New restaurants to check out in Pittsburgh

If you’ve spent any time in Pittsburgh exploring the many different cuisines that the city has to offer, you know that a wide variety of delicious restaurants populate the city. Pittsburgh has a diverse population, with many cultures residing in the neighborhoods around the three rivers. As a college student, I try not to go out too often to save money, so when I do, I try to dine at interesting and quality restaurants. There are always new businesses popping up in the city, so it can be difficult to keep up with which restaurants are good and finding time to try each of them out. This article will serve as a guide for places which opened this year that are worth trying out. 

Novo Asian Food Hall

Food halls are all the rage in Pittsburgh recently, and this one, which The Pitt News has featured in a previous article, contributes to this trend. The Novo Food Hall is located in the Strip District and consists of seven different establishments, including a bar and a dessert place to go along with many different restaurants. Each of the different restaurants have a specific focus on the cuisine of different countries or regions in Asia. 

The food hall has the high, pipe-filled ceilings and industrial look common in many food halls, like the Federal Galley, located on the North Shore. While this food hall consists of many restaurants, it is not that large of a space, which causes it to become extremely crowded. I would recommend going during off hours to avoid the rush, which makes it difficult to find seating. But you definitely do not want to miss out on these restaurants. 

Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar

If you’re a fan of Tequila Cowboy located on the North Shore, be sure to check out its neighbor bar and restaurant Jason Aldean’s. Aldean’s, named after the country music star and owned by the same group that owns Tequila Cowboy, is located right next to the popular bar. Jason Aldean’s features a Southern, soul food inspired menu with classic foods like chicken and waffles, mac and cheese and an assortment of different steaks. For the 21-plus crowd, there are also many fun cocktails and the bar has already garnered a similar amount of praise as Tequila Cowboy. This North Shore block will likely become an even greater hotspot for Steelers and Pitt football fans, prior to, during and after games at Acrisure.

Mango Mango Desserts

Located in a neighborhood with amazing and diverse restaurants, this Squirrel Hill desert place lives up to its name. Many of the dessert options here contain mango, including sticky rice, ice cream, cake and more. The bright store has a decent amount of seating, but can still fill up on busier nights. 

All of the desserts are extremely refreshing, consisting of a lot of fruit, and unique items that some American diners may not be familiar with, like durian, lychee and tea-focused desserts. I had the mango mango combo B, which consisted of mango pancakes and two different kinds of mango sundaes. I really recommend trying different items here because these delicious desserts will not be found in many other dining locations in Pittsburgh.

KuJiRa

This sushi restaurant is located just off of Walnut Street in Shadyside, and its great location is only the start of the positives it has going for it. The menu includes many different appetizers, soups and sushi rolls, which are all delicious and high quality, but I wouldn’t recommend just ordering a few things off the menu. KuJiRa has an all-you-can-eat experience for $27.99, which is the ideal way to dine at this restaurant. While $27.99 isn’t the cheapest, and you of course are welcome to forgo the all-you-can-eat experience if you are not that hungry or want to save money, I would recommend splurging. The sushi is fresh, and this experience gives you the freedom to try so many different kinds of rolls and seafood. If you are a fan of sushi, this is genuinely a must-visit.