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Q. I’m crushed that Cure and Legume, my (seriously) two favorite restaurants are gone. Do you have any suggestions for places that can become my new go-to spots? – Paul F.
I feel your pain… really and deeply. Losing a favorite restaurant (for whatever reason) is the worst. The first thing I do when I hear that a beloved restaurant is closing is try to eat there at least two more times. Get on the PHONE and make those reservations as quickly as you can!
There’s a couple of silver linings this particular case. First, Legume’s closure is really more of a re-branding, I think. The name will change (to Butterjoint All Day), and the menu and vibe will be different, but there will still be elements of the Legume that we all know and love – and menu items like cassoulet and bluefish pate and zurek will still be available in the evenings. As for Cure, I was also devastated when it closed, but you can still get Justin Severino’s charcuterie through his Salty Pork Bits, and of course, Morcilla is still around. It’s not exactly the same, but there’s enough elements that are similar to keep you pretty happy.
But moving on! It sounds like you really love chef-driven restaurants with thoughtful, seasonal menus. And, there’s still some places in Pittsburgh like that! Bitter Ends Garden & Luncheonette is quite possibly the most literal farm-to-table restaurant in Pittsburgh right now, though they only serve breakfast and lunch. I’ve been impressed by Supper on Penn – everything they do is made in-house, and they change their menu seasonally. Seasons in Etna is another one to check out, with their seasonal chef tasting menus. Other restaurants with regularly-changing menus include Superior Motors, Wild Rosemary Bistro, Dinette, Dish Osteria, Spork, and Apteka. And, if you just want some recommendations, my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh right now (above ones excluded) include Poulet Bleu, Duncan Street Sandwich Shop and Alta Via. Good luck finding your next new favorite!
Q. I need all of your suggestions for the best pies in town! – Liz P.
There are SO many good places to get pie in town right now! We did an Ultimate Pittsburgh Pie Road Trip not too long ago, which covers a few of our favorites, like The Pie Place, Pie for Breakfast and Grant Bar, but there’s a few more to add to the list. Spork Pit has tremendously good pies in lots of different flavors (Key Lime is probably our favorite). Oakmont Bakery does fruit pies, cream pies and mini pies in tons of different flavors. And if you love pies a ton, we suggest being part of Piebird’s monthly Pie Club, where you can get a different pie each month (February is Raspberry Cheesecake!).
Q. What restaurants make the best homemade pasta? – Eric C.
What a timely question! We just did an entire feature on where to find the best homemade pasta in Pittsburgh… okay, your question actually gave us the idea for that (thanks!), but you’ll find lots of great options there. After we published the piece, though, we heard about lots of other spots in town making their own homemade pasta, including Osteria 2350, Gran Canal Caffe, Tillie’s, Zarra’s and Pizzaiolo Primo. Happy pasta-eating!
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