Another year in the Burgh means another year of new dining concepts! 2026 already is poised to be an awesome year for new restaurants & bars & I’m here to give you the scoop. From new spots in town, to existing businesses expanding, to nationwide spots landing in Pittsburgh – I am covering the best! I will be updating this post throughout the year so make sure to bookmark it to come back for all the info. Now without further ado, these are some of the places that are new to the Burgh or are coming soon…
La Grassa Pizza Company
COMING SOON/POP-UP OPEN NOW: If you’re a pizza lover, you may have already heard of La Grassa, a Lawrenceville pizza pop-up concept. Currently, you can find La Grassa at Field Day Cafe in on Tuesdays paired with tiramisu for dessert, but they are opening their own shop in Upper Lawrenceville before summer! They will be located at the corner of Butler & 54th in what was previously home to LaVia Trattoria. What makes La Grassa unique is that every slice is a corner slice since they make their pies in a square with 4-cuts.
I recently tried their bianca pizza that comes with ricotta cream, fontina d.o.p., lemon & 24-mo parmigiana. This pizza is the real deal. The crispy edges are their own moment, but don’t take away from the toppings that spread the whole way to the edge of each cut. I also tried their tiramisu & it was one of the bests I’ve ever had – not too soggy, just enough bold espresso flavor. I chatted with the owner, Eric as he was preparing take out orders & he said each shot of espresso used to make their tiramisu is from the Pittsburgh favorite, Commonplace Coffee. Two dishes with astounding flavors. 10/10.
Sea Monkey
OPEN NOW: From the Richard DeShantz group comes a new concept, Sea Monkey. Located next to Coop DeVille, Sea Monkey has already brought some new life to the Bar & Lounge scene in the Strip District since their opening on New Year’s Eve. With swanky textures, moody lighting & stunning cocktails, this spot will quickly climb to the top of the nighttime destination list in the burgh.
Make dinner reservations to gain access before 10pm, or if you just want to soak up the DJ tunes & craft cocktails, you’ll have to wait until 10pm to be let in. The drinks are a little pricier than a typical bar with their featured cocktail menu starting at $16, but they are something special. My favorite sips are the Last Dragon & City of Angels, both bourbon-based. For bites, think light & chic. The food menu carries a theme of Mediterranean & raw fish, making for the perfect light sharable bites – give me all the toro & scallops. As the vibes of Sea Monkey are upscale, there is a dress code in effect so be sure to dress to impress. DJs will be spinning every Friday & Saturday with a heavy focus on house music. For me, this will be more of a special occasion stop, but if you want to be a regular, you’re going to have a fab time if house music & sexy cocktails are your vibe.
Moonlit Burgers Garfield
OPEN NOW: Moonlit Burgers, Pittsburgh’s beloved smash burger chain is opening a 4th location in the Garfield neighborhood. They will be situating in the old Primanti’s location right across from the Pittsburgh Glass Center. With existing locations in Dormont, Uptown (Duquesne’s campus) & Sewickley, the east side of the burgh was in desperate need of a Moonlit. As a Lawrenceville resident, I personally am so so excited for this. With all Moonlit locations, there will be a selection of cocktails, beer & wine available for those wishing to sip on an adult beverage. Moonlit is currently accepting takeout orders ONLY, but will be open for dine in beginning Wednesday 1/21.
Titusz
COMING SOON: Taking over the location previously occupied by Merchant Oyster in Lawrenceville, comes Titusz. This restaurant concept headed up by Chef Csilla Thackray will have a focus on Austrian & Hungarian cuisine as an ode to Chef Csilla’s upbringing. With her experience & involvement in other well-known restaurants in the burgh (Bar Marco, The Vandal, etc.), there is no doubt Titusz will be a huge hit in an already hot culinary neighborhood! Opening is officiall set for April 2nd! Make reservations here & follow along on their Instagram page here.
Giulia
COMING SOON: A new Italian-inspired restaurant is coming to the Bloomfield neighborhood & is set to be a major vibe. Not much is known yet about this concept other than it comes from the phenomenal duo of Jamilka Borges & Dianne DeStefano. These names might sound familiar as they are the two female chefs that run Lilith, one of my favorite restaurants in the city! Giulia is set to open later this year. More details to come.
A Slice of New York Squared
COMING SOON: As many know, Pittsburgh can go pretty crazy when it comes to defending their favorite pizzerias. A Slice of New York is one of the spots that is a little outside of the city in Export, but has quite the following after being featured by Barstool President, Dave Portnoy on his One Bite app with a score of 8.2/10. Lucky for us folks closer to the city, they are coming to a much closer location at The Highline near Station Square! What was originally the Burghers Brewing location in South Shore, is now becoming A Slice of New York Squared. If you’re a fan of Burghers don’t worry, they are still sticking around The Highline & taking over the larger brewery location on the lower level where Sly Fox previously was.
Roaming Bean
OPEN NOW: A beloved coffee truck turned brick-and-mortar, Roaming Bean has found a home in the Strip District on the corner of Smallman & 15th. Their coffee truck operations are still very much a go, but this location allows us caffeine fiends a guarantee to get our hands on Roaming Bean. You can expect a similar coffee menu as their truck with creative seasonal specials & classic coffee creations, as well as a great variety of food options. Baked goods, wraps, breakfast sandwiches & more are available to accompany your coffee bev!
Cork & Crust
OPEN NOW: A new concept has arrived at The Oaklander hotel, Cork & Crust. Think elevated wine bar meets Neapolitan-style pizza joint. The menu includes small sharables like tuna crudo, roasted cauliflower salad, spicy roasted castelvetrano olives & more. For sipping, they have a fabulous wine list & signature cocktails that will stun. No worries if drinking alcohol isn’t your thing – they also have refreshing Italian sodas! For the mains, they offer pasta, classic dishes like braised short rib & of course their Neapolitan pizza. Don’t forget to end the meal with a coffee beverage & a tasty dessert.
Lucatino
OPEN NOW
The Common Good
OPEN NOW
Okane Sushi Bar & Omakase
OPEN NOW
The Plaza at North Shore & SugarBird
COMING SOON
Sokoyo
COMING SOON
Agora
COMING SOON
Butterfat Gelato
COMING SOON
Lao Sze Chuan
OPEN NOW
Socotra Cafe & Grill
COMING SOON
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The 412 Franimal 