This osteria and bar has some of the best parts of southern Italy under one roof: plates of wild shrimp coated in Calabrian chilis, heaping portions of gnocchi in duck ragu, and a long list of especially good Sicilian wine. In addition to all that, it’s a date night or special occasion go-to where you can linger with a lambrusco spritz at one of the red mahogany tables that are lit by sultry candlelight. Always make a reservation, because the best seats here are hard to come by.

This Lawrenceville spot is a must if you enjoy housemade charcuterie, wine and sherry from Valencia, and a vibe that’s similar to Spanish tavernas—wooden boards cover the walls and haunches of jamón serrano dangle above the bar. Go heavy on small plates like tender oxtail montaditos with a creamy mahón cheese, some charred octopus with habanada pepper zhug, and a foie gras and chicken liver mousse that’s nicely balanced with some sour cherries and a pistachio crunch.

This restaurant moved to the Cultural District a few years ago, and lines have been out the door ever since. They do perfectly cooked wood-fired proteins served with a crunchy char and equally impressive sides and sauces, like roasted acorn squash with garlic-sage croutons and bright chimichurri. The flap steak has become our go-to, but if it’s your first time here, go big and order their signature Parrillada Mixta platter to sample as many meats as possible.

So yes, Pittsburgh is a total meat town, but one of the refreshing restaurant trends is how many more excellent vegan places have opened. The best of them by far is Apteka, a sit-down spot in Bloomfield serving plant-based spins on Central and Eastern European dishes. Start with a bowl of celeriac soup with layers of crispy buckwheat, some tender stuffed cabbage with mushrooms and preserved tomato, and always get one (or more) orders of potato pierogi that are served with a light czarna salsa.

Gi-Jin is all about the trifecta of sashimi, handrolls, and gin. They’ve figured out how to make fatty toro even more delicious by serving it with citrusy yuzu salt, scallion, and wasabi. The handrolls are excellent and just unexpected enough (see: either the beef tartare with pickled shiitakes or hamachi with pomegranate jam). And the gin list, which is categorized by style, will teach you about the difference between juniper-forward London pours and modern bottles that mix spice and citrus.

Chengdu Gourmet is our preferred group meeting spot, where we abandon our meal prep plans and go all out for family-style Sichuan dishes. They do great pan-fried dumplings and scallion pancakes, but the dishes from China’s Chengdu region are the ones to prioritize. Go for the minced pork-loaded dan dan noodles and crispy cucumbers with a garlicky dressing. Also good are the fragrant Xinjiang-style cumin beef with onions and red peppers and a side of Chinese eggplant in garlic sauce.

There's nothing like a Sunday brunch at 40 North in Alphabet City to help delay the Sunday scaries. But this isn’t just your regular stop—it’s one of the more unique brunches in Pittsburgh, since the dining room is in a bookstore called City of Asylum. That means you can eat things like spätzle with poached eggs as you listen to readings by authors you might recognize from BookTok, or have a brunch date of huevos rancheros with braised lamb before browsing the shelves for some new fiction.

Whenever we’re in a meeting and hear somebody say, "everyone can have a piece of the pie," we think about Lorelei. That’s because it's one of the best group dinner spots in the city. Enjoy thin, crispy, 14-inch Neapolitan-style pies like cacio e pepe, spicy pepperoni with homemade hot honey and pickled jalapeños, and weekly specials like Pennsylvania mushrooms and squash. The space is a giant beer hall where glasses overflow with kölsch, Italian pilsners, and a Franconian-style pale smoke lager.

While the music here is the main attraction, the food isn’t an afterthought. Try dishes like za’atar-dusted sourdough wheat focaccia, Peruvian red pepper-covered and mushroom-loaded lo mein, and kimchi fried rice with pork belly burnt ends. Check their website if you want to see the full music calendar, but it’s also fun to show up without context and see if tonight is going to be a jam session led by a legendary sax player or a vocalist belting out a lovely rendition of “Fly Me To The Moon.”

You know those rare spots that are good for date night, a solo dinner, a weeknight Happy Hour, and everything in between? That’s The Vandal, a wine bar in Lawrenceville. The space has a simple bistro aesthetic, and they do a constantly rotating menu featuring peak Pennsylvania ingredients. There’s a cheese plate curated by Chantal’s in Bloomfield, pork chops with grilled escarole, thomcord grapes, and mustard vinaigrette, and seared duck breast served with beets, walnuts, and preserved plum.