S&D Polish Deli is a restaurant in Strip District, Pittsburgh.
Why locals love it: A Polish deli, grocery and pierogi counter on the Strip that gets overshadowed by the bigger Italian market names.
Tip: Buy a dozen pierogi to go and a kielbasa. Ask about the monthly pierogi-making class if you want to learn.
Address: 2204 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Why locals love it: A Mexican grocery and back taqueria on the Strip making its own tortillas, a quiet local pick amid the produce stalls.
Tip: Grab tacos at the back counter and a stack of fresh tortillas to take home. Cheap and authentic.
Why locals love it: A Mexican grocery and back taqueria on the Strip making its own tortillas, a quiet local pick amid the produce stalls.
Tip: Grab tacos at the back counter and a stack of fresh tortillas to take home. Cheap and authentic.
Why locals love it: A Belgian corner cafe near Frick Park in Point Breeze, a residential pocket most food visitors never reach.
Tip: No reservations; put your name in and wait. Moules frites and a Belgian ale on the corner patio.
Why locals love it: A serious French bakery on a quiet Wilkinsburg corner near Regent Square, away from the better-known Lawrenceville patisseries.
Tip: Go early for croissants and kouign-amann before they sell out. The namesake madeleines are the buy.
Why locals love it: A plain BYOB room on Penn Avenue in Bloomfield that locals quietly call the city's best Vietnamese, while tourists walk past it.
Tip: Bring your own beer and cash. The pho and bun are the order; the room is small, so go early.
Why locals love it: A Polish Hill dive above the Strip that serves cheap pierogi and punk shows; off the tourist map and proudly cash-only.
Tip: Cash only, loud and late. Go for the pierogi, the cheap drinks and a band if one is playing.
Why locals love it: Hand-made pierogi out of a former gas station in McKees Rocks, run by a Polish-born owner; few visitors make the short drive.
Tip: Order a mixed dozen to take home, or eat the boiled-and-fried ones at the counter. Worth the drive.
