We've been fans of Mia Madre's for years and went there again last night. It's a great BYOB place…read moreand our meals last night were fantastic! The restaurant was crowded and energetic! We began with the meatball appetizer with Alex's delicious marina and a scoop of creamy ricotta cheese..yummy! My wife had Cod and beans..not on the menu..but Alex made it for her. The Cod was flakey, tender and delicately seasoned..so tasty. I had the veal francaise , lightly breaded and sautéed with hint of lemon...I also ordered a side of sautéed green and red peppers.. it was one of the best meals I've had! If you haven't been there you're missing an Italian gem! Make sure to make reservations! You'll enjoy it!

Made reservations for dinner on a Saturday night. The place is very cute. Loved the decorations &…read morevibe. Although it's a very tight place. The service was great, our server was so kind & funny. We ordered the bruschetta as an appetizer & chicken Marsala as the entree. Bruschetta was phenomenal, one of my favorites. The Marsala was also good, definitely on the sweeter side (my husband wasn't crazy about). We also ordered cannolis to go which were decent, but not my favorite. I'm giving it 3 stars because of all the add-on charges. $10 corking fee, $5 charge to split our meal, $7 charge to substitute Marsala sauce instead of marinara. The overall cost just didn't justify the experience.

I have been going to II Pizzaiolo for 3 years. Every time I go, I get so excited! All of the…read morewaiters are incredibly friendly and kind. Especially the owner, Bob. All of the bad reviews are simply wrong. You just haven't had real Italian food.

We were a group of 7 that came through celebrate a birthday dinner. We didn't have reservations so…read morewe're advised to show up and see if something was available. Got there and we were immediately seated at a table on the outside heated patio. The good Appetizers - the areanchini, peppers, crab cake, meat ball and buratta hit the spot. Id probably give it a 5/5 - the diablo pizza was great as well The ok - chicken marsala was decent - penne rosa: nothing special The bad/terrible - the mushroom pizza was salty. Not sure what happened there - got some other pasta (can't remember the name) that was so bland, thought it came from costco - the bread: what's up with some American based Italian restaurants. Put some effort in the bread you serve - we had some different ladies serve us after a while and when we asked for the spicy olive oil they said they don't have it. I thought they were just trying to get done for the day vs actually serving us

"But how can we cafe notte when it is cafe mattina?" My husband asks. It's before noon and I…read moresuggest we plan to go to dinner and try cafe notte. He thinks he's funny calling out that it's still morning. Cafe notte has good specials and good food. The staff is consistently friendly. We can immediately tell there's a number of regulars as everyone seems familiar with each other. Live music was really relaxing and for once I can genuinely say it was at a good volume (I think I'm aging). The restaurant has recently been remodeled. Still, it has the star-lit ceiling in the bar and the women's bathroom has an odd step up. The patio is directly on 65 which can be a bit noisy. I would suggest to pick a day to come here when you would prefer to sit inside!

Great cocktails. Had the crab cake special with garlic…read morepasta. Great food. Will be back!!!

diAnoia's absolutely lived up to the hype! The restaurant was hopping, but the service was warm,…read moreattentive, and never missed a beat. The whipped ricotta with lemon and crostini was a perfect start, the butter bean salad with cucumber and tomato was unbelievably fresh and outstanding, and the Caprese panzanella was beautifully balanced with incredible seasonal flavor. You can taste the quality in every bite. We can't wait to come back!

This place feels like Alla Famiglia's younger sister with an Italian beach club vibe. The patio is…read moreabsolutely adorable and was one of my favorite parts of the experience! We stopped by while walking around the Strip District looking for a quick lunch. During lunch service, you order at the kiosk, find a seat, and clean up after yourself, which makes for a casual and easy experience. Food: The tomato sauce here is probably some of the best red sauce I've had in a long time. We ordered the Caprese Panzanella, meatballs, crispy potatoes, and spaghetti with red sauce. Everything was delicious, but the salad completely stole the show for me. It was packed with fresh ingredients, bright flavors, and so many different textures that worked perfectly together. Every dish tasted fresh, simple, and executed well. Service: For lunch, you're mostly taking care of yourself, but the staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming whenever we interacted with them. This is one of those places that doesn't need a long review because you really just need to try it for yourself. I'd absolutely recommend stopping by if you're visiting Pittsburgh for either lunch or dinner. Fresh ingredients, great flavors, and a fun atmosphere. My only regret is losing my phone and all the photos I took here!

We got our Thanksgiving catering from Albero Verde this year. I had been there to celebrate a…read moresuccessful fundraiser for Living Stones and saw the advertising about the Thanksgiving options. I'll post a photo of the menu, but here are some of my thoughts: Turkey - so delicious Mashed potatoes - perfection Stuffing - I loved it but the kids didn't. Honestly they probably would have preferred Stove Top though. Green beans - very tasty but not great as a leftover Cranberry chutney - ok, I love the canned stuff but this was truly a hit. Rolls and butter - literally such delicious butter! Apple pies - they were more like empanadas. I was expecting mini round pies. The crust was amazing but the apples were a bit tart. The pickup was easy and seamless. Everything was packed well. Thank you! We can't wait to come in to eat soon.

Blink, and you just might miss Albero Verde. It's nestled in a strip mall plaza in the heart of…read moreSouth Hills. The restaurant itself is small, but their food is beyond mighty! Our waitress Ellie was attentive, patient, and helpful for our party of 9. She was even willing to give some of the guests tea bags from her own stash! Our group of 9 tried almost everything on the menu. They have a small menu with a few appetizers and main courses along with some desserts. Because we were a larger group, at least one of us got something on the menu. We also shared, so I tried many of the dishes! They gave us an amuse bouche, which was aracini with caramelized onions and peppers. DELICIOUS. I wanted more. We also got foccacia with an oil dipping sauce. The focaccia was denser than usual, but I loved it! Here's what we tried: [Sausage Greens & Beans]: A traditional Italian dish that was absolutely delicious. There was so much flavor between the panchetta, beans, escarole, and sausage. This dish was out of my comfort zone but so delightful. [Crispy Brussel Sprouts]: Man! These were good. They were perfectly charred and paired with a spicy sauce that took this dish to the next level. [Wedding Soup]: A little non-traditional since their noodles were much larger, but I loved the denser meatballs. [Caesar Salad]: My husband loved this dish! The croutons made the dish extra, and it was well dressed and slightly lemony. [Warm Mushroom Salad]: I hate mushrooms but I loved this. The rosemary smoked mushrooms were the star of this dish. [Shrimp Risotto]: This was so creamy and flavorful! [Chicken Marsala]: This dish was out of this world! The rosemary smoked mushrooms gave this dish a perfectly smokey flavored. The chicken was stuffed and accompanied with lyonnaise potatoes that were so crispy and delicious. [Roasted Veggie Rolled Lasagna]: Wow was this dish flavorful. The variety of vegetables were perfect, and the roaster red pepper ricotta in the middle was just what this dish needed. [Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie]: This was the perfect fall dessert. Apple turnovers, peaches, and pumpkin pie mousse. The perfection portion and not overly sweet! This restaurant made it to my top 5, and it was so delicious. All of the flavors were so complex! You need to try this restaurant or you'll really be missing out! I cannot wait to try more items on their menus as their specials and menu changes. Such a hidden gem!

Outstanding service always! Caitlin & Hunter were super attentive and friendly…read more The veal Milanese never disappoints! Also ordered the walleye special- delish!! Took home the strawberry rhubarb cheesecake for later!

This is easily one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh, but it's definitely a special…read moreoccasion spot. Located in the heart of Allentown, it has this old-school, upscale vibe that completely makes the night feel important. The way the menu works is a whole experience in itself: You pick an entree, but it automatically comes with a family-style salad and a giant course of homemade pasta (the cacio e pepe mixed table-side in a massive cheese wheel is insane). You will easily walk out of there with enough leftovers for days. The food is traditional, high-end Italian cooking inspired by Old World scratch recipes, and it tastes completely authentic. They don't cut corners on anything, from the house-rendered sauces to the quality of the meats. It is pricey, so you want to save it for a big celebration or an anniversary. The flawless service and the sheer quality of the food make it worth every single penny. It's a total marathon of a meal and one of the best dining experiences in the city.

I found this restaurant and was happy I did , the food is great. The only problem is I have the…read moresame waitress every time and she's just rude. She's one of those people that doesn't understand she's not the reason people are there. They come in spite of her. She actually said to us. " if you are using a card you should tell your waitress first" WHY? I assume she must be a relative because I can't see how a business would keep her otherwise.

We drove an hour to try this restaurant after calling the day before and being told that arriving…read morebetween 5:15-5:30 p.m. would "most likely be fine," as they don't get busy until 6. We arrived at 5:30 and were quoted a 45-minute wait (possibly less). We stood outside for over an hour. During that time, we watched multiple parties who arrived after us get seated ahead of us--including a two-top seated immediately after we were told we were "next." When we questioned it, staff were defensive and claimed some guests "live nearby," put their names in earlier, and leave to wait for a text. That was never explained on the phone or upon arrival. From what we directly observed, the seating process did not appear first-come, first-served. It appeared selective. Transparency matters, and so does basic courtesy when guests ask legitimate questions. Ten minutes after we finally left--after waiting over an hour--we were told our table was ready. By then, the issue was no longer the wait, but the clear lack of organization and professionalism. We will not be returning.