Hi everybody! I am SO pumped for today's post. I am going to be sharing my most sacred secrets... all of my favorite Pittsburgh restaurants!! A lot of these are pretty basic spots but worth mentioning anyways. Besides the basic ones, I proudly do a lot of Yelp searching and have some awesome suggestions that I've found the last few years. I have some great memories in a lot of these places and I'm so excited to share them.
I truly believe I was a food critic in a past life because I'm obsessed with food and going to good restaurants. It's definitely become a little more challenging now that I'm vegan, but you'd be surprised what places offer! I can usually find something to eat at any restaurant, but I love finding restaurants that make yummy vegan things. Being vegan or vegetarian is so common nowadays that places have to offer some sort of option. I am so excited to talk about all my favorite spots today and I hope I make you all hungry!
Condado's
Condado's is one of my favorite places for many reasons: the food, the drinks, the place, and the vibe. I have so many fun memories in Condado's restaurants and there are surprisingly a lot of locations! I've been dragging my friends and family to Condado's for years now! I originally was a Liberty Avenue girly, but ended up getting Condado's in Lawrenceville on Butler a lot for lunch at work! I've even been to a Condado's in Ohio after a lil beach day! I couldn't contain my excitement when I found out this summer that Condado's was coming to Cranberry! I'm so happy to have one of my favorite places so close now. I've been to the new location so many times and we've ordered takeout a million times too!!
Mexican food is my favorite because it's truly the easiest, healthiest, and yummiest way to be vegan/vegetarian. For those of you who don't know, I've been vegan all of this year! Although I've given up Condado's queso, I haven't had to give up my love for this place entirely! Condado's has such a fun vibe and there are all of these paintings all around each restaurant. Like I've said, I've been to multiple locations and they all look the same but different. I LOVE when restaurants have "build your own" stuff on the menu cause it just makes things easier rather than having to substitute or change existing menu items!
Recommendations: I have LOTS to say about Condado's because of how often I have it! For appetizers, I always get the Three Buds! Usually it works out perfectly with whoever I'm with and we get the traditional guac, roja salsa, and famous white queso. Their queso used to be my FAVORITE. Thankfully their guac and salsas are just as good, along with their tortilla chips! They are thicker and perfect for dipping. The traditional guac is my fav, but the pico guac is also yum if you like some chunks! I also hear that the pineapple guac is really good. I've never had their margaritas, but I've heard good things! If I feel like going crazy, I get their lemonade with "flavor shots"! I usually get blood orange and it's always something a little fun! For tacos, I switch it up between soft and hard shells, but get rice/beans as my "protein", lettuce, cilantro and onion, pico, and corn salsa. They're so delish. I love adding a little guac too if I have some left over! The best part is getting your tacos with the little spork!
Floor 2
Floor 2 was definitely a hidden gem. This brunch spot is STUNNING. It is such a fun place with such a fun environment. If you want to feel like Blair Waldorf in Pittsburgh, you have to brunch here. Olivia and I love having boujee brunches here and I HAD to take Brenna when she was in town. If Andrew and I can ever get ourselves there in a timely manner, I am dying to take him too. I can't wait to go when I get back from Italy and can order some delicious mimosas with my brunch! BRB about to go make a reservation.
Recommendations: My go-to vegan order is some good ol' avocado toast! Before I was vegan, I'd get the avo toast with the yummy poached egg! Now I'm able to get some cute little tomatoes on top instead! Their breakfast potatoes are so bomb too- always gotta get a side of them. I'm looking at the menu right now and I need to get there and try the arugula salad IMMEDIATELY. Again, I've never had drinks there but I can only imagine them being as amazing as everything else. They have dinner too so if you're like me and getting out before brunch hours end is a rarity, check out their dinner!!
Grandview Saloon
I don't have a ton of photos here which is actually SHOCKING because this is such a photogenic place?! Grandview Saloon is worth going to for the view ALONE. I've only ever sat outside but the inside seating looks amazing on their website. Eating on Mount Washington with a GORGEOUS view of Pittsburgh is truly the most enjoyable way to spend a summer afternoon! I'm sure the inside seating is just as great if you can sit by the windows which also makes this a great spot during colder days.
Recommendations: I haven't been here since I've been vegan, but my go-to used to be this pesto flatbread! Sadly it doesn't look like it's on the menu anymore :( HOWEVER, they have a quinoa power bowl and roasted buffalo cauliflower bites that sound so amazing. I am so excited to try those out and visit this fab place again!
Il Pizzaiolo
Il Pizzaiolo is technically not in Pittsburgh, but it's so good I had to include it. I haven't been in a bit, but every time I go it's delicious. I went years ago with my grandparents and we loved it. I went back with Andrew for date night in the summer and had such a nice time I completely forgot to take any photos. I almost didn't include it because of this, but I had to recommend it as one of the yummiest places around.
Recommendations: Their online menu looks a little different than I remember! I'm unsure if they've cut their menu down or this is just the shorter version for online/takeout ordering. When we went, I got a vodka pasta (pre-veganism) and it was soooo yummy. Andrew got one of the pizzas I believe! I'm so sorry I don't have any photos to remember much from, but trust me this place is super good and a little more local to Mars/Butler/Cranberry peeps. I do remember getting the Tiramisu for desert when I was younger and being obsessed!!
Mambo Italia
One of my top favorite restaurants is Mambo Italia in Sewickley! My friends and I LOVE it here and I just recently was able to go with my family. Everybody I've taken here becomes just as obsessed as me. It's a little Italian place with the cutest indoor and outdoor seating. Literally everything I've ever tried here has been totally amazing and I'm beyond thrilled they have a vegan option on their small but amazing menu so I can continue to frequent this place!
Recommendations: Before my vegan days, I believe I used to order Rigatoni alla Vodka. 10/10 amazing. Olivia has ordered the Bianca pizza (shown above) and I had a taste of that too. Sooo good. Katie has ordered alfredo pasta and some sort of chicken before too! I don't remember exactly everything my friends have ordered in the past, but I do know it was always amazing. Nowadays, I order the Pasta alla Pomodoro with no cheese. My mom and sisters get it too. I also tried the Insalata Mista without cheese and it was such a great salad. We ordered some pizza as appetizers when my family went and I added arugula and onions on mine and it was so good, the crust there is just unreal. I'm dying to take Andrew here, it's the perfect date night place and it's BYOB!
Mercurio's
Olivia and I stumbled upon Mercurio's during a shopping day on Walnut Street and it did NOT disappoint. It was such a cute little place for a quick meal! I was originally worried about being vegan here, but thankfully they had awesome options! It is such a great daytime stop if you're in the area or around doing shopping like we were.
Recommendations: I was so excited to see the Pizza Rosse on the menu because I was in the mood for some pizza that day! It's just pizza without cheese, which is actually how pizza originated in Italy! It's shocking that you don't see it more often at authentic Italian places (AKA the things you learn preparing to eat vegan in Italy LOL). All of their pizza looked amazing though, especially the Margherita. It was so good and I had lots of leftovers to take home! Olivia got the Insalata della Casa. But the best part was the vegan gelato! I got the lemon dairy-free gelato and Olivia got dairy-free mango! They also had raspberry and pineapple and plenty of other regular flavors. They were so delicious and this is worth making the trip to Mercurio's alone!
Oakmont Bakery
We all know it's hard to resist the deliciousness of Oakmont Bakery, but have you ever eaten there?? Ever since they remodeled, Oakmont Bakery serves made to order food options! They serve breakfast sandwiches, crepes, waffles, lattes, pastries, sandwiches, salads, and MORE! How freaking fun and delicious?
Recommendations: Only non-vegan Bella has eaten at Oakmont, but she used to order a classic egg and cheese breakfast sandwich with a hashbrown and latte! I'm pretty sure one of my friends got a crepe and loved it too. Making the trip to Oakmont Bakery is just so fun anyway, and now you can eat a yummy breakfast or lunch while you pick up some baked goods for the holidays!
Roland's
Andrew and I randomly discovered Roland's when we were searching for a rooftop restaurant in the summertime. It was a great atmosphere and had such a great view of the Strip District! They're known for their seafood, which of course neither of us got LOL. Funny story... Andrew and I were SO excited to eat our leftovers later in the night/the next day. We came back to my house and threw them in the fridge. When Andrew left later, he grabbed what he thought was his buffalo chicken pizza to take home with him. To my dismay the next day, I went to heat up my leftovers and opened up his pizza instead of my own. Lucky for him, he was still able to enjoy my pizza (it wasn't worth swapping the next day lololol) while my vegetarian self was left VERY #sad. Basically that's just how good Roland's pizza is!
Recommendations: Like I mentioned, Andrew and I both ordered pizza from Roland's. I got the Classic White pizza and Andrew got the Buffalo Chicken pizza. They were both so unexpectedly amazing! I would love to go back this summer and give something else on the menu a try because this place was just so fun!
Sienna Mercato
I literally don't think I could ever talk about Sienna Mercato enough. It is probably my absolute favorite find throughout the years. It was one of the only restaurants open in the city in winter 2020-2021. I was looking on Yelp for a rooftop date night and found this place that was finally reopening after COVID one day in January. I made Andrew and I reservations for the first night they reopened and we've been so obsessed ever since. It's probably one of our favorite places to go for date night. I've also taken some of my friends here and everybody loves it as much as I do.
This restaurant is SO MUCH FUN. It has 3 floors. The bottom floor is the regular Emporio spot where we get the meatballs. They have meatballs, pastas, fries, bowls, and more. The best thing about their menu is the meatball section. They have so many different types of "balls", including a vegetarian one! You pick what kind you want, then pick if you want 1 on a slider, 2 in a panini, 3 on a hoagie, or 4 over any side. You can even mix and match meatballs if you want to try a few. Then you can choose a sauce and side. All of the sauces are truly amazing. You can also choose a cheese if you build a sandwich! The second floor is called Mezzo, which is more of a traditional Italian food vibe. Mezzo has charcuterie boards, small plates, salads, pizzas, and other types of entrées. Then you have Il Tetto, the rooftop bar! When Andrew and I first went, you were able to order the whole menu up at Il Tetto because of COVID and spacing stuff. The roof is covered in the winter and open in the summer. We were able to eat up there with the lights and it was so amazing. But now you can only get traditional "bar food" up there. When I go I usually eat at Emporio but always stop up at the bar for a photo! I can't wait until I'm 21 and we can head up there for drinks before/after dinner.
Recommendations: I've tried LOTS of things on the Sienna Mercato menus! I always get the veggie meatballs and have tried the tomato basil cream (non-vegan) and spicy marinara (vegan). I first got the 4 veggie balls on tortellini with tomato basil cream. It was amazing and I was able to take half of it home for the next day. Andrew got the chicken balls on a hoagie with their famous "crack sauce" and cheese! We also have gotten paninis with the same types of meatballs and cheese and our sauce comes on the side for dipping! Now that I'm vegan, I usually get 2 veggie meatballs on penne with spicy marinara! It's so delish and never fails to be as amazing as the last time. We also always get the fries with their famous crack sauce on the side for Andy. I've even asked them for mocktails before and they've been amazing every time! If you've never been here before, I strongly recommend taking the trip to Penn Avenue for it. It's truly worth it and I promise you will not be disappointed.
I am so happy with how this post turned out and I hope you guys are too! Please take my recommendations into consideration because I am truly a tough critic when it comes to food. I also happily know the best places to eat dairy-free, which is sometimes better for everyone. This is the perfect time to check out these restaurants while everybody is home for the holidays and places are decorated. Let me know in the comments if you try any of these spots or if you have a recommendation for me!!
Talk soon!!
Xo
Bella
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