A large piece of battered, fried fish that hangs well over the bun, a Catholic Lenten staple that runs year-round. Church fish fries and old market counters both serve their own versions.
Pittsburgh's heavily Catholic, Eastern-European population made the Friday fish fry a fixture, especially during Lent, when parishes and fire halls battered and fried cod by the hundreds. The habit spread to year-round counters: Wholey's in the Strip District has fried its famous oversized fish sandwich for decades, and The Original Oyster House on Market Square has served fried fish since 1870. The sandwich is judged by how far the fish overhangs the bun.
3 editor picks for The Pittsburgh fish sandwich in Pittsburgh, ranked by editorial score. All Pittsburgh signature dishes · The Pittsburgh fish sandwich across every city.
Wholey's Fish Market ★ 4.4
strip-district · 1711 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Wholey's on Penn Avenue is the Strip District's landmark fish market in Pittsburgh, in business since 1912. Fresh seafood and a fish-sandwich counter.
The Original Oyster House ★ 4.1
downtown · 20 Market Square, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
The Original Oyster House on Market Square has served fried fish and oysters in Pittsburgh since 1870. The city's oldest bar and seafood counter.
The Pub Chip Shop ★ 3.9
south-side · 1830 E Carson St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203
The Pub Chip Shop on East Carson Street in the South Side serves British fish and chips and savoury pies in Pittsburgh. A pub kitchen on the bar strip.