Square Cafe

It is always cold so take a warmer sweater/jacket. This is however the second time I ordered the cinnamon rolls that didn’t come before my meal like requested. I did enjoy my breakfast of lemon berry, ricotta, pancakes, and the chicken sausage. Their coffee is really good as well. They’re a latte is very strong. Overall great food. They did waive the fee for the rolls since they didn’t come out in time.

We ordered buttermilk pancake and corn beef Benedict, they are both very very delicious! Pancakes are huge ($4.5 per piece is not very expensive for the size). I love the unlimited cold brew - most place doesn’t do it anymore. The menu design is very good, it is very easy to understand and make decisions despite they have many items available. They have a bunch of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free stuff. The service is very fast and friendly. We will come back.

Ive been here before and it was great! This review reflects my most recent visit. The good: The matcha lavender Latte and blueberry pancake were great 🥞 The bad: The square breakfast is a miss, and should be taken off the menu. For a restaurant like this, there needs to be more value than what you are given. I received what seemed to be half an egg, some very dry potato cubes and plain sourdough bread with no jam on the table. The sausage links were fine, but overall this meal just does not belong on the menu, especially at the price point (around $15). Please fix!

Always delicious, seasonal specialties that are worth trying but hard to commit to when I have so many established favorites that never disappoint! Highly recommend the white bean hash (current special menu item) delicious and perfect for this cold weather. Their lattes are wonderful but opted for their London Fog (Earl grey) and it was perfection! Staff are always wonderful and attentive, so cannot recommend more. Also pictured my usual fav, short rib eggs Benedict!

I had a great time at the Square Cafe!! My best friend and I stopped by for a quick coffee. It is more of a sit-down establishment but they still had a bar that we were sat at immediately for some drinks. The menu is amazing with so many different options that are creative to satisfy all taste pallets especially those who like complex and fun flavors. We ordered the pistachio mocha latte and the turtle latte which the waiter was so so so nice to split two larges in four cups so my friend and I could share equally. This service was AMAZING! We love both drinks and had so much fun trying new flavors and comparing them. We wish we could’ve stayed to try the juices, smoothies, and food but that just means we have to come back! The decorations we also so cool with bright colors and designs. LQBTQ+ friendly

I originally left them a great review for the first time we went and the pictures in this review are from them. However our most recent visit changed my opinion a bit. I got the veggie omelette which came out to be a soggy mess. Because they’re so behind in the kitchen they didn’t actually cook the vegetables down enough which in turn left all their water in my omelette. The omelette itself and the home fries were very under seasoned, honestly probably not at all. My wife got the Florentine Benedict. The Benedict itself was really good which is ironic considering that’s the most difficult one to cook I feel like. The salad it came with was old and wilted, the dressing was overpowering to the point where she couldn’t even eat it. Service was okay our server was busy but I also couldn’t get a hold of him for a while. It also took quite a while to get our food and drinks. Coffee as well was very mediocre. I’d love to give them another try because I was so wowed the first time, really hoping it was just a one off day. But just know you’ll be waiting for quite a bit to sit down and I think they’re still understaffed.

Great breakfast spot near the Shadyside area! The menu is quite vast but it seems like they have their style nailed down pretty well. It’s popular for a reason. I got to try out their lemon blueberry pancake, home fried, and bacon and egg breakfast sandwich. The lemon blueberry pancake was huge. Not a ton of lemon flavor to it, thoughm but a good amount of blueberries. It’s fluffy and well made. The syrup it came with was kind of caramel iced at the bottom, with some hard pieces present. Pretty decent overall, especially for the price. The sandwich was delicious. I loved the biscuit: bit of herbs, well seasoned, and well cooked. Just really good, even though it was starting to fall apart a bit. The eggs and cheese were great, and the bacon was perfectly crisp. The home fries were nice as well. Nice portion size and crispy on the outside while soft in the middle. Would recommend. All in all, a very nice spot.

Square Cafe nails that perfect mix of cozy and lively. The space feels bright and welcoming, and the service is quick without rushing you out. Food came out hot, fresh, and clearly made with care. Everything we ordered tasted great and felt thoughtful from the presentation to the balance of flavors. It’s the kind of place where you can linger over brunch without feeling like you’re in the way. A solid spot for a casual meal that still feels like a treat.

Wow, the Benedicts here make Square cafe an absolute must try! This place is super popular, but the short rib and corn beef Benedict's were some of the best brunch dishes I've ever had. The meat was so tender and flavorful, really amazing! Breakfast sandwhich was also solid, with their chive biscuit being fun and tasty, and the juice options were fresh and paired nicely with the food. Lemon ricotta pancake was very fluffy, could have used more lemon and ricotta flavor though. Service was quick, definitely very busy and high energy but for Sunday brunch, I wouldn't expect anything else. They also don't take reservations on the weekends so be ready to wait. But for the Benedict's alone, definitely don't miss out!

This was the perfect location for us to have breakfast at, literally minutes in walking distance from our hotel. Everything that we ordered was great and our server was very friendly and accommodating. A few of the standouts were their waffles, pancakes and something I've never had before, hot caramel apple cider. Would definitely recommend this place!

10/11/2025 Ate list: Berry Waffles - 6.5 Fiancée, friends, and family really like this spot. But it has yet to really win me over. Visually these appear spectacular, but these taste more like an "elevated" hotel breakfast. Frankly, my waffle was luke warm too. Tasted like it sat. Ehhhh. Hopeful they win me over at some point but not today. Service was very nice and prompt though!

Sometimes you just need a good vegetarian fix after all the protein in the holiday season. Square Cafe in East Liberty has got your meal. My wife and I recently found ourselves in Shadyside on a cold weekend looking for a new brunch spot and walked down to Square Cafe. From the moment we walked in we were seated promptly and had a recommendation to try the Cinnamon Egg Nog. Normally neither of us are fans of egg nog, but this warm and cozy drink was just the spot. Sweet, not too eggy with a nice dash of spice was wonderful. Our main course consisted of two nice vegan options, a tofu muffaletta and sweet potato burger. Satisfying with excellent spice and meatiness, we found both options were delicious substitutes for typical meat dishes. A lovely brunch we look forward to repeating in the near future.

Up in Pittsburgh for a visit and decided to find this cool little place in the East Liberty area of town. This place is very popular for brunch on a Saturday morning. Don't be surprised if there is a line when you arrive. But make sure to go inside and get your name on the list. Our server came to us quickly after we were seated and took our drink orders and food orders. I ordered the classic Square Breakfast which is two eggs and a protein. The coffee is very good, especially if you like it black without milk or sweetener. My breakfast was very tasty. Highly recommend!

I tried the chive biscuit breakfast sandwich for the first time and while it tasted good, the biscuit totally crumbled while eating it. The lemon blueberry pancake was good but it seemed tough? I got a latte and green juice that was delicious!

Server (Will) was very nice, and food came out quick; great service! The food itself was pretty good, but the chive breakfast sandwich was a bit lackluster. I also wouldn't bother getting the bagels as they are pretty below average. The brussel sprout breakfast bowl was awesome! Pretty hip ambiance, but may be a bit loud for a some folks' breakfast taste, but we enjoyed it! Would come again, but may take some time discovering what is actually really good in the menu.

I recently ordered food and drinks from Square Cafe while I was hanging out at Title 9. They had a drink special that morning of Lucky Charms hot chocolate, so I gave that a try. It was good and not too sweet. I loved the addition of the rainbow marshmallows too. I also ordered the grilled salmon salad (no olives) with balsamic dressing. The salad was really good and I liked the addition of the fingerling potatoes in there. Overall the food and drinks were delicious!

Love the locationand ambiance. Great tasting fantastic looking hearty plates of food. Vegan friendly too.I just polished off a plate of stabled eggs, sourdough toast, taters,coffee and sausage: the square breakfast.

Our waitress was lovely and did a great job. Understandably, they were busy before we arrived, but we specifically picked the restaurant for its vegan options. After ordering a dish which included vegan sausage, pancakes, eggs, fruit and fries. I was served a biscuit, some fries, and eggs, while still charged the full amount. Simultaneously, my husband ordered a Reuben which were objectionably not good, the third item was waffles which were okay. Our total was near $90 dollars and our experience was subpar, would not recommend.

This was my first time visiting square cafe. I got bottomless black coffee and the breakfast sandwich with vegan sausage instead of the bacon and it was delicious! The biscuit was soft and flaky and the sandwich was really fulling. My only comment would be that I wish it held together a little more because it did fall apart easily because of how soft the biscuit was. But it was really tasty nonetheless. The waitress was really attentive and sweet, and the ambiance was quiet but lively, perfect to enjoy a weekend brunch with friends

Great breakfast spot near the Shadyside area! The menu is quite vast but it seems like they have their style nailed down pretty well. It's popular for a reason. I got to try out their lemon blueberry pancake, home fried, and bacon and egg breakfast sandwich. The lemon blueberry pancake was huge. Not a ton of lemon flavor to it, thoughm but a good amount of blueberries. It's fluffy and well made. The syrup it came with was kind of caramel iced at the bottom, with some hard pieces present. Pretty decent overall, especially for the price. The sandwich was delicious. I loved the biscuit: bit of herbs, well seasoned, and well cooked. Just really good, even though it was starting to fall apart a bit. The eggs and cheese were great, and the bacon was perfectly crisp. The home fries were nice as well. Nice portion size and crispy on the outside while soft in the middle. Would recommend. All in all, a very nice spot.

So, the food is usually average. I really like their lemon pancakes and brussels hash. Besides that, everything else is mid. Service is hit or miss. I went in this morning for a pickup order. The girl in front of me was given her order and offered utensils. I was next I line. I was given my food and not offered utensils. Instead, I was ignored for almost 5 mins and had to ask someone for what, I guess certain people, are more generously offered. Needless to say, I won't make this place my usual. If you're not going to be as gracious to Black customers as you are to white ones, then you don't want my business frfr. Will stick to The Strip District spots for now.

We came here for breakfast one day and lunch another. Service was great. The food was really good. I had the pumpkin walnut pancakes which was a special and paired that with bacon and eggs. Loved the pancake. We also decided to try the blueberry hush puppies. These were a miss for me. Very bland. They needed to be sweeter. When we came back for lunch I wanted to try their chicken tortilla soup and also wanted to try the lemon berry ricotta pancakes so I decided to get both. The pancakes are very big. One was enough for me. The pancake was good. The soup was just ok. I've had better chicken tortilla soup. It might have been better if it was hot. Great location. I would eat here again.

I've been trying to come to square for a good while. The lines are out the door so many times! Finally, on this rainy Saturday morning, I managed to get seated. We were hungry and ordered the square breakfast with pancakes and Belgian waffle. I also had a very very tasty breakfast burger at square cafe. We were seated quickly since it was before the morning brunch rush. Service was overall warm and wonderful and menu has a lot of vegetarian options and if you need special diet accommodations. The menu truly has something for everyone!

This place is a brunch staple for me. The food is always amazing and the coffee is SO GOOD. Despite always being busy, the service is always quick and the place itself is laid out nicely and comfy!

One of my favorite places for coffee! Such a cute, causal cafe with a lot of unique options. Food was pretty good!!

What a fun cafe! We loved the decor so much. Our server was wonderful and quick with suggestions. I ordered the fall mimosa which was so delicious. We ordered the cinnamon rolls as a starter and they were perfect - so good I ate one before I took a photo! My entree was the fall waffles. Perfectly cooked and just the perfect amount of apples and cinnamon. We look forward to returning!

Went here for a quick breakfast to catch up with some friends. We had to wait maybe 30 min for a table but the service was great and staff are kind. Would probably recommend to get coffee from a different spot before going

Stopped for girl brunch and I thought jt was good and really reasonably priced. I wasn't hungry so I got something small. It was cinnamon rolls with homemade vanilla icing (only 8). The service was friendly and the restaurant is bright and colorful.

OK, food was good, prices not bad. Staff were friendly and interested in our needs. I would have preferred to just have breakfast and not have to read all the LGBTQ+ stuff. I just want to have breakfast. If not for that, a 5 star review.

A delightful experience here. The food, service, and ambiance were awesome. I loved the breakfast burger and it was so sweet in the best ways.

Here from out of town - Wonderful , friendly customer service- delicious , fresh ingredients food and perfect cup of coffee I def wanted seconds!!!

This place is SO CUTE. Filled with local art and merch, you can't help but feel like you're part of the community when you're here. Veggie omelet is pretty hearty. My sister got the veggie burger and we split our meals. I'm not sure if I would get the veggie burger again - but at least its accompanying fries are Cajun and delicious. Husband got a salmon bene, but he wasn't a fan of an English muffin being subbed out for a latke. Maybe it's a preference thing, but otherwise it was great. We also got a hummingbird pancake special, and that was DELICIOUS. Drinks are also great! It's a fun and tasty menu, so be prepared for some hard decisions. Overall, I recommend this place. It's a cute spot.

Square cafe is great! The food was delicious, the coffee was ok, and the vibe was great. Our server was amazing despite how busy it was. When we got there, our wait for two people was only 20 minutes, but when we were leaving we heard it was up to an hour. They don't take reservations, so plan accordingly!

We met a friend at the new, East Liberty location for the first time for a late lunch on a Sunday. The wait was not too long, especially since the friend had put her name on the list; they won't find you a table until your whole party arrives, however. The staff are friendly and efficient, and the kitchen was relatively quick. We arrived, waited, got seated, ordered, talked, ate, and paid in 1 hour. The highlights were the large mugs of coffee, the lemon ricotta pancakes, the berry waffles, and (pictured here) the short rib eggs Benedict, which came with sweet potato puree and greens. At first I thought there was no way I would eat the while plate, but sure enough I did, and I enjoyed every delicious bite. Three adults ate for $50, plus tip. The only downside was looking for street parking. We didn't check out the restroom situation.

a nice corner breakfast or brunch spot with mc lots of selections - you'll get overwhelmed. however sometimes they don't have all the bakery/sweet selection which is a bummer. I got the square cafe burger. I asked for a medium rare but for a well done. the party wasn't the most appetizing in my opinion, tasted bland and what not.

You are short changing yourself if you're in Pittsburgh & don't visit the Square Cafe! We have been coming here for years when we are in town visiting our daughter. The main thing we come for is the lemon-berry ricotta pancakes on the breakfast menu; however, they have a yummy, innovative menu for lunch & dinner as well. Our food and coffees were served hot and fresh. Our server was friendly and efficient. The cafe itself is always busy yet super clean (even the bathroom) which is important to us. We highly recommend Square Cafe!

The food was great and staff were nice! However, the waffle was little dissatisfying as it just tasted like wet flour- no sweet, no texture whatsoever... I did love the food shown in 3rd pic with grit! I don't remember what it was called.

Even though I was a tad hungover this morning the long-awaited trip to square cafe could be put off no longer. I absolutely loved my coffee: dirty iced mocha chai and they had impossible italian breakfast sausage which I have never had but need to immediately buy some. Our waiter was nice and we beat the crowd by going at 8:45 but it definitely got super crowded with lots of little kids by the time we left.

We love this place and often meet friends here when we visit Pittsburgh! My favorite dish is the Brussels sprouts hash with grits and bacon. The coffee is so good! And the service is friendly and the place is bright and trendy.

Square cafe has the same owner as the Title 9 bar so we had to visit them for brunch. Man it was packed! Fresh, local ingredients and plenty of love. Would definitely go back.

What a lovely place. We came here at 10 on a Sunday and I think that's the sweet spot. It was packed about 15 minutes later. Our server, Myra, was friendly and gracious even though she was swamped with orders. Waffles, crepes and egg breakfast were all great. Blueberry hush puppies were awful. Black coffee was mid.

Let's start this review by saying this was my first time trying Square Cafe. I live in Morningside so not to far from East Liberty I always see this place packed in morning with lines outside and have always been curious as to why. Today I found out exactly why they are so popular! I ordered the Veggie Omelettes W/ Home Fries ( Extra Of Course ) and some chive biscuits for me and my husband. Let me tell you we enjoyed the entire meal! Everything was so good. I will say that I did have to add a little salt and pepper to the home fries and omelette, however I did not mind personally as everyone has their own preference of seasoning etc. If I could recommend anywhere to get breakfast or brunch I would 100% try out Square Cafe. We plan on trying out more from them soon.

Came for brunch and we were able to be seated almost immediately. I brought a baby carrier in so they accommodated us with booth seating, which I appreciated. I also really liked the menu that was clearly marked for allergens. Every drink we tried was fabulous and prepared quickly. I had the avocado toast on gluten free bread with salmon - yum! The rest of my group had short rib pierogies, warm cinnamon rolls, and the square breakfast. All were given rave reviews.

The owner is always welcoming to me. The customer service is usually on point and the food is always exceptionally, given I'm mostly gluten/free.

Square Cafe is a delicious breakfast spot! Large menu with tons of delicious options. Loved the chive biscuit breakfast sandwich with scrambled egg cheese & bacon. Tons of good coffees as well. They do serve alcohol! Enjoy a boozy breakfast. Very friendly wait staff. They do not take reservations- first come first serve!

Love the brunch menu here. The blueberry ricotta pancakes are one of my favorites. Great place to go with friends or alone.

Great place to go for breakfast/brunch! Excellent vegetarian/vegan options. Wonderful atmosphere and service. We got the vegetarian omelette and Florentine Eggs Benedict, delicious!

Square Cafe us a super trending brunch spot in East Liberty. It's happening joint with lots of seating despite what it might look like from outside. But that doesn't mean you won't have to wait, especially during prime brunching hours. It's totally worth the wait though. Their chive biscuits will curl your toes and keep you coming back for more. They offer a large variety of specialty pancakes, lattes, etc but also the classics. I wanted to try their famous lemon ricotta pancakes and luckily they offer an option in their menu to just order a single vs. the whole stack. This is perfect for those of us that can't choose just one thing. I highly recommend checking them out and maybe suggest getting there early if you're going on the weekend.

Delicious, enjoyable breakfast at Square Cafe on our last day in Pittsburgh. There was quite a wait, probably 30 minutes or so. However, they have a bar where you can go to place coffee, latte, soda orders while you wait. We were a party of 5. Some of our group elected to order breakfast items, while some chose lunch items. The banana foster waffles got rave reviews, as did the grilled cheese with fig jam. Others ordered the eggs Benedict and pancakes. Service was good, and we were in and out with plenty of time to get to the volleyball game we were attending.

Square Cafe is a much bigger restaurant than it appears from the front windows on the corner of Highland and Centre. There's an entire back dining room with lots of tables - perfect for a busy Saturday morning. They have an impressive array of coffee and tea options. Their lattes err on the sweeter side just as a heads up. The muddy chai was decadent and flavorful. The cold brew was delicious and had fantastic flavor overall. I loved their biscuits! The biscuit sandwich with home fries was a bit pricey (for $14 if you added sausage) but thankfully it was big enough to warrant the price. The biscuit was delicious, buttery, and seasoned well. The home fries were solid too. All in all a good experience but a bit pricey considering this is standard breakfast fare!

This Illy Philly just left church, and hunger was a callin'.... Square Cafe was calling my name, so I answered. It's always crowded, but the wait isn't bad, and trust me, it's worth it. Once I was seated, I was greeted with a smile and told about the menu. I love their vegan options, and although they're pricey, the food is really good, and the service is phenomenal! I ordered the Very Vegan Brussel Sprouts Hash and a Gingerbread Latte, and when that food came...OMG!!!! The Hash was savory and made of comfort food heaven!!!!! The latte was not hot, but they got it warmed up for me. East Liberty is a nice area with loads of restaurants and businesses that provide just about everything you need. The parking is off street, and you have to pay, but the prices aren't too bad. Well done, Square Cafe!

Great area, lots of good art pieces that complement one another, staffers enjoy their jobs, music perfect volume, excellent food. The grits situation is up like the economy during the Clinton administration. Only complaint is that the Very Vegan Brussels Sprouts Hash might be... a little ... too good.

I stopped here for lunch with a group of 3 on a Saturday at around 11:30. It took about 30 minutes to get a table. They have a small seating/standing area for people waiting for a table which made for a comfortable wait while admiring the numerous colorful art pieces on the walls. They are all sourced from Pittsburgh artist Baron Batch. Honestly the art may be my favorite part of this restaurant, but the food is solid as well. I ordered the chorizo hash, which came topped with a freshly cracked egg. The meal was tasty, but the service was a bit stretched since they were very busy with the brunch crowd. My wife ordered the Nutella crepe which looked delicious and she enjoyed! The atmosphere is fun and casual and the crowd seemed to all be having a good time. This is a nice place to grab brunch with friends, but you'll need a bit of luck to find a good street parking spot nearby.

Service was very good but taste of food was a bit unusual for me. Not likely to return.

Service: Let's get into it! Three people were like you have to go to Square Cafe. Okay, it was noted but not a will do. It happened that this morning the stars aligned and we walked over. We were greeted by the host, who was oddly rude but not. There was no welcome or greeting. Ok. We sat to look at the menu while waiting for the table. There was not a long wait (5 mins maybe?) which was good but also odd for a 10 am Saturday. But cool. The server was great with her introduction and I could tell I liked her. She wasn't overbearing and gave the right amount of attention. Go J. Atmosphere: good layout and not over crowded with tables. Although I think they can replace a few two tops with fours and still keep an open layout. One server had a pride shirt that I really liked but didn't see it for sale in the merchandise. I should have asked. Mostly they sell cups and syrup. Seemed overpriced. Food: There was a lot of interesting dishes that definitely piqued the curiosity of oh, sounds interesting. We ordered the Blueberry Hush Puppies. I tried them multiple ways and overall each improved but still left them flavorless. Cut in half to just try hush puppy, tasteless. Added the honey butter, puppy still tasteless but with butter better. Add the butter and blueberry syrup. Better but overall still tasteless outside of the butter and syrup. Chorizo Hash, terrible. Worst. Needed the hot sauce. Brussels Sprout Hash, okay. Needed hot sauce. Coffee: hot, good. Lavender Latte: hot, good and not overly candy flavor. Bloody Mary: delicious mix and good. Strawberry/Watermelon Bellini: good taste and blend of flavors. Overall, I think there are better options food wise.

Went here for brunch with my friends! I had the orange juice, americano, and the egg breakfast burrito, all which came very fast and would recommend coming back

We were regular customers at the Regent Square location and always enjoyed our meals however this is the second (and last) bad experience with the East Liberty location. Server was nice (hence 2 stars) but the food was served ice COLD. One of the meals was missing an item which was no big deal but added to the poor experience.