Best Pumpkin Dishes In Pittsburgh

The Daily Meal Staff|Oct. 1, 2014 7:00 am EST

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

With the onset of cooler weather comes a bevy of wonderful things – snuggly sweaters, warm drinks, delicious smells and colors. Arguably, however, is the best part of autumn – pumpkin everything. Starbucks invades our senses with its enticing pumpkin aromas, pumpkin decor abounds in every storefront and many, many restaurants try their hand at making the most enticing gourmet out of this gorgeous gourd. Below you'll find five of the yummiest, and maybe even the most inventive, pumpkin dishes in Pittsburgh.

The Dor-Stop Resuarant
1430 Potomac Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15216
(412) 561-9320
www.dorstoprestaurant.com

The first stop on this journey of all things pumpkin-inspired is Pittsburgh's infamous Dor-Stop Restaurant. Rivaling the portions of Deluca's, with the inventiveness of Pamela's, Dor-Stop may not be in a league of its own, but it's in very, very delicious company. If you're in the market for a carb fest, be sure to check out this classic diner's pumpkin pancake breakfast and prepare to be blown away. Light and fluffy, with the right mixture of nutmeg and cinnamon, the Dor Stop's pumpkin pancakes are to die for. Get them with an order of Lyonnaise potatoes, a side of bacon and the Dor Stop's rich coffee and you'll be in pumpkin paradise: no syrup needed!

Pusadee's Garden
5321 Butler St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
(412) 781-8724
www.pusadeesgarden.com

A BYOB, authentic Thai place might be a dime a dozen in Pittsburgh, but Pusadee's Garden has established itself as leader of the pack. Its pumpkin curry is among the best and comes in a variety of ways. With your choice of vegetable, tofu, chicken, beef or shrimp, the dish is served with kabocha squash, zucchini, carrots and fresh basil. Pusadee's patio is also a highly regarded topic in the Lawrenceville community – a sight to behold as the sun sets over the lush canopy of trees, you're nearly transported to another realm on this exquisite outside seating area. Visit for the pumpkin and become a regular for the outstanding service, ambiance and variety.

Coca Cafe
3811 Butler St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
(412) 621-3171
www.coca-cafe.net

Another Butler Street native, Coca Cafe takes our pumpkin journey to another continent – Italy. Using Fede's as a supplier, the mastermind chef at Coca came up with the most exquisite way to use pumpkin yet: in a ravioli. The dish itself is billed as 'Fede pumpkin mascarpone ravioli' and comes drenched in a white wine leek sauce with fried sage. The only complaint patrons have about this incredibly rich, multi-textured dish is that it's small – only six ravioli come in an order. However, Coca has you covered for the rest of your pumpkin cravings, offering pumpkin cheesecake with a crispy graham cracker crust, greek yogurt, local honey and fried sage.

La Feria
5527 Walnut St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
(412) 682-4501
www.laferia.net

One of Pittsburgh's only (well, good) Peruvian restaurants, La Feria is a recent addition to the Steel City's family of culinary cuisine. Three areas of interest for you pumpkin lovers would be the restaurant's pumpkin-peanut soup, pumpkin and black bean empanadas and its pumpkin and rice soufflé. With hearty portions, reasonable prices and close proximity to downtown, you can't go wrong. La Feria even has a darling little market attached, so be sure to shop while you wait for your meal.

Eden
735 Copeland St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
(412) 802-7070
www.edenpitt.com

This would obviously not be a "best of" list without the ubiquitous, ultimate pumpkin dish – pumpkin pie. Fortunately for you, Pittsburgh evidently owns the recipe to the "best ever pumpkin pie in the whole entire universe" and houses it conveniently in Eden. A raw cuisine restaurant that's about as eclectic and unpretentious as can be, Eden is new to the Shadyside market. Since its inception, customers have gone stark-raving mad for its pumpkin pie, a sort of baklava-inspired dish. Pumpkin additions also pepper the rest of Eden's menu, from pumpkin seeds in its garden salad, to pumpkin puree cream in its pierogies.

Nikki Tiani-Moroney is a full time mum of two boys, wife of a professional poker player/photographer/amateur pencil-sharpening competitor and writer from Pittsburgh, PA. When she isn't studiously neglecting her housework in favor of a good book, she's out simultaneously fighting crime and picking up sidewalk litter while savoring an occasional cigarette. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.