The 38 Essential Pittsburgh Restaurants

"This pioneering restaurant has landed on the James Beard Award lists several times for good reason: The compelling vegan menu marries Eastern European cuisine with a deep embrace of Western Pennsylvania seasonality. Apteka’s beverage program is every bit as exciting as its culinary offerings; there’s a top-notch, largely Eastern Europe-focused natural wine selection, a strong cocktail list, terrific beer, and one of the best nonalcoholic drinks lists in town that includes a variety of homemade sodas. Get the nettle soup in season or the pickle plates; pierogies are always a win, as is the celeriac schnitzel." - Melissa McCart, Hal B. Klein