It’s been a banner summer for Pittsburgh restaurant openings… heck, it’s been a banner year, with dozens of restaurants, cafes, bars, breweries and food halls opening in and around the city in 2018. In the last three months (since we shared 23 Brand New Spots in Pittsburgh to Try This Summer), another 25 places have opened around town – and many more are on the horizon.
Here are the latest openings, from a roof-top bar to a Garfield BBQ restaurant, that you should put on your “must visit” list.
Fish Nor Fowl
Garfield
Richard DeShantz’s latest restaurant opening is getting some serious love from restaurant critics. DeShantz’s Fish nor Fowl takes over the former Salt of the Earth location in Garfield, and offers a menu from executive chef/partner Dan Carlton that offers seasonal, elevated dishes from Halibut collar with summer vegetable succotash to Scallop crudo with watermelon, green strawberries and sumac. The menu, and the accompanying cocktail list, will frequently change.
Fish nor Fowl (5523 Penn Avenue)
Coast & Main
Monroeville
The Monroeville Mall is home to the newly-opened Coast & Main, a seafood and chop house that serves a variety of steaks (filet mignon, Wagyu filets, bone-in ribeyes, and porterhouses are just a few options), and a wide selection of seafood dishes, like Feta-stuffed swordfish, Pistachio pesto-crusted yellowfin tuna, and Lobster Tail. The restaurant also boasts an elegant dining room and an extensive wine list.
Coast & Main (709 Mall Circle Drive, Monroeville)
The Black Cat Market
Lawrenceville
The highly-anticipated Black Cat Market has just opened in Lawrenceville, offering food, drinks, and playtime with adoptable cats. The cat cafe is divided into two parts: a public cafe, serving pre-packaged food and beverages, and a separate space partitioned off for guests to interact with cats, which are all available for adoption.
The Black Cat Market (5171 Butler St)
Walter’s Southern Kitchen
Lawrenceville
Smoking hot news coming out of Lawrenceville! Walter’s Southern Kitchen, the highly-anticipated BBQ and southern food restaurant from the owners of Morgan’s Barbecue in Brooklyn, has officially opened. The restaurant, which features an outdoor space with a dog-friendly patio and yard games, will serve brisket, BBQ chicken, pulled pork, ribs, and sides like collard greens and Mac & Cheese.
Walter’s Southern Kitchen (4501 Butler Street)
Duncan Street Sandwiches
Millvale
Millvale has gotten itself a brand-new sandwich shop! Duncan Street Sandwiches opened earlier this week, serving a simple and seasonal menu of sandwiches, soups and sides. The shop is from the team behind Duncan St. Dinners, a monthly fine-dining pop-up that takes place in the Duncan Street home of owners Kendyl Ryan and Dan Rodriguez. While the menu will change regularly, you can currently get sandwiches like the “Everything,” made with seasoned, roasted pork, pickled red onion, boursin, cucumber and fried onion on focaccia, and fresh-made black pepper & garlic potato chips.
Duncan Street Sandwiches (543 North Avenue)
Level 7
Strip District
We’ll always welcome a rooftop bar in Pittsburgh! Level 7, a bar and restaurant located on the rooftop of the new AC Hotel, opened earlier this summer, offering stellar views of downtown Pittsburgh. You’ll find a full bar with a cocktail menu, beer and wine, and a tapas-style food menu, featuring dishes like charcuterie platters, warm olives and meatballs, along with a few larger-plate selections. Level 7 also has a happy hour Monday through Fridays, which features $7 drink specials from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Level 7 (1126 Smallman Street)
My Goodness
Regent Square
My goodness, Regent Square is lucky to have this new spot in the neighborhood! My Goodness, a new local market and prepared food market from the owner of Square Cafe, has just opened on South Braddock Street. The market will feature local products like baked goods from Madeleine Bakery and Bistro, honey from Pittsburgh Honey, ice pops from Stickler’s Ice Pops, and pickles from Conver Organic Farm. Prepared food options for breakfast, lunch and dinner will also be available, like grain bowls, salads, and yogurt parfaits.
My Goodness (1104 S. Braddock Street)
Spork Pit
Garfield
The owners of Spork have brought another awesome restaurant to Garfield. Spork Pit serves up BBQ, southern-style sides and frozen cocktails in the restaurant, which has a huge outdoor patio area. The brisket is insanely good, as is their Mac & Cheese and pulled pork. Other menu options include BBQ chicken, ribs, potato salad and collard greens, and a rotating list of frozen libations, including frosé.
Spork Pit (5349 Penn Avenue)
Siempre Algo
North Side
New restaurant Siempre Algo opened this summer on the North Side, offering a menu of contemporary, seasonal American cuisine, and ever-changing cocktail selections. Chef/owner Brian Hammond heads the restaurant (located on East Ohio Street, in the former Schrim’s Garden Café space), with a menu that currently features a variety of small-bite appetizers, from Bavarian-style sourdough pretzels with sea salt to truffle Deviled Eggs. There are also larger entree options, too.
Siempre Algo (414 E. Ohio Street)
Lorelei
East Liberty
The team at Hidden Harbor spent the summer hard at work converting the space that formerly housed the Livermore in East Liberty into a cocktail bar and beer hall named Lorelei – and it’s quickly become one of our favorite places in town for a drink and a bite. The beer hall portion features a lager-forward beer program with 16 taps, and the food menu (from executive chef Jamilka Borges, who also heads the food programs at the Independent Brewing Company and Hidden Harbor), offers pretzels with mustard sabayon, a bacon-sauerkraut cheese spread, and delicious desserts (like lemon-rosemary shortbread cookies) from pastry chef Dianne DeStafano.
Lorelei (124 South Highland Avenue)
Mediterra Café
Sewickley
The first brick-and-mortar restaurant from Pittsburgh-based Mediterra Bakehouse is officially open in Sewickley. Mediterra Café opened this June as a combination baker, café, and lifestyle market, serving breakfast, lunch and snacks. Dishes include the “Breakfast Sammie,” with fried egg, aged cheddar, Sicilian pesto and porchette on a brioche bun, a sprouted grain salad bowl, and a pastrami sandwich, made with house-made pastrami and fresh-baked marble rye. The location also features a small shop, with housewarming gifts and additional food products for sale.
Mediterra Café (430 Beaver Street)
FRIO Creamery
Lawrenceville
If you love Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream, you’re in luck! FRIO Creamery has just opened in central Lawrenceville, serving the university’s famous ice cream. The ice cream shop will serve a rotating list of ice cream flavors, classic milkshakes, and specialty milkshakes, loaded with additional toppings.
FRIO Creamery (4127 Butler Street)
The Bakery Society Pittsburgh
Mt. Oliver
Pittsburgh’s first and only bakery incubator opened this summer in Mt. Oliver, serving baked goods like French bread, doughnuts, scones, and homemade pies. The incubator allows bakers, who aspire to own their own bake shop, the opportunity to use a commercial kitchen and learn the ropes of the business before going off on their own – and we get to enjoy all of the delicious bakery treats that they make and sell out of the incubator’s storefront. Plus, the society is always taking applications for new bakers.
The Bakery Society Pittsburgh (225 Brownsville Road)
Insomnia Cookies
South Side
Pittsburghers love Insomnia Cookies so much, we got a second location of the cookie chain on the South Side, only a few months after the first location in town opened in Oakland. Known for their delicious, fresh-baked cookies (some of the best chocolate chip ones in the city!), Insomnia Cookies can deliver warm cookies right to your day, day or (late) night. Cookie varieities include chocolate chunk, classic with M&M’s, oatmeal raisin, white chocolate macadamia, double chocolate mint, peanut butter chip, snickerdoodle, and more.
Insomnia Cookies (1734 East Carson Street)
Bertrand
Scott
A new French bistro has opened in Scott, near Mt. Lebanon. From the owner of Tartine (the French cafe that closed in 2016) comes Bertrand, a bistro that serves lunch and dinner. On the menu you’ll find classic French favorites, like Bifteck frites, escargot, Vichyssoise, and Coq au vin.
Bertrand (1910 Cochran Road)
Alquisiras Paleteria
Beechview
This new paleteria in Beechview serves Mexican dishes like tacos, tortas, enchiladas, and tamales, but what they’re becoming known for are their wide (and ever-changing) assortment of paletas, homemade ice pops that come in a variety of flavors, like coconut strawberry mango with chili, pistachio, chocolate, strawberries & cream and watermelon. The shop also offers homemade ice cream, Mexican snacks, and fruit drinks.
Alquisiras Paleteria (2056 Broadway Avenue)
Topgolf
Bridgeville
If you want a side of golf with your dinner, you’ve come to the right place. Topgolf, an entertainment complex chain that features a driving range, scramble golf games, chip games, and other golf-related activities, opened in July in Bridgeville. The space also features a bar and restaurant, serving ribs, burgers, flat breads, and assorted, shareable appetizers.
Topgolf (400 Presto-Sygan Road)
Spring Hill Brewing
Spring Hill
Spring Hill Brewing is an oasis in Spring Hill, set amidst an urban farm, and selling Belgian-style farmhouse ales. The brewery’s cozy taproom is the perfect place to grab a drink, and there’s outdoor space available, too. Asado food truck by Gaucho Parilla Argentina is often on-site, and on the days that they’re not, guests are invited to bring or order food in. They’re open Fridays and Saturdays from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Spring Hill Brewing (1958 Varley Street)
La Riveria Bistro
East Liberty
Earlier this summer, Bar Frenchman, the downstairs restaurant to The Twisted Frenchman, went through a major rebranding, turning into La Riviera Bistro. The new bistro offers a casual menu with inspiration from French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Mediterranean flavors, along with a large cocktail menu. Dishes include Baked Raclette, Foie Gras, French Onion Soup, Beetroot Salad, and a selection of tartares.
La Riviera Bistro (5925 Baum Blvd.)
Enix Brewing Co.
Homestead
A brewery, full-service restaurant, outdoor beer garden and bowling alley has opened in Homestead – and yes, it’s pretty much as awesome as it sounds. Enix Brewing Co. serves ales, saison, farmhouse and Belgian beers, and offers a menu of Mediterranean dishes, tapas-style appetizers, wood-fired pizzas, croquetas, empanadas and a ham & truffle brie tortilla española. Located above the brewery is an 8-lane bowling alley, open to the public nightly.
Enix Brewing Co. (337 East 8th Ave)
Heirloom Superfood Market
Strip District
A new market from the owners of the Pittsburgh Juice Company has opened in the space that once housed the 31st Street Pub in the Strip District. You’ll find gluten-free, dairy-free and processed sugar-free products, organic produce, bulk superfoods, local, small-batch goods, and healthy ingredients at the market, along with healthy grab-and-go dishes.
Heirloom Superfood Market (3103 Penn Avenue)
Burgatory
Cranberry
The latest Burgatory Bar has opened in Cranberry Township, making it the small chain’s ninth location. The menu at the new location features Burgatory’s full menu of burgers, fries, salads and shakes, along with a full bar with beer, wine, cocktails, and a special spiked milkshake menu, too.
Burgatory (2080 Mackenzie Drive, Cranberry Township)
Commonplace Coffee
Point Breeze
Commonplace Coffee opened its sixth location in Point Breeze this summer at 6736 Renyolds Street, in the former home of Make Your Market ARTspace & Coffeehouse. The coffeeshop has a pet-friendly garden patio located in the back of the shop, and serves drip coffee, espresso, and baked goods.
Commonplace Coffee (6736 Reynolds)
Sugar and Smoke
Bloomfield
Bloomfield’s Sugar and Smoke is opening on September 15, and will serve traditional Southern cuisine, like slow-smoked brisket, lobster po’boys, crab cakes, fried green tomato sandwiches, and jambalaya. When the restaurant opens to the public, they will have two main dining rooms, a patio with outdoor seating, and a full bar.
Sugar and Smoke (4428 Liberty Avenue)
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