Jim & Lady D's Favorite Restaurants in Pittsburgh

Here's our own list of Pittsburgh's Top Ten dining places. But first, a background on our eating "quirks": We TRY to stick to a low-fat diet: we go for grilled, broiled or baked (preferably using olive oil instead of artery-clogging butter!). We LOVE seafood: Jim's a salmon connoisseur and easy to please with shrimp; Lady D simply goes ga-ga over squid! But basically, any seafood is a treat.

1. Hyeholde

Castle setting, very Gothic, romantic atmosphere, and the food is outstanding. The organic salad with the house dressing is awesome! Denden ordered ostrich on one occasion. We don't know if the bird is a staple of the restaurant or if it just ran in to honor her birthday. In any case, it was delicious. $$$$

2. LaForêt

This French restaurant in the Highland Park area is a true paradise for lovers of fine gourmet cuisine. We each enjoyed the five-course Menu Gourmand, without thinking much about what the selections would be. Only after each selection did we ask our hospitable and patient waiter, "what was that delicious course?". We were served foie gras with grilled mango to start things off. This was the least favorite of the courses. It was just too much for openers. Then we were treated to thinly sliced lamb carpaccio served chilled. This was a true delight and, as we later discovered, was RAW. The sea scallops with new potato topped with caviar may been the highlight of the meal. Picture two of the largest scallops imaginable, succulently melting in your mouth, and you'll get the idea! Not to be outdone, we were then served yet another course, roast veal tenderloins with fried sweet potatoes. To appreciate this, simploy know that I generally dislike veal. But this veal was so tender and mouth-watering that I am now, in fact, a veal lover...at least when it's prepared as well as this! The topper was the dessert medley which featured a dessert trio to die for. At $55 per person, take along your credit card. $$$$

3. Pittsburgh Fish Market

The WHOLE catfish in black bean sauce was absolutely magnifico! $$$

4. Casbah

Savor the spicy seafood risotto and enjoy the salmon. $$$

5. Le Pommier

There is so much to recommend in this French restaurant. From the charming and quiet atmosphere, to the excellent service, to the delicious food so well presented. You can't ask for more. For dessert, try the fruit. Fresh blueberries, peaches, mangoes, etc... are presented with a tasty sampling of sherbet and pastry. $$$

6. Monterey Bay Fish Grotto

The restaurant with an awesome view of the city (on Mt. Washington). Very few skylines are as pretty, and it helps that the food is sooo good. $$$

7. Steelhead Grille

A wide assortment of fresh fish. If you like seafood, you'll never go wrong with this one. $$$

8. Kiku

The best Japanese restaurant in the city, located at Station Square. Try the shabu-shabu. It is dinner for at least two persons of very thinly-sliced beef, veggies, tofu and noodles. The waitress brings the raw food to the table and you cook it yourself in a vat of boiling broth. So good that our mouths are watering just thinking of it. Lunch here's good too! $$$

9. The Carlton

Excellent food in the heart of the city. The salmon is THE best. A good place to go before seeing a show in the city, even if the limo ride is unromantic (2 or 3 couples per limo) and somewhat reckless (speeding through signs, etc). $$$$

10. Baum Vivant

We were really impressed by the food at this Bloomfield restaurant. Jimbo had the Dover Sole which was exceptional while Denden heartily gobbled up her rack of lamb. The only problem is lack of privacy. You're seated so close to other guests that they effectively become part of your dinner party. $$$1/2

H o n o r a b l e     M e n t i o n

Ashley's

Located at Tara's, a beautiful country inn near Sharon, PA, this restaurant features an almost indescribably good seven-course gourmet meal that would easily make our top 10 list were it not so far away (about 90 miles from Pittsburgh). The menu changes seasonally. Formal dining at its best, well-prepared food in a most romantic setting, hand-painted wall murals, piano-playing. All of this spells a unique, outstanding and unforgettable experience. We also recommend the full course breakfast. $$$$$ (off our scale!)

Cafe Allegro

If you like squid, this place offers the best appetizer in the city. Also, the restaurant is generally considered to be the best in Pittsburgh by the "experts". $$$

Grand Concourse

We enjoyed Valentines Day dinner at this fine restaurant. The service is unmatched but the food, while excellent, was not quite as good as some of the finer places listed above (the squid not as good as Cafe Allegro's; the salmon not as good as The Carlton's; the atmosphere not as impressive as Hyeholde's). $$$

Wright's Seafood

This restaurant is slightly more out of the way (Heidelberg) but it is worth the drive. We recommend the stuffed shrimp.$$1/2

Bravo

This is not exclusively in Pittsburgh. In any case, we could go to this Northern Italian restaurant if only for the appetizers, which are HUGE! Denden likes the portobello mushrooms and especially the flatbread. Save room for the main course though. It's well worth it. $$

La Filipiniana

Not just because Denden is a Filipino and this happens to be the only Filipino restaurant but because the food is excellent, the owner Teody infuses healthy cooking and the price is right. You feel at home when you eat here. Jim likes the sampler. $$

Stonecrab Inn

Great atmosphere and seafood, but it's more out of the way if you're staying in Pittsburgh (about a 40-minute drive). $$1/2

Tram's Kitchen

It's somewhat surprising how good this tiny Vietnamese restaurant is. We started with a serving of tasty tofu, unlike any we've tried. For the main course, we ordered two shrimp selections: spicy shrimp and shrimp with vermicelli and veggies. The owner delightfully showed us how to wrap the shrimp and other ingredients inside a lettuce leaf. The end result was delicious. Authentic and highly recommended. $$

Last updated on 30May00