Celebrate the friendships in your life while simultaneously celebrating the amazing cuisine around you as you explore what’s hot and new on Pittsburgh menus for November 2025.
For those of you who don’t know me, hello! I’m Jess, best known as Hungry Jess Big City, and I’ve lived in Pittsburgh for over seven years. Arriving towards the end of 2018, I came at a time of significant evolution in the Pittsburgh food scene, from food trucks to farm dinners and exciting restaurant openings. It’s been an honor to eat and drink my way through some pretty inspiring spaces with family, friends, and even strangers.
But, enough about me, let’s dive into it: I’m thankful for friends who love spending quality time together by trying new restaurants, visiting old favorites, and talking about each dish in the process. This piece is an ode to all of those things.
What Dishes are Hot and New on Pittsburgh Menus: November 2025
Balvanera Serves a Shareable Plate for Seafood Lovers
1660 Smallman St, Strip District
One of my favorite dishes to order on repeat every time I’m there: Boquerones from Balvanera. Already a fantastic place to split apps, spill tea, and sip on wines by the glass or bottle, this dish truly rearranged my brain and how I think about anchovies: the salty, briney bite from the fish, paired with the pan con tomate that exudes a crunchy texture yet sweet layer from the tomato, is truly a dish worth trying, and then ordering another round of.
While I love their wine list, don’t skip their cocktail program, either: the Picante is my favorite.
Morcilla Cooks Up a Dish That Will Never Go Out of Style:
3519 Butler St, Lawrenceville
If there were a singular dish in Pittsburgh that changed my life the second I tried it, it would be Morcilla’s Oxtail Montadito, which is why I make sure everyone I know has tried it, preferably with me.
No matter what mood I’m in, no matter what I have going on, one bite of this layered, hearty, comforting bite, and I forget about everything else. Truly. It’s what my dreams consist of. To set the scene, braised oxtail meets caramelized onions and Mahón cheese, all carefully laid on a toasted baguette. I’m salivating just thinking about it.
Emerson’s Features a GNO Staple Combo
435 Market Street, Downtown
If there’s anyone who can read the room, it’s Emerson’s. Over the last few years, they’ve led the way in leveraging global food trends, proving that frivolous ideas can be high-quality and fun at the same time. As if the combination of salty, bold truffle fries and a perfectly briney, cold martini weren’t enough, they have a whole day of the week dedicated to it.
Every Tuesday, enjoy their ‘Tini & Truffle Fry Tuesday’ menu, which includes $10 martinis and $10 Truffle Fries. You text your group chat, and they’ll take care of the rest.
What’s currently on your own hot list? Send me a note to jess@hungryjessbigcity.com!
Story by Jess Iacullo
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