My experience of brunch at The Vandal can best be described as rich comfort food served in a delicate and bright cafe. Decor and color scheme were bright and inviting with cute little fresh flowers at each table; reminded me of a cute coffee shop. The menu was small, but there were enough items for an indecisive individual like myself to spend extra time deciding on what to order. After some time spent deciding, we ultimately went with the beignets, biscuits and gravy, and polenta. Just from these three choices, you can tell they focus on comfort food right off the bat, right? I've never had beignets so I'm not entirely sure of what they're supposed to be like, but The Vandal's version seemed like they used a batter similar to funnel cake. The plate came with four balls of fried dough, set atop a strawberry yogurt-type sauce? I did like the sauce because it added an element of freshness that cut the greasiness and heaviness of the dough. The beignets are definitely a dish suited for sharing. The biscuits and gravy weren't the best we've had. The gravy was spiced quite heavily with what I thought was clove. Lastly, the polenta was delicious, but it was also incredibly rich and dense. Before I could get through half the plate, I just simply could not eat anymore. Overall, the brunch food was decent but I felt like the food was just too rich and comforting to enjoy in the month of June. read more

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WOW Wish I could eat here daily! Zucchini Blossoms with vichyssoise The deviled duck eggs with trout eggs & cracklins were so "buttery" and decadently delicious . Housemade bread with a nice smear of spicy dilled butterrrrrr mmmmmmm! The Rotolo ! I'll dream of it for a few days The Fresh Dill pasta dish with clams & shaved fennel yummmm! A stacked , wonderfully textured Chocolate Crepe torte for dessert,was indeed a labor of love Service was great and knowledgeable. The outdoor patio seating was a comfortable spot . Csilla!!!!!! read more

Fantastic food, fantastic drinks, fantastic wait staff. We also loved the details in the decor, the clean and stylish bathroom, and the fact that they will take your number while you walk around the block, and can you when your table is ready. I'll definitely be back. read more

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I always used to walk by the empty store front on Butler that is now The Vandal, and hope that someone would turn it into something great. Once I started to see construction going on inside, I was really happy to find out that it was going to be another exciting food option on Butler; not just another restaurant, but somewhere that offered breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a counter-service format for eat-in or take-out. Nothing against the typical take-out options, but sometimes you want to eat interesting, high-quality food AND watch Netflix at the same time, you know? The menu is small but the options are varied enough that it was no problem finding something that sounded appealing. My friend and I both decided to try the burger (with marrow, pickles, cheese, tomato mayo, and greens). The meat was juicy and packed with flavor; the toppings added additional interesting flavors and textures while still allowed the meat to be the star. I am a huge fan of the tomato mayo. I thought this was a really interesting (and delicious) alternative to the traditional slab of tomato on top. I love pickles and was glad to see them included, and these did not disappoint. They were super thin and had a potent vinegary punch. I wish I could get these by the jar and put them on all of my sandwiches. The burger came with a side of thin, crispy fries which we also enjoyed. There was no sauce served for dipping, but this was perfectly fine for us as they were flavorful on their own. My friend ordered a side of the mac and cheese (which I stole a few bites of). This was really interesting as the cheese sauce was thinner than your average mac, and the noodles were actually al dente. Mac and cheese is often a gelatinous blob of thick sauce and mushy noodles, so I loved that there were texture differences. The flavor was slightly sweet but the sea salt and chives on the top really rounded this out. They could serve a larger portion as an entree option--I would be into that. Overall I'm excited to go back. I've seen pictures of some pretty tasty-looking breakfast items that I am excited to try. Seems like another great addition to Lawrenceville! read more

The Vandal - Delicious burger, fries, and hibiscus lemonade. - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The vandal is a very nice place, with a really calm and romantic ambience. The waitress was very welcoming and seated us immediately. The menu had limited items, but each of the dishes were worth it. We ordered the English Pea Ragout and the Sundance Carbonara. They were really delicious. In desserts, we ordered both the buttermilk pie and the tiramisu. They were exceptionally good and left you longing for more. We left with a content belly and a big smile on our faces. Definitely would return here. But yes, the place is a tad bit expensive. read more

The Vandal - Tiramisu - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Stopped in here again after my first visit to show my boyfriend the unique and delicious food options. Unfortunately no pictures of the food happened because we ate it up so fast! I ordered their purple pancakes with their bacon and it was delicious. I've never had purple pancakes and they were great. Everything was very fresh. Coffee was also very good. I love mochas and ordered one to go. A little pricey and smaller portions but not a bad choice for something on Butler Street and to try new dishes. read more

Let me tell y'all what a STRUGGLE it is moving to Pittsburgh and not having bottomless mimosa brunch ANYWHERE because of the stupid, dated, state laws! Lucky for us, after a very long search, I came across the Vandal which was our saving grace for BRUNCH! No, they don't have bottomless mimosas, but they do have BYOB, so we made our own bottomless mimosas! I came one fine Sunday morning with my group of 5 and they took reservation for us. We sat comfortably, brought out our 3 bottles of champagne and Simply Orange, and the staff took them to the back to keep them nice and chilled. We were charged a $5 per bottle corking fee which was a great price. Besides that, the food was AMAZING. Plated well and tasted great. Good prices too. We had just about everything on the menu between the 5 of us and it all tasted great. The fried chicken sandwich was crunch and juicy. The fish was perfectly cooked with a nice pickled side. The pancakes were so sweet and savory. We thoroughly enjoyed everything. Staff was super nice. We were definitely the loudest ones in this small establishment so I hope people didn't get put off by that. Definitely will be back! read more

We enjoyed everything about our evening. The venue (although tiny, very intimate), the service and the food were all so well done. We will be back, when next in Pittsburgh. Highly recommend the oysters, mushroom skewer and the duck (although the menu changes monthly, since all ingredients are farm to table). Everything coming out of the kitchen looked great and all the plates appeared to return empty! read more

Stopped in for dessert with a friend. Despite being busy we were able to sit at the high top area. The server was friendly and helpful! We got the pink chiffon cake and both had a drink (latte and tea). Everything was great and only made me more excited to come back to try it for dinner! read more

The Vandal - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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The chicken pate was simply amazing. I've been looking for a good pate and finally have come across the best prepared pate. Good pate is when it doesn't taste like organs. Going to definitely come back for it! read more

I love coming here for brunch. The coffee is really great. And their food is amazing and they change their menu all the time. I like the ambience of this location and it is really cutely decorated inside read more

The Vandal - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Came here for a late brunch on Sunday and did not have to wait long for a table. The Vandal is very aesthetically pleasing with white marble tables and bright fresh flowers. My friend and I both started with the maple spice latte. I was kind of disappointed with the latte as I did not really get any spice or maple flavoring. I had the fried chicken sandwich and my friend had the soft scramble. Our food came out pretty quickly. The sandwich was delicious with the nice contrasting flavors of the sweet honey, creamy slaw, and crispy chicken. My friend enjoyed her scramble as well. Overall, a nice place to grab brunch in Lawrenceville. However, beware it was a little pricey. I really do not think the scramble should be $15. read more

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I really enjoyed my breakfast here. The food was very fresh, and I enjoy the lightly dressed greens that I had with my meal. The wait for our table was a bit longer than expected, but it was warm outside so we didn't really mind. I thought the prices were a bit outrageous. $14 for scrambled eggs, toast, & greens... but it was really delicious, and if the service and quality is there, I don't mind spending the extra cash for a local business. read more

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My boyfriend and I visited on Sunday morning while in town for a short weekend get-a-way. We stayed in an Air bnb right down the street and kept walking past this place all weekend so we got here early for breakfast before leaving. The atmosphere is very trendy; I wanted to steal all the decor for my own house and the coffee was great. The menu has very unique food items on it, we had to ask the server what a few things where but overall the food was good. My boyfriend and I actually ended up getting kind of sick after eating here, I'm not sure if it was from this place or what but it's worth noting. The service was mediocre, this is the kind of trendy place where everyone working there seems too cool for anything and is really just there to boost the image of the place but it wasn't terrible. There is also a super cute patio that would be just wonderful to enjoy breakfast on. I think this place is worth trying if you are in the mood for something very unique and trendy. read more

Finally made it down here for brunch, although admittedly I was hoping for lunch. Initial impressions were just what I expected but the restaurant was incredibly cold. No HVAC ductwork in the actual seating area, so not overly surprising with exposed bricks. Wasn't overly crowded, but it still took about 25 minutes to get our meals. My wife and I split some beignets with an orange curd sauce which I thought was very clever. For the price, I would've expected more than 2, but they were good. My wife had the scrambled special and I had the AM burger. The burger didn't come with anything which was a shock to me as I'd seen plenty of photos posted on here with fries, so presumably that's only with lunch/dinner. Both dishes were OK, we left hungry after a $40 meal which was disappointing. I'll definitely be back to try again, but this wasn't a great first impression for me. Entire waitstaff was pleasant. read more

I tried a bite of my friends burger and fries ($11). The burger was excellent, the spread was rich but not overwhelming and the meat was very tasty. Fries were excellent. I had the shiitake sandwich ($11), which was grilled mushrooms, cheese, and shavings of a cured pork. Good blend of flavors and overall tasty sandwich, but I thought the baguette was too chewy and wish it came with a small side or some fries like the burger does. Lastly, the Mac n cheese was really disappointing. It was $4 for a small, really flavorless portion. I ended up adding salt and pepper, but didn't finish it anyways. Unfortunately the other sides were pretty pricy ($7), so it's hard to sample the menu without spending a good amount. I feel like when your menu is composed of 5 sandwiches and 5 sides, it's worthwhile to make sure each dish is up to par, and was surprised that they haven't improved the Mac n cheese! Overall the burger certainly lived up to the hype! I will definitely be back for that. read more

The Vandal - Shiitake sandwich and Mac n cheese. - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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After lusting over the impeccable interior design on Instagram for weeks (seriously, I want to move in), my boyfriend and I decided to stop by for brunch on a Saturday around noon. The entire time we were there, almost every table was full but due to fairly quick turnovers, there was never a wait for a table. We started with coffees and an order of beignets. The Vandal gets their coffee from nearby Constellation Coffee and I highly recommend it--so smooth and delicious! Our order of beignets came with two large beignets in a creamy pear sauce. Totally worth it! I got the butternut squash toast for my entree, which is a spongy yet crisp bread from Five Points Bakery topped with butternut squash purée, caramelized onions, and crispy kale. Light yet filling, I wish I could eat this everyday! My boyfriend went with the burger, which he didn't have any complaints about other than the lack of side dish. At $11, it seemed deserving of a small side with it. Adding a $3 side of fries would have pushed the price point a little too high for the casual vibe of the place. The staff was friendly and attentive throughout our meal. The Vandal definitely fills the void of a quick, high quality meal in Central Lawrenceville (other nearby restaurants that I consider comparable are not known for short waits and speed), however be prepared to pay for the quality. I'm looking forward to future visits! read more

The Vandal - Beignets in a pear sauce - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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We went here around noon on a Sunday and were immediately seated. It was more casual than expected, but the environment itself is super nice. The server gave me a lot of information on the food when I asked her for recommendations, which was appreciated. I got the quiche, which was absolutely spectacular. I thought everything seemed a little expensive at first, but it was without a doubt worth it. The quiche was almost too pretty to eat, and it was both creamy and light at the same time. The mushrooms really stood out and all of the flavors were incredible. All in all, great place for brunch. read more

The Vandal - brunch quiche - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Well I heard this place was good and I must have heard wrong- It was great. Put that in your cliche pipe and smoke it. Really though, this place is fantastic. Clearly a french inspired chef, a restaurant with a rotating menu. Incredibly well thought and layered flavor profiles on rather simply built dishes. Smaller portions, higher prices, better food. I had the chicken and it was great. The owner was walking around greeting his guests and that makes all the difference. Mr. Sliver never comes to my table when I'm at the local long-john-silver's(Probably why they went out of business). These two places aren't comparable in the same universe. So don't mind my sense of humor. Wildly delicious food here. Negatives;The price is gouging for certain dishes. For $24...$30 after tip I usually expect to be filled at very least, but I was just satisfied with how delicious the food was. I was also there on a hot day and it was 1 trillion degrees inside. Not often a problem in Pittsburgh, but highly uncomfortable. But it's BYOB which kinda counters that. read more

The Vandal - Chicken - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We went here for my birthday brunch. The place was not completely full, but part of our party got there early and the other part was late (thanks to a slacker uber driver, not their fault). We told the waitress what was going on, and she was totally chill about it. She served us our drinks and let us wait for the rest of the people to show up. Great service, even though we were a little disorganized. The food was really good. I had a chicken breakfast sandwich that was sweet and spicy, but I wish I would have gotten it on a biscuit instead of bread. I also wish that the chicken wasn't as thick, because some parts in the middle were a little bland. Overall good food, good drinks, and good staff. read more

Such a beautiful little restaurant! My mom and brother got the borscht and they had a fit over it! So delicious and complex. I had the European breakfast and my husband had the root vegetable tart... both fab. I also recommend the saffron latte! read more

The Vandal - European breakfast. - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Stopped in for dessert last night! The space was packed, but we were seated right away. The bartender/host/server (he literally did it all!) accommodated our every need. He suggested the blood orange marmalade cake and we each had a warm beverage. It was the perfect place to eat and chat. We did not feel rushed or pressured at all. I hope to be back in the coming weeks for dinner or brunch! read more

Just ate for my boyfriend and I's anniversary! This is definitely in our top 3 favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh. We did the 3 course tasting and everything was honestly amazing, so fresh and flavorful. If you want good food in the Burgh come here. read more

Awesome. Food was unique and delicious. Great staff. Coffee also great. Will be going back for sure, hopefully soon! read more

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We had my brothers rehearsal dinner at Vandal. Wow!!! I am mostly vegetarian and vandal catered to all of my dietary needs. I even got a special salad made with no goat cheese! Joe was so helpful and friendly he told me exactly what was and wasn't vegetarian. He made a special pesto pasta for us and tasty Brussel sprouts! Everyone was so happy with the food and the service. They had pork loin and potatoes with onions. Everything was amazing (so I hear) but i loved the Pesto!!! read more

The Vandal - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Best cortado! Best smoked trout! Awesome paw paw beignets! This place rocks. So affordable for the quality. read more

The Vandal - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Had the order ahead fried chicken basket. Was an excellent value and everything was delicious. Pickup was fast and easy -- just grab from staff and go. Will be back. read more

Had the chicken sausage which was AMAZING! The corn pancakes were okay -- a little dry and left something to be desired. Definitely would get the chicken sausage again. And being able to see the kitchen from where I was made me feel comfortable knowing my food was prepared safely. The environment was PHENOMENAL and I absolutely loved the aesthetic/vibe. Definitely would go again! read more

The Vandal - Chicken Sausage (bottom) and Purple Corn Pancakes (top) with a side of orange juice - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Quaint, polished and lovely but food was just ok. Walk in and you can seat yourself. The drink menu is on the right wall and it seems as if that counter also works as a coffee bar (interesting hybrid). As a veggie, there were a lot of starters that looked very good and meatless. However I only ordered a main- the polenta dish with duck egg. I was pleasantly surprised by the giant dish of creamy smooth polenta that came out, I enjoyed it with the cabbage, radishes, and duck egg that adorned it. Serving size was massive and odd. Duck egg was luke warm in contrast to the hot polenta- not ideal. My husband said his burger was just ok. Fries were heavily salted but very tasty (I love salt). I saw a starter portion of fries come out at the volume is generous! A lovely evening if you want to try something new. Interested in trying different dishes there but not in a hurry to come back. A+ for effort tho, everyone was trying hard to please there. read more

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I was coming to town last week and wanted to get together for dinner with a few friends. I was very excited to be able to grab a reservation for The Vandal at 6:30. Unfortunately, I got a call from the restaurant 2 hours prior to my reservation that they had to cancel due to an "emergency." I was upset, but understand that things can sometimes happen and assumed it was related to the recent renovations. Well, I went to Lawrenceville anyway to meet up with my friends since that was the plan. While we walked along aimlessly along Butler street looking for a restaurant that would take 5 people at the last minute, we walked past The Vandal and saw it was full of people. There was a sign out front that said it was closed for a private party! I can't get over how unprofessional this was. How can you call someone 2 hours before a reservation to cancel for a party? You didn't know you had a whole party planned? Felt like a slap in the face. read more

The Vandal - They called me to cancel my reserv 2 hours before my reservation due to an "emergency." As you can see, the emergency was a private party! - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

They have a picture of eggs on their website al la Carte but they told me they don't do eggs al la carte when I ordered French toast. Bizarre. read more

This post is during the Coronavirus so we got Grubhub delivery and chose the strip steak with risotto, salad and dessert. The steak was cooked fantastically and was well seasoned. Risotto was rich and delicious. It is a great treat for us to change it up with great quality food while staying inside! read more

Breakfast: very good, could've been seasoned more, but hey, I can S&P my own meal. Atmosphere is hip and clean, but a little to Psych Ward for me...personal issue. Looking forward to a dinner encounter and more therapy. read more

"hi, we're The Vandal, and we're waaaaaaaay too hipster to give our food any flavor" 5 real tho, this place straight nassstttyy. overpriced and full of itself, the vandal is a hell i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. read more

The Vandal - yuck - Wine Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

If I lived in Pittsburgh, I would be a regular. Trendy vibe. Friendly and talkative staff. Fresh ingredients. Well executed dishes. Rich and smooth coffee. I couldn't have asked for more to start my Sunday morning. In no particular orders, our dishes: Fried chicken sandwich - On point. One of the lighter fried chicken sandwiches I have eaten, which is a good thing. Maybe too much of a good thing because I could have eaten three. Juicy, delicate (yes, as delicate as a chicken sandwich could be), and balanced. My only slight knock is the bun was a little firm, but all in all, 4.5 stars. Eggplant and green beans - Well seasoned. Savory and rich. Hazelnuts are a nice touch. 4 stars. Red skin potato hash - Not egg-ceptional (see what I did there), but well executed. The hot+sweet peppers and confit onion were standouts. Crisp presentation. 4 stars. Coffee - As described above, rich and smooth. Perfect. 5 stars. Rice pudding - An excellent end to our meal. Picturesque presentation. Hazelnut adds a nice contrast in texture. Coarse sea salt helps balance the dish and cut the sweetness. 4.5 stars. read more

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With out a doubt, The Vandal is the crown jewel of Lawrenceville. I experience impeccable service every time and the food is perfect, no matter what I order. I always try to take friends who haven't been before and out of town friends to this restaurant. They have all been delighted. read more

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This tiny, hip restaurant was an ideal brunch spot. They've got an open kitchen concept, but instead of just seeing the tops of the heads of the line cooks, you can truly see the entire kitchen. The whole place had a clean, fresh vibe from the food, to the decor, to our very hip servers. I just had a drip coffee and the smoked Trout over latkes. My coffee was bold and earthy, but I personally wasn't crazy about my latkes - and I'm a potato fan from way back. But I did steal some of my dining partner's fried chicken sandwich that was perfectly tender. It seems like you can bring your own bubbly for mimosas too! read more

Took my mom here for Mothers day and it was the perfect spot for the occasion with two mimosas in our hands! The food was mouthwatering and quenched both of your taste buds. It was hard to choose what to order because there were so many tempting options to choose from! We enjoyed the small atmosphere and fashionable modern decor. Cute and fun spot to meet your girlfriends for brunch! read more

I'm from out of town and was in Pittsburgh on business trip when someone suggested this place, first let me tell you that the enthusiasm of the staff is contagious, it's a low key place with high tailored food, without a doubt one of the best burgers I've ever had moist and flavorful. The chicken dish , outstanding, takes 6 hours to make it and it's worth every minute. Farm to table has never tasted this good . With the uber ride It's byob but there's a packy(Boston term) 2 blocks down read more

Today I learned a valuable lesson, if a fancy place with a limited menu has a burger as one of their options, GET THE BURGER!!! My husband taught me this when he shared a bite of what I thought was going to be a regular burger when it instead was probably the best burger of my life. Ron Swanson would approve of this burger despite him hating the hipster chic vibe of the decor. In other news, our other choices were very well made and the service very personable but that burger will now haunt my dreams for the rest of my life. read more