There are a few dishes that strike the perfect balance between comfort and intensity, quite like the Spicy Beef Pho at Pho Van. Served steaming hot and deeply aromatic, this bowl delivered such bold flavor from the very first sip, instantly warming you from the inside out.

Sushi I has a fresh new look—and a bold new concept. After closing for a month to renovate and rebrand, the space has emerged as Okane Sushi Taco Bar & Omakase, offering downtown diners a sleek, high-end bar atmosphere perfect for both drinks and dinner.

Another downtown coffee spot just dropped, and this one gets it.

Ruckus Café recently opened on Liberty Avenue with a clear goal in mind: serving breakfast and lunch that fits the pace of a downtown workday. Designed as a daytime-only café, the Downtown location brings the popular Shaler original’s made-to-order approach to an office-heavy neighborhood where quick, quality options are always in demand.

If you work downtown and love fresh, healthy, and quick lunch options, you’ve got to check out Istanbul Grille tucked away on the lower level of the Steel Tower. It’s one of the best spots for a flavorful midday meal that hits all the right notes without slowing you down.

Balvanera brings the energy of Buenos Aires to Pittsburgh’s Strip District with a menu rooted in Argentine tradition and shaped by global technique. Opened in NYC in 2014 and arriving in Pittsburgh in 2023, the restaurant is led by acclaimed Argentine chef Fernando Navas and Pittsburgh native Meredith Boyle.

The Indian Street Food ghost kitchen, Mild 2 Spicy, is relocating downtown!  Opening their brick-and-mortar storefront at 951 Liberty Ave., we are excited to welcome them to the downtown food lineup.  Mild 2 Spicy will move in where Bae Bae’s Café previously sat for the last few years, and new owner Shalin Patel is ready to make some changes.

Some dishes don’t need hype. They just speak for themselves. The Barbacoa Burrito at Taco Guapo is one of them.

The beef is slow-cooked to perfection, juicy, tender, and full of rich, authentic flavor 🤌 Every bite is satisfying without being heavy, and the portion is generous enough to keep you full long after the last bite. It is comfort food done right.

Fifth Avenue Place, which sits on the corner of Stanwix Street and Penn Avenue, is welcoming downtown’s newest restaurant: ELIA Mediterranean Grille. At their current location in Warrendale, ELIA brings some of the best Mediterranean flavors to Pittsburgh, and having them downtown is going to be so special for the community.