Umami is a cool spot situated in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, an area that has a reputation for great food and drinks. It’s a warm, dimly lit dine-in restaurant and bar that often hosts DJs, so you can listen to good tunes while you eat. The menu has a host of traditional Japanese street food that you can choose from, including sushi, ramen, and gyoza. Umami also has a nice selection of gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian dishes, like chawanmushi and miso ramen. Umami changes out its menu often, so you can always get something fresh and inspired.

For vegans and the vegan-adjacent, B52 Cafe will be the spot. B52 offers delicious Mediterranean-inspired food but with all vegan ingredients. They have a popular breakfast menu that includes a tofu scramble, kofta scramble, and a twist on avocado toast with tahini and black sesame seeds. B52 makes all of its sauces in house and the breads for the sandwiches are made in partnership with Allegro Hearth Bakery. B52 is still only open for takeout, so you can grab food and hop on over to Arsenal Park to enjoy, when the weather is nice.

Located on busy Butler Street, Pusadee’s Garden is an experience you won’t want to miss during your time in Pittsburgh. A popular destination for Thai food, Pusadee’s has a colorful menu that consists of fresh salads, delicious curries, seafood, and roti. Pusadee’s also has a great drink menu that even includes non-alcoholic cocktails, if you don’t imbibe. 

Soju makes Korean-American fare with a robust selection of cocktails, beer, wine, and soju. Soju has a welcoming atmosphere, and chef and owner Simon Chough has a knack for creating inventive menu items — popular dishes include the “Killer Tofu” and the Korean fried chicken. The drink menu features bright and vivid cocktails like soju punch, the Purple Rain (a drink with Plymouth gin, lavender pea flower soju, lemongrass, and lemon juice), and cachaca sangria.

Pittsburgh has a host of restaurants that have opened in the past ten years that feature exciting menu items and fun drinks, but there are just as many beloved local businesses that have long histories within their communities. Ritter’s Diner, which has been open for over 65 years, is the place to grab breakfast as you’re heading in or out of town. Ritter’s has pretty standard diner fare like pancakes, french toast, and bacon, but it’s the stake they’ve placed in the community that keeps many coming back. If you like an especially sweet breakfast, try the s’mores pancakes. If you lean more savory, the Florentine omelette might be more your style.

Kelly’s is a Pittsburgh staple where you can get great cocktails for an even better price. An East Liberty stalwart, Pittsburghers love to pass the time t at Kelly’s on a typical Friday night. With a happy hour that boasts $5 cocktails, you can’t go wrong. This bar also has great food — like fried pickles, burgers, and tuna melts — that you can enjoy while you have a couple drinks.

One of the few places where you can get authentic Brazilian food in Pittsburgh, Casa Brasil is a quaint restaurant located on a quiet street in the Highland Park neighborhood. The food and drinks are simple and crafted with care, and are sure to please out-of towners. If you go, try the pao de queijo: cheese bread rolls made with tapioca flour, or the chicken stroganoff. Bonus: There’s also a vegetarian version.