I’m going to have a night in both cleveland and pittsburgh. Nothing too fancy. Looking for high quality cooking. Looking for more honest food if you know what I mean. Some place where we cn sit at the bar preferable .
Any suggestions ? Also any hints towards local street food. Like our Chicago beef kind of thing.
Pittsburgh:
Fet Fisk in Bloomfield, https://www.fetfisk.net
We have only walked in around 5PM, reservations book up.
Morcilla in Lawrenceville is good. Not sure about how far in advance you need to reserve. Also, has a bar for walk in. https://morcillapittsburgh.com
We like The Vandal also in Lawrenceville. Small bar though and not really a place to walk in.
Apteka is vegetarian About | Apteka in Bloomfield. Walk-in only for two.
You can pay corkage at all these places but check first.
Good Thai at Pusadee’s Garden in Upper Lawrenceville. You can walk into the bar, but no corkage.
@MChang should have some other recommendations. Also, let us know about where you are staying if you don’t want to travel.
One of my favorites. So good.
No street food in Pittsburgh that I’ve found in 14 years here. Avoid Primanti’s and sandwiches in general.
The only street food I can think of
Get it on a hard roll.
Abbie mentioned Cordelia which I’d agree with they also have a sister restaurant that’s more casual (not that Cordelia isn’t)
For,something different
thanks for the reccos. I thought Primanti’s was the shit.
I was looking at Cordelia also but found Rosy intriguing . I love wild fire cooking. No menu though ? Cool.
do not skip the larder! around the corner is patron saint, an all day cafe type spot which also has a small wine list which is priced at retail. for pizza, cent’s is great.
here is the dry aged local pork chop with charred peach chutney from the larder a few weeks ago:
a super dish for $20 
It can change often or right in front of you. Check out their Insta for a glimpse.
My rank would be lunch Larder, dinner Cordelia/Rosy depending on if you want more traditional dining experience or not. Breakfast Rowley Inn (or if you just want to grab a sandwich maybe Martha on the Fly…only 6 bar seats and some window). Or West Side Market Cafe if you want to see the action in the market for a bit.
thanks again to everyone.
I would try to get into Lilith, but it may be difficult on short notice.
If you want a quintessential Pittsburgh sandwich I would consider getting the turkey Devonshire at union grill.
Keto option?
I’m sure you could just not eat the bread.
They have a Keto option per the website
I second the Cordelia recommendation
Rosy just named in the NYT as one of their favorite 50 restaurants in America. Not bad for CLE.
It definitely is more akin (modern vibe) to something you would find at one of the big coastal cities.
Titusz for Pittsburgh.
Meh that place is the definition of mid.
Based on their one selection here, it may be the 50 “buzziest” recent restaurants rather than quality (though not mutually exclusive).
I would think there has to be a certain level of quality to be included. Buzz seems like it can be part of the equation too and apparently only can be on the list once.
That said it’s certainly not the 50 Best List.
Here is their statement about it.
—-
A restaurant can be a place like any other — tables, chairs, staff, food. But a great restaurant is a place like no other.
It could be the way the room embraces you as you linger with friends. It could be an eye-opening flavor combination. Curry leaf butter on warm cornbread? Genius. Or maybe you just had no idea a roast chicken could be so memorable. But you know it when you feel it. And we do, too.
For the 2026 list of our 50 favorite restaurants in the United States, the scouting team was bigger than ever. As the 16 of us traveled the country, we ate in all kinds of places, from small-town Wisconsin to downtown Manhattan.
Our picks aren’t ranked, and if a restaurant was on a previous year’s list, you won’t see it here. Many have opened since we finished reporting last year’s list (they’re marked “new”). Some are just weeks old, already great but very much still becoming themselves. Others are decades old, and perfectly seasoned. We try to experience them the same way you do. We brave the reservation apps, we stand in the lines, we walk in unannounced. We pay for all of our food, and we don’t accept freebies.
Most importantly, we’re looking for that feeling. In these 50 places, we found it.
Ok back from my trip let weekend. First some general comments. Went to the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and Rock and Roll HOF in Cleveland. Enjoyed both immensely . I particularly love Warhol so to be able to see all the originals in one setting was special. I k now not everyone gets Warhol but he’s always spoken to me.
In Pittsburgh Are at Fig and Ash. Sat at the bar and found the service friendly and efficient. Great recommendations. Food was delicious and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Ib Cleveland I went to Rosy. Again sat at the bar. Spoke with the line cooks, chef and service staff. All were very nice and again gave great recommendations. One of the cooks just moved back from Chicago so we had a nice chat about that. Couldn’t have asked for a better night. Love to see these kinds of smaller places still going. Reminds me of Chicago in the 80’s and 90’s before we turned into a town of palaces.
I’ll also comment that both cities gave me such a warm and fuzzy feeling. I could easily move into either town. Much more manageable and has a small town feel with the benefits of choice that a city gives you.
Awesome !
