Labad's Mediterranean Cafe and Grocery is a tiny mediterranean cafe and grocery on the quieter end of the strip, easy to miss between the bigger market names.
Editorially verified May 28, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Why locals love it: A tiny Mediterranean cafe and grocery on the quieter end of the Strip, easy to miss between the bigger market names.
Tip: Eat a gyro at the counter, then buy olives and spices to take home. Locals rate the baba ghanoush.
Address: 1727 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Kiin Lao & Thai Eatery is a small squirrel hill room serving laotian dishes most pittsburgh menus skip, hiding behind a more familiar thai list.
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.
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.
