The Best Things to Eat in Pittsburgh Right Now

It’s fish fry season, Pittsburgh.

For most of us, that means church basements, volunteer crews and long lines. And while those are still the gold standard (check out the official fish fry map to plan your next few Fridays), there are restaurants across the city pulling out all the stops with their own Lenten specials. Here are a few that I’m most excited about this year.

Stuntpig’s Lenten special is a buttermilk-and-cornmeal crusted catfish sandwich that’s is exactly what you want from a fish sandwich: substantial, crisp and balanced. They’re topping it with a ginger-and-sesame slaw that brings freshness and crunch, and a miso tartar sauce that adds a different layer of depth.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Moonlit Burgers is bringing back one of their most-loved specials of the year, the Moonfry Fish Sandwich, available Fridays throughout Lent. This is a perennial favorite, made with panko-fried cod and topped with Moonlit’s own remoulade, their signature Moon sauce, lettuce, tomato and pickles, all on a Martin’s potato roll.

The sauces give it personality, but they don’t distract from the cod itself. And at Sally Ann’s, Lent is (temporarily) reshaping their menu in a bigger way. In addition to a fried fish sandwich, there’s a full fish and chips platter and a lobster roll. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

And there’s another seasonal shift is happening right now — it’s the best time to enjoy all things citrus. After months of heavier desserts, bright, acidic flavors feel especially welcome. I had two lemon desserts recently that have stayed with me, and both are worth making time for.

PHOTO BY EMILY CATALANO

At Eleven, the Lemon Crème Brûlée is less a single dessert and more a composed plate. It starts with lemon olive oil cake and brown butter custard, layered with lemon curd, whipped passionfruit namelaka, Meyer lemon gelée and toasted marshmallow fluff. Each component brings something distinct, but it’s the balance that really makes it work. The lemon is present throughout, but it never becomes sharp or overwhelming. Instead, it keeps the dessert focused.

The Lemon Tiramisu at Cork & Crust (read more about my lovely experience there last week) takes a different approach. Built with limoncello-soaked lady fingers and lemon-scented mascarpone, it keeps the familiar structure of tiramisu but replaces the heaviness with something lighter and more direct. It’s bright and clear in its flavor, and it feels especially appropriate right now. It’s the kind of dessert you finish and immediately want again.

Lent will pass, and citrus season will shift again. But right now, these are the dishes that are capturing this moment, and they’re worth your time.

Emily Catalano has been writing about Pittsburgh’s restaurant industry for more than a decade. She is the founder and editor of Good Food Pittsburgh and owns Highly Social Media, a creative content agency. For a full list of the weekly dishes featured in her column, visit here.