Top 10 Pittsburgh Foods

Pittsburgh Salad

First place is the only place for this iconic dish. Pretty much every restaurant you go to in the ‘burgh they have a “Pittsburgh Salad”. This salad always has french fries (another Pittsburgh staple), ranch and either steak or chicken. Even though salad is in the name, the lettuce is only 1/10 of the actual salad itself, the rest is all toppings.

Pitts-burger at Primantis

Primanti’s has grown from one little sandwich shop in the strip district, opening in 1933 to 36 restaurants across Pennsylvania in the matter 86 years. This success can be contributed to this sandwich. The pitts-burger is the type of food that when people come from out of town, you take them to Primantis for this sandwich. 

 Mancini’s Bread

Mancini’s bread is another Pittsburgh Strip District classic. From the classic bread to the fan favorite pepperoni rolls, you can’t go wrong with a single thing from this bakery. The tiny little shop has something about it that makes it feel so classic Pittsburgh. Everyone loves home- style baked goods, and this is the place to get them. Bonus points if the bread is fresh out of the oven.

Potato Patch Fries

Any Kennywood trip is not complete without eating the classic potato patch fries. Many regard eating  these as one of their favorite Kennywood memories. You can choose them with bacon, cheese, or malt vinegar. To put into perspective just how many fries are sold each day, Potato Patch gets nearly 8,000 pounds of potatoes per day. These twice fried french fries are certainly a must when visiting Kennywood. Without them, a trip to Kennywood is incomplete!

Hotcakes at Pamela’s

Pamela’s diner is another Strip District original that has now spread around the Pittsburgh area. As a tourist in Pittsburgh, odds are when you ask a local where to get breakfast, they will tell you Pamela’s for the hotcakes. Just ask the Obamas. They visited there in 2009 just for the hotcakes and said they may be the best in the country. These presidentially raved hotcakes are thin and buttery with the edges browned up perfectly. 

Smiley Cookies at Eat’n Park

There’s a reason they sell these in a dozen packs in different designs depending on the season. Something about these cookies transports you back into childhood. The pure sugar icing on a mediocre cookie put together becomes something truly delicious, not to mention they’re a Pittsburgh staple that often gets overlooked. Honestly, sometimes, Eat’n Park just hits the spot and these cookies can be contributed to that.

Ice Ball at Gus and Yia’Yia’s

This little bright orange cart in the North Side has been a Pittsburgh summer tradition for 84 years. The go to is a freshly shaved ice ball and a box of popcorn and then enjoying it in the park. If you’re really lucky a train or two will pass by a few feet from you. There is a feeling that this little street cart business gives off that is extremely classic Pittsburgh, and honestly if you love Pittsburgh there’s a good chance that you will love this place as well.

Pierogies at Pierogies Plus

Pittsburgh has a rich eastern European background. With this background comes along the love of pierogies. There are many places in the ‘burgh to get pierogies but this place just doesn’t compare to the others. The shop in Mckees Rocks is closed on the weekends but is open during the week too 7. The pierogies are made by two women that are from poland and on their website they promise that they have the “just like grandma made them feel”. Personally, I took my polish grandfather there, and shockingly he did confirm that this statement was accurate.

Sarris Candy 

Often, many forget that Sarris Candy and their many different types of chocolate are a Pittsburgh Company. From the classic chocolate pretzels to the seasonal shaped milk chocolates, nearly everyone in the Pittsburgh area has eaten, and savored, these yummy chocolates. Who doesn’t love chocolate and its even better being from  Pittsburgh.

Raw Pizza at Beto’s

Beto’s themselves describe their pizza best when they call it “everyone’s favorite with a local twist”. This pizza has a cooked crust, however all the toppings are raw. Weird sounding, I know, however it is actually quite an experience. As odd as it may sound, it is something every Pittsburgher must try, simply because there is no other place in the world to get something this unique.