it all. This is one of the best places to eat in Pittsburgh for pure nostalgia.
6. Fiori's Pizzaria
When your own father, who hails from Mount Washington, tells you that Fiori's is the best pizza place he's ever been to in his entire life, that's when you know it's a good place. Fiori's has an unbeatable flavor that you won't find anywhere else. Pizza Hut and Papa John's will never come close to reaching the status of Fiori's Pizzaria.
7. Burgatory
Burgatory takes the burger and shake combo to a whole new level with their ridiculously thick milkshakes and made-to-order burgers. It's easy for your stomach to get full within minutes here, but you'll find a way to make room, because their stuff is too good not to eat in one sitting.
8. Beto's Pizza and Restaurant
If you don't want to worry about burning your mouth with hot cheese, Beto's Pizza is the place for you because they put cold cheese and toppings on their pizza. You don't know what you're missing out on if you've never tried their pizza, so be like Elsa and don't let the cold (cheese) bother you anymore. Give Beto's a try.
9. Oakmont Bakery
Oakmont Bakery is my all-time favorite bakery of all time, and that's saying a lot considering I like to try a new bakery every few days. Their bakery has a café that makes delicious items, like sandwiches and waffles, in a casual setting. If you're still hungry, take a look at their massive bakery cases that are always filled to the brim. Every single thing they make is delicious.
10. DeLuca's Diner
DeLuca's is known for having the best breakfast in town. This places serves a hearty breakfast or lunch whether you're craving an omelette or one of their waffle sundaes. Everyone deserves to have dessert for breakfast every once in a while, and DeLuca's agrees.
11. The Yard
The Yard is known for their gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches served on Thick Cut Texas Toast. Don't expect your simple childhood grilled cheese sandwich here. My favorite sandwich is called the "Smack Yo Mama," which is made with beer and cheddar cheese, onion rings, and sweet and tangy BBQ pulled chicken. Like I said, not your average grilled cheese.
12. Dave and Andy's Homemade Ice Cream
Homemade ice cream and intricate flavors are made daily at Dave and Andy's. Located in the heart of Oakland, University of Pittsburgh students flock to this ice cream place to get scoops of fresh and unique ice cream flavors, like Maple Bacon and Oatmeal Raisin Cookie.
13. Altius
Altius overlooks Pittsburgh and has the most scenic view of the city's skyline you can get. While dining on their creative food choices, you can enjoy the city's rivers and bridges in an elevated environment. Altius also has chefs that do their best to feature seasonable and sustainable products whenever they can.
14. Wholey's Market
Wholey's is a seafood market located in the trendy Strip District that has endless fish and deli options. While Wholey's may be known as a market, they also have a kitchen menu that gives you an opportunity to try their great seafood. If you walk past their market, you'll see stations right on the sidewalk that are cooking up good smells.
15. Fat Head's Saloon
Fat Head's brings together craft beer with food like munchies, wings, and Headwiches, you know, sandwiches that are the size of your head. Fat Head's is the place to be to enjoy a Steelers or Pens game with a nice beer and big sandwich.
16. Noodlehead
Noodlehead's dishes are inspired by the street markets of Thailand, and they have a simple menu that makes it easy to choose what you want based on your mood. This place doesn't have a telephone, so you just have to trust their website to figure out the perfect time to visit.
17. The Dor-Stop Restaurant
The Dor-Stop was featured on "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives," so if you're obsessed with breakfast, diners, and Guy Fieri, you need to experience The Dor-Stop yourself. Located on a street corner in Dormont with a small, but cozy interior, you might have to wait for a table, but it'll be worth it to experience their thick pancakes and french toast.
18. Emporio: A Meatball Joint
Meatball magic is a real thing, and it can be experienced first-hand at Emporio. Emporio allows you to choose your meat, sauce, and base to create your perfect meatball meal. One of their base options is French fries, which means you can combine their soft meatballs with crispy, fried goodness. This place is balls to the walls, quite literally.
19. Meat and Potatoes
Meat and Potatoes is Pittsburgh's first gastropub that serves food a chef would want to eat after a busy day of work. Meat and Potatoes defines a gastropub as "a public house that serves high end or craft food and libations that also focuses on the fundamentals of food and education."
20. Smallman Galley
If you want a truly unique dining experience that allows you to have options, the Smallman Galley is the place to go. This place serves as a launch pad for new restaurant concepts, meaning four restaurants are showcased at a time, with two bars. After one year, new eateries appear, and the old ones become their own businesses.
21. Spoon
Spoon is a restaurant that contributed to Pittsburgh's culinary rebirth by providing a high-end dining experience with help from renowned chefs. Spoon is the perfect place to have a classy meal with a glass of wine before enjoying a night out on the town.
22. The Church Brew Works
If you want to thank God or a higher power for the great pierogis or shrimp and grits you'll find here, you can actually do that because The Church Brew Works used to be a church. There's nothing more mind-blowing than seeing huge vats of beer under stained glass church windows.
23. DiAnoia's Eatery
DiAnoia's Eatery is an Italian deli and cafe by day and full service restaurant that serves homemade pasta and so much more, at night. If you want an idea of the insanely good pasta dishes you can get at DiAnoia's, check out this video about their tomato-cream sauce gnocchi served in a bread bowl.
24. Cure
Cure offers a small restaurant menu focused on local urban Mediterranean food. The owner, Chef Justin Severino, tries to make Cure a reflection of Western Pennsylvania's seasons and farms. If you want a full service dining experience, you can participate in their six course tastings, when available.
25. Butcher and the Rye
Butcher and the Rye provides a rustic Americana dining experience that can be enjoyed with a whiskey from their extensive collection. If you like beef, Butcher and the Rye has a wide selection, and they know how to make it extremely well.
26. Eddie Merlot's
Eddie Merlot's serves prime aged beef and seafood with an unparalleled, upscale atmosphere. Some of their beef offerings include a tomahawk, ribeye, filet mignon, New York strip and other unique meats like bison and wagyu.
27. Alla Famiglia
Alla Famiglia has Italian recipes that are fully homemade from scratch. When you're here, it's all about family, so gather together with your loved ones and enjoy some authentic Italian cuisine and a cocktail or two.
28. Joseph Tambellini Restaurant
Joseph Tambellini's serves expertly crafted Italian food, fresh fish, steak, chicken, and veal in a warm romantic dining environment. There's plenty of space to enjoy your meal in Tambellini's because they have two floors, an outdoor patio, and a lodge for private gatherings.
29. The Porch
Fresh and local ingredients are a part of The Porch's philosophy. They even use herbs and produce grown in their own garden. You can feel good about the food you're putting in your body at The Porch because everything's fresh and locally sourced. Their pizzas loaded with veggies are especially tasty.
30. Vivo Kitchen
Vivo Kitchen has won countless awards for being one of the best places to eat in Pittsburgh. When critics and diners agree that your restaurant is a top spot to visit, you're doing your job right. Vivo Kitchen is only open for dinner, which means the chefs spend all day preparing the perfect meal for you.
31. Bakersfield
Bakersfield preaches tacos, tequila, and whisky, which are three things I think we can all get behind. Bakersfield serves authentic Mexican street fare food and a selection of over 100 tequilas and American whiskeys. It's a good idea to come thirsty with an appetite to eat and drink the night away.
32. Waffles Incaffeinated
Waffle Incaffeinated doesn't do ordinary waffles. They give you waffles you never knew you needed, whether you're a sweet or savory person. If you want to go bananas, you can get the Funky Monkey, or you can go with something more classic, like the Chicken and Waffles.
33. Industry Public House
Industry Public House's interior architecture, inspired by the prohibition era, will give you a vintage space to enjoy American comfort cuisine and craft beer. This restaurant ties together the past and present perfectly to keep people coming back for more of their classic, but modern techniques.
34. Cocothe
Cocothe originally started out as a French chocolate and tea retail store, but it's now a dinner hotspot. Their menu has modern dishes that capture the flavors of the season, so it's always evolving. Cocothe's dishes are visually appealing and perfectly portioned.
35. Eddie V's Prime Seafood
Eddie V's serves the finest seafood and steaks in an environment that encourages you to sit back and relax. With live jazz in the V lounge, you can savor a fantastic meal and enjoy the elegance of the restaurant.
36. Legume Bistro
If you want to eat nutritiously and load up on your veggies, Legume Bistro's menu gives you all the vegetables you need, because their menu is inspired by them. Their menu changes daily to reflect the seasons and the interests of the cooks in the kitchen.
37. Girasole
Girasole allows guests to escape their daily lives and travel to Italy, with some imagination. Since Girasole has rustic stone walls, the illusion of being in a wine cellar of a villa is created. Their innovative menu will allow you to have great Italian food in an upbeat environment that's decorated with a few flowers to brighten your day.
38. Off The Hook
Off The Hook prepares their fish quite literally off the hook. They have some of the most delicate and hard-to-get seasonal fish because they search for only the finest fish across the globe. If you like oysters, you can see chefs shucking oysters right in front of you thanks to their open oyster bar.
39. Smoke
Enjoy tacos, chips and queso, cocktails, and more tasty snacks, like Rib Dip, at Smoke Barbecue Taqueria. They have Mac and Cheese listed as a side, but I would consider it a main dish that you need to try. It would taste perfect with any of their various taco options.
40. Hello Bistro
Hello Bistro is the place to go for salads. With a salad bar that has hundreds of different combinations, you can make a salad that you actually want to eat that has all of your favorite ingredients. If salads aren't your thing, Hello Bistro has plenty of beefy burgers and crispy French fries for you to enjoy.
41. Cala Lily Restaurant and Bar
Cala Lily won Trib Total Media's 2017 Readers' Choice Awards for Best Seafood Restaurant, Best Steak Restaurant, Most Romantic Restaurant, and Best Mexican Restaurant. These awards speak volume to how Cala Lily's serves some of the best seafood and steak in a dynamic atmosphere.
42. Kelly O's Diner
Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" makes another appearance on our list, this time at Kelly O's Diner. If the outside of the restaurant doesn't entice you to enter, the food on the inside will. Kelly O's is a classic diner that makes a hearty breakfast that anyone would enjoy.
43. McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon
If you want to be in a high energy environment where you can pregame before a Pirates game, then head on over to McFadden's, which is a minute away from PNC Park. Enjoy some good bar food, like their pulled pork sandwich, and drink specials while cheering on the Buccos.
44. La Gourmandine
La Gourmandine is a French bakery that brings traditional pastries, bread, and sandwiches to Pittsburgh. The owners were born and raised in France, and they bring authentic French delicacies to life at four locations. Every item in their bakery case looks so beautiful that you won't want to eat it, but you will anyways since the smell will entice you.
45. The Original Hot Dog Shop
Lovingly referred to as The "O," The Original Hot Dog Shop serves up some heavenly hot dogs and fries. Their French fries, which are perfectly tossed with onion, garlic, and season salt, serve as an actual meal if you place a large order.
46. S&D Polish Deli
Pittsburgh is a huge Polish city, so eating some pierogi's, stuffed cabbage, and Polish style Kielbasy is something you have to enjoy to experience Pittsburgh's Polish culture. S&D Polish Deli is a store and restaurant where you can find all your Polish and Eastern European food needs.
47. Gaucho Parrilla Argentina
Put an Argentina flare on your food at Gaucho Parrilla Argentina, where they use a wood-fired grill to create delightful dishes. I may not be able to pronounce all their menu items, but from looking at the descriptions, one thing sounds better than the next. Make sure to bring some friends here to try more than one dish.
48. Harris Grill
If you truly want a fun dining experience where you'll actually laugh out loud at menu item names, Harris Grill has you covered. With "Britney Spears" chicken tenders and "Labor-Inducing Vegetable Chili," you'll be entertained and satisfied by these interesting grill items.
49. Pork and Beans
Pork and Beans was voted the Best BBQ of the 'Burgh in Pittsburgh Magazine's 2017 Reader's Poll, so it's a good idea to go all out and get all the fixings with your meal here. Pork and Beans is a Texas-inspired BBQ and smokehouse in downtown Pittsburgh that allows you to have a taste of the south.
50. Istanbul Sofra
Istanbul Sofra is a quirky restaurant full of color that serves Turkish and Mediterranean food. The servings are plentiful and beautifully seasoned. Menu items include Ottoman cuisine, Turkish Lamb Chops, and Shish Kebabs. Istanbul Sofra is the real deal.
These are just some of the best places to eat in Pittsburgh, so go dahntahn n'at and explore some new restaurants. The places on this list will exceed your expectations if you give them a try. Let's make Pittsburgh known not only as the City of Champions, but also the City of Food.