This Historic US City Has One Of America's Best Food Scenes

Pittsburgh has many nicknames: The Steel City or The City of Bridges, to name a couple. The nicknames speak to the city's industrial past as a steel production powerhouse and the numerous bridges that go over Pittsburgh's three rivers. What the city still flies under the radar for, though, is its vibrant culinary scene. That's a shame, since there's so much more to The Steel City's food culture than the Pittsburgh Salad. 

BBC Good Food actually named Pittsburgh one of the top ten foodie destinations in the world back in 2019, with its food legacy spanning from sandwiches at Primanti's to pierogies, and the dining scene in the city has only gotten better since then. Pittsburgh's food scene has long been influenced by its various immigrant communities, but it's become even more diverse recently. New restaurants like the Nordic-inspired Fet-Fisk and plant-based Apteka have been given national recognition by James Beard nominations and nods from The New York Times.

Here's our collection of the restaurants that show Pittsburgh as one of the best food cities in America, from old-school spots that have been serving Pittsburgh for decades, to newer establishments that have really influenced the city's culinary scene in recent years. These include restaurants that have received national recognitions or awards, as well as restaurants that are beloved by locals according to reviews and recommendations. To capture the diversity of the culinary scene in Pittsburgh, we also selected restaurants that represent different types of cuisine.

Primanti Bros. (also commonly known as Primanti's) got its start in Pittsburgh back in 1933. It's since become popular enough to grow into a chain that has since grown to over 40 locations in four different states. The original location in The Strip district is considered an icon in Pittsburgh. For those visiting the city for the first time, Primanti's is an obligatory stop, a pilgrimage of sorts. It helps that Primanti's is open until 2 a.m., making this a great place to grab some late-night food. The sandwiches at Primanti's are hefty, and they're particularly good after a night of drinking. 

Primanti's is well known for what's called the Almost Famous sandwiches. These are made with the meat of your choice (options include pastrami, corned beef, and roast beef) sandwiched between Italian bread and served with melted provolone cheese, coleslaw, sliced tomatoes, and most importantly, a load of French fries. A Business Insider article described the Pitts-Burger, containing meatloaf and all of the above ingredients, by saying, "the fry-to-meat-to-coleslaw ratio is perfect." Some Primanti's locations also now offer burgers and spiked milkshakes, but the Almost Famous sandwich is certainly the restaurant's claim to fame.

primantibros.com
(412) 325-2455
Strip District, 46 18th St., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222

Fet-Fisk only opened as a restaurant in 2024, but it was popular even before it opened. Chef Nik Forsberg was named a semifinalist for the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic award, thanks to the pop-up dinners it had been hosting around the city since 2019. At Fet-Fisk, chef Forsberg draws from his Swedish roots to serve Scandinavian-inspired cuisine that changes seasonally and uses mainly local ingredients. 

Forsberg's approach to Nordic food has certainly been well-accepted at Fet-Fisk, and Pittsburgh Magazine named it one of the ten best new restaurants in the city at the beginning of 2025. It also didn't take long for Fet-Fisk to get national recognition. In 2024, The New York Times named it one of the 50 best restaurants in the United States, calling it "the restaurant equivalent of a cozy sweater." The restaurant was also named a James Beard Semifinalist for the Best New Restaurant award in 2025.

Some favorites from Fet-Fisk's menu include the scallop crudo with pickled plum and bay leaf oil, and the whole grilled branzino. While seafood is unsurprisingly a focus of the Nordic menu, you also can't go wrong with dishes like the roast half chicken or the steak here. The restaurant's wine list is also worth noting, as it focuses on natural and biodynamic producers. 

www.fetfisk.net
4786 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Pusadee's Garden, prior to 2017, was a popular Thai spot in the Lawrenceville neighborhood, but it was transformed to an even better restaurant when it reopened in 2021 after a major renovation. The current space has a modern and elegant interior, while the expanded outdoor dining space in the garden has really turned into an urban oasis that is a joy to dine in.

Along with the restaurant's expansion and renovation, the menu was also revamped with dishes prepared using traditional tao charcoal grills. Dishes you can enjoy here include pork belly hung lay, a northern Thai specialty curry, and lamb shank with massaman curry. In addition to the Thai food, locals also love Pusadee's Garden for its cocktails that evolve seasonally, lauded by Pittsburgh Magazine, which said, "selection of bespoke and riffs on classic cocktails deserves high praise." Barrel-aged cocktails and seasonal flavors like pumpkin spice-infused rum can be found on a cocktail menu that's unexpected for a Thai restaurant.

Between the food, craft cocktails, and the beautiful dining space, Pusadee's has all the makings of a perfect dining out experience, especially when the weather is nice enough to dine out in the garden. One Reddit user described it as the "best bar + menu + ambiance in the city," while bloggers at Discover The Burgh wrote, "Pusadee's Garden is simply perfect in every respect."

pusadeesgarden.com
(412) 252-2683
5319 Butler St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201

Michele and Cindy Savoia opened Dish Osteria in Pittsburgh's South Side in 2000, and the restaurant became a staple of the neighborhood. The cozy restaurant served up an Italian menu with a special focus on Sicily, alongside Italian wines, cocktails, and amari. It was a sad day for Pittsburgh food lovers when Dish Osteria and Bar closed its doors back in 2017, but thankfully for all Yinzers, the restaurant reopened two years later. Amazingly, the restaurant's old staff came back to return to work at Dish Osteria, in a testament to how much they loved working there. It came back better than ever, according to Pittsburgh Magazine, writing, "When it closed, Dish Osteria ranked among Pittsburgh's best restaurants. Now it is exceptional."

Klein gushed about Dish Osteria's signature pasta, rigatoni alla scamorza affumicata, which is prepared with smoked scamorza (a cheese from Southern Italy), prosciutto, peas, and roasted pistachios. Dishes like grilled calamari, whole branzino, and grilled Piedmontese steak round out the rest of the menu.  Pittsburgh Magazine named Dish Osteria one of Pittsburgh's best restaurants in 2025, saying that the restaurant is "where you send your out-of-town friends when they ask what Pittsburgh is all about," and that it's "a place so good, so enduring, that it should be a national treasure."

dishosteria.com
(412) 390-2012
128 S 17th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Pittsburgh has historically had a big Polish community, and Polish influences can still be found throughout the city. This is especially true in the strong presence of Polish cuisine here, which means that you should probably try the iconic Polish dumpling, pierogies, while you're in Pittsburgh. The city even has an annual Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival, and the Great Pierogy Race takes place during Pittsburgh Pirates' home baseball games, where runners in pierogies costumes race for around 280 yards. This is all to say that pierogies are a big deal in The Steel City. Not only can you find delis and spots that specialize in them, but you can also find pierogies on the menus of many bars around the city.

Pierogies Plus in McKees Rocks was opened in 1991 by Helen Pelc Mannarino, and it's arguably considered the best spot to get pierogi in the city. Despite being a takeout-only operation, Pierogies Plus has been frequently voted as serving the best pierogies in Pittsburgh, including in Pittsburgh Magazine's 2024 Best of the Burgh awards. Alongside the traditional potato pierogies, the spot also offers ones stuffed with hot sausage, cottage cheese and chives, and sauerkraut, among other options. In addition to its takeout window, you can also find Pierogies Plus' handmade dumplings at local markets, as well as other bars and restaurants. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pierogies Plus boils around a thousand dozen of their dumplings each week, giving you an idea of how popular they are.

pierogiesplus.com
(412) 331-2224
342 Island Ave, McKees Rocks, PA 15136

When Spanish restaurant Morcilla opened in the Lawrenceville neighborhood in 2016, Pittsburgh Magazine voted it as the best new restaurant in the city that year, noting "its blend of excellent cuisine, a terrific drinks program, stylish design and strong front-of-house service." Almost ten years in, the hype hasn't died down. In fact, OpenTable named Morcilla one of the top 100 restaurants in the country in 2024, thanks to the 4.8-star user rating on the site.

At Morcilla, Chef Justin Severino serves pintxos like gildas and boquerones alongside shareable plates like pulpo a la plancha and half-roasted chicken. Pittsburgh Magazine says that the "Costillas de la Matanza — baby-back ribs swimming in harissa honey and balanced with za'atar and labneh — is a must," and "the braised oxtail is legendary." Morcilla is also known for Chef Severino's Spanish-inflected charcuterie list, where he showcases his own house-made charcuterie alongside the famous jamón iberico de bellota, so be sure to get a charcuterie board to share for the table (or to enjoy on your own, no judgment). Of course, like any self-respecting Spanish tapas spot would, Morcilla also carries a nice selection of sherry, vermouth, and gin. The Adventurist Magazine names Morcilla one of the 15 best restaurants in Pittsburgh, saying that the place "still feels like the most grown-up restaurant in Pittsburgh." 

morcillapittsburgh.com
(412) 652-9924
3519 Butler St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201

This fine dining restaurant is perfect for a romantic dinner, as it's set in a castle-like property surrounded by orchards and a garden. The story began in 1931, when William Kryskill promised to build a castle for his bride, Clara. It's no wonder Hyeholde is a Pittsburgh go-to for romantic occasions (the place hosts at least two dozen weddings each year) or any celebratory meals. The couple started serving meals at Hyeholde in 1938, and the rest is history. The current owner, Chef Chris O'Brien, actually first came to work at Hyeholde in 1997 and eventually purchased it in 2023.

With such a unique setting, dining at Hyeholde is about more than just the food. It's the whole experience that makes it special. That being said, the food is quite excellent. Hyeholde serves farm-to-table dishes, so naturally, the items change seasonally. Some signature items are mainstays on the menu, though, including the elk striploin and Elysian Fields lamb rack. While the main dining room offers an à la carte menu, a Chefs' Table experience is also offered for up to two reservations per night for an even more special experience. The Chefs' Table features a six-course tasting menu, and reservations can only be made by calling the restaurant directly. Discover the Burgh wrote that "Hyeholde is truly a special place with an enchanting atmosphere, classic fine dining food using seasonal ingredients, and welcoming service."

www.hyeholde.com
(412) 264-3116
1516 Coraopolis Heights Rd, Coraopolis, PA 15108

Apteka serves Central and Eastern European food, including Polish cuisine like zupa ogórkowa (a soup made using pickles). While Polish food is certainly not all that unusual in Pittsburgh, the twist is that everything at Apteka is vegan. Despite being all plant-based, Apteka seems to have really nailed it, capturing the hearts of Pittsburgh diners whether they're vegan or not. On the menu, there's borscht minus the meat-based broth, and instead of pork or chicken, the schnitzel is made using celeriac. Discover The Burgh wrote that "Apteka has some of the most interesting and delicious pierogies we've had in the city," but that "as amazing as the pierogies were, the most unexpectedly delicious dish of the night was the golabki, the stuffed cabbage."

Diners outside Pittsburgh have certainly taken note as well. Apteka's chefs, Tomasz Skowronski and Kate Lasky, have been named James Beard Semifinalists for the Best Chef of Mid-Atlantic award for three years in a row. In addition to the food, which is mostly sourced locally, there are cocktails with cordials made in-house, housemade sodas, and Polish beers. Of course, since the restaurant uses local ingredients, the menu rotates seasonally, based on what produce is available. Periodically, Apteka also takes a break from its regular menu, rebranding temporarily as cheekily-named Crapteka, to offer (still vegan) burgers and fries that are also wildly popular.

aptekapgh.com
(412) 251-0189
4606 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Chengdu Gourmet is a Chinese restaurant specializing in the famously spicy Sichuan cuisine, and it seems to be Pittsburgh's favorite Chinese restaurant. According to Pittsburgh Magazine, Chengdu Gourmet "is the optimum place to try authentic Sichuan dishes in one of the city's culturally diverse neighborhoods." It was voted as the best Chinese restaurant by readers of Pittsburgh City Paper, and the accolades don't stop at just local sources. Chengdu Gourmet's Chef Wei Zhu has also been nominated for the James Beard six times, being most recently named a semifinalist for the Best Chef in Mid-Atlantic award.

When you arrive at Chengdu Gourmet, you'll be handed two menus: One with Americanized Chinese food and one with Sichuan specialties. For the more adventurous eaters who aren't spice-averse, the latter menu is definitely the one you should order from. This is the menu that made Chengdu Gourmet a Pittsburgh institution since its opening in 2015, with favorites like Chongqing-style beef, cumin lamb, and Chongqing fried chicken. Discover The Burgh wrote that the tea-smoked duck was their favorite, praising the crispy duck skin and tender meat, saying that "the whole dish was infused with a smokey, umami flavor." With so many great dishes to try, it's best to try out Chengdu Gourmet with a group that you can share a family-style meal with.

www.chengdugourmetpa.com
(412) 521-2088
5840 Forward Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217

When all you want is to bite into a big, meaty burger, Tessaro's is the place to go to. Tessaro's is a long-time neighborhood bar in Pittsburgh's Bloomfield neighborhood, but it was when Kelly Harrington bought the bar in 1985 that it started to become known for its hamburgers. Harrington has since passed, but his family is still continuing his long-standing legacy at Tessaro's. Tessaro's prides itself on the fact that the hamburger patties are never frozen, and the burgers are hardwood-grilled. There's even an in-house butcher who grinds the meat with just the right fat content. 

Tessaro's was recently voted as the best burger in the city by Pittsburgh Magazine readers and one of the top three burgers by City Paper Pittsburgh readers. The Burger Review wrote that not only does Tessaro's live up to the reputation as the best burger in Pittsburgh, but "it also ranks among the finest burgers in the world," noting that part of the reason the burger tastes so good is the fact that it's grilled over mesquite and the patty is a "perfect blend of chuck, filet, sirloin, and steak trimmings" that's always made fresh. The restaurant offers several burger options, from the Gourmet Kelly Burger with grilled mushrooms and onions, to a Deli Burger served with coleslaw and Thousand Island dressing on rye bread.

tessaros.com
(412) 682-6809
4601 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224