Pittsburgh has a plethora of fine dining options, from steak to seafood and beyond. However, fine dining has a new look, and no longer do you need to dress in your Sunday best and spend a fortune to experience delicious, high quality dishes.
The Vandal
The Vandal’s chic vibe is reminiscent of European cafes, and it has the menu to match. The restaurant is always changing its menu to keep up with the seasons, and they use high-end ingredients from local purveyors, along with fresh produce to craft an unique menu. With dishes like the foie blonde with grilled brioche and cherry agrodolce, the peach panzanella salad, gnochetti with spring peas, asparagus, and ramps, their menu is the epitome of farm to table. They make fine dining approachable. Another aspect of fine dining that The Vandal always nails is presentation. Their dishes are visually stunning and will have your phone eating first.
Dish Osteria
While Dish Osteria may look like just a small, neighborhood spot, this restaurant is one of Pittsburgh’s best. The menu doesn’t change often, as every dish has been crafted to perfection. A symbol of fine dining is being able to order anything off the menu and knowing it will be both beautiful and delicious every time. A few of their must try dishes are their pappardelle ai funghi (mushroom pasta), melanzane e mozzarella di bufala (grilled eggplant with buffalo mozzarella), and capesante al polline di finocchino (scallops with wild Tuscan pollen). Service is a key component to fine dining, and the front of house staff at Dish never fail to make a customer feel warm and welcomed. They’re endlessly personable and will always suggest the perfect wine.
Morcilla
Morcilla was ranked the fourth best restaurant in the U.S. by Bon Appetit in 2016, and while awards don’t mean everything, Morcilla has definitely earned theirs. Their food transports you to Spain upon first bite. I’d say that alone earns them the fine dining marker, but Morcilla doesn’t rest on its laurels. They have their own housemade charcuterie (courtesy of chef Justin Severino’s other venture—Salty Pork Bits), and they consistently deliver artfully crafted dishes like the oxtail montadito and the scallop crudo served with a peach verjus. The restaurant still has a waitlist for reservations even nine years after opening, and if that’s not the sign of a well-loved fine dining spot, I don’t know what is.
Della Terra
Della Terra’s stunning interior alone should be enough to convince anyone of its fine dining status. The high ceilings, moody paint on the walls, and stunning gold accents make for the perfect dining atmosphere. The restaurant mixes their menu up with seasonal selections but also keeps beloved items on it year-round. A few current specialties are the fried artichokes with cacio e pepe aioli (a dish that returns every year, and is a must try); peaches and cream (a toast with grilled peaches and parmesan foam); bucatini with zucchini and lemon; and rigatoni with speck, roasted corn, and basil. Another contributing factor to Della Terra’s fine-dining status is their artfully crafted cocktail menu that also changes with the seasons. Della Terra is a bit further out of the city in Zelienople, but it’s worth the drive.
Pusadee’s Garden
The fine dining experience begins at Pusadee’s Garden the moment you set foot through the door. The space flows from one beautifully designed room to the next with a stunning and vibrant courtyard filled with blossoming flowers in the middle—it’s the ideal place to sit in the summertime. The space is modern, yet makes you feel right at home, as any good restaurant should. Pusadee’s Garden’s renovation in 2021 has made it a fine dining destination. Every dish on the restaurant’s menu is an award-winner from the 17 ingredient salad to the roti served with sweet potato in yellow curry. You’ll never have a bad meal at Pusadee’s, because every dish is bursting with flavor.
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