First of all: did someone say butter? Yum. Second: kimchi is delicious! Traditionally made from lacto-fermented cabbage seasoned with salt and gochujang pepper, it is available at many Asian grocers but we’re going local with Sambok Korean Grocery. Once you have enjoyed the “mother” version, branch out to other types of kimchi made from a wide range of vegetables and spices. Make them all into Kimchi Butter, which you can slather on to slices of steak, toss into a dish of potato noodles or a seaweed salad, or drizzle over roasted pork or fish. Once you get started, you won’t be able to stop! This Kimchi Butter could also be your “gateway” to other compound butters, all of which up the lusciousness quotient at the wintertime dinner table.
Drain and squeeze excess liquid from kimchi and mince finely. Reserve liquid for another recipe.
Using a food processor, pulse soft butter and kimchi until well combined.
On a sheet of plastic wrap, spoon butter into a log and roll plastic into a cylinder. Hold both edges and roll log onto the table to tighten the cylinder. Tie at both ends or tuck under to seal. Refrigerate butter until firm.
Try Rafe Vencio’s other recipes using Western Pennsylvania jarred ingredients:
Simple to make, but complex on the palate, this Filipino White Adobo Seafood Bouillabaisse is a puree of Primrose Farm Pickled Garlic from The Farm at Emerald Valley, cooked white rice, olive oil, and pickling liquid. It serves as a flavorful bed for sauteed scallops, prawns, clams, and mussels. Garnish with chopped scallions, dill, and fennel. Sprinkle with black pepper and perhaps a touch of sugarcane vinegar. Serve with slices of warm, buttered baguette and a fresh green salad. Pair with Louis Jadot Steel Chardonnay, or another crisp and classically clean white.
In a blender, combine all ingredients except seafoods. Puree, using olive oil and a little of the reserved pickling liquid to thin the garlic into the consistency of a sauce. The mixture should coat the back of the spoon without running.
Heat a pan or skillet. Season seafoods with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to hot pan and sauté seafoods until cooked through. Remove scallops and prawns early and cook shellfish until they opens. Discard any shellfish that do not open.
Ladle the white adobo puree onto plates. And arrange seafoods on top. Garnish with herbs.
Try Rafe Vencio’s other recipes using Western Pennsylvania jarred ingredients:
This riff on pimento cheese takes a crowd-pleasing favorite to a new level. The spice and vinegar of Italian giardiniera add a note of acidity that the traditional version lacks, making it a delicious condiment for a cocktail-hour board of seafood. Vencio serves up steamed prawns, clams, mussels, and squid with Spicy Giardiniera Pimento Cheese, accompanied by red beans and rice garnished with fresh chopped herbs, lemon, and rockweed. For this recipe he uses local Portogallo Spicy Giardiniera from Pennsylvania Mac Co. We recommend you pair this delectable menu with a pitcher of dry, ice-cold martinis. The combination will make for a very happy Happy Hour.
Start this quick and easy ceviche recipe by procuring fresh red snapper filets from your favorite local fishmonger. Then whisk together freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice with delicious Smokey Chipotle Pepper Jelly from The Pickled Chef. Season with salt and pepper. Marinate the fish in the mixture for 30 minutes. Voila: you have ceviche! The rest is even easier: chop a handful of cilantro. Slice tomatoes, red onions, avocados, radishes, and any other delicious fresh veggies you enjoy. Creatively pile it all on tostadas. Bon appetit!
Does making a semifreddo feel intimidating? Chef Vencio makes it easy. Whisk together HoneyRum Strawberry Jam from Maple Street Jam in a double boiler with egg yolks and salt. Fold in some whipped cream. Fill a graham cracker crust. Freeze it. Voila! This show stopping dessert requires no special technical skills and does not require a lot of prep time. Making it the day before you plan to serve it gives the dessert plenty of time to set in the freezer. You will enjoy the compliments of friends and family…as well as the delicious taste of a slice or two for yourself.
Filipino cuisine is gorgeously unique in the ways in which it can balance sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors all in one dish. This dessert pairs the natural sweetness of fresh pineapple and local honey with the savory spice of Eat This YUM! Tomato Jalapeño Marmalade and the palate-pleasing sourness of fresh lemon. Frozen into a granita, the flavors are intriguing! The dessert is also beautiful to behold. Spooned into a hollowed-out pineapple and garnished liberally with whipped cream, fresh fruits, chocolate-covered pocky and other Asian cookies, chocolate chips, and mint leaves, its appearance is impressive. For a final touch of sweet-meets savory, add sprinkles of salt and black pepper. Pair the granita with tiny glasses of chilled grappa or eau de vie.
Tomato Jalapeño Marmalade and Pineapple Granita is a refreshing frozen dessert that blends sweet pineapple, spicy marmalade, and tangy lemon. Served in a hollowed pineapple with fun toppings, it’s as eye-catching as it is delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
8 oz Tomato Jalapeño Jam
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced small
1 cup local honey
2 cups water
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth.
Transfer to a freezer-proof, non-reactive bowl.
Allow mix to freeze undisturbed for at least an hour.
Scrape with a fork to break up the ice crystals that are forming. Repeat every 30 minutes until the mixture reaches the consistency of a firm slushy.
Serve in a hollowed-out pineapple or individual dessert bowls.
Garnish with whipped cream, fresh fruits, chocolate-covered pocky, and/or other Asian cookies, chocolate chips, mint leaves, and a sprinkle of black pepper and salt.
Pair with tiny glasses of grappa or eau de vie.
Try Rafe Vencio’s other recipes using Western Pennsylvania jarred ingredients:
First of all: did someone say butter? Yum. Second: kimchi is delicious! Traditionally made from lacto-fermented cabbage seasoned with salt and gochujang pepper, it is available at many Asian grocers. Once you have enjoyed the “mother” version, branch out to other types of kimchi made from a wide range of vegetables and spices. Make them all into kimchi butter, which you can slather on to slices of steak, toss into a dish of potato noodles or a seaweed salad, or drizzle over roasted pork or fish. Once you get started, you won’t be able to stop! This could also be your “gateway” to other compound butters, all of which up the lusciousness quotient at the wintertime dinner table.
This riff on pimento cheese takes a crowd-pleasing favorite to a new level. The spice and vinegar of Italian giardiniera add a note of acidity that the traditional version lacks, making it a delicious condiment for a cocktail-hour board of seafood. Vencio serves up steamed prawns, clams, mussels, and squid with Spicy Giardiniera Pimento Cheese, accompanied by red beans and rice garnished with fresh chopped herbs, lemon, and rockweed. We recommend you pair this delectable menu with a pitcher of dry, ice-cold martinis. The combination will make for a very happy Happy Hour.
Simple to make, but complex on the palate, this Filipino White Adobo is a puree of pickled garlic, cooked white rice, olive oil, and pickling liquid. It serves as a flavorful bed for sauteed scallops, prawns, clams, and mussels. Garnish with chopped scallions, dill, and fennel. Sprinkle with black pepper and perhaps a touch of sugarcane vinegar. Serve with slices of warm, buttered baguette and a fresh green salad. Pair with Louis Jadot Steel Chardonnay, or another crisp and classically clean white.
Made with Smokey Chipotle Pepper Jelly, The Pickled Chef, Available at select Market Districts, Local Provisions, East End Food Co-op, and other retail locations
Start this quick and easy recipe by procuring fresh red snapper filets from your favorite local fishmonger. Then whisk together freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice with The Pickled Chef’s delicious Smokey Chipotle Pepper Jelly. Season with salt and pepper. Marinate the fish in the mixture for 30 minutes. Voila: you have ceviche! The rest is even easier: chop a handful of cilantro. Slice tomatoes, red onions, avocados, radishes, and any other delicious fresh veggies you enjoy. Creatively pile it all on tostadas. Bon appetit!
Does making a semifreddo feel intimidating? Chef Vencio makes it easy. Whisk together Maple Street Jam’s HoneyRum Strawberry Jam in a double boiler with egg yolks and salt. Fold in some whipped cream. Fill a graham cracker crust. Freeze it. Voila! This show stopping dessert requires no special technical skills and does not require a lot of prep time. Making it the day before you plan to serve it gives the dessert plenty of time to set in the freezer. You will enjoy the compliments of friends and family…as well as the delicious taste of a slice or two for yourself.
Made with Tomato Jalapeno Marmalade from Eat This YUM!
Filipino cuisine is gorgeously unique in the ways in which it can balance sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors all in one dish. This dessert pairs the natural sweetness of fresh pineapple and local honey with the savory spice of Eat This YUM! Tomato Jalapeño Marmalade and the palate-pleasing sourness of fresh lemon. Frozen into a granita, the flavors are intriguing! The dessert is also beautiful to behold. Spooned into a hollowed-out pineapple and garnished liberally with whipped cream, fresh fruits, chocolate-covered pocky and other Asian cookies, chocolate chips, and mint leaves, its appearance is impressive. For a final touch of sweet-meets savory, add sprinkles of salt and black pepper. Pair the granita with tiny glasses of chilled grappa or eau de vie.
Is football not really your thing? Maybe the most you know about the sport is that a ball is involved? Could you care less about Super Bowl LX that everyone seems to be talking about? While everyone else is packed inside their friends houses or bars to watch the game, take advantage of the empty streets by booking a reservation to one of Pittsburgh’s best restaurants. Normally, these places are nearly impossible to get into and will leave you with months of waiting for their deliciousness. But, Super Bowl Sunday leaves an opening for you to enjoy a new favorite without competing for a table.
Skip the Super Bowl and Book a Reservation to the Best Restaurants in Pittsburgh
Why not treat yourself to true Italian comfort? At Alta Via, everything comes made from scratch from their pasta to their grilled meats. Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Campanelle Carbonara, and Eggplant Parmesan all await. Head to either one of their Fox Chapel or Market Square locations to feel as though you’ve been whisked away to the European countryside.
Jazz is at the center of each one of Con Alma’s values. Their Latin American-inspired menu fuses with soul food flavors for dishes like Jerk BBQ Chicken or a Fried Snapper Sandwich. The best part is that most days during the week, this Downtown restaurant hosts jazz concerts that you can enjoy as you eat. On February 8 you can stop in to see the Reggie Watkins Trio.
Are you craving large bowls of warming pasta? What about sandwiches that pile the finest deli meats high atop homemade bread? DiAnoia’s Eatery is cozy Italian dining at its best. Head in and grab a table or even order for takeout and enjoy at home. Either way you can look forward to thoughtful antipasto choices, house-made pasta, quality cuts of meat, decadent desserts, and a luxurious wine menu to match.
An elegant night out will leave you feeling like a star near the Strip District of Pittsburgh. Over on Smallman Street, Eleven’s contemporary dining upgrades all you know and love. Scottish Salmon meets a butternut squash mash, roasted turnips, leeks, apple, sage, cider beurre blanc, and saba. Ricotta Cavatelli goes high-class with the addition of oyster mushrooms, red yams, broccolini, sage, and espellette. And don’t forget dessert from talented pastry chef, Selina Progar.
There may be no better view of the city than high atop Mount Washington at Monterey Bay Fish Grotto. Look over the Three Rivers, the stadiums, and Pittsburgh’s beautiful cityscape as you dine on carefully cooked seafood. Their Crab Cakes and fresh fish fillets are a must but there’s also choices of steak for those who don’t favor the sea. Stick around after your dinner to try a digestif, the perfect finish to your meal. Their choices include dessert cocktails like Why So Cereal? and Grandma’s Cookies.
When it’s winter in Pittsburgh, all we want is to be somewhere warmer, preferably lounging on the beach. Palm Palm is about as close as we can get with their coastal-inspired cuisine. Over in East Liberty, this restaurant encourages you to share small and large plates with those around you. Dig into Mini Lobster Rolls, Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Dumplings, and Beef Short Rib with the one you love. Your own personal customization comes with your drink order whether it’s from their extensive wine list, signature cocktails, or homemade sodas.
Make your way into Downtown to experience global flavors in an accessible way at Ritual House. Here, they focus on the small details of your meal which includes an atmosphere that feels both modern and nostalgic all at once. For dinner, it’s best to start with one of their eclectic cocktails or mocktails that makes winter a bit more bearable. Then, choose from multicultural starters, a special list of dumplings, prime center cuts of steak, well-sourced seafood, and so much more.
If you happen to be vegetarian or vegan than Apteka is a must for your evening plans. Everything here is vegan and we mean EVERYTHING. Plus, for the day of the Super Bowl, they’re running their Crapteka menu, an ode to the comfort food you long for. From veggie burgers and fries to big salads and sunflower seed milk shakes, you’re sure to try something new and maybe even find a new favorite.
Chef Joey Hilty prepares a menu for The Vandal that’s as intimate and intricate as the space you dine in. In the stylish streets of Lawrenceville, The Vandal thrives with their five seat wine bar and seasonal menu. Right now you can try dishes like Oysters featuring a yuzu cucumber mignonette and homemade hot sauce, Seared Scallops with fennel soubise, castelvetrano olives, and winter citrus, or Crispy Pork Shoulder with marinated butterball potatoes, escarole, and mustard vinaigrette.
It’s not often you see a Nordic restaurant but Fet-Fisk’s dedication to seafood and Appalachian agriculture showcases how special it can be. Their daily selection of raw oysters accompany servings of Danish sea trout caviar. But there’s also items to try like Smoked Trout Paté that come with seeded crackers for dipping, Rye Cavatelli full of oyster mushrooms, apple, carrot broth, grana, and truffle, or Steamed Hollander Mussels cooked in cream and dry sherry full of herbs.
While this is traditionally a slow time for restaurants, it’s the perfect time to snag a reservation or walk-in at some of the hottest spots in the city.
Whether you’re aware of it or not, February is a tough month for the hospitality industry: between financial imbalances in the new year and people not wanting to leave their house thanks to the brutal Pittsburgh weather. While I would never tell you what to do, there is a slight silver lining to this slowdown…
That restaurant you’ve had bookmarked on Insta, but haven’t been able to get a reservation for? Now is the time to make it happen. Bonus points for cozy lighting that makes you feel relaxed, as if you hadn’t even left your own house.
You’ll also get bonus points from me for supporting local, small businesses! A morning coffee or takeout meal can really help our local businesses now more than ever.
Hungry Jess Shares What’s Hot on Pittsburgh Restaurant Menus This February 2026
Insider Tips: Check reservations day of, don’t forget they’re open Mondays, and sit at the bar.
Chances are, you’ve heard of Fet Fisk, and for good reason. Not only have they made national news since opening, but they have also continued honor their deep roots while innovating on their own terms. Don’t sleep on their version of the chicken wing, which is not only delightfully crispy but also topped with caviar… and only available on Mondays. Now is the time to stop in for an impromptu seat at the bar, and don’t be afraid of a later-evening excursion.
Insider Tips: Turn on Resy alerts for day-of cancellations and walk-in for bar seats if you’re able.
I’ve been asked a lot recently what my favorite Italian restaurant in the city is. Every time, Dish is my answer. They check every box for me. The perfect dim lighting, an old-school yet exciting energy, and a wine and cocktail program that has stood the test of time. January is the ideal time to get into Dish, whether with friends, on a date night, or with the fam. Honestly, I fully support a solo moment at the bar; while the rigatoni has been my go-to for years, I have a new favorite dish: the Gnocchi with hearty, Elysian Fields lamb shoulder ragù. Salute!
Insider Tips: Their burger night is on Thursdays, don’t be scared to book a bar reservation, and split everything!
I am one of the biggest fans of The Vandal, and I genuinely have been ever since I moved back to Pittsburgh almost eight years ago. Watching their evolution and growth has been remarkable, from their brunch days to our Galentine’s Day spaghetti dinner right before the pandemic hit… never forget! These days, I love nothing more than texting a girlfriend, ordering a round of cocktails (to start), and splitting an array of dishes. On the most recent visit, I couldn’t get enough of the bread service with the marinated nardello peppers add-on (I am begging them to please jar these! I will buy them all). Oh, and their Thursday burger? I need a moment alone with it… it’s that good.
Insider Tips: CALL ahead! Even for bar seats. Check their weekly menu posting on Instagram as it rotates.
Oh, how I wish I lived closer to Jillian’s… while great for my wallet, I dream of every dish I’ve ever had here often. With a chalkboard menu, excellent cocktail program (their pickle martini with housemade pickle brine? Yes, I order that filthy!), and a genuinely kind staff, it’s impossible not to keep coming back. While they have their burger night every Wednesday, I can’t recommend their other dishes enough, from the chips and dip to baked oysters.
Insider Tips: Happy hour is every day, and the happy hour miso salmon is not to miss! Don’t be scared of a late-evening reservation.
Full disclosure: Umami is a client of mine, but I was a long-time lover of this sexy sushi spot before I took over their socials years ago. It’s truly an underrated oasis in the city that has it all: moody red lights, an open kitchen, happy hour every day, aaaand weekend specialties. Literally something for everyone. Not only do they get fresh uni and specialty tuna cuts every Thursday through Saturday, but they also have DJs on those same nights. While I dance in my seat with every bite of nigiri, the DJs always enhance those vibes. While weekends are a hot time for them, don’t miss out on after 9 p.m. reservations; they serve food until after 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Sit back, vibe out, and sip on some sake. You deserve it.
A few competitors with local ties will be in action this Sunday. One, an explosive young speedster with energy to spare, is widely expected to impact the game; another is a bit of an underdog who could surprise fans.
We’re talking about puppies, of course.
Two Pittsburgh Rescue Dogs to Compete in Puppy Bowl XXII
Before Sunday night’s big game kicks off, Discovery will air Puppy Bowl XXII, the annual “competition” that lets a fleet of adoptable pooches loose on a dog-friendly field. And two of this year’s competitors hail from Paws Across Pittsburgh, a foster-based animal rescue headquartered in Springdale.
The Four-Legged Gladiators
The Puppy Bowl spotlight should shine on Carrie Pawshaw, a 30-pound, 8-month-old mixed breed. Pawshaw, who has Norwegian Elkhound and American Eskimo Dog in her DNA, is “really playful,” according to Paws Across Pittsburgh president and founder Jackie Armour. “She did really well” when footage for the Puppy Bowl was captured in October. “She was kind of one of the stars of the show.”
Carrie Pawshaw — whose name was Glacier before her brush with fame — traveled to the Puppy Bowl, filmed in Glens Falls, New York, alongside fellow Paws Against Pittsburgh dog Meeko. The smaller of the two pups at just 11.5 pounds, Meeko is not perceived as a top prospect — but don’t count the Jack Russell mix out.
“He did well,” Armour says. “We don’t know who wins, or anything like that. That part is a surprise for everyone.”
The Road to a Championship
Paws Against Pittsburgh has been sending pups to the Puppy Bowl for three years. Armour says it’s a long process; rescues submit from all over the country each summer, with Discovery selecting 150 athletic canines for the game.
“It’s really nice,” Armour says, praising the “special treatment” the dogs receive — “all kinds of pictures and other really cool stuff.”
Armour stresses that the competition is all about raising awareness for adoptable pets, encouraging viewers to add to their family via a rescue. While the game itself is mostly tongue-in-cheek, Armour and the Paws Across Pittsburgh team are still rooting for their puppies.
“Would we love to see our dog win the Puppy Bowl? Sure!”
Crosstown Rivals — For a Good Cause
Carrie Pawshaw and Meeko won’t be the only local dogs taking to the gridiron this Sunday. Animal Friends, a rescue based in Ohio Township, has a pair of brothers — Nikalus and Kol — suiting up for Puppy Bowl XXII.
Armour stresses that selection to the Puppy Bowl is a boon for rescue organizations large and small.
“It’s great for our rescue; I’m sure it’s great for Animal Friends. It brings a lot of [attention to your organization]. Other years, after the Puppy Bowl, [we received] a donation from somewhere in California [and someone in] Florida. It really brings a lot of education — look at all these great dogs that are in a rescue, in a shelter somewhere. There are a lot of great dogs waiting.”
Carrie Pawshaw and Meeko have both been adopted in the months since Puppy Bowl XXII was filmed — but there are plenty of other great dogs and cats available for adoption at both Paws Across Pittsburgh and Animal Friends right now.
Puppy Bowl XXII airs at 2 p.m. this Sunday on Discovery.
