ALBERTA’S PIZZERIA | PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

I‘m not one to keep track of everything that I eat. It’s a monumental task that would require an Excel spreadsheet and a team of non-judgmental interns. (Besides, seeing that seemingly endless list in black and white would make me feel more gluttonous than I already do.) But the Best New Restaurants issue gives me a chance to shine a spotlight on places where I had my most memorable dining experiences of the prior year.

Over the past 12 months, I’ve spent a lot of time in Bloomfield and Upper St. Clair, each home to two eateries on this list. I’ve also devoured gourmet food disguised as fast-casual grub, celebrated some of my favorite food trucks becoming brick-and-mortars, dined at a distillery and inhaled pierogies with Beetlejuice. You should, too.

Related: Here Are the 25 Best Restaurants in Pittsburgh

The Best Restaurants Party is back!

The Best Restaurants Party will feature dozens of dishes from top local restaurants highlighted in the 2025 Best Restaurants list. We’ll see you May 12 at The Event Center at Rivers Casino.

Fet-Fisk

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Fet-Fisk has reeled in some big compliments since opening last spring, including a shoutout from The New York Times. The publication included the Bloomfield business on a list of its 50 favorite eateries in America for 2024, calling the Scandinavian spot “the restaurant equivalent of a cozy sweater.”

In Swedish, the name means “greasy fish.” If the only aquatic eats you’ve ever had are popcorn shrimp and Lenten fish sandwiches, it’s time to cast your nets wider.

Owned by Chef Nik Forsberg, who was a James Beard Award Semi-Finalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2023, Fet-Fisk launched in 2019 as a pop-up concept featuring classic European-style cooking with Nordic- and Western Pennsylvania-inspired twists.

Last spring, the crew dropped anchor on a brick-and-mortar at 4786 Liberty Ave. Fet-Fisk has gone from serving 160 people every two weeks to feeding that many in a single night.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

“In hindsight, we were smart to do things the way we did and grow the business and the clientele slowly over a few years, workshopping dishes and menus,” says Forsberg, who started the concept with Creative Director Sarah LaPonte. “We had all this time to plan. Even when we got into the restaurant space and started working on it, it would be construction during the day, then wine tastings, menu previews and logistics at night. I don’t think we could’ve opened one day earlier than we did.”

The former Lombardozzi’s Restaurant, an Italian institution that closed in 2020 after nearly 50 years, received a nautical makeover with a menu to match.

Forsberg has many of his Swedish grandmother’s old recipe cards … but can’t read her handwriting. Offerings of sea-trout caviar and mussels are childhood memories turned into menu items. Jansson’s Temptation, an anchovy and potato gratin, has graced many Fet-Fisk pop-up menus in the past and will enter Little Italy’s dining scene this winter, along with other cold-weather comfort food and Glögg, a Swedish mulled wine.

My favorite main dish was a whole grilled Branzino with dulse butter, celery and breadcrumbs. Branzino by itself is a light meal, so I ordered scallop crudo and sourdough spaetzle on the side and a slice of chocolate mousse cake with lingonberries and creme for dessert.Then I settled my stomach by sipping house-made marigold schnapps and aquavit.

If you’re more of a landlubber when it comes to dining out, the Fet-Fisk menu features meals for meat lovers, too. During my second visit, my girlfriend and I enjoyed a 16-ounce strip steak with lobster-butter hollandaise and a roasted half chicken.

For people who might be averse to the idea of a “greasy” fish, Forsberg says that, while the cuisine is loosely Nordic and Nordic-inspired, at its core, Fet-Fisk is driven by locally grown ingredients, including those from Coldco Farm in Verona.

The decor is moody maritime rather than touristy crab shack. In 2023, when Forsberg closed on the landmark Bloomfield building, he told me he wanted to keep Lombardozzi’s retro vibe that, conceptually, would be like an old-fashioned steakhouse or seafood parlor.

The interior is dark with wood paneling and red lighting, and there are subtle nods to the sea throughout the dining room and bar area, including ocean-inspired oil paintings and a ship’s wheel surrounded by retro cookbooks.

Forsberg plans to host more celebratory nights at the restaurant. It’s when the sun goes down that the dimly lit restaurant really shines.

Bloomfield
4786 Liberty Ave.
fetfisk.net

Nothingman

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

When the world went into lockdown-mode in 2020, chefs Troy Beck and Katie Peric found freedom in making Nashville-style chicken sandwiches at home. They parlayed their pandemic pastime into Given To Fly, one of four kitchen concepts at Federal Galley on the North Side.

Nothingman, their full-scale but no-frills eatery, landed in Bloomfield in the space that had been long occupied by Station. They hope to bring back some of what the neighborhood lost when Donatelli’s Italian Food Center closed in 2022 after 90 years in business.

Nothingman’s small, flavorful menu includes shareable starters you’ll want to devour solo: deviled eggs and homemade chips and dip. There are ever-changing specials made with locally sourced ingredients and mainstays such as steak frites and vodka rigatoni served with a slice of pillowy focaccia bread. Order a loaf and take a nap.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Wednesday wing nights are wild, with customers clamoring for limited quantities of deep-fried poultry covered in Calabrian chiles, garlic, chives, Parmesan and extra virgin olive oil — a nod to the last tenant’s much-loved appetizer.

My favorite things about Nothingman (aside from the owners) are the deli sandwiches, the drinks and the desserts.

The Bill Swerski — named after a character from a recurring “Saturday Night Live” sketch about Chicago Bears superfans — features medium-rare roast beef, Jarlsberg Swiss, hot giardiniera and garlic mayo on a brioche bun. It’s a big, messy, delicious masterpiece. Pair it with a Root Beer Old-Fashioned and you’ve got yourself a Mike Ditka-approved meal.

If, like Coach Ditka, yinz guys grew up near Pittsburgh, you’ve probably gorged yourself on strawberry-pretzel salad and pistachio fluff. Peric, a West Virginia native, excels at creating these mouth-watering, nostalgia-inducing delicacies.

Beck, whose family ran a tavern in Altoona, is nostalgic for ’90s-era rock and shot-and-a-beer bars that cater to a blue-collar crowd. Nothingman is the name of a Pearl Jam song, but it’s also a reference to the unskilled laborers who provided muscle for turn-of-the-20th-century steel mills.

This neighborhood joint appeals to working-class heroes as well as trend-following foodies. In other words, Nothingman has everything.

Bloomfield
4744 liberty ave.
instagram.com/nothingmanpgh

Cold Friends Kitchen

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Eating Cold Friends’ food is like getting a warm hug from your grandma — and that’s what a lot of folks crave these days. A Black Miso Wrap with bok choy, purple yam, broccoli-tip greens, kimchi, black mulberry-plum miso glaze, edamame and Thai basil isn’t something that’s typically available at 3 a.m. At Cold Friends, though, they believe service-industry workers and night owls deserve more than day-old wings and microwaved burritos.

“I like big, comforting flavors,” says Gabriel Knecht, who co-owns the business with Thomas Bango. “I like messy and greasy, but also the technical, more refined stuff. I thought it would be nice to marry those two things on a menu. I wanted to wrap something high-end in a casual blanket and feed more people good food.”

Last April, they began operating a food truck that’s parked outside of Velum Fermentation, a 35,000-square-foot brewery on the South Side. In addition to selling gourmet appetizers, sandwiches, bowls, pork belly, smash burgers and vegan-friendly fodder into the wee hours, they have a pay-it-forward option that allows patrons to buy a hot meal for someone who is less fortunate.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

At the end of the night, fresh donation meals are prepared. Knecht and Bango make deliveries as they head back to their prep kitchen. They uplift people through elevated fare because they know how it feels to be down and out. The entire Cold Friends staff is in recovery in some way; they work together on life skills such as financial literacy as well as creating unique menu items to give away.

“If we can show them the only kindness they’ve seen that day, that month or that year, then that’s reason enough to do it,” says Knecht, who says he was homeless for a time.

Their community spirit has spurred fast growth. As of press time, they were set to take over the kitchen space at New Amsterdam in Lawrenceville on Feb. 5. Owner John Pergal, who also owns the nearby Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall and Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks, says he’s excited to serve Cold Friends’ food and support their humanitarian mission.

The Velum trailer will soon be replaced by a 40-foot bus to increase production. Knecht says they’re eyeing a third spot in the East End. One day, they hope to have a fleet of food trucks and a brick-and-mortar building that functions as a restaurant, homeless shelter and workforce-training facility.

Cold Friends is on fire!

“It’s not about money — it’s about what good you can do for another person,” Knecht says. “I’m doing this because I’ve been on both sides of it. The work is gratifying and moves the needle for the whole community. That is what Cold Friends is; we are competitive, but we are competing against stereotypes in the food industry.”

South Side & Lawrenceville 
2120 Jane St. | New Amsterdam, 4421 Butler st.
coldfriends.com

Yaba’s Middle Eastern Street Food

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Located on the second floor of a narrow storefront in Uptown, Yaba’s Middle Eastern Street Food is easy to miss. But once you climb the stairs, it’s hard to forget. There’s a colorful mural on the wall of the fast-casual eatery depicting a bustling marketplace. Appetizing scents waft from the kitchen where Abe and Hanan Daud whip up family recipes. They’ve raised 10 kids and spent two decades in the dining industry. They’re experts in the art of pleasing palates.

The Daud siblings are helping their parents to transition into retirement mode; that’s a hard task because their folks are so passionate about feeding people.

Yaba’s exterior is deceptive. It’s spacious inside and seats about 60. After eight months of building renovations, it quietly debuted in March across from PPG Paints Arena.

The Dauds ran popular full-service restaurants in Cleveland, including Pyramid. Locals called it “the lentil restaurant” because its signature lentil soup was so good.

Yaba’s, which means “dad” in Arabic, has the same lentil soup. It’s something mama’s been making for years. Next to her children, it’s Hanan’s pride and joy. After slurping down the stuff I can attest — Yaba’s is Pittsburgh’s “lentil restaurant.”

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

The menu is simple, healthy and flavorful. You can build your own bowl, wrap or salad. My go-to is a bowl with rice, a mix of halal chicken and lamb shawarma, pickled cucumber, purple cabbage, Arabic chopped salad, chickpea salad, sumac onion, lettuce and tomato with both a spicy red and cooling white sauce on top. I also recommend ordering the baba ghanoush with fresh pita bread.

During my first visit, I spent two hours chowing down and chatting with Abe and Hanan and their son, Adam.

Before I finished my marathon munching session, I ordered takeout for my daughter, the pickiest of all picky eaters. Thankfully, Yaba’s offers a kids’ menu that, in addition to shawarma meals, includes chicken nuggets and fries. The restaurant also serves halal smash burgers (with double or triple patties) and chicken wings. Adam put a lot of time and research into these items and plans to add more in 2025.

“All of these recipes are things my mom made when I was growing up,” Adam says. “She is the mastermind behind all the recipes. She’s always on her feet, meticulously cleaning and prepping. Everything is as fresh as possible. It’s stuff we’ve fed to family and friends over the years. We thought the broader Pittsburgh market would enjoy it as well.”

Uptown
1022 Fifth Ave.
yabas412.com

Main Street Diner & Kickback Cafe

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Brian Mendelssohn gazes up at the Sandworm hanging above his head. He flips a switch and the tubular monster’s eyes glow red.

The devil’s in the details at Main Street Diner & Kickback Cafe, a Lawrenceville haunt that brings “Beetlejuice” – the 1988 film starring Pittsburgh native Michael Keaton — to life.

After what seemed like an eternity of planning and construction, the bar, restaurant and pinball arcade debuted in July, just in time for the release of a long-anticipated “Beetlejuice” sequel.

This isn’t a Halloween pop-up; like death, it’s permanent.

In order to enter the eatery located below Lawrenceville Market House, customers must walk through a cemetery and wait in the reception area until their number is called. As a diehard “Beetlejuice” fan, I was the first person to draw a door when Main Street opened for business. My brooding teenage daughter, Sarah, accompanied me.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

She got a burger, fries and a chocolate milkshake; I opted for a Strange & Unusual whiskey cocktail and a Polish platter consisting of pierogies, kielbasa and potato pancakes. Mendelssohn’s Polish mother-in-law taught the staff how to make the Eastern European specialties.

Although there are no face-grabbing shrimp dishes on the menu, guests will find American favorites. Mendelssohn, who also runs Row House Cinema and Bierport across the street, is an expert when it comes to indulgent, delicious food and beverage. Simply Burgers & Fries and Oliver’s Donuts also operate out of Lawrenceville Market House. Laugh in the face of a Bio-Exorcist as you devour a burger topped with smoked bacon and cheese on a glazed doughnut.

The Pittsburgh salad isn’t necessarily healthier with all the fries and cheese on top, but I guarantee you’ll dig it. There’s also an array of chicken sandwiches and a kids’ menu with G-rated offerings. The windowless space is basically one … big … dark … room, so you can indulge in an order of Smash Fries — two smash burger patties, spuds and cheddar cheese — without judgment. If you need something sweet to nosh, grab a Zagnut, a candy bar originally produced by Pittsburgh’s D.L. Clark Co.

Kickback Pinball Cafe, a recently deceased Lawrenceville arcade, found an afterlife in Main Street’s otherworldly dining room. It holds 14 movie-themed pinball machines, a wedding scene photo-op spot and more than 80 souls.

Mendelssohn and his team of artists, including Ryder Henry and Bree Berry, spent years capturing the “Beetlejuice” vibe. With shades of mauve and veridian on the walls, they recreated everything from the movie’s furniture, abstract sculptures and signage to a funky fireplace and the Sandworm.

There’s even a nice [expletive] model of a quaint little town. Jump in the line now.

Lawrenceville
4112 Butler St.
mainstreetpgh.com

Golden Gai Izakaya

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Inspired by Tokyo’s Shinjuku Golden Gai, a network of narrow alleyways densely packed with more than 200 eateries, Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group opened a narrow eatery densely packed with Japanese flavors.

Golden Gai Izakaya is a sister restaurant to Gi-Jin, the high-end sushi spot that opened in 2021 Downtown.

Located in Bakery Square, Golden Gai has more of a laid-back vibe and allows the company to expand its Japanese offerings to include dishes that require grills and woks, something its culinary sibling doesn’t have.

Now, in addition to Nigiri and Sashimi, Chef and co-owner Michael Taylor is making Yakisoba, Gyoza and, my favorite, Yaki Wagyu Satsumaimo, a filling mix of fried fingerling potato, fried Okinawan sweet potato, Parmesan-dashi fondue, black-garlic tare, shiitake bacon and chives. Pair it with a Daruma Doll cocktail made with Haku vodka, pear sake, pomegranate, lime, honey and sesame oil.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Be sure to make a reservation, as this hotspot only has 30 seats; most of them are at the bar that stretches the length of the 1,000-square-foot space and faces the open kitchen. The massive chandelier above the bar, designed to resemble a fish spine, completes the modern Japanese aesthetic.

Golden Gai opened for dine-in service in October, but it reeled in loyal customers over the summer with a takeout window, where they could pick up beautifully packaged sushi. It was a big hit with the East End lunch crowd, who ordered online or via the walk-up touchscreen. There is no specific timeline for when the lunchtime service will resume, but the company anticipates it will be in the first half of 2025.

I can’t wait to go fish again.

Larimer
116 Bakery Square Blvd.
goldengaipgh.com

Alberta’s Pizzeria

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

It’s a Monday afternoon and Beau Mitall is sore from the weekend launch of Alberta’s Pizzeria, a popular food truck that now has a permanent home on the North Side.

Instead of occupying his usual station in front of the enormous cherry-wood-fired oven, the self-confessed “quality-control freak” let his kitchen staff take the pizza-making reins while he ran food, bussed tables and mingled with guests.

The Western Avenue spot was packed on that Saturday night in July. My friend and I managed to snag two seats at the bar, which is a long slab of white marble adorned with small bouquets of flowers every few feet. Soft, warm lighting makes the room glow.

This isn’t a takeout pizza joint; it’s elegantly chill.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

To start, we nibbled on Cuban-style tostones (fried plantains) and highly addictive edamame seasoned with spiced salt. After much discussion about what type of pizza to order (I’m a longtime Alberta’s fan and think all of their varieties are pretty darn amazing), we went with the spicy Hot Sopp. It had a thin and foldable crust that was sturdy enough to sustain the weight of tomato sauce, house-made mozzarella, hot soppressata, pecorino chili oil and chili flakes. We sucked it down faster than the soybeans.

On the road since 2016, Chef-owner Mitall’s food truck was basically a one-man operation, guaranteeing that each pizza sold met his high standards. The food doesn’t just have to taste good, it has to look a certain way.

Now he’s assembled a team of employees, including his daughter, Nandi Mitall, who are just as passionate about food and brand that’s named after his late-grandmother. The truck will still be out and about, but will mostly be used for catering jobs.

In addition to Neapolitan-inspired pizza (Alberta’s bake is a bit longer than the traditional 60 to 90 seconds), there are salads, seafood such as oysters on the half-shell and small plates that can stand on their own but won’t fill you up if your meal plan also includes pizza and dessert.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

“The menu has to reflect me and my experiences,” says Mitall, an Edgewood native who’s lived in New York City and South Africa, and has a deep love for Caribbean fare. “I don’t have a food philosophy other than less is more.”

Mitall, who says he was deprived of good pizza while living abroad, developed a deeper appreciation for New York-style pies and taught himself how to make them, right down to the hand-mixed, unrefrigerated dough.

Alberta’s is located next door to Four Points Brewing Co. The brewery, which is named after the four-pointed stars on the American Iron and Steel Institute’s logo, is based in Charleroi. In 2021, the company opened a taproom in the former Shamrock Inn on the North Side.

The businesses share more than a wall. Four Points brews Olde Pitz, a crisp, refreshing Italian pilsner, exclusively for the pizzeria.

“Beau is a really good friend of ours and I think he makes the best pizza in the city,” brewery owner Dave Barbe says. “I think we did a really good job with the first batch, so we’ll keep it on tap over there.”

North Side
917 Western Ave.
albertaspizzapgh.com

The Brinery

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

I think Joe Bardakos and Madi Donaldson — and their adorable children — are trying to kill me, both through their side-splitting antics and their gut-busting menu.

And I absolutely love them for it.

The family makes food that I cannot resist. When you visit The Brinery in Sharpsburg, yinz guys better leave your diet at the door.

The black-and-gold dining room includes a pillow-back bench, which is a nice touch because you’ll want to take a snooze after indulging in their brand of greasy, big-as-your-head, scratch-made sandwiches, including one of my all-time favorites, The Graceland. Elvis Presley would have appreciated the pickle-brined-and-fried chicken thigh, chili peanut sauce, napa cabbage, pickles and banana ketchup, thankyouverymuch.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

You can also enjoy single-, double-or triple-patty smash burgers, shoestring fries, pickled tots and weekend breakfast options that are actually worth getting out of bed for. A Pancake Smash, a beef smash burger topped with bacon, a fried egg, hash browns, buttermilk flapjacks and maple syrup, is the cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast. Thanks to local partnerships, you can get boozy morning beverages such as Bloody Marys from neighboring Love Katie, Distilling and hot drinks from Coffee with Cait, a Pittsburgh pop-up that sources its Jagshead-brand beans from a friend’s family farm in El Salvador.

Fear not, herbivores! There are salads on the menu, including the Danny Zuko – a mix of spinach, cherry tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers doused in red-wine vinegar, olive oil and oregano – named after John Travolta’s character in “Grease.”

See? There’s a type of grease for everybody at The Brinery!

Joe grew up in a large Greek-Italian family in Shaler Township, where his mother would shoo him out of the kitchen for sampling the grub before it was ready. He says his banishment from the room piqued his culinary curiosity. For his seventh birthday, he received a waffle maker. Now his expertise is in fried chicken, the waffle’s southern sidekick. The former Piccolo Forno chef helped to launch the Bridge City Brinery and Bridge City Smashery food trucks with his former business partner, Mark Mammone.

Madi, a native of York, Pennsylvania, picked up culinary skills from her grandmother, who made everything from scratch (right down to the jam on her freshly baked bread) as well as celebrity chef Rachael Ray. Someday, the small-town girl hopes to raise her own vegetables and livestock for a farm-to-table restaurant. Until then, she’s happy teaching her toddlers Presley and Charlotte the basics. When I visited the sisters’ “food truck,” a play-vehicle parked in the living room of their Shaler home, they served me an imaginary smash burger and fries.

It was the best meal I’ve never had.

Sharpsburg
914 Main St.
brinery412.com

Wild Rosemary Bistro

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Chef Raymond Mikesell is happy when he’s feeding people.

But his passion for the dining scene was dulled by the pandemic, so he decided to sell Café Raymond, the bustling Strip District eatery he opened in 2008, and move to Middle-of-Nowhere, Montana, for some much-needed R&R.

He didn’t hang up his apron for long.

The North Side native came back to the ’Burgh to create a new concept from an old favorite. He purchased Wild Rosemary Bistro – a BYOB restaurant in Upper St. Clair – known for its Mediterranean cuisine, cozy aesthetic and months-long waitlist – shortly after it closed in late 2023.

It’s still BYOB, but that’s about the only similarity it has to its predecessor.

The renovated space re-launched in August with ever-changing menus that are more reflective of Mikesell’s Irish-Italian heritage and world travels. The family-style feasts at Wild Rosemary harken back to the sell-out, 125-seat Sunday Suppers he hosted at Café Raymond — just on a smaller scale.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

I visited twice in the same week. On day 1, I devoured everything from red wine-braised short ribs and some of the best meatballs in the city to an unexpectedly delightful appetizer of pickled lima beans with parmigiano  reggiano cheese. Mikesell really leans into leveraging the legumes.

Day 2 consisted of a belly-busting brunch of fluffy, lemon-blueberry pancakes crowned by a dollop of mascarpone cream and a heaping side of breakfast potatoes doused in Mikesell’s signature “F— Yeah!” sauce. Since I’m a glutton for spicy foodstuffs, I also got a sandwich containing fried mortadella, hot banana peppers, wild-fire aioli and provolone on house-made ciabatta bread.

It was worth the heartburn.

Mikesell considers the restaurant an extension of his home, complete with family photographs hanging on the wall. He often steps out of the kitchen to share stories before dinner and to encourage patrons to get to know the folks sitting next to them. The space seats fewer than 30 people, which is still more than the original spot. If you’re rubbing elbows with a stranger, you might as well make them a friend.

Wild Rosemary is a triumphant return-to-form for the chef, who recently experienced an unfathomable loss. In November, just a few days before Thanksgiving, Mikesell’s son, namesake and sous chef died.

After a brief hiatus, Wild Rosemary reopened on Dec. 12. For now, the business has suspended breakfast and lunch, but it continues to offer catering, private event rentals and Supper Club, family-style meals held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings by reservation only.

December’s menu – priced at $80 per person — consisted of broccoli rabe and sausage soup, Pasta Amatriciana, espresso-rubbed braised beef and snickerdoodle tiramisu.

I hope Wild Rosemary brings back its breakfast and lunch. I hope Supper Club gains new members. But, mostly, I hope that, through feeding people, Mikesell continues to find happiness.

Upper St. Clair
1469 bower hill road
wildrosemarybistro.com

Maggie’s Farm Rum

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Maggie’s Farm Rum makes some of the best spirits in the country. Now it has a Best New Restaurant, too.

Late last December, the Strip District-based distillery debuted its new production facility in Upper St. Clair. The suburban site houses an 800-gallon still that’s three times the size of the original, a retail area and a full-service eatery that seats more than 100 people.

I love a dark bar. This one’s got olive drab walls, black tabletops and seats and a rick filled with rum barrels. Some employees wear Hawaiian shirts, but the colors are muted pastels not bright, in-your-face hues. I call the vibe “Goth Tiki.”

Chef Abbi Klobusnik helms the kitchen. With places such as South Side favorites Carmella’s Plates & Pints and Piper’s Pub (not to mention her grandma’s kitchen) listed on her resume, it’s no wonder the menu is jam-packed with hearty comfort dishes that often include a splash of rum or other house-made libations. During the Lenten fish-fry season, for instance, Klobusnik used the company’s lemon-flavored Personal Day Hard Seltzer in the batter.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

The wild-mushroom soup is a must. If your only exposure to mushroom soup is the condensed kind that comes in a can, this will blow your mind faster than a Zombie cocktail. It’s hearty and flavorful, and I enjoyed every drop.

Once you’ve slurped your way to happiness, order the short rib to keep the tastebud party going. The meat is slow-braised in Maggie’s Farm Spiced Rum and served with jus over mashed sweet potatoes, pickled red onion, red pepper and mustard seed.

Last March, I wrote a story about the 32 best burgers in Pittsburgh. The Farm Burger flew under my radar at the time, but that Angus steak patty topped with white cheddar, spiced rum bacon jam, pickled shallots, arugula and dill aioli is the honorary No. 33.

I have yet to try the Breakfast Burger — offered only during Sunday brunch — but it’s calling my name, as is the French toast, which is topped with whip made from the company’s 50/50 Dark Rum and Coffee Liqueur. In 2025, Klobusnik plans to offer more seasonal dishes using herbs and other ingredients grown on the property.

Owner Tim Russell launched the company in 2012, producing Pennsylvania’s first commercially available craft rum since Prohibition. He named the flagship beverage after a Bob Dylan song.

The South Hills facility is off the beaten path, but it’s become a popular spot with locals and road-warrior foodies. It’s a 22,000-square-foot hidden gem.

Make like a rolling stone, and get aht there!

Upper St. Clair
1387 McLaughlin Run Road
maggiesfarmrum.com