I’ve spent about 15 months in Pittsburgh during my Master’s at CMU; it’s an underrated American city. Here’s my lightly annotated list of things to do and places to eat if you’re ever around here.

This list grew organically during my time here and isn’t very curated. It includes lots of recs from Uber drivers, occasional solo dates, and, of course, Pittsburgh Reddit.

In case you’d prefer to look at a map, here’s a Google Map list with all these places.

How to read this guide:

• ★ = My top recommendations
• IHBTY = I Haven’t Been There Yet (but I want to)
• Everything else is a soft recommendation unless noted otherwise

☕ Cafes & Study Spots #

Shibam Coffee ★
S-tier study spot. I’m buying this cafe a bouquet of flowers if I get into grad school. Get the Adani chai or the pistachio latte.

Redstart Roasters ★
The espresso drinks here are my favorite in Pittsburgh, and the barista is dope. Less study-friendly than Shibam, though.

Carnegie Main Library ★
The study room is nice. When the weather’s warm, study here and move to the park tables out front after they close (the wifi reaches them).

White Whale Bookstore ★
Chill bookstore and cafe, with free wifi and study space. I love studying here when it’s warm enough to bike to Bloomfield.

Madeleine Bakery + Biddle’s Escape ★
Bakery and cafe on a cute cobbled street east of Frick Park (i.e., the middle of nowhere). Get the Szegedy Kave and meander through the boutiques.

Caffe d’Amore Coffeeshop — IHBTY. Seems welcoming to all!

Constellation Coffee — IHBTY. The coffee looks incredible. I don’t think they have space to study.

🎨 Solo Dates & Activities #

Phipps Conservatory ★
This place cures seasonal depression. Walking around a tropical forest in January is the perfect short escape. Don’t miss the fruit room.

Heinz Hall ★
Go see the Pittsburgh Symphony, they’re awesome, and it’s only $25.

The Roxian ★
My favorite concert venue in Pittsburgh. My friend Rishav enlists me to drive us there at least once a semester, and it’s always a bop. Moshing to Take Me Out with Franz Ferdinand remains a top 5 Pittsburgh memory.

Frick Park ★
The auto/buggy museum reminds me of the one at Luray Caverns; it’s very well done. They also have a small greenhouse and well-tended Romantic-era gardens. Then go wander through the Frick woods for the Baroque experience! Very peaceful and recentering day out.

Flagstaff Hill in Schenley Park
Great place for a picnic with friends, or to read a book and enjoy the sun.

Duquesne Incline
Iconic view.

Monongahela Incline
Less iconic view, but more to do at the bottom/top.

IKEA
It’s so ✨aesthetic✨ here. I love having a reason to visit IKEA.

Carnegie Museum of Art / Natural History — IHBTY. I need to go see the dinosaurs eventually. Love museums so not sure why I haven’t done this yet.

Andy Warhol Museum — IHBTY.

Point State Park — IHBTY. Big fountain.

The Black Cat Market — IHBTY. Cat cafe. Go play with cute cats for an hour!

🍸 Nights Out #

Bars & Speakeasies #

Unspeakable ★
Vietnamese speakeasy with a killer espresso martini, “The Dark Side of Saigon.” The owners are also chill, 10/10 date night.

Allegheny Wine Mixer
Eclectic decor, nice wines.

Hidden Harbor
Tiki bar. The drinks are fun.

The Speakeasy at William Penn — IHBTY. Seems cool.

Bar Botanico — IHBTY. Bougie art bar; my friend Rishav liked it a lot.

Brillobox — IHBTY. Part bar, part club, part art studio, seems fun!

Tina’s — IHBTY. Across the street from Brillo. Dinner at Tram’s and bar-hopping here seems fun.

Acacia — IHBTY. Speakeasy in South Side. The drinks seem very good, and my friend Rishav liked it.

Co-Sign Speakeasy — IHBTY. Speakeasy in Homestead. Reserve ahead. There’s an entry puzzle…

Clubs #

Cavo – Came here once with friends, Latin music hits.

Avalon – Indian Grad Association held Bollywood night here, good times.

Tequila Cowboy – IHBTY. No idea, but heard it’s fun.

🍜 Food #

The Essentials (My Favorites) #

Pusadee’s Garden ★ — Lawrenceville
Must-do. My favorite nice restaurant in Pittsburgh. Get the Khao Yum 17-ingredient salad!

Tram’s Kitchen ★ — Bloomfield
Bahn mi and shrimp rolls here SLAP. Best lunch in Pittsburgh. Cash only.

Noodlehead ★ — Shadyside
Same owners as Pusadee’s, but fast casual! Their Chiang Mai curry with fried chicken is a comfort food.

Fujiya Ramen ★ — Shadyside
Expensive but authentic. The cozy bar vibes reminded me of Japan. Great izakaya bites too.

Pizza Pronto ★ — North Oakland
Their calzones, wraps, and pizzas are so good. I love this place. It’s mostly takeout, but they always let me sit and eat there. Owners and employees are all awesome people.

Primanti Bros ★ — Oakland
Pittsburgh classic and tourist must-do; solid Pastrami sandwich. It’s a chain, but this one is the original.

By Neighborhood #

Downtown #

Gaucho Parilla ($$$) — IHBTY. Uber driver recommended.

North Side #

Subba — Mom-and-pop Nepalese/Bhutanese. Datsi was interesting and tasty.

Huszar — IHBTY. Hungarian restaurant! I need to go try the goulash 🤤

Badamo’s Pizza — IHBTY. Heard it’s the best pizza in Pittsburgh.

Max’s Allegheny Tavern — IHBTY. Authentic German food.

ShadoBeni — IHBTY. Trinidadian vegan food and 4.9/5 on Google Reviews 👀

The Strip #

Wholey’s — Fish market that also sells crab cakes, sushi, etc. Fresh and tasty.

Salem’s Market — Indian food, really good and cheap. Would go more often if parking was easier.

DiAnoia’s — IHBTY. Italian.

Lawrenceville #

Piccolo Forno ★ — I really liked the pizza here. Great lunch with friends/family.

Walter’s BBQ — This place slapped. The ribs and brisket were succulent.

Butterwood Bake Consortium — Great cupcakes and open till 11PM (walk there after Pusadee’s).

FRIO Creamery — They serve Penn State! Great ice cream.

Mikkusu Matcha Tea House — They don’t have much seating, but the matcha was tasty.

Oishii Donburi — The unagi bowl was a huge portion, but too sweet and served in a plastic box. I would go back for takeout.

Umami — IHBTY. They have tatami seating, and I’ve heard the sushi is good.

Arsenal Cider House — IHBTY. Arsenal ciders are very good; this would be a fun brunch.

Deli on Butler — IHBTY. Heard the muffaletta is super authentic and tasty.

Bloomfield #

Brothmonger ★ — Rotating soup and perfect grilled cheese. This place singlehandedly cures my colds.

Dad’s Dog & Burger ★ — Bangin’ cheeseburger, fries, and strawberry shake. This place is awesome for a summer lunch and reasonably priced!

Caffe Mona La Bistro — IHBTY. Need to go for the crepes / Euro breakfast. Craving orange juice, coffee, and buttered toast.

APTEKA — IHBTY. Eastern European vegan restaurant. My friend Duncan loved it; the dishes seem very unique.

FET-FISK — IHBTY. Critically-acclaimed Scandinavian cuisine. Have to reserve well in advance; I’d like to go eventually, but not in a rush.

Spak Brothers — IHBTY. All I have saved in my map is “Buffalo fried chicken sub.” I have no recollection of where this came from. Lots of vegan options too!

South Side #

Nan Xiang — Soup dumplings. Probably the best in Pittsburgh, but Everyday Noodles in Sq. Hill is a close second (and local!).

Hofbrauhaus — Zicke zacke, zicke zacke, oi oi oi! Went here with my friend Neil T (visiting from Australia); completely coincidentally, it was Oktoberfest Thursday. We each ordered one beer, turns out each beer was a liter, and danced on tables. Good times.

Pretzel Shop — IHBTY. My friend Isaac sent me an Instagram reel about this place before I moved here, but I still haven’t been. I really ought to do this before going home; the pretzels look perfect.

Cilantro and Ajo — IHBTY. Venezuelan food; heard great things.

Kiku — IHBTY. High-end Japanese.

Cafe Du Jour — IHBTY. But they have a pond! Seems like a nice European dinner.

Dish Osteria Bar — IHBTY. Fancy Italian dinner. Off-topic, but the only Osteria I’ve dined at was stumbled upon in Rome, and served one dish counterside—pasta con tonno—with cold Sicilian sodas out of a minifridge and plastic cutlery. It remains the best pasta I’ve ever had in my life. Mangia mangia!

The Colombian Spot — IHBTY. Colombian food, surprisingly.

Homestead #

Secretos De Mis Abuelos ★ — Puerto Rican food in a building with axe-throwing and escape rooms. Sus tacos de birria son riquísimos.

Oakland & CMU Area #

Scotty’s Market ★ — By campus food standards, the biryani here slaps; we love Chef Suzan. Great tikka masala and paneer saag too.

Rose Tea Cafe ★ — My go-to place on Craig Street. The beef broccoli has sustained me through many late nights.

Oishii Bento — Went with a friend once, nice bento lunch.

Dave and Andy’s — IHBTY. They make their own waffle cones!

Chick’n Bubbly — IHBTY. Korean fried chicken.

El Jefe’s — IHBTY. Pitt students’ go-to late-night spot post bars. Can confirm, this place is consistently packed past midnight on weekends.

North Oakland #

Ritter’s Diner — Cash-only. Old-school diner (and Greek food) with jukeboxes.

Shadyside #

Pamela’s — Great American diner. Orange juice, coffee, and an omelette/pancakes slaps.

Tocayo — The margaritas were killer. Good tacos, too.

Treat — Ice cream and waffles! The staff are funny; it’s an experience.

Nak Won Garden — My Korean friend Taeyoun took us here to eat army stew. It was pretty good! Very filling.

Paris Baguette — IHBTY. Newly opened. I stan Tous Les Jour, but I’ll definitely try it.

Cafe Moulin — IHBTY. Well-loved creperie.

Mercurio’s — IHBTY. Homey Italian food. Not too expensive! I need to try it out.

Friendship #

Reva — Among the best Indian food I’ve had in Pittsburgh. The goat cheese naan is sinfully good.

Tous les Jours — A little weekend treat after grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s: one thing sweet, one thing savory.

Duo’s — Duolingo’s taqueria. I wish they were more Duolingo-themed, but the drinks are delicious (and generously poured), and the decor is quite nice.

Kyuramen — The honeycomb wall seating is cool; ramen is decent.

Tana Ethiopian Cuisine — IHBTY. Family-owned; I need to go try their injera.

Point Breeze #

Pino’s — IHBTY. High-end Italian; would make a great date night.

Squirrel Hill #

Maya Sushi ★ — Great mom-and-pop sushi joint. Reasonably priced, nicely plated, and delicious.

Kiin Lao ★ — Pad see ew and mango juice always slaps.

Everyday Noodles — The noodles are made from scratch! Good homemade soup dumplings too.

Tiger Sugar — Brown sugar milk tea here is a solid comfort drink.

Took Took 98 — I’ve catered from here for MS program lunches; the food is solid.

Pigeon Bagels — IHBTY. The last time I drove by there was a 40-person line around the block out front. Apparently, it’s like that every morning. I need to make the pilgrimage here before leaving Pittsburgh.

Yue Bai Wei — IHBTY. My friend Chen said this is the best Chinese food in Pittsburgh. I need to go try the chunk chicken.

Moon Township (Near Airport) #

Deluca’s Diner — Space and 60s-themed brunch near the airport. They have huge servings.

Red Chilly’s — IHBTY. Uber driver told me it’s the best (and spiciest) Indian food in Pittsburgh. Rogan Josh recommended.

Sarafino’s — IHBTY. Big servings, reasonably priced.

Pierogies Plus — IHBTY. Pierogies! Pittsburgh classic. Need to go try the halusky.

Farther Out #

Las Palmas Tacos — IHBTY. Super authentic and cheap; I haven’t felt the need yet after SF this summer.

Tim’s Corner Market — IHBTY. Contender for best (and biggest) hoagie in Pittsburgh.

PIYOLA — IHBTY. Uzbek restaurant recommended by Uzbek Uber driver. Need to go!

Golden Pig — IHBTY. Reddit says a super authentic Korean restaurant. 30 min drive away, though.

Himali Kitchen — IHBTY. Need to try the momos.

Ceviche’s Peruvian — IHBTY. Need to try… the ceviche.

Sharpsburg #

Sugar Spell Scoops — IHBTY. Homemade vegan ice cream with cute presentation.

Polska Laska — IHBTY. Need to go try the halusky and pierogies.

Far North #

Mercearia Brasil — A Brazilian exchange student highly recommended this place for coquinas and cheese bread. They deliver too.

🛒 Ethnic Groceries #

Many More Marketplace — In the Strip, very good for Asian groceries.

Bombay Food Market — Best Indian store in the city. Wider selection than Kohli’s.

Tokyo Japanese Food Store — Good place for Asian/Japanese dry goods, including stationary.

🎪 Events #

Bloomfield Saturday Market — Honey, tea, fresh bread, flowers. Lots of fun!

Squirrel Hill Night Market — Pierogies, indie music, and artist stalls. Find the Pittsburgh postcard guy; his prints are really cool.

🔧 Etc. #

Kraynick’s Bike Shop ★ — Rocky is the man! He got an MD from Pitt, then opened a bike shop to give back to the community. Always fun to come in and see people hanging out here.

Pitt Bike Cave ★ — For minor repairs and touch-ups, these guys are the best.

Caliber Collision ★ — Highly recommend if you need a mechanic. They dealt fairly, fixed my car up quickly, and did a great job.

Three Rivers Rowing Association — I’ve been out to TRRA to watch a few regattas. If I ever move back, I’ll definitely sign up to scull here.

Bernie’s Photo Center — This guy charges so much, but he is super knowledgeable and has exactly the parts you need.

Bodega Film Lab — $15 to dev and scan a roll of 35mm film.

Dan Cercone Barber Shop — Oldest barber shop in Pittsburgh. $20 cash for a simple haircut that mom will like. Went here till I decided to rock a mullet (I don’t think they would approve lol).

Pittsburgh Furniture Company — If I ever move to Pittsburgh / stay for a PhD, I’ll buy a statement piece here.

Caliban Book Shop — The owners of this store stole books, avoided jail time, and are mired in controversy. As a result, I’ve never bought anything here, but it’s my favorite kind of bookstore: chaotic, tall shelves, narrow maze-like corridors, and eclectic selection.