This osteria and bar has some of the best parts of southern Italy under one roof: plates of wild shrimp coated in Calabrian chilis, heaping portions of gnocchi in duck ragu, and a long list of especially good Sicilian wine. In addition to all that, it’s a date night or special occasion go-to where you can linger with a lambrusco spritz at one of the red mahogany tables that are lit by sultry candlelight. Always make a reservation, because the best seats here are hard to come by.

This Lawrenceville spot is a must if you enjoy housemade charcuterie, wine and sherry from Valencia, and a vibe that’s similar to Spanish tavernas—wooden boards cover the walls and haunches of jamón serrano dangle above the bar. Go heavy on small plates like tender oxtail montaditos with a creamy mahón cheese, some charred octopus with habanada pepper zhug, and a foie gras and chicken liver mousse that’s nicely balanced with some sour cherries and a pistachio crunch.

This restaurant moved to the Cultural District a few years ago, and lines have been out the door ever since. They do perfectly cooked wood-fired proteins served with a crunchy char and equally impressive sides and sauces, like roasted acorn squash with garlic-sage croutons and bright chimichurri. The flap steak has become our go-to, but if it’s your first time here, go big and order their signature Parrillada Mixta platter to sample as many meats as possible.

So yes, Pittsburgh is a total meat town, but one of the refreshing restaurant trends is how many more excellent vegan places have opened. The best of them by far is Apteka, a sit-down spot in Bloomfield serving plant-based spins on Central and Eastern European dishes. Start with a bowl of celeriac soup with layers of crispy buckwheat, some tender stuffed cabbage with mushrooms and preserved tomato, and always get one (or more) orders of potato pierogi that are served with a light czarna salsa.

Gi-Jin is all about the trifecta of sashimi, handrolls, and gin. They’ve figured out how to make fatty toro even more delicious by serving it with citrusy yuzu salt, scallion, and wasabi. The handrolls are excellent and just unexpected enough (see: either the beef tartare with pickled shiitakes or hamachi with pomegranate jam). And the gin list, which is categorized by style, will teach you about the difference between juniper-forward London pours and modern bottles that mix spice and citrus.

Chengdu Gourmet is our preferred group meeting spot, where we abandon our meal prep plans and go all out for family-style Sichuan dishes. They do great pan-fried dumplings and scallion pancakes, but the dishes from China’s Chengdu region are the ones to prioritize. Go for the minced pork-loaded dan dan noodles and crispy cucumbers with a garlicky dressing. Also good are the fragrant Xinjiang-style cumin beef with onions and red peppers and a side of Chinese eggplant in garlic sauce.

There's nothing like a Sunday brunch at 40 North in Alphabet City to help delay the Sunday scaries. But this isn’t just your regular stop—it’s one of the more unique brunches in Pittsburgh, since the dining room is in a bookstore called City of Asylum. That means you can eat things like spätzle with poached eggs as you listen to readings by authors you might recognize from BookTok, or have a brunch date of huevos rancheros with braised lamb before browsing the shelves for some new fiction.

Whenever we’re in a meeting and hear somebody say, "everyone can have a piece of the pie," we think about Lorelei. That’s because it's one of the best group dinner spots in the city. Enjoy thin, crispy, 14-inch Neapolitan-style pies like cacio e pepe, spicy pepperoni with homemade hot honey and pickled jalapeños, and weekly specials like Pennsylvania mushrooms and squash. The space is a giant beer hall where glasses overflow with kölsch, Italian pilsners, and a Franconian-style pale smoke lager.

While the music here is the main attraction, the food isn’t an afterthought. Try dishes like za’atar-dusted sourdough wheat focaccia, Peruvian red pepper-covered and mushroom-loaded lo mein, and kimchi fried rice with pork belly burnt ends. Check their website if you want to see the full music calendar, but it’s also fun to show up without context and see if tonight is going to be a jam session led by a legendary sax player or a vocalist belting out a lovely rendition of “Fly Me To The Moon.”

You know those rare spots that are good for date night, a solo dinner, a weeknight Happy Hour, and everything in between? That’s The Vandal, a wine bar in Lawrenceville. The space has a simple bistro aesthetic, and they do a constantly rotating menu featuring peak Pennsylvania ingredients. There’s a cheese plate curated by Chantal’s in Bloomfield, pork chops with grilled escarole, thomcord grapes, and mustard vinaigrette, and seared duck breast served with beets, walnuts, and preserved plum.

When we’re talking about why we love Pusadee’s Garden, a Thai restaurant in Upper Lawrenceville, it comes down to two words: lamb shank. When your waiter brings this cut of meat to your table, it’s a spectacle, leaving behind a trail of spiced aromatics and turned heads. Pusadee’s Garden is perfect for pulling that fancy outfit from your closet for a birthday or reconnecting with your college friend group, especially if it’s nice out and you can sit on their patio that’s a literal garden.

When you come to Pittsburgh for the first time, someone will inevitably tell you to go to the overlook on Mt. Washington for an amazing view of the city. But this panorama is always better over dinner, especially at Altius. The restaurant itself sits slightly out from the cliff, giving you the illusion that you’re floating above the city’s three rivers. Besides the view, you come here for dishes like creamy crab toast, chicken with perfectly crispy skin, and the rich chocolate medley dessert.

The best word to describe Scratch & Co, a cafe and pub in Troy Hill, is eclectic. The people who work here don’t have specific job titles. Rather, they’re cross-trained to work every position, filling in where needed, which makes it feel like everyone’s just hanging out and enjoying each other’s company. Go for brunch when you can get things like bagels from Hellbender, a pop-up run by one of their staff members, or the chicken confit sandwich with smoked jalapeño honey.

No order here is complete without the smoked brisket, and while first-timers should start with a half pound, you can have it folded in a quesadilla, stuffed in a cheesesteak, or as a topping in one of their smashburgers. Add on some Mississippi pot roast or tender baby back ribs, sides like honey-soaked cornbread, creamy mac and cheese, or candied yams. Located less than 10 minutes from the PA Turnpike, it's the perfect lunch spot for kicking off a weekend itinerary.

When you walk into Everyday, you'll see a lineup of their staff hand-pulling fresh noodles behind a window. We would watch this daily if they set up a livestream, but we're also here all the time—and so is everybody else in Squirrel Hill. There may be a wait to sit down, but stick it out, because pretty much everything here is delicious. Start with the wood ear mushroom and garlic-marinated tofu appetizer, and then tack on some hot spicy wonton noodles that are piled with cilantro and scallions.

It’s not easy to find South Indian vegetarian dishes in Pittsburgh. This is why we love Udipi, a casual spot that’s about a 20-minute drive from downtown. The gobi manchurian alone is worth filling up your gas tank, as you’ll get a huge plate of perfectly roasted cauliflowers tossed in a sweet, tangy Indo-Chinese sauce. Pile into the red leather booths with friends and order one of their 21 dosa varieties, filled with things like potatoes and spicy Andhra chutney or some okra bhindi masala.

Butterjoint in Oakland makes incredible sandwiches, pierogi, and baked goods. Primetime here is lunch on the weekends, when the smell of buttery goodness hits you as you walk in—focus on their rolls with roasted cipollini onion butter or one of their rotating sandwiches like Jamaican pulled goat served on a milk bread bun. The plate of smoked bluefish pate or sauerkraut balls with honey mustard are perfect to share, as are the pierogi, the best of which come with kielbasa and pickles.

This gastropub brings the heat, literally—at the center of Fire Side Public House is their wood-fired grill. Grab a spot at the bar or one of their high-top tables that’ll place you right at the perimeter of the grill, where you can watch flat iron steaks, corn on the cob, and avocados get charred to perfection. After sipping a Pennsylvania-brewed pint, kick off your order with the city’s best smoked wings and their crab-infused corn meal hushpuppies topped with bacon, corn, and spicy aioli.

This family-run establishment has a variety of soupy dishes with just as many proteins like tripe, meatballs, and sliced beef, along with a great chicken phở. Beyond the soup, try some grilled plates, like chicken teriyaki, which are also full of flavor and make for great leftovers to eat throughout the week. Have lunch here before spending the rest of the day exploring all the shops and grocers in the neighborhood.