Best African Food
Tana Ethiopian
5929 Baum Blvd., Eat Liberty.
tanaethiopiancuisine.com
Who needs forks when you have injera bread? As the lone outpost for Ethiopian cuisine, Tana has a special place in Pittsburgh. For the uninitiated, Ethiopian food is usually served on large, family-style platters atop what is essentially a massive pancake. This injera bread is moist and delicious, turning every little fingerful of tibs or doro wat into a savory dumpling. Whether you’re a vegetarian or want to go all-in on a meat sampler, Tana provides a convivial setting for fine finger food. Add to that some refreshing St. George’s lager or a glass of Ethiopian honey wine and you’ve got yourself a great East Liberty date night.
-Colin Williams
2nd: African Eats Cuisine
3rd: Essence
Best Arepa
Arepittas
428 Cherry Way, Downtown.
arepittas.com
2nd: Cilantro y Ajo
3rd: Colombian Spot
Best Bagel
Pigeon Bagels
5613 Hobart St., Squirrel Hill.
pigeonbagels.com
2nd: Three Brothers
3rd: Burgh’s Bagels
Best Bakery
La Gourmandine
Various locations.
lagourmandinebakery.com
2nd: Oakmont Bakery
3rd: Bethel Bakery
Best Bar Food
Bigham Tavern
321 Bigham St., Mt. Washington.
bighamtavern.com
2nd: Kelly’s Bar and Lounge
3rd: Big Jim’s
Best Barista
Mark Phillips at Carnegie Coffee Company
132 E. Main St., Carnegie.
instagram.com/carnegiecoffeecompany
2nd: Grim Wizard Coffee Staff
3rd: Katrina at Bellevue Beans
Best BBQ
Mission BBQ
Multiple locations.
mission-bbq.com
2nd: Walter’s BBQ
3rd: Showcase BBQ
Best Bread
Mancini’s Bakery
601 Woodward Ave., McKees Rocks.
mancinisbakery.com
2nd: Mediterra
3rd: Breadworks
Best Brewery
Grist House
10 E. Sherman St., Millvale.
gristhouse.com
2nd: Lincoln Avenue Brewery
3rd: Hitchhiker
Best Brunch
Pamela’s P&G Diner
Multiple locations.
pamelasdiner.com
2nd: The Grand Concourse
3rd: Speckled Egg
Best Bubble Tea
Tsaocaa
Multiple locations.
tsaocaapa.com
2nd: Fuku Tea
3rd: Bae Bae's Kitchen
Best Burger
Moonlit Burgers
Multiple locations.
moonlitburgers.com
2nd: Tessaro’s
3rd: Burgatory
Best Butcher
Strip District Meats
2123 Penn Ave., Strip District.
stripdistrictmeats.com
2nd: Tom Friday’s
3rd: Fat Butcher
Best Candy Store
Sarris
511 Adams Ave., Canonsburg.
sarriscandies.com
2nd: Grandpa Joe’s
3rd: S&S Candy & Cigar
Best Caribbean Restaurant
Kaya
2000 Smallman St., Strip District.
kaya.menu
2nd: Leon’s
3rd: ShadoBeni
Best Caterer
Just in Thyme
Catering & Events
5316 William Flynn Hwy., Gibsonia.
jitcatering.com/catering
2nd: Black Radish
3rd: Mona Lisa Catering
Best Cheesemonger
Chantal’s
4402 Penn Ave., Bloomfield.
chantalscheese.com
2nd: The Cheese Queen
3rd: Nosh and Curd
Best Chef
Dave Anoia - DiAnoia’s Eatery
2549 Penn Ave., Strip District.
dianoiaseatery.com
2nd: Jamilka Borges (Lilith)
3rd: Chef Chuck Lash (Over Eden)
Best Chinese Restaurant
Sesame Inn
704 Washington Rd., Mt. Lebanon.
sesameinn.com
2nd: Chengdu Gourmet
3rd: Chinatown Inn
Best Cider
Arsenal Cider House
Multiple locations.
arsenalciderhouse.com
2nd: Soergel Orchards
3rd: Threadbare Cider
Best Coffee Shop
Carnegie Coffee Co
132 E. Main St., Carnegie.
instagram.com/carnegiecoffeecompany
2nd: Commonplace Coffee
3rd: Bean Thru
Best Craft Cocktails
Hidden Harbor
1708 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill.
hiddenharborpgh.com
2nd: Bar Botanico
3rd: The Summit
Best CSA
Freedom Farms
795 Pittsburgh Rd. Butler.
freedomfarmspa.com
2nd: Harvie
3rd: Who Cooks For You
Best Deli
Pennsylvania Macaroni Co.
2010-12 Penn Ave., Strip District.
pennmac.com
2nd: Carson Street Deli
3rd: Smallman Street Deli
Best Deli Fried Chicken
Wagner’s Market
4978 Middle Rd., Gibsonia.
wagnersmarket.com
Shopping at Wagner’s is the epitome of shopping local. This small, family-owned market has been serving the Gibsonia area for decades, offering local produce and other locally sourced products and butchering meats in-house. And, sometime within their 90-plus-year history, they perfected their fried chicken recipe.
If you can find it, tucked behind dense green trees on a winding road up in the ‘burbs, you’ll discover that this hideaway is putting out some damn fine fried chicken. It’s juicy, it’s crunchy, and the crust is perfectly seasoned. Party planners should order at least a week ahead of time by phone to make sure there’s enough chicken for everyone. Or, if you’re having a sudden fried chicken craving for one, stop in, make sure you get the broccoli salad to go with it, pop down in front of the TV, and enjoy. -Stacy Rounds
Best Dessert Menu
Page’s Dairy Mart
4112 E. Carson St., South Side.
pagedairymart.net
2nd: Butterwood Consortium
3rd: Lilith
Best Diner
Pamela’s P&G Diner
Multiple locations. pamelasdiner.com
2nd: Kelly Os
3rd: Ritter's Diner
Best Distillery
Wigle Whiskey
Multiple locations. wiglewhiskey.com
2nd: Maggie’s Farm
3rd: McLaughlins
Best Dog Friendly Restaurant
Redfin Blues
100 Waterfront Dr., Washington’s Landing.
redfinblues.com
2nd: Getaway Bar and Grill
3rd: Pub in the Park
Best Donuts
Oram’s
1406 Seventh Ave., Beaver Falls.
orams.com
2nd: Oakmont Bakery
3rd: Better-Maid
Best Farmer’s Market
Bloomfield Saturday market
5050 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield.
bloomfieldpgh.org/bloomfield-saturday-market
2nd: Bellevue
3rd: Market Square
Best Food Festival
Picklesburgh
picklesburgh.com
2nd: St Nick’s Greek Food Festival (Oakland)
3rd: VegFest
Best Food Relief Effort
412 Food Rescue
412foodrescue.org
2nd: Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank
3rd: Light of Life Rescue Mission
Best Food Truck
Hibachi Lou’s
instagram.com/hibachilou412
2nd: Blue Sparrow
3rd: The Boonseek
Best Fried Chicken
Bird on the Run
Multiple locations.
birdontherun.com
2nd: Coop De Ville
3rd: Frisch’s
Best Fries
Potato Patch
4800 Kennywood Blvd., West Mifflin.
kennywood.com
2nd: Mike & Tony’s Gyros
3rd: Park Bruges
Best Gluten-Free Options
Mullett’s
297 Beverly Rd. Mt. Lebanon.
mullettsmtlebo.com
2nd: Wild Rise Bakery
3rd: Baked True North
Best Greek Restaurant
Anthos
3803 Willow Ave., Castle Shannon.
anthosfoods.com
2nd: Aladdin's Eatery
3rd: Amel’s
Best Gyro
Mike & Tony’s
Multiple locations.
mikeandtonysgyros.com
2nd: Gali’s
3rd: EVIA Greek
Best Happy Hour
Mad Mex
Multiple locations.
madmex.com
2nd: Urban Tap
3rd: Hysyde Lounge
Best Hoagie
Peppi’s
Multiple locations.
peppisubs.com
2nd: Triangle Bar & Grill
3rd: Spak Bros
Best Hot Dog
D’s Six Pax n Dogz
Multiple locations.
ds6pax.com
2nd: Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe
3rd: Pittsburgh Street Dogs
Best Ice Cream
Page’s Dairy Mart
4112 E. Carson St., South Side.
pagedairymart.net
2nd: Millie’s
3rd: Scoops
Best Indian Restaurant
Peoples Indian
5147 Penn Ave. #1, Garfield.
peoplesindianpa.com
2nd: Taj Mahal Pittsburgh
3rd: Taste of India
Best Italian Restaurant
DiAnoia’s Eatery
2549 Penn Ave., Strip District.
dianoiaseatery.com
2nd: Alla Familia
3rd: Dish Osteria
Best Japanese Restaurant
Umami
202 38th St., Lawrenceville.
umamipgh.com
2nd: Little Tokyo
3rd: Ichiban
Best Juice
Pittsburgh Juice Company
3418 Penn Ave., Lawrenceville.
pittsburghjuicecompany.com
2nd: 1:11 Juice Bar
3rd: Live Fresh
Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant
Federal Galley
200 Children’s Way, North Side.
federalgalley.org
2nd: Caliente
3rd: D’s Six Pax and Dogz
Best Korean Restaurant
Bae Bae’s Kitchen
951 Liberty Ave.,
baebaes.kitchen
2nd: Soju
3rd: Golden Pig
Best Latin Restaurant
Arepittas
428 Cherry Way, Downtown.
arepittas.com
2nd: Cilantro y Ajo
3rd: Secretos de Mis Abuelos
Best Margarita
Round Corner Cantina /Esquina Cantina
3720 Butler St., Lawrenceville.
iluvcantina.com
2nd: Tepache Mexican Kitchen & Bar
3rd: Franklin Inn
Best Mexican Restaurant
Totopo
660 Washington Rd., Mt Lebanon.
totopomex.com
2nd: El Campesino
3rd: Condado
Best Middle-Eastern Restaurant
Salem’s
Multiple locations.
salemsmarketgrill.com
2nd: Aladdin’s
3rd: Pitaland
Best Milkshake
Milkshake Factory
Multiple locations.
milkshakefactory.com
2nd: Page’s
3rd: Burgatory
Best Mocktails
Goodlander Cocktail Brewery
6614 Hamilton Ave., Larimer.
goodlandercocktails.com
2nd: The Commoner
3rd: Lawrence Hall
Best New Restaurant
Lilith
238 Spahr St., Shadyside.
lilithpgh.com
2nd: FET-FISK
3rd: Brick n' Mortar
Best Outdoor Dining
Narcisi Winery
4578 Gibsonia Rd., Gibsonia.
narcisiwinery.com
2nd: The Porch
3rd: Nicky’s Thai (North Side)
Best Pierogies
Pierogies Plus
342 Island Ave., McKees Rocks.
pierogiesplus.com
2nd: Apteka
3rd: Cop Out
Best Pizza
Fiori’s Pizzaria
103 Capital Ave., West Liberty.
fiorispizzaria.com
2nd: Mineo’s
3rd: Iron Born
Best Place to Drink Cheap
At home
2nd: Squirrel Hill Cafe
3rd: Jack’s
Best Place to Drink Fancy
Bridges and Bourbon
930 Penn Ave., Downtown.
bridgesandbourbonpgh.com
2nd: Mullett’s
3rd: Love, Katie Distilling
Best Place to Drink Outside
Coughlins
Multiple locations.
eatatcoughlinslaw.com
2nd: Hitchhiker Brewery (Mt. Lebanon)
3rd: Abbey
Best Place to Eat Cheap
Big Jim’s in the Run
201 Saline St., Greenfield.
bigjimsrestaurant.com
A core memory of my yinzer childhood is sitting in Big Jim’s nearly every Friday, eating provolone sticks for dinner and staring at the wall. Well, not the wall, exactly; I was mesmerized by a bizarre, glowing, electronic piece of technicolor landscape artwork that hung in the dining room and scrolled by on a loop. Last I checked, that contraption is gone, but the vibe, stellar food, and low, low prices are as reliable as ever at Big Jim’s in the Run. Order something Italian, order something fried, order something fried and Italian. Whatever it is, you won’t be sorry, and your wallet won’t feel much of a hit.
-Ali Trachta
2nd: Ritter’s
3rd: Bob's Diner
Best Place to Eat Fancy
Alla Famiglia
804 E. Warrington Ave., Allentown.
allafamiglia.com
2nd: Fig & Ash
3rd: Meat and Potatoes
Best Poke Bowl
JJ Poke
110 Atwood St., Oakland.
jjpoke.com
2nd: Slippery Mermaid (Sewickley)
3rd: Kahuna
Best Polish Restaurant
Apteka
4606 Penn Ave., Bloomfield.
aptekapgh.com
2nd: S&D Polish Deli
3rd: Cupka
Best Ramen
Ramen Bar
5860 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill.
ramenbarpittsburgh.com
2nd: Fujiya Ramen
3rd: Everyday Noodles
Best Restaurant Beer List
The Urban Tap
Multiple locations. theurbantap.com
2nd: Industry Public House
3rd: The Getaway Bar and Grill
Best Romantic Restaurant
Pusadee’s Garden
5319 Butler St., Lawrenceville. pusadeesgarden.com
Pusadee’s is now in the third phase of its Pokémon-style evolution. While this Upper Lawrenceville staple started out as a humble BYOB Thai spot perfect for thrifty couples, it quickly became beloved for its titular garden, a bountiful oasis along a once-sleepy stretch of Butler. Soon, Pusadee’s had a liquor license and a long wait list — and then it closed for over a year, re-emerging as a palatial restaurant with reconfigured garden seating. The lush plantings, sleek interior, and a menu of elevated Thai staples and bespoke cocktails make this the ultimate Pittsburgh date spot for romantic al fresco and indoor dining. If you’re thinking of proposing here, just make sure to get a reservation at least a few weeks in advance. -Colin Williams
2nd: Monterey Bay
3rd: The Hyeholde
Best Seafood
Off the Hook
908 Warrendale Village Dr., Warrendale.
offthehookfish.com
2nd: Luke Wholey’s Wild Alaskan Grille
3rd: Roland’s
Best Smoothies
Smoothie King
Multiple locations.
smoothieking.com
2nd: Tropical Smoothie
3rd: Aruba Island Bowls
Best Soul Food
Carmi Soul Food
1219 Federal St., North Side.
carmirestaurant.com
2nd: Showcase BBQ
3rd: Cuddy’s at Lawrence Hall
Best Soup
Eat’n Park
Multiple locations.
eatnpark.com
2nd: Zuppas Deli
3rd: Everyday Noodle
Best Steak
Gaucho
146 Sixth St., Downtown.
eatgaucho.com
2nd: Hyde Park
3rd: Eddie V’s
Best Taco
Condado
Multiple locations.
condadotacos.com
2nd: Las Palmas
3rd: Duo’s Taqueria
Best Tea Shop
Dobra
1937 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill.
dobrateapgh.com
2nd: Bantha Tea Bar
3rd: Allegheny Coffee & Tea Exchange
Best Thai Restaurant
Nicky’s Thai Kitchen
Multiple locations.
nickysthaikitchen.com
2nd: Noodlehead
3rd: Dancing Crab Thai
Best Vegan Options
Onion Maiden
639 E. Warrington Ave., Allentown.
onionmaiden.com
2nd: Veggies N’at
3rd: Hello Bistro
Best Vegetarian Options
Spak Bros.
5107 Penn Ave., Garfield.
spakbrothers.com
What can a grateful vegetarian say about Spak that has not already been expressed? In a town where meat has a chokehold on most restaurants and bars, this Garfield spot has given vegans and vegetarians a place to satisfy their cravings for the pizza, wings, and hoagies that have long been unavailable to them. Rather than settle for a grilled veggie sandwich or cheese-less pizza, diners are treated to plant-based pepperoni, vegan cheese without the notoriously gluey texture, and, most importantly, dairy-free ranch in which to dip their crusts and perfectly fried-and-sauced seitan wings.
In a landscape of overpriced, fussy restaurants and lackluster fast food, Spak remains a consistently delicious, welcoming place for everyone across the dietary spectrum to gather and enjoy a slice. -Amanda Waltz
2nd: Mami’s Bakes
3rd: Nurture PGH
Best Vietnamese Restaurant
Tram’s Kitchen
4050 Penn Ave., Bloomfield.
2nd: Banh Mi & Ti
3rd: Pho Van
Best Wine List
Narcisi Winery
4578 Gibsonia Rd., Gibsonia.
narcisiwinery.com
2nd: Allegheny Wine Mixer
3rd: Mary’s Vine
Best Wings
Big Shot Bob’s
Multiple locations.
bigshotbobs.com
2nd: Sidelines
3rd: Salvatore's Pizza House
