Food · Pittsburgh · United States
What to eat in Pittsburgh
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Pittsburgh, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dllu, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Primanti Bros. sandwich, Pierogies and Pittsburgh salad. On a Saturday morning, sample biscotti, cheese, fresh fish, coffee and Asian street snacks along Penn Avenue, ending with a sandwich at Primanti Bros. Book dinner at popular Lawrenceville and downtown restaurants ahead on Steelers weekends and theatre nights.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Primanti Bros. sandwich
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink at…
- Food experiences
- 3
9 foods to try
Dish
1.Primanti Bros. sandwich
Grilled meat and cheese piled on thick Italian bread with tomato, vinegar coleslaw and a fistful of fries inside the sandwich, created for truckers and produce workers in the Strip District in the 1930s.
Where: The original Primanti Bros. on 18th Street in the Strip District, and its branches around the city and at the stadiums.
Dish · Vegetarian
2.Pierogies
Dumplings stuffed with potato and cheese, sauerkraut or farmer's cheese, then boiled and fried in butter with onions. Brought by Polish, Ukrainian and Slovak immigrants, they are Pittsburgh's signature comfort food.
Where: Church pierogi sales and festivals, Eastern European delis and bars, and the frozen aisle of every supermarket.
Dish
3.Pittsburgh salad
A green salad topped with grilled steak or chicken, cheese and a heap of french fries, often with ranch dressing. Visitors are surprised; locals are not.
Where: Diners, bars and family restaurants across the city.
Dish
4.Chipped chopped ham
Processed ham sliced paper-thin, made famous by the Isaly's dairy chain and eaten on a soft bun, often warmed in barbecue sauce as a 'ham barbecue'.
Where: Supermarket and neighbourhood deli counters across western Pennsylvania; ask for it 'chipped'.
Dish · Vegetarian
5.Haluski
Egg noodles fried with cabbage, onion and plenty of butter, a Slovak and Polish dish that is cheap, filling and common at church festivals and Lenten fish fries.
Where: Church and fire-hall fish fries during Lent, ethnic festivals and Eastern European restaurants.
Dish
6.Fish sandwich
Huge pieces of battered and fried cod or whiting that hang far off the bun, the centrepiece of Pittsburgh's Lent fish-fry tradition at churches and fire halls.
Where: Parish and fire-hall fish fries on Fridays during Lent, and Wholey's fish market in the Strip District year-round.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
7.Crêpe-style hotcakes
Thin pancakes fried until the edges are lacy and crisp, then rolled around fillings such as strawberries and sour cream or bananas and brown sugar.
Where: Pamela's Diner, a local breakfast chain with branches in the Strip District, Squirrel Hill and other neighbourhoods.
Dessert · Vegetarian
8.Smiley cookies
Soft sugar cookies with a bright smiley face in icing, from the regional Eat'n Park diner chain. They are a Pittsburgh childhood staple, with special colours for holidays and sports seasons.
Where: Eat'n Park restaurants around the region and its bakery counters.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Local beer
Iron City is the city's historic lager, while craft breweries in converted churches, firehouses and warehouses have spread through Lawrenceville, the Strip District and the North Side.
Where: Bars on East Carson Street, Lawrenceville breweries and the stadiums.
Food experiences
Strip District grazing
On a Saturday morning, sample biscotti, cheese, fresh fish, coffee and Asian street snacks along Penn Avenue, ending with a sandwich at Primanti Bros.
Lenten fish fry
On Fridays in Lent, church basements and fire halls across the city serve fried fish, haluski, mac and cheese and pierogies to queues of locals; it is cheap and friendly.
Butler Street dinner
Lawrenceville's long main street has many of the city's most acclaimed independent restaurants and cocktail bars within a short walk.
Quick bites and street food
- Crêpe-style hotcakes — Pamela's Diner, a local breakfast chain with branches in the Strip District, Squirrel Hill and other neighbourhoods.
Vegetarian options
Of the 9 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Pierogies, Haluski, Crêpe-style hotcakes, Smiley cookies and Local beer. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Book dinner at popular Lawrenceville and downtown restaurants ahead on Steelers weekends and theatre nights.
- Many local favourites close early or are open for breakfast and lunch only; check before heading out for dinner.
- Saturday morning is the busiest time in the Strip District; go early to avoid queues and traffic.
- Portions at diners and fish fries are large, so sharing is normal.
Tipping
Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink at bars, and 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Yinz | You all |
| N'at | And that / and so on |
| Redd up | Tidy up |
| Slippy | Slippery |
| Dahntahn | Downtown, in the local accent |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Pittsburgh famous for?
Primanti Bros. sandwich, Pierogies, Pittsburgh salad and Chipped chopped ham. Grilled meat and cheese piled on thick Italian bread with tomato, vinegar coleslaw and a fistful of fries inside the sandwich, created for truckers and produce workers in the Strip District in the 1930s.
+Is Pittsburgh good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Pierogies, Haluski and Crêpe-style hotcakes.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Pittsburgh?
Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink at bars, and 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.