The Vandal is a contemporary american restaurant in Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh.
The Vandal in Lawrenceville serves a tight seasonal menu and a five-seat wine bar in Pittsburgh. A small room the Post-Gazette named one of the city's best.
Signature dishes: Seasonal small plates, House bread
Must order: The bread service and whatever the kitchen is running off the daily market board.
Tip: The dining room and the five-seat wine bar take different bookings. Reserve ahead on Resy for weekends.
Address: 4306 Butler St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Chengdu Gourmet in Squirrel Hill serves chef Wei Zhu's Sichuan cooking in Pittsburgh. A James Beard nominee with a separate, fierier Sichuan-specialties menu.
Signature: Mapo tofu, Dan dan noodles
Order: Order off the Sichuan menu: mapo tofu, dan dan noodles and whatever is dressed in chili oil.
Tip: Ask for the Sichuan menu, not the standard American-Chinese one. Cash and card both fine; expect a wait at peak.
Altius on Grandview Avenue holds the postcard skyline view from Mount Washington in Pittsburgh. Contemporary American cooking above the three rivers.
Signature: Tasting menu, Seasonal mains
Order: Book a window table at dusk and let the kitchen run the seasonal tasting.
Tip: The skyline window seats book first; ask when reserving. Jackets not required but the room runs smart.
Casbah in Shadyside serves Mediterranean wood-grilled cooking in Pittsburgh. A long-running big Burrito Group room with a serious wine list.
Signature: Wood-grilled mains, Mezze
Order: Mezze to start and whatever is on the wood grill, paired off the by-the-glass list.
Tip: The patio is the seat in warm weather. Reserve ahead; Shadyside fills on weekend evenings.
Balvanera in the Strip District serves Argentine asado in Pittsburgh. Chef Fernando Navas runs the wood-fired grill in a converted 1920s terminal warehouse.
Signature: Grilled steak, Empanadas
Order: Empanadas to start, then a grilled cut with chimichurri and a Malbec.
Tip: The dining room takes reservations; the bar and bodega area are first-come walk-ins. Parking lots sit behind the Terminal.
Dish Osteria on the South Side serves Sicilian-leaning Italian in Pittsburgh. A small candlelit room locals have booked for special nights since 2000.
Signature: Sicilian pasta, Seafood
Order: A seafood pasta and whatever Sicilian special the kitchen is running that night.
Tip: Dinner only, no lunch. The room is small and books up; reserve ahead for weekends.
Duo's Taqueria on Penn Avenue in East Liberty serves house-pressed tortillas and tacos in Pittsburgh. A bright room the city ranks among its best taquerias.
Signature: Tacos, Salsas
Order: A spread of tacos across the meat list and an order of the house salsas.
Tip: Casual and quick; good for groups. The patio is the seat when the weather holds.
