A Pittsburgh chef once told me part of what made his job so challenging was that after a day of cooking, he had to go home and do the exact same thing to feed himself. As a break from this double dose of pressure, we asked Pittsburgh chefs from around the city where they like to go when they want to be on the other side of the kitchen wall. Because game recognizes game in the culinary arts, we thought their choices were foodie treasure!
For more service industry insider recommendations, check out where baristas get their coffee and where bartenders get their drinks. Consider the recommendations from these Pittsburgh chefs for your cuppa Joe or your next night out!
Where Do Pittsburgh Chefs Go Out to Eat?
Ed Smith (Ritual House)
At Pusadee’s Garden, I love the bar menu and sitting at the bar. My order is the roti, seventeen ingredient salad, tom yum soup, lamb shank, plus three drinks.
Frank & Shirley’s is our go-to diner for breakfast. It was the original Eat ‘n Park and it is no nonsense. I get the western omelet.
Peppi’s reminds me of Philadelphia and I love their cheesesteaks. Love to stand in line & people watch.
At Burgatory, I get the Meat Your Maker burger. I’ve been eating that burger since I had it at the original Waterworks location. Fries and a caramel pretzel shake with it, please.
Salem’s in the Strip District is also great. Their tikka masala with garlic naan & spinach paneer, reminds me of Kabob Palace in Arlington, VA. You can tell Salem’s makes their food with love and it’s cared for. It’s consistent both with the food and their team.
Gary Marshall (Gari Shoyu)
I think the places I enjoy the most right now are probably Morcilla, Fet Fisk, Chengdu Gourmet, and Piccolo Forno.
I love some Pamela’s for breakfast, too, and also a few taco trucks around town, too.
And there are definitely all the other usual classics in Pittsburgh that we all love, like DiAnoia’s and Pusadee’s Garden. And we all have our favorite pizza place. But right now I still think about several dishes from each of those first four regularly.
Drew Garbarino (Garbarino’s)
I go to Union Grill, Butterjoint, and Sushi Tomo. My wife and I tend to look for laid back casual places.
We love to host dinner parties at our home but when I’m not in the mood for that, those three tend to be a frequent go-to. If we want something fancy we find ourselves going out of town.
Raymond Mikesell (Wild Rosemary)
When I go out, I’m at Sarafino’s in Crafton.
Devin Tucker (EYV Pop Up)
Tram’s Kitchen in Lawrenceville.
Thai Gourmet in Bloomfield.
Jet’s Pizza in Dormont.
Cilantro & Ajo on the South Side.
The Stuntpig food trucks.
The Parlor Dim Sum and Umami in Lawrenceville. Streets on Carson on the South Side.
Long Story Short in Lawrenceville. Spak Bros in Garfield. And The Commoner downtown. And then, obviously, Fet Fisk.
Maurizio Alfabeto (Cucina Alfebeto)
I am a really big fan of Everyday Noodles in Squirrel Hill and Pusadee’s Garden in Lawrenceville.
Derek Burnell (Cantina, Umami, COBRA)
Miranda and I can often be found at Dish Osteria on our date night(s). The lads are like brothers to us, so it always feels like being at home there
My ‘bar’ as it were, is Grapperia. While proximity to Cantina/Umami lends itself to convenience, I love it because of the “Dominic effect.” Dom set out to recreate his family’s grappa bar, located in their village outside of Florence. He well exceeded that goal in creating that inviting “daily” bar. I’m typically a 5 o’clocker there, so that I can sit with his mother, the matriarch, Mrs. Branduzzi, over a glass of wine after she finishes her shift of rolling pasta for the day.
Mondays, while most places are closed, we are fairly often splurging at Capital Grille. It’s a night out for us to generally not run into anybody.
Cafe 33 is a near-weekly favorite of ours as well. Sushi and Tacos, however, we will always find at our homebase. There’s no place like home, and somehow we are not sick of either. Our staffs really do make every experience wonderful, we are blessed to have them.
Chris O’Brien (Hyeholde)
Altius, Siempre Algo, and Alla Famiglia. I love supporting friends in the industry and checking out places that share Hyeholde’s approach—finding amazing ingredients, taking care with every dish, and delivering great hospitality.
For me, it’s all about enjoying inventive food and being around people who are just as passionate about what they do.
Jen Saffron (Sprezzatura)
I used to eat at 40 North a lot when it was still open. I’d really like to try Senza in Etna. I like a lot of different kinds of food, but I tend towards Asian and Mediterranean. I like doing snacks at the bar at Casbah.
Also, homegrown places like Giorgio’s Place on the North Side. The eggplant parm there is just how I remember it growing up.
Michele Savoia (Dish Osteria)
I go to Fet-Fisk, because Nik Forsberg used to work with me, so I like to support him! I also enjoy Pusadee’s Garden. You can never get a seat there, though, so I sit at the bar. Honestly, I get a lot of takeout because I’m so busy. I’d like to try Della Terra north of the city in Zelienople, too.
Story by Emma Riva / Photo courtesy of Alla Famiglia
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