From breakfast pizza to an early-morning banh mi, unique brunch is Pittsburgh’s MO.
On Saturday, you can finally treat yourself to a little more sleep, but why not go a step further and treat yourself to some delicious food as well?
It’s easy enough in Pittsburgh, where tasty dishes meet relaxation in the many restaurants that offer Saturday brunch.
No matter if you’re craving the bacon sizzling with flavor, belgian waffles topped with fresh berries, or something more experimental, Pittsburgh has it all. Every place offers their own twist on the classics or perhaps presents an entirely new dish.
Know a Pittsburgh resident who could use a treat to kick off their weekend?
Consider giving them the gift of good food with GiftYa. It’s simple and easy to use for both you and your favorite yinzer. All you do is send a gift certificate from your phone to theirs, where they can redeem it by connecting it to their debit card. It saves the stress of remembering a physical card — no one needs that when they’re relaxing on a Saturday morning.
1137 South Braddock Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15218
Mon-Sun: 7am-3pm
Served with coffee in a square mug, these pancakes are dusted with love and care.
With warm drinks and a warmer atmosphere, it’s difficult not to love Square Cafe. This cute cafe offers meals made with seasonal ingredients, their menu rotating to ensure that their faithful patrons never get bored -- their winter menu includes such unique items as roasted cauliflower soup, a chipotle jackfruit bowl, and a corned beef bánh mì.
In addition to keeping it fresh, they also offer a variety of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options, as well as dog-friendly outdoor seating when the weather permits. Go earlier rather than later, as this local favorite can build up quite a line on the weekends.
54 21st Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Tue-Thu: 11am-9pm
Sat: 10am-10pm
Sun: 10am-3pm
This dish can be found at Home, Smallman Galley’s American-style incubator restaurant.
Smallman Galley is a four-in-one restaurant experience, currently boasting street-style Latin American food in Ba-Co, modern Vietnamese cuisine in Banhmilicious, good old-fashioned American classics in Home, and Detroit-style pizza in Iron Born.
From and avocado and honey banh mi to homestyle hot biscuits and gravy, Smallman Galley contains brunch offerings for every level of foodie.
463 Blvd of the Allies
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Brunch Hours
Mon-Fri: 10am-2pm
Sat-Sun: 9am-2pm
Dinner Hours
Sun-Thu: 5pm-10pm
Fri-Sat: 5pm-11pm
With loft seating, modern design, and just a touch of fishiness, this restaurant offers decor that it’s hard to find anywhere else.
Housed in the Distrikt Hotel downtown, or, The Whale shows its commitment to the brunch experience by running a brunch menu seven days a week.
With a focus on seafood and meat, brunch offerings include a salmon salad, shrimp and grits, and a chicken sugo sandwich, among others.
Every dish includes locally produced raw ingredients, and pastries are lovingly made from scratch.
Themed around Moby Dick, the atmosphere of the restaurant is dreamy and enchanting, perfect for a relaxing morning out.
Buy a GiftYa To Or, The Whale >
...Every time the service is impeccable. Quickly seated, quick to fill any drink orders, and quick to bring out our orders. - Yelp Review
120 S. Whitfield Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Breakfast Hours
Mon-Fri: 7am-11am
Sat-Sun: 7am-10am
Brunch Hours
Sat-Sun: 10am-2pm
Dinner Hours
Sun-Thu: 5pm-10pm
Fri-Sat: 5pm-12pm
An open, airy space accompanies great food to combine in one of the best brunch experiences in Pittsburgh.
Another restaurant nestled within a hotel — Ace Hotel Pittsburgh — Whitfield prides itself on providing the best version of western Pennsylvania’s unique mix of German, Polish, Eastern European, and Jewish cuisine.
Their brunch menu ranges from a blueberry buttermilk pancake to duck leg confit -- all sourced from local providers — and changes with the season.
Decorated with overflowing plant pots and the light streaming in from the large, double-paned windows, the entire place possesses an airy atmosphere; yet the wooden seating and tables offer a nod to the more traditional western Pennsylvanian homes they hope to emulate with their food.
1291 Spring Garden Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Wed-Fri: 5pm-10pm
Sat: 11am-10pm
Sun: 11am-4pm
With delicious breakfast pizzas and ciders that will make your mouth water, Threadbare is the destination for your next Saturday morning.
Featuring all manner of unique pizzas — apple and threadbare hash, for instance — as well as pancakes made with the cider-starter yeast, the expertly brewed cider is far from the only appealing item on Threadbare’s brunch menu.
If you don’t like surprises, be sure to check the menu right before you visit as it changes weekly in keeping with the locally sourced ingredients.
“...We split the pickle platter and each got the breakfast hash pizza and pancakes. The platter is delicious and highly recommended for pickle fans!...The pizza was larger than expected but tasty! Lots of toppings and flavor without being too heavy. The pancakes were very well done; fluffy buttermilk pancakes with butter, whipped cream, and rhubarb jam (classic!). The pancakes were also a perfect serving size for one person.” - Yelp Review
2216 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Hours
Tue-Sat: 5pm-11pm
Brunch Hours
Sat-Sun: 10am-3pm
Expert drinks and expert food make for the best of both worlds at Bar Marco.
Bar Marco is located in an 1860’s firehouse in the Strip District and focuses on serving custom cocktails as well as delicious European-style dishes.
Although the menu items may appear to be on the pricier side, this is because gratuity is included — and the staff are well-paid and given benefits.
The menu contains items such as pasta frittata, chicken milanese, and the famous Marco burger, containing espresso, tarragon aioli, bacon, and red onion.
1800 Rialto St
Pittsburgh PA 15212
Tue-Fri: 8am-2pm
Sat-Sun: 9am-2pm
Offering western Pennsylvania staples like this crumbly cake, Pear and the Pickle is not to be overlooked on the quest for brunch.
Described by Thrillist as “one of Pittsburgh’s worst-kept brunch secrets,” this cozy cafe located on Troy Hill serves the best of the classics — like their well-known breakfast sandwich, accompanied by Stumptown coffee, if you so please.
Run by a husband-wife team, Pear and the Pickle places an emphasis on community, acting as the jumping-off point for the many art attractions nearby, such as Kunzhaus, Spaces Corners, or Saint Anthony’s Chapel.
“..The shop is super unique and cozy. They also make amazing lunch sandwiches as well, that also never disappoint. If you are a breakfast sandwich fan...This is the place to go!” - Yelp Review
2549 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Tue-Thu: 8am-9pm
Fri-Sat: 8am-10pm
Sun: 10am-2:30pm
Although it happens to be last on this list, DiAnoia’s Eatery is number one for beautiful Italian breakfast food.
A cute Italian restaurant located on the Strip, DiAnoia’s Eatery has been praised time and time again for the authenticity of their food.
Their brunch menu certainly does not disappoint on this count, including zeppole — Italian donuts — veal parmesan, and prosciutto eggs benedict, among others.
If you’re looking for the best Italian food in town, with a breakfast twist, try brunch at DiAnoia’s.
“...I had the Prosciutto egg Benedict, which was bomb. My friend had a veggie egg scrambler that tasted better than any scrambler that I've ever had. Coffee was also strong and on-point.” - Yelp Review
From cozy cafes to sprawling, high-end restaurants, every brunch place in Pittsburgh offers a unique and valuable experience. Now that you know a little more about these spots and the delicious dishes they offer, you can give an even more personalized gift to your favorite Pittsburgh resident with GiftYa. It’s easy, it’s quick, and it’s very thoughtful — after all, who doesn’t like a good brunch?
