Pittsburgh

Aiello's

In contention for the best pizza in the Burgh, along with Mineo's next door. It's a local favorite, and is a common hang out for many nearby high school students. The pepperoni rolls are to die for, loaded with parm. It has a classic Italian pizzeria atmosphere with friendly and personable staff. They are open till 2AM so you can always grab a cut to go.

Angelo's Pizza

Well-known pizzeria owned and operated by a first-generation Italian family. Caters to many hospitals and businesses in the area. Hefty portions, hoagies, hand-crafted pizzas with fresh toppings, and one of a kind homemade “mayonnaise”.

Mon-Sat 11AM-11PM·$7-$13

Bangkok Balcony

Pittsburgh has many Thai options; this, along with sister restaurant Silk Elephant (around the corner at 1712 Murray) is probably the best in this part of the city.

Café du Jour

Call for a reservation and enjoy a seasonal menu at incredibly reasonable prices. The courtyard provides an intriguing setting for your meal. BYOB (a stem fee applies).

Cheesecake Factory

A long list of drinks, a trendy crowd, and excellent dessert to compliment this chain's well-known huge servings.

Dave & Andy's Homemade Ice Cream

Their ice cream, made right on the premises, is continually ranked as the best in the city.

11:30AM-10PM

DeLuca's

DeLuca's is another Pittsburgh favorite for down-home breakfasts. Come here for a good hearty breakfast of absurd proportions, but be prepared to wait.

Dish Osteria

Cozy upscale Italian restaurant and one of Pittsburgh's most romantic restaurants.

Enrico Biscotti Cafe

This rustic cafe serves fresh pizzas made in their own wood-burning brick oven. Besides fresh pizza they serve beans and greens, home made soups, and big fat salads. Stop at the bakery for great biscotti, made by hand and served in an abundance of flavors. The bakery serves all sorts of Italian pastries so even if biscotti's not your cup of tea, you will be able to enjoy the place.

Mon-Fri 11AM-3PM, Sat-Sun 8AM-3PM

Frankie's Extra Long

For classic Lawrenceville cuisine, this hot dog shop is one of your best bets.

Hello Bistro

Specializing in salads and burgers, but also has a breakfast menu of mostly scrambled eggs available all day.

Il Piccolo Forno

An Italian bistro with wood-fired pizzas, homemade pastas and desserts. BYOB.

$7-15

Kura Revolving Sushi Bar

Kura

Two layers of conveyor belts allow for customers to select items as they catch their eye or order them directly from the kitchen. Drinks are served by a music-playing robot.

11:30AM-9:30PM

Luke Wholey's Wild Alaskan Grill

Features fresh seafood. $2 oysters. 'Wild' themed art. Young chef with fishing guide experience prepares traditional items with adventurous twist, e.g. grilled swordfish on bed of cabbage, bacon, and roasted potatoes. Grills out front in 'fair' weather.

Tue-Sun 11AM-?·$8-$28

Mediterranean Grill

A nondescript entry hides a hole-in-the-wall restaurant below the street level. The menu is predominately Lebanese, but contains a variety of foods in a range of prices. BYOB.

Mercurio's Mulberry Creamery

Outstanding gelateria. It serves delicious wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza and antipasto.

Milky Way

This vegetarian restaurant has an assortment of pizzas. They have many salads and make a great falafel. The best part about it is that it is kosher. For any people who keep religious eating habits, this would be the place to go.

Mineo's

Another local favorite pizza place, rival of nearby Aiello's.

Nakama

A sushi restaurant with reasonable prices. The dress code requires smart casual.

11AM-10PM daily (Happy hour Mon-Fri 5-7PM)

Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings

Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao

Watch the chefs make your soup dumplings in front of you at this Michelin Guide recommended restaurant which serves a variety of Southern Chinese food.

11AM-10PM

Original Oyster House

This is a "must do" if you like seafood and historical places. Go back in time while eating the best fish sandwich you'd ever want to eat. Wash it down with creamy buttermilk or a beer. Of course, there are oysters, lightly breaded, or their specialty oysters which are sort of like a fritter. Other seafood dishes and foods are available and all delicious.

Paddy Cake Bakery

A neighborhood bakery with an excellent selection of cookies and cupcakes to go, or you can make larger orders as well.

Pamela's Diner

This local chain has been in Oakland for years. It is the place to go in the neighborhood for breakfast. They are famous for, well, many things, but particularly their crepe hotcakes, decadent waffles and pancakes, and omelets. Barack Obama was so impressed during a campaign stop in Pittsburgh, he had Pamela's cater at the Whitehouse. Be aware that the wait on weekends can get very long.

Mon-Sun 7:30AM-4PM

Pamela's P&G Diner

Serving famous pancakes, Pamela's is a Pittsburgh breakfast favorite. There are a few other locations around town as well.

Primanti Bros.

The definitive Pittsburgh chain, noted for its popular sandwiches.

Sun-Thu 10AM-midnight, Fri Sat 10AM-2AM

Primanti Bros.

A local chain, Primantis offers the quintessential Pittsburgh sandwich. No trip to Pittsburgh is complete without experiencing one of their coleslaw and french fry topped extravaganzas. Profiled in numerous national programs and articles, if you only have time to eat at a Primantis once during your trip to Pittsburgh, than Oakland has this location ready for you.

Sun-Wed 10AM-midnight, Thu-Sat 10AM-3AM

Primanti Brothers

Founded in 1934 to serve the truckers that brought vegetables to the Strip, Primanti is famous for their sandwiches. There are various locations around town, but the one in the Strip is the original, open 24 hours. If you are in Pittsburgh, you need to eat here at least once; they serve sandwiches with the french fries and coleslaw right in the sandwich with whatever else you order: deli meat, hot sausage, and... you get the idea. They have a bar too, of course.

$8 (sandwich and a pop), cash only

Sichuan Gourmet

Excellent, authentic Sichuanese Chinese food. Always has lots of Chinese students.

Mon-Thu 11AM-8PM, Fri Sat 11AM-11PM, Sun noon-10PM·$10-$20

Soba

Part of the popular Big Burrito fine-dining empire, serving pan-Asian cuisine.

Sree's Foods

Simple, no-frills Indian restaurant with great food. Their selection isn't big (they usually have only about five dishes per day) and it's pretty low-key (all dishes are served in styrofoam take-out containers), but it's very tasty and inexpensive.

Mon-Fri 11:30AM-3PM·$5, cash only