Best Tasting Menus In Pittsburgh
If you are a person who has a difficult time deciding what to order, a restaurant with a tasting menu is a great option. You can taste a small amount of several dishes that restaurant offers as one meal. A tasting menu is ideal if you are trying a new restaurant for the first time and aren't sure what you will like, or if you would like a variety of food for your meal. Many of Pittsburgh's best restaurants offer a tasting menu. Here are some great ones to try.
See our previous Best Tasting Menus In Pittsburgh article here.
Eleven
1150 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 201-5656
www.elevenck.com
Located in the Strip District, Eleven Contemporary Cuisine offers elegant dishes made with fresh, local ingredients. Eleven offers two tasting menus starting at $45 with choices such as strawberry gazpacho, spring vegetables, Carolina gold rice risotto and croissant bread pudding. A wine pairing for each course can be added for an additional $25, featuring wines from Portugal, Spain and France. The $65 tasting menu features tuna tartare, pisello pasta, Elysian Fields Farm lamb loin and strawberry rhubarb pie.
Salt Of The Earth
5523 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 441-7258
www.saltpgh.com
Located in Garfield, Salt of the Earth features menu creations by Pittsburgh chef Kevin Sousa. The menu features local and seasonal ingredients. A chef's tasting menu is available Monday through Wednesday evenings with a week's advance notice. Your tasting menu will present you with a variety of specially prepared items. The regular menu contains such tasty options as chilled soba with shrimp, duck with mushrooms and ramps and chocolate cake with strawberries and mint.
Toast! Kitchen and Wine Bar
5102 Baum Blvd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
(412) 224-2579
www.toastkitchen-winebar.com
Toast Kitchen and Wine Bar has seasonally changing menus and a happy hour Monday through Friday nights from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. which feature half-price bottles of wines. The tasting menu at toast allows you to choose any three courses for $40. First-course choices include starters such as shrimp and grits, French lentils and sea scallops with bacon. Second-course choices include salads such as roasted beets, field greens and crab and avocado. Third-course choices include main dishes such as barbeque pork shank, braised rabbit and goat ragout.
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Tamari
3519 Butler St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
(412) 325-3435
www.tamaripgh.com
Tamari features a menu inspired by Latin and Asian fusion. Executive chef Roger Li and sous chef Claudia Moyano will create a special chef's tasting menu for you by reservation. Prices are $60 for a five-course menu and $80 for a seven-course menu. The chef's menu is personalized to you and could include such tasty options as lobster mac and cheese, mushroom salad, shrimp tacos and specialty maki, nigiri and sashimi.
Crested Duck Charcuterie
1603 Broadway Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15216
(412) 892-9983
www.crestedduck.com
Located in Beechview, Crested Duck is a butcher shop and deli that features fresh meats, cheeses and deli items. Each month, Crested Duck hosts a four-course tasting dinner featuring a salad, soup, main dish and dessert. The dinners are on the second Friday of each month and reservations are required. Prices vary based on the menu, but average $50 per person.
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Jennifer Stockdale is a native of the greater Pittsburgh, PA area. She is a restaurant marketer and wine enthusiast and one of the hosts of the East Coast Wine Geeks Podcast. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.