sooooo this has taken forever to get round to, but I said I would post about my epicurean adventures in pittsburgh so for anyone who still cares...
(fwiw, I’m a vegetarian which definitely influences my choice of places to visit, and quite possibly my opinion on their quality)
going under the cut bc it got a bit long
de luca’s diner (penn ave, strip district)
I went here for brunch and had a veggie breakfast burrito, which was good but not out of this world. I’m not generally into sweet things for breakfast, but I am into spying on what other people are eating, and everything I saw looked so good that I’d probably go for something non-savoury next time.
there was a line when I got there, but it moved pretty fast, and any other time I walked past it was pretty short and I’d say it’s worth waiting imo :)
di anoia’s eatery (penn ave, strip district)
brunch again... savoury again... really really tasty again lol. I had avocado and whipped feta on sourdough (omg so millennial of me) and it had this awesome honey dressing which was just *chef’s kiss*
it was really quiet when I went (around 10:30) and you just order at the counter and seat yourself. lunch service is the same, though it was already getting busier when I left at 11:30, but if you want to go for dinner you need a reservation as it seems to always be pretty busy (I tried to make a reservation a couple of weeks ahead of time and they were already full).
FYI, this one is a recommendation of rusty’s :)
sultry @ smallman galley (54 21st street, strip district)
smallman galley is a food hall concept and calls itself a ‘restaurant accelerator’. basically they have 4 different (small) kitchens and they support chefs just starting out as it’s a platform to trial their restaurant/brand etc.
I ate at sultry and it was truly delicious (cheesy, creamy, potatoey goodness), and it’s always kind of cool when the chef brings your plate to your table!
would definitely recommend checking this place out.
altius (1230 grandview avenue)
not for the fainthearted bc it’s pricy but omg both the food and the view were 100% worth it in my opinion. They have the view out over the point and the whole of downtown pittsburgh, and I was there as the sun was setting and it was amazing watching all the lights gradually come on and seeing how the view changed through the meal. they won’t guarantee a window table when you book (and you need to book) but I was lucky enough to get one and it was awesome.
This one was a dumo rec and, unsurprisingly coming from the foodie on the team, it’s a great one... the maple cream cheese dressing on the brussels sprouts side was so good I don’t even know how to explain it omg
these pics are actually last year, bc I was sick on the day I was meant to go this time & had to cancel my reservation :(
milkshake factory (5th avenue, and elsewhere inc. ppg)
I guess you could call this a rec of jake’s since I had the jake shake lol. not exactly a meal, but tbh it’s so damn filling that it kind of is: that thing is one large cup of chocolatey goodness stuffed with oreos and brownies.
the chocolate pucks and penguins pops are also tasty btw
prantl’s bakery (market street, but there are others)
me: eh... I don’t really like nuts, shall I bother with this ‘famous’ burnt almond torte thing? prantl’s: ... me: ok, let’s give it a go prantl’s: :) me: omg this thing is heaven I wonder if I can get one in my suitcase to bring home?
seriously. so worth it. go get that thing and stuff your face. (whoops - I ate it before I thought to take a picture)
honourable mentions:
bill’s burgers - I hung out here for ages on the day I was leaving bc I had to check out way before my flight, and it’s nothing super special but their veggie burger was really good and the homemade chips were a nice touch.
trader joe’s - because we don’t have it here and I’m sad about that bc I could eat an entire bucket of their everything but the bagel dip
for next time:
pamela’s onion maiden fish nor fowl (tanger’s rec) return visits to altius, smallman galley and dianoia’s (for dinner this time)
should anyone care, these places are also recommended by some of the pens but I won’t go bc they don’t have much/anything for veggies and/or are a pain to get to without a car:
butcher and the rye (rusty again) poulet bleu (horny) meat and potatoes (sully) monterey bay fish grotto (schultzy)
anyway... feel free to hit me up with other suggestions for my next trip if you have ‘em!
