The secret to stress-free summer entertaining? Outsource the cooking. Pittsburgh’s best boxed lunches are pre-packed, portable, and travel-ready, so you can skip the kitchen and spend more time with your guests.
Pittsburgh’s Best Boxed Lunches
Black Radish Kitchen
6901 Lynn Way, Unit 202
Chef Kate Romane always delivers creatively fresh dishes. Her boxed lunches will please your foodies with miso-grilled beef bowls, poached salmon salad, and goat cheese and smoked eggplant sandwiches. Minimum of 20 lunches, 48 hours in advance.
The Garden Pittsburgh
1151 Freeport Road, Suite 157, Fox Chapel
Shruti Gupta’s globally-inspired dishes are ideal for events such as bridal parties. Her lunches are presented almost as gifts wrapped in gabled boxes with raffia and rattan. Inside are meals such as Flight of the Kebabs, with two chicken and beef kebabs, spiced veggie Biryani, Greek salad, and tzatziki. Order a day in advance.
Common Plea
3700 Liberty Avenue, Lawrenceville
A downtown mainstay for decades, the Common Plea is now the exclusive caterer for the Heinz History Center and available for your affairs, too. They appeal to the taste buds with their chicken salad croissants and za’atar grilled salmon salad, among other options. $450 minimum on weekdays. $750 on weekends. Order 72 hours ahead.
Fabled Table
1400 Buena Vista Street, North Side
Ready to serve hungry meat eaters and vegans alike, Fabled Table features bento boxes that are either stocked with Italian meats and cheeses, or vegan options such as stuffed grape leaves, olive medleys, and vegan cheese and gluten-free crackers. Choose from an array of salads, wraps, and sandwiches. 12 box minimum. Two weeks notice.
Bistro To Go
415 East Ohio Street, North Side
This upscale North Side caterer aims high with their artisan sandwiches, such as a Caprese baguette with lemon preserve vinaigrette, plum tomatoes, and microgreens; a sugar-baked ham croissant, or a prime rib sandwich with cheddar and horseradish cream. 15 box minimum. 48 hours in advance.
Medi’s on Market
431 Market Street, Downtown
This is a great option for Mediterranean food lovers: Medi’s packs up pita boxes with a protein (gyro, chicken, or falafel) served with salad, hummus, tzatziki, green beans, and baklava. Boxes also come in a ‘bowl’ option with a base of lemon rice, romaine, or lentils. 10 box minimum. At least 24 hours notice.
Sausalido
4621 Liberty Avenue, Bloomfield
If your crew enjoys a spicy kick, Sausalido’s signature box is bow tie spinach salad with feta and toasted nuts, served with rustic bread topped with their own Italian Stallion seasoning. Also on the menu: risotto, veggie wraps, and artisan pizza. 10 lunch minimum. 48 hours advance notice.
The Frick Pittsburgh Museum & Gardens
7227 Reynolds Street, Point Breeze
Throughout the summer, The Frick features a Lunch Pail Lecture series that covers topics such as their current exhibitions, the Frick family, and Pittsburgh’s history. You can order old-school lunches such as Islay’s Chipped Chopped Ham on brioche or bacon and butter on Italian bread. Order in advance at the café or online for no waiting.
Erin’s Fine Foods
210 Sixth Avenue, Downtown
At the helm here is Erin Gaunter, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu’s International Culinary Academy. Her boxed lunch options include the Bang Bang salad with baby greens, red peppers, wonton strips, shredded cabbage and carrots, cashews, and cukes, topped with its namesake chicken. 10 box minimum for delivery. Four for pick up. 48 hours notice.
Elegant Edge
5915 Beacon Street, Squirrel Hill
For those looking for Kosher boxed lunches, Elegant Edge offers a honey salmon bowl with rice and veggies, a Korean BBQ tofu bowl served on lime rice, and shawarma wraps with Israeli salad. 12 box minimum. One week notice.
The Fluted Mushroom
109 South 12th Street, South Side
This family-run business has been perfecting their catering game for more than 50 years — and their boxed lunch menu reflects this sophistication. Choose from Black Forest ham and brie; sliced roasted beef, roasted red peppers, and Danish blue cheese; and grilled portobello, plum tomato, and basil mayo on focaccia. 10 box minimum. 48 hours notice.
Bluebird Kitchen
221 Forbes Avenue, Downtown
Their boxed lunches include a honey-thyme brined turkey and gouda sandwich and their popular tuna Niçoise, with olives, oven-dried tomato, haricot verts, hard-cooked egg, and avocado, served on petit lettuce. $250 minimum. 48 hours notice.
The Cheese Queen
156 Brownsville Road, Mount Oliver
Known for her grazing boards — and her family’s namesake markets — Megan McGinnis also offers charcuterie in a variety she calls Adult Lunchables, which might come with a mix of melon and grapes, rosetted salami, brie and berries, cheese and crackers, and mixed nuts. All the fun of a kid’s meal with a dash of sophistication. 10 person minimum. 24 hours notice.
Story by Lauri Gravina
Styling by Star Laliberte
Photography by Dave Bryce
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