Restaurant Finder

The Primanti Bros. owners livened up another section of Market Square in September with the opening of Diamond Market Bar & Grill. Although sandwiches are on the menu, the coleslaw and French fries are traded for toppings like caramelized onions and a house-made white bean spread. Director of operations Marc Teklinski,who has been with Primanti Bros. for 12 years, described it as “a whole different ballgame.” Diamond Market is a “full-service restaurant with chef-inspired food and classic cocktails where you can spend a good time with friends and family from start to finish with appetizers, entrees and great desserts,” Teklinski says. The new restaurant’s history dates back even further than Primanti’s—to the early 1900s. An open public marketplace connected the people of Pittsburgh with fresh goods, and the Diamond Market Lunch Room served them amongst the bustle. The eatery brings back that 1930s-1940s feel; black-and-white photographs from early Pittsburgh are displayed on the walls, linking past with present. But enough about the background, let’s get to the juicy stuff: the menu.

While it features “two-fisted” Angus burgers and in-house smoked pork, chicken and turkey, executive chef Clare Lise added some lighter eats to the “manly meats” with detailed starters, salads and alternative patties: a vegetarian option, made with black beans and corn, and Lise’s personal creation, the seared tuna burger, with pickled cucumbers and roasted red peppers. Additionally, the macaroni & cheese (pictured) was delectable: cheddar, Gruyere and Pepper Jack cheeses melted over a heaping portion of cavatappi pasta, loaded with bacon and a tinge of spice and truffle oil. Just to be clear, that’s on the “starter” section of the menu.