Just Opened Restaurants: Where To Go Right Now in Pittsburgh
New places to dine and drink are popping up all over the city. See which eateries were just added to our list.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Hong BBQ & Hot Pot
Hong BBQ & Hot Pot is now open at 4801 McKnight Road in the North Hills! Hot pot, also known as Chinese fondue, is a popular cooking method throughout Asia. Add a variety of meat, noodles, veggies and more into your broth, which boils over on a specially designed, table-top heater. If you’re craving more than soup, fire up the centerpiece grill for Korean-style BBQ. This isn’t just a meal, it’s an experience!
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Allusion Brewing Co.
Allusion Brewing Co. is starting a new chapter in the North Hills.
On April 12, the business opened a second location in McCandless that’s three times the size of the original spot in Vandergrift, about 40 miles outside of Pittsburgh.
Beer-lovin’ bookworms will enjoy Allusion’s decor; the tap handles are stacked with tiny tomes, flight trays are stored in an old library card catalog and shelves are lined with great literary works. The bar top is worth reading, too. It’s covered with pages from books that are alluded to in the beer names. All of this bookish branding helped them win big at the 2024 Craft Beer Marketing Awards.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Yaba’s Middle Eastern Street Food
Located on the second floor of a narrow storefront in Uptown, Yaba’s Middle Eastern Street Food is easy to miss. But once you climb the stairs, it’s hard to forget.
There’s a colorful mural on the wall of the fast-casual eatery depicting a bustling marketplace. Appetizing scents waft from the kitchen where Abe and Hanan Daud whip up family recipes. They’ve raised 10 kids and spent two decades in the dining industry. They’re experts in the art of pleasing palates.
The Daud siblings are helping their parents transition into retirement mode; that’s a hard task since their folks are so passionate about feeding people.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHILLIN’ DRIVE THRU
Chillin’ Drive Thru
After 35 years in the restaurant business, the Baranowski family is finally Chillin’.
The owners of North Park Lounge locations in McCandless and Murrsyville, Shooters Golf and Barry’s Pub opened a drive-thru spot that serves small bites, vegan and gluten-free refreshments, coffee concoctions made with La Prima Espresso Co. coffee beans, iced teas, Italian sodas, milkshakes, fresh-squeezed lemonade and Lotus brand plant-based energy drinks. Customers can say “Energize it!” and get an 80-milligram shot of caffeine in one of their refresher drinks.
Chillin’ Drive Thru, which is attached to North Park Lounge in McCandless, operates daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. There will be two drive-thru lanes at 8701 Babcock Blvd. and a lane for folks who ordered through the Chillin’ mobile app.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
The Breakfast Spot
If the most important meal of the day is also your favorite, head to 2605 Brownsville Road in Carrick, a location that was made for mornings.
On Dec. 3, 2023, The Breakfast Spot opened its doors to a sea of familiar faces.
For more than 30 years it was known as Gary’s Restaurant, a friendly place where locals could grab a hearty bite and a bottomless cup of coffee. COVID put that daily routine on hold until new owners stepped in to restore the local landmark. Regulars lined up around the block on that first morning of a new era.
The original eatery’s owner, the late Gary Morosetti, has a sandwich named after him and the staff vows to carry on his breakfast-and-lunch legacy.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Bridge City Brinery
The boys behind the Bridge City food truck fleet have a new brick-and-mortar restaurant in Sharpsburg. Leave your diet at the door.
The former Yosteria space at 914 Main St. has a dining room, complete with a bench adorned with pillows, which is a nice touch since you’ll want to take a nap after indulging in their brand of big-as-your-head, scratch-made sandwiches. That’s The Fairfax pictured above, BCB’s take on a classic Reuben. You can also enjoy a single-, double-or triple-patty smash burger, fried chicken skins called Chick-Charrones and decadent dishes such as Lamb Ramen, Chicken and Waffles and Duck, Duck, Goat, which is crispy confit duck with goat cheese polenta, Brussels sprouts, herbed agrodolce and a fried duck egg.
Fear not, herbivores! There are salads on the menu, including the Danny Zuko, a mix of spinach, cherry tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers doused in red wine vinegar, olive oil and oregano.
See? There’s a type of grease for everybody.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Novo Asian Food Hall
Want to try food and drink from the other side of the world? Visit Novo Asian Food Hall in the Strip District, where seven Pittsburgh-based vendors offer authentic culinary offerings and a central bar is stocked with unique spirits.
The Terminal’s 8,600-square-foot venue at 1931 Smallman St. is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
PileZ
I had lunch at PileZ in Oakland the other day and it was garbage — delicious garbage.
Located in the former Mad Mex at 370 Atwood St. near the University of Pittsburgh campus, the 24/7, take-out eatery serves a disheveled dish that originated at Nick Tahou Hots restaurant in Rochester, New York.
Nick trademarked the name “Garbage Plate,” but other late-night spots around the Empire State peddle “trash plates” or, the vegan counterpart, the “compost plate.” I think “Dumpster Dinner” has a nice ring to it.
Pilez4If you suffer from brumotactillophobia — the fear of different food items touching each other — bypass PileZ. If, like me, your plate regularly resembles a pig’s trough, go hog wild, Porky!
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Needle & Bean
After years spent working as an engineer in the plastics industry, Michael Butala decided to narrow it down to vinyl.
“I only engineer coffee drinks and records now,” he says while pouring a cup of joe at Needle & Bean, his new shop in Mt. Lebanon.
Longtime album collectors, Butala and his wife, along with their enormous assortment of tunes, moved to Pittsburgh in 2019 to make a fresh start.
(record scratch)
Then the pandemic happened.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BARCELONA WINE BAR
Barcelona Wine Bar
This new date-night spot will make you feel like a dark and mysterious character in a noir film.
Barcelona Wine Bar opened earlier in January in the former Sharp Edge Bistro at 922 Penn Ave. Thanks to its extensive charcuterie and tapas menu, it’s also a great place for commitment-phobic foodies who’d rather sample a little bit of everything than devote themselves to one meal.
The menu features Spanish, South American and Mediterranean cuisine and more than 400 wines by the glass and bottle. The selection can be slightly overwhelming, but our server was friendly and knowledgeable.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LEON’S CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT
Leon’s Caribbean Restaurant
When you walk into Leon’s Caribbean Restaurant in Allentown on a blustery winter day, the steam wafting from the kitchen feels like a warm hug.
Adding a heaping helping of Jamaican fare – I had the curry Rasta Pasta – will make you feel like you’re on a tropical vacation.
And, let’s face it, we could all use one of those.
On June 19, 2023, a fire at the East Warrington Avenue eatery forced Leon Rose Sr. to close the storefront for the rest of the year. The family-run operation was buoyed by a second location in Aliquippa that debuted just three months before the blaze.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DOS REYES
Grim Wizard Coffee
Don’t let the name Grim Wizard fool you; it’s a happy place with a heavy metal heart.
The rebranded Black Forge Coffee at 1206 Arlington Ave., in Allentown is now operated by Kelly Braden, co-owner of The Weeping Glass, an oddities shop in the neighborhood. Fear not, mortals; Grim Wizard still brings the thunder when it comes to killer caffeinated beverages. Yeah, the walls are painted black and you’re bound to see a skeleton or two, but the staff is friendly and the colorful lights from the pinball machines give the small space an otherworldly ambiance.
Fans of the original business can still get signature $6.66 specialties such as the Hell Hound, an espresso latte with dark chocolate, chili and cinnamon served shaken with ice and cream.
Every other Saturday from Jan. 13 through April 13, the macabre cafe will host a Brutal Brunch featuring Sonoran-style food from Dos Reyes. You can chow down from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or until the grub is gone).
No matter what time you show up, Grim will keep the hellfires burnin’ for you.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Space Bar
You can go to infinity and beyond at Space Bar in Market Square, a futuristic lounge that serves out-of-this-world cocktails and food.
Houston native Dale Thomas Vaughn spent his childhood visiting NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where his grandfather worked as an engineer.
On Light Up Night, he launched his own business. The interplanetary pub isn’t a pop-up or a recreation of the Mos Eisley cantina from “Star Wars,” it’s an immersive experience that combines astronomy with molecular mixology and an all-vegetarian menu.
In other words, it’s something E.T. would phone home about.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Curbside
Curbside is a welcome sight to motorists stuck in traffic on Route 28. You can see the rainbow-bedecked building at 1101 Powers Road Road in O’Hara from the perpetually-under-construction highway. Take the nearest exit and head to the eatery for some exquisite to-go grub. After spending 15 years in Blawnox, Curbside moved to the bigger space to offer a bigger menu. You’ll find more scratch-made baked goods, organic fruit, smoothies, yogurt parfaits and some of the nicest folks in town! I recommend the colossal bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich on toasted wheat bread. One bite was worth the gridlock.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Greenhouse Co-op
Greenhouse Co-op, a cidery that sells houseplants, is now open at 557 Greenfield Ave. in Greenfield. Could they have chosen a more aptly named spot?
In 2022, the Higgins family — married couple William and Tammy, and William’s sister, Darien — left Austin, Texas, on a soul-searching road trip and decided to lay down roots in Pittsburgh.
When I interviewed them about the business last spring, William said they hoped to pour pints before midnight on Dec. 31. I enjoyed a refreshing glass of Sleeping in the Flowers, a cider with chamomile and maple, and purchased some belated Christmas gifts at 6 p.m. on Dec. 29.
Way to grow, guys!
Darien, a veteran of the adult beverage scene, has made everything from cider, beer and sake to mead and distilled spirits. Tammy’s love of plants blossomed during the pandemic and she will serve as the resident green thumb. William, who has a bachelor’s degree in business administration in finances, will deal with the math.
Greenhouse sprouted up in the space once occupied by Copper Kettle Brewing Company, a brew-on-premises shop. Ross-based Necromancer Brewing Co. is opening their second location next door in the former Hough’s, a longtime craft-beer destination.
Looks like everything’s coming up roses in Greenfield.
Burghers Brewing
Burghers Brewing has big expansion plans, starting with its tiny new space at The Highline.
The business, which has restaurants in Zelienople and Lawrenceville and a soon-to-open flagship store in Millvale, opens the doors to its long-awaited, 700-square-foot South Side location on Dec. 29 at 319 E. Carson St. The historic building is only 7-by-4-feet wide, so the interior was designed to resemble a railroad dining car.
All aboard for smash burgers and beer! Opening weekend hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with Downtown fireworks starting at 6 p.m. on Dec. 31.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Jak’s Bakery
You can now get Bulgarian baked goods in Pittsburgh’s Little Italy.
Zhelyazko “Jak” Latinov, who ran a popular bakery in his native land, is making Eastern European treats at 4310 Main St. in Bloomfield. Jak’s is located in the building right next to Trace Brewing, making this one of the best blocks in town to do some serious carbo-loading.
Jak and his wife Molly Freedman Latinov, an American, met while she was on a Peace Corps mission teaching English to students in his hometown. He wooed her with a Banitsa, a savory pastry made from phyllo dough that’s filled with feta cheese and egg. Adorable.
In 2013, they moved to Pittsburgh. Homestead’s Bulgarian Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center is the oldest, largest and most active Bulgarian-Macedonian organization in the United States. Who knew?!
After eating my weight in Jak’s pastries, I feel like an honorary Bulgarian.
There’s no seating inside the storefront, so I took my breakfast to Trace, which opens at 8 a.m. for coffee service courtesy of Ghost Coffee Collab. I ordered an Americano and pulled up a seat.
In seconds, I devoured a Kremka, a sweet nautilus-shell-shaped bun filled with vanilla creme. I was going to save my savory Tutmanik, a vegan pastry stuffed with sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives and garlic, for home, but ended up eating it while walking through a cemetery back to my car.
This job is gonna be the death of me.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Stew
If you’re still stewing about the closure of Fuel and Fuddle last spring, cheer up! The space at 212 Oakland Ave. in Oakland has reopened as Stew Wood Fire Fusion.
Owners Karen Perdomo and John Ortiz, who also run The Colombian Spot restaurants in Oakland and on the South Side, bring diverse flavors to the melting pot neighborhood. In addition to stew, the menu includes Argentinian empanadas, Mediterranean citrus salad, pan-fried chicken thigh, smoked baby back ribs, NY strip steak and an assortment of sandwiches.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Mike & Tony’s Gyros
Mike & Tony’s Gyros opens Dec. 1 on Babcock Boulevard in the North Hills. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.
To the owners, customers are like family. So, when you walk into any of their Greek eateries, you instantly become a Makripodis.
“We have the best, most loyal customers,” says Helen Makripodis Devlin, who runs the local chain with her parents, George and Mary, siblings Tasso, Jimmy and Amalia and a small army of aunts, uncles, cousins and in-laws. “Family businesses are the heart of every community.”
Fifty years after the original spot opened on the South Side boasting the “freshest lamb in town,” the company is about to unveil its sixth restaurant at 2240 Babcock Blvd. in Ross. Other locations include Downtown, Bridgeville, Moon and Dormont.
The former Kretzler’s Tavern — another beloved family-owned business that closed in December after 71 years — has been transformed inside and out by the Makripodis clan.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Wise County Cafe
It’s time you got wise to these Appalachia-inspired biscuits.
After doing pop-ups around town for years, James Wolfe and Lena Laskaris (partners in business and in life) are finally settled into a big, beautiful brick-and-mortar space on the North Side. Wise County Cafe features an array of biscuit sandwiches, breakfast plates, lunch options and sides (try the crispy fried potatoes with house seasoning).
PHOTOS BY KRISTY GRAVER
Alta Via Downtown
The second location for big Burrito Restaurant Group’s Italian eatery opened on Oct. 26 in Market Square. The original Alta Via Ristorante opened in Fox Chapel on April Fool’s Day 2019.
big Burrito Group President Bill Fuller says Alta Via’s menu is finally back to its pre-pandemic size, with more entrees, including Long Island Duck and a pork chop. I went with the latter, which was accompanied by risotto, Lacinato kale and Parmigiano Reggiano in an apple-balsamic jus. I had to stop myself from eating the whole thing to save room for Olive Oil Cake, a light, spongy dessert with marmellata and whipped cream. The restaurant also offers lunchtime sandwiches and makes gelato in-house.
Both spots are now open for lunch and brunch starting at 11:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday.
Bunny Bakes in Squirrel Hill
The fully kosher bakery, which, for now, is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, also is a training facility for adult members of The Friendship Circle. Classes are held twice a week to boost confidence and beef up resumes. Graduates can apply their newfound skills at Bunny Bakes or on another job. No matter what career path they end up on, owners Rabbi Mordy Rudolph and Rivkee Rudolph hope they will influence others to embrace diversity.
PHOTO BY ALEXIS KAPPEL
Mic’s Market in Sewickley
Mic’s Market, Michaela Blaney’s upscale micro grocer at 537 Beaver St., debuted on Oct. 14 to sell-out crowds. In addition to selling better-for-you snacks, beverages and deli options, the spot serves hot, homemade grub that, despite its nutritional value, tastes like a Cheat Day indulgence. An onsite-smoothie bar is also in the works.
The shop’s motto is “It feels good to feel good.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THREE BROTHERS BAGELS
Three Brothers Bagels in Glenshaw
In August, Colin and Sofia Whiddon opened the eatery at 1718 Mount Royal Blvd. Located in the former Cole Cafe space in Mt. Royal Shopping Center, the shop is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. A portion of sales is donated to Inspired Hearts and Hands and other charities.
The couple got hooked on naturally leavened, sourdough bagels while living in Brooklyn. Colin, a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., perfected his own recipes during the pandemic with the goal of offering Big Apple-style bagels in the Steel City.
There currently are nine varieties available for purchase individually, by the half-dozen or dozen or as a sandwich. The sourdough starter adds a background complexity and extends the shelf life a bit. (Although rare, leftovers are refrigerated then bagged and sold at a discount the next day.)
PHOTOS BY MEGAN MCGREEVY PHOTOGRAPHY
Love, Katie Distilling in Sharpsburg
Katie Sirianni is a shrewd businesswoman and a hopeless romantic.
Those character traits collide at her latest venture, Love, Katie Distilling, a chic lounge that opens this week at 816 Main St. in Sharpsburg.
The 1,000-square-foot storefront is Pittsburgh’s first LGBTQ-owned distillery and it’s a love letter to Sirianni’s girlfriend Jen Procacina. No, seriously — there’s an actual love letter on the back of each bottle! It’s a boozy valentine you can bestow on your partner, your friend or yourself.
Cocktails also are available if you’re afraid of commitment.
PHOTOS BY KRISTY LOCKLIN
Poetry Lounge in Millvale
Veteran mixologist and author Sean Enright, who has managed many prestigious restaurants in the city and founded the local chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild, recently opened a bar called Poetry Lounge at 313 North Ave., the former home of Whisper Nest.
In addition to thoughtfully crafted cocktails and mocktails, there is a curated selection of local beer, wine, cider and spirits and a small food menu.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Vibrant Sunshine Juicery Cafe in Aspinwall
On a cloudy day in Aspinwall, Vibrant Sunshine Juicery Cafe opened its doors.
Although the plant-forward business at 103 Delafield Road is new, locals will recognize the brand. A decade ago, Naomi Hoppel opened The Pittsburgh Juice Co. at 3418 Penn Ave. in Lawrenceville.
Since then, she’s been slinging raw, cold-pressed beverages, including a line of Vibrant Sunshine kombuchas, from that 350-square-foot space and wholesaling to dozens of restaurants.
The new site is large enough to accommodate an ample storage area, a production facility that will increase efficiency and volume with minimal waste, a retail area and a cafe that serves plant-based food and drink. Oh, and there’s a parking lot, which is always a plus.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Long Story Short in Lawrenceville
Long story short: visit Long Story Short, Cinderlands Beer Co.’s retroly revamped Lawrenceville taproom.
Cinderlands, which operates the 17,000-square-foot warehouse in the Strip District and a site in Wexford, closed the Butler Street foederhouse in July to give both the space and the menu a makeover.
The company started there in 2017 and, in addition to making innovative craft beer, specialized in Belgian pub cuisine. And while it brought something different to Pittsburgh’s dining scene, the upscale fare just didn’t jibe with a post-pandemic crowd.
Sandwiches, or sandos as they’re known here, were the obvious choice.
No matter what you call them, they aren’t your average eats.
The Meatball Mac Melt includes smashed meatballs with not only marinara sauce, but also yellow mustard, Velveeta mac, Chihuahua cheese, cheese curd and Doritos. What’s on the Curry Sub? Eggplant, chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, butter curry and yogurt.
