Start Off 2026 With These 26 New Dining Spots
With a bevy of new cafes, bars, pizzerias and scoop shops, it's shaping up to be a delicious year.
PHOTO BY RYAN MICHAEL
New year, new chew.
The new BYOB Italian restaurant on the South Side mixes home-cooking, family tradition and technical precision.
2516 East Carson St., South Side
The revamped Northland Public Library houses the Pittsburgh-based chain’s newest location. In addition to a full beverage menu, there are scratch-made baked goods and grab-and-go breakfast and lunch items.
300 Cumberland Road, McCandless
Famous chefs Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo, known as “The Franks,” brought their Brooklyn-based pizza concept to the former Bado’s Pizza Grille & Ale House in Mt. Lebanon. It’s the first location outside of the original New York hotspot. Other sites are planned for the Strip District and Shadyside.
307 Beverly Road, Mt. Lebanon
This inviting watering hole in Aspinwall offers beer, wine, cocktails, oysters and classic dishes. It’s a new place that’ll make you feel like you’ve been a regular forever.
211 Commercial Ave., Aspinwall
Enjoy traditional Indian cuisine with modern presentation.
245 Mall Plaza Blvd., Monroeville
Authentic Italian flavors — from soup and flatbreads to pizza and pasta — abound at this new addition to the East Carson Street dining scene.
2104 E. Carson St., South Side
A staple in Chicago’s Chinatown since 1998, Lao Sze Chuan offers Sichuan dishes and private karaoke rooms. Sing for your supper!
936 Sheraton Dr., Mars
Katie Heldstab and Christa Puskarich, who have been making real dairy, lactose-free ice cream and dessert sandwiches for more than a decade, now have their own scoop shop in Garfield.
5119 Penn Ave., Garfield
Named after Revolutionary War hero “Mad” Anthony Wayne, a general known for his fighting spirit, the 200-year-old building is once again awash in beer and German-style dishes.
1239 Merchant St., Ambridge
Moonlit Burgers
What started as a pandemic pop-up now has locations in Dormont, Uptown and Sewickley. A fourth eatery is slated for a January launch in Garfield.
5491 Penn Ave., Garfield
Get fresh-cut, double-cooked Belgian fries (and more than 15 dipping sauces) at Lawrenceville’s late-night carboloading spot that’s open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
4213 Butler St., Lawrenceville
Experience upscale city dining in the heart of the suburbs. Mr. Mister knows all about handmade pasta, fresh seafood and cocktails in a posh setting.
1686 Route 228, Cranberry
PHOTO DANCING GNOME
The Sharpsburg spot where Dancing Gnome brewery got its start in 2016 is back open as a post-work haven serving cocktails, beer and small bites Wednesdays through Sundays. Dancing Gnome operated out of the Main Street location before debuting a new, 10,000-square-foot production facility a block away in 2021.
925 Main St., Sharpsburg
Start your mornings with a hero-sized specialty latte and a pastry at this original cafe.
309 Smithfield St., Downtown
The popular pop-up for hand-rolled bagels moved into the space long-occupied by Baby Loves Tacos, which relocated to the neighboring storefront. Burritos and bagels on the same block! Oh, boy!
4508 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield
The Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group cafe serves locall roasted coffee, bakes pastries and spins vinyl records in a warm and chic atmosphere.
5840 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill
After a nearly five-year hiatus, the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group’s beloved French bistro reopened in October and re-lives up to the hype.
3517 Butler St., Lawrenceville
Shaler-based Ruckus Cafe’s second location opened in the former Au Bon Pain near Morton’s in the EQT Tower. Customers will find coffee, espresso, scratch-made menu items, grab-and-go bites and office catering.
625 Liberty Ave., Downtown
The DeShantz Restaurant Group opened this elevated lounge in the Strip on New Year’s Eve, melding island vibes and city life to help you beat those winter blues in style.
2305 Smallman St., Strip District
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHAKE SHACK
The modern-day roadside burger stand is now a member of the Ross Park Mall food court. The national chain recently opened a location in the Center Core at Pittsburgh International Airport.
1000 Ross Park Mall Dr., Ross
After a decade in business, Spirit Hall – a former Moose Lodge — upgraded its food and beverage offerings with a pizzeria and rooftop garden bar with a separate entrance from the venue’s lodge and event spaces. Spirit’s cozy, booth-lined eatery has a more expansive menu that includes classic pasta dishes, entrees, desserts and seasonal salads with ingredients plucked from the rooftop vegetable garden, which will be a great spot for sunset toasts when the weather warms.
242 51st St., Lawrenceville
In November 2025, the popular coffee truck opened a storefront where you can hang 10.
2024 Sarah St., South Side.
Sushi Tomo
Since 2001, Sushi Tomo has been a go-to for North Hills residents craving Japanese and Chinese cuisine. The owners have carried their traditions to a second location on the South Side.
2122 E. Carson St., South Side
After successfully testing the concept in Wexford, the self-pour bar and restaurant chain opened its latest Pennsylvania location in the Strip District.
1447 Smallman St., Strip District
Since unleashing a food truck in 2021, Yinzer Dogs has been feeding Pittsburghers hometahn comfort food, including hot dogs, pierogies and haluski. Now you can sit and stay with them at a brick-and-mortar in Butler County.
2085 MacKenzie Way, Cranberry
Yo! Sample an array of scratch-made Asian cuisine at this storefront in Duncan Manor Plaza. It’s located next door to Allusion Brewing Co.’s North Hills taproom
1701 Duncan Ave., Suite 5, Allison Park
