Kiin Lao & Thai Eatery is a laotian restaurant in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh.
Editorially verified May 28, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Why locals love it: A small Squirrel Hill room serving Laotian dishes most Pittsburgh menus skip, hiding behind a more familiar Thai list.
Tip: Ask for the Laotian larb and sticky rice, not just the Thai standards. Small room; reserve at weekends.
Address: 5846 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Everyday Noodles is a squirrel hill room where a glass-walled team pleats soup dumplings by hand, a quiet draw away from the marquee restaurants.
Why locals love it: A Squirrel Hill room where a glass-walled team pleats soup dumplings by hand, a quiet draw away from the marquee restaurants.
Tip: Watch the dumpling team through the window. Order xiao long bao and hand-pulled noodles; expect a wait.
Kaibur Coffee in Pittsburgh: A quiet corner cafe on Polish Hill, up the hill from the Strip's crowds and known mostly to neighbourhood regulars.
Why locals love it: A quiet corner cafe on Polish Hill, up the hill from the Strip's crowds and known mostly to neighbourhood regulars.
Tip: A calm spot for coffee and pastries away from the tourist routes. Pair it with a Polish Hill walk.
Everyday Noodles is a squirrel hill room where a glass-walled team pleats soup dumplings by hand, a quiet draw away from the marquee restaurants.
Why locals love it: A Squirrel Hill room where a glass-walled team pleats soup dumplings by hand, a quiet draw away from the marquee restaurants.
Tip: Watch the dumpling team through the window. Order xiao long bao and hand-pulled noodles; expect a wait.
Max's Allegheny Tavern is a century-old german tavern tucked in deutschtown that survives the north side's changes, off most visitors' radar.
Why locals love it: A century-old German tavern tucked in Deutschtown that survives the North Side's changes, off most visitors' radar.
Tip: Order schnitzel or sauerbraten with a German beer. A nod to the North Side's German immigrant roots.
Scratch Food + Beverage is a community-minded cafe and restaurant up on troy hill, a steep north side neighbourhood that few food visitors reach.
Why locals love it: A community-minded cafe and restaurant up on Troy Hill, a steep North Side neighbourhood that few food visitors reach.
Tip: Go for coffee by day or a seasonal dinner by night. The Troy Hill setting is half the appeal.
Refucilo Winery in Pittsburgh: An Argentine-rooted winery tasting room on the North Side that few realise makes Malbecs with a family link to Mendoza.
Why locals love it: An Argentine-rooted winery tasting room on the North Side that few realise makes Malbecs with a family link to Mendoza.
Tip: Try the Malbec in the tasting room. A low-key alternative to the city's beer-heavy drinking scene.
Gus and Yiayia's Ice Balls is a summer-only, cash-only ice-ball cart on the north side that has run since 1934 and only locals seem to know.
Why locals love it: A summer-only, cash-only ice-ball cart on the North Side that has run since 1934 and only locals seem to know.
Tip: Bring small bills; it is cash only and summer only. A few dollars buys a shaved-ice ball and popcorn.
