With all of the classes, assignments, club meetings and simple day-to-day activities, college students are sure to work up an appetite. For Pitt students, Oakland and the surrounding neighborhoods have so many different restaurants to offer. Whether it’s a small coffee shop like Divvy’s on Forbes, a classic restaurant like Cheesecake Factory on the South Side or just a mom-and-pop shop located in Shadyside, your taste buds are in for a treat. Here are some of HC Pitt’s favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh!
- Bakersfield
-
Bakersfield is a nice restaurant located Downtown that offers authentic Mexican street food. Their specialty is tacos and they offer 10 different options on the menu! If you’re looking to get out of Oakland and see downtown, Bakersfield is the place for you!
- Condado Tacos
-
Another HC Pitt favorite that is located in Downtown is Condado Tacos. Condado Tacos specializes in Mexican cuisine, and their tacos do not disappoint! The atmosphere is great, and it’s a must-try when visiting the downtown scene of Pittsburgh! There’s also another location in Lawrenceville!
- Roland’s Seafood Grill
-
Located in the Strip District, Roland’s Seafood Grill is a prime location to fit all of your seafood needs. Plus, before or after your bite to eat, you can venture into the Strip District and see what you find! I’ve heard that their lobster rolls are great!
- Cafe Raymond
-
Cafe Raymond is another staple restaurant located in the Strip District. Having a wide menu of burgers to salads to breakfast, this restaurant is a must when in the Strip! With having a variety of 21 sandwiches to choose from, you can’t go wrong when visiting Cafe Raymond! A major plus is that they serve breakfast all day!
- Coop De Ville
-
Located in the Strip District, Coop De Ville brings the southern cuisine to Pittsburgh. Known as “a southern table”, the restaurant serves plenty of different chicken dishes. They also have a coffee bar offering La Colombe coffee and pastries!
- The Yard
-
Located in Shadyside, The Yard is known all around Pittsburgh for one thing – their grilled cheeses. With so many different gourmet grilled cheeses to choose from, you’ll be sure to find something that will appease your taste buds! The Yard is continuously raved about and is definitely a must-try with the location so close to campus!
- Noodlehead
-
Noodlehead is a restaurant located in Shadyside that has a menu full of noodle dishes inspired by Thailand street markets. Offering so many different delicious noodle dishes for an affordable price of $11.50, this restaurant is a favorite of many! It is cash only though, so just make sure you have cash on you before visiting!
- Tocayo
-
Tocayo is a taqueria bar located in Shadyside. Tocayo is another restaurant that features amazing Mexican food! Ranging from their guac and chips to their burritos to their endless options of tacos, Tocayo is sure to not disappoint. For dessert, you can try their churros that are filled with caramel sauce dipped in dark chocolate paired with a Mexican chocolate ice cream! Yum!
- Girasole
-
Girasole is a small mom-and-pop Italian restaurant located in the heart of Shadyside. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh! Whenever a family member comes to visit I always take them to Girasole for their delicious pasta dishes. They also offer seasonal specials; my go-to is always their fettuccine or linguine alfredo!
- Urban Tap
-
If you’re looking to get off-campus and snag a nice brunch, Urban Tap is the place for you! Located in Shadyside and Southside, Urban Tap is a gastropub that aims to please all of their customers with a from scratch kitchen! Their brunch menu is amazing, and is offered on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 2pm. If brunch isn’t your thing, don’t worry because Urban Tap has a great lunch and dinner menu as well!
- Cafe Moulin
-
Cafe Moulin is a creperie located in Shadyside. Their menu features a variety of crepes, with some sweet and other savory. You can also get a french toast platter, omelets or even toasts! It’s a perfect brunch spot to visit when getting off-campus during the weekends!
- Tako Torta
-
Tako Torta is the perfect happy hour spot. Located in Bakery Square, Tako Torta features Mexican street cuisine with a nice atmosphere. Their menu features tacos, bowl and torta all freshly made! They also have cocktails and featured agaves for your happy hour meal!
- Square Cafe
-
Located in East Liberty is another must-try brunch spot in Square Cafe! Square Cafe has so many delicious options to fulfill any of your brunch dreams! Whether it’s a short stack of pancakes, a breakfast burrito or just a traditional breakfast meal, Square Cafe has got you covered! They also offer different hot chocolates and specialty lattes to go along with your brunch!
- Cafe Carnegie
-
Cafe Carnegie is a restaurant located right near campus and situated in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History! If you’re looking for a fancier lunch fare, this is the place to go! Their menu features small dishes and larger dishes depending on your appetite, and has a great selection of coffee to go along with it! They serve brunch as well!
- Rumi Grill House
-
Rumi Grill House is a Mediterranean restaurant located on Upper Campus. With such a vast menu, Rumi Grill House is sure to appeal to anyone’s taste buds. Whether you’re craving a small pizza, a gyro or kebabs, Rumi Grill House has so many different tasty options to choose from!
- Pamela’s Diner
-
Pamela’s Diner is a staple with its location on campus situated right on Forbes Ave. Pamela’s has an amazing breakfast menu, and is such a cute little space to eat at! It tends to get super busy on the weekends, so be sure to get there early to grab a table. Pamela’s is the best spot to grab breakfast with friends right before a football game or even before studying in the library!
- Vivas Los Tacos
-
Vivas Los Tacos has been the newest addition to restaurants on campus. Located right on the corner of Forbes Ave and South Bouquet Street, Vivas Los Tacos is a perfect place to grab a bite to eat if you’re craving some Mexican food! Their menu features different types of Mexican cuisine for an affordable price for a college student!
- Mad Mex
-
Mad Mex is another Mexican restaurant located right on campus, this time in South Oakland. Just a short walk away from lower campus, Mad Mex is a perfect place to grab a bite to eat with your friends!
- Everyday Noodles
-
Everyday Noodles is a Chinese restaurant located in Squirrel Hill. Everyday Noodles serves up Chinese cuisine with a variety of noodles, dumplings and rice. You can even get bubble tea and/or fruit tea with your choice of noodles!
- Aiello’s Pizza
-
Located in Squirrel Hill is another one of my favorites, Aiello’s Pizza. I recently had Aiello’s Pizza for the first time with a friend, and now I’m hooked. Their pizza is amazing! Trust me, you won’t regret going here!
Even with all of the restaurants located right here on-campus, there are so many different restaurants outside campus lines! I hope you can find a new restaurant to try from our list, and maybe even find your new favorite restaurant in the Pittsburgh area! Happy dining!