April brought a fresh crop of Pittsburgh openings that feel like instant favorites.
This month’s restaurant roundup is pure serotonin: We’re talking chili dogs served with a side of dad jokes, midnight pastries made by a 20-year-old baking prodigy and tasting counters that double as dinner theater.
There’s dumpling action on overdrive (yes, Pittsburgh might be in its dim sum era), plus a sun-drenched all-day café with an actual peach tree, perfect for iced lattes and pretending it’s already summer.
Without further ado, let’s meet the new MVPs of your next meal. …
Openings
Dad’s Dog and Burger might be new, but it’s already serving up major nostalgia.
Opened earlier this month by Katelyn Bako, this diner-style spot in Bloomfield is a tribute to her father, Rick Bako — who along with her uncle, not only helped fully renovate the space but now works the register, does dishes, and, as Bako puts it, “is just being the best dad and employee I could ever ask for.”
“One of the things that makes Dad’s unique is that it’s not quite unique at all,” Bako says. “It’s familiar.”
Inspired by the mom-and-pop diners she’s always loved, Bako wanted to create “a quintessential gathering place where people with varying backgrounds can come together and eat a meal.” When she spotted a for-sale sign on a classic diner while helping friend Sarah Coppolo open Brothmonger last October, she “immediately knew I had to make it happen.”
The vibe stays true to its vintage roots: countertops, stools and menu boards intact, but the energy is fresh. Expect flat-top cheeseburgers with crispy edges, locally sourced hot dogs stacked with Brothmonger chili, hand-cut fries and thick milkshakes. No frills, just well-executed comfort food at neighborhood-friendly prices.
Another month, another must-try dumpling spot. We’re not mad about it.
Hong Kong Dim Sum brings the spirit of a Cantonese family-style tea house to Oakland. The bamboo steamers are stacked high here, serving up everything from rich soup dumplings to ooey-gooey custard buns to crispy-edged turnip cakes.
Beyond the dim sum, the menu dives into cold dishes like shredded kelp in sour chili sauce, hearty bowls of tonkotsu-based noodle soup and sizzling teppan-style fried rice with scallop and crabmeat. There are even durian puff pastries if you’re feeling bold. To drink: brown sugar bubble tea or a creme brûlée milk tea, ideal for cooling the palate before you start plotting your next visit.
One by Spork is Pittsburgh’s newest immersive tasting counter, hosting just 16 guests per night for a curated, one-menu experience in Garfield.
Seated around a circular chef’s counter with a front-row view of the open kitchen, guests are served a prix fixe meal that leans on classic French technique while embracing modernist tools and practices like dry-aging, fermentation and from-scratch cooking. Every element, from the bread to the butter, is made in-house.
The menu is shaped by the restaurant’s on-site garden, which supplies everything from microgreens and heirloom vegetables to ingredients used in housemade misos, garums and vinegars. Ingredients also come from trusted partners like Strip District Meats, Elysian Fields Farms, Samuels Seafood, Jurgielewicz Duck Farm, Toska Truffles and Churchview Farm.
Think a polished dinner party, with chefs plating courses directly and beverage pairings (spirited or N/A) crafted to match.
Millvale’s newest coffee roaster comes with a lifetime of stories and one hell of a brew.
Compass Coffee, opened earlier this month in the long-shuttered Steedle’s Ice Cream shop, is the passion project of Eric Hodos, a self-taught roaster whose love affair with coffee started at age 9 with a spoonful of Nescafé and a dream to drink coffee like his parents.
Hodos later brought French presses and jars of instant coffee on Army deployments and eventually roasted hundreds of pounds at home. The shop lives inside the former ice cream shop Hodos visited as a kid, bringing the story full circle.
“Coffee has long been a passion of mine,” Hodos says. “I’ve always dreamt about opening a coffee shop.” Now it’s finally here.
Who needs sleep when you’ve got pastelitos? Cozy Baked Goods is the latest addition to Pittsburgh’s late-night eats scene, and it’s baking with heart.
Founded by 20-year-old Leah Olivieri and co-owned by her mother, Sandra Suarez, this new bakery specializes in late-night pickups, operating from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.
The business began with a simple idea: food as comfort. “I love how food makes people feel,” says Olivieri. “If I didn’t know a gift for someone, I sure knew what to bake them that’d leave a smile on their face.”
The menu features cinnamon bun and chocolate coconut macarons, pastelitos de carne, empanadas and a delicate apple flower pastry. All baked from scratch. Many items are available gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, vegan or nut-free, inspired by Olivieri’s own family. “A diabetic grandfather who loves sweets truly promoted my desire to ensure my most sugary option, macarons, were fit to his dietary needs.” Midnight never tasted better!
Gibsonia just got a serious flavor upgrade. Santo Coyote brings modern gastronomía mexicana to the North Hills with a menu that riffs on tradition while keeping things fresh.
Expect birria tacos dripping with consommé, grilled octopus with smoky aioli and enchiladas drenched in housemade mole, alongside all the familiar favorites like nachos, burritos and sizzling fajita platters.
The vibe leans upscale but inviting: casual enough for taco night, elevated enough for date night and a much-needed dose of heat north of the city.
Happenstance Cafe is a new-ish addition on Penn Avenue that is perfect for patio weather.
This all-day spot serves breakfast tacos, pimento cheese BLTs, homemade soups and plenty of coffee, with a menu that feels equal parts thoughtful and homey.
But the real magic? Out back, there’s a peach tree in the garden that makes the perfect backdrop for sipping a matcha, flipping through a book or just digging into a breakfast burger in peace.
Closings
The upscale steakhouse quietly shuttered in mid-March. No formal announcement was made, and its downtown Pittsburgh location has since vanished from the company’s website.
After decades as a neighborhood staple, Michael’s called it quits in late March.
This historic destination, once a fine-dining fixture in Butler County, closed its doors in early March. The announcement marked the end of an era for the 19th-century establishment.
Temporarily shut down by the Allegheny County Health Department on March 28, the pizzeria was cited for severe violations, including sewage backup and pest control issues.
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