The revitalization of Market Square seems to have sparked a new crop of breakfast and lunch restaurants in downtown Pittsburgh. Whether you're looking for a gourmet burger, a unique sandwich, or a healthy salad, there are plenty of great places to choose from.
Healthful salads, unique sandwiches, and great coffee have quickly made Bluebird Kitchen a staple for breakfast and lunch in Market Square. Gourmet cookies, brownies, tarts, and even whoopie pies can also be found here, all made fresh, in-house.
Mattiniero, which means "early riser" in Italian, offers fast breakfast and lunch takeout on Fifth Avenue in Market Square, adjacent to its sister sit-down restaurant, Vallozzi. Fritattas and pastries are available for both breakfast and lunch, with lunch also including a nice selection of homemade salads and sandwiches.
Tucked into a corner of Market Square, this gourmet burger establishment is best known for its Shipwrecked Burger with its Brie cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, arugula and white truffle aioli. They have plenty of other gourmet burger options as well, plus a Beretta Veggie burger and wood-fired pizzas for those who prefer an alternative to red meat.
If you're looking for both cheap and quick, don't miss Apollo Cafe, located midway between Macy's and the City-County Building. This Pittsburgh staple is best known for its homemade soups, hummus, and Greek salad.
This growing restaurant chain's downtown location in Market Square (476 McMaster's Way) offers a nice selection of fast Asian cuisine, from Pad Thai to its signature Japanese pan noodle meal. The lunch offerings don't stop there, however, as they also feature salads and sandwiches from other parts of the world.
The downtown location of Istanbul Grille is very nondescript and doesn't offer seating (although there is a courtyard with tables nearby). However, the smorgasbord of Turkish foods gets consistently good reviews from diners, and is reasonably priced to boot!
Vegetarians especially will rejoice at the authentic Indian cuisine available at Sree's Foods on Smithfield Street, downtown. All vegetarian dishes, plus the somosa and bread are vegan-friendly too!
Located on the ground floor of the RiverVue apartments, across the street from Point State Park, this Neapolitan-style pizzeria features an Italian imported wood-fired oven that can cook a pizza in just about 90 seconds flat. Your choice of three bases, four oils, and up to 30 toppings make it easy to create the pizza of your dreams. Also on the menu are house-made mozzarella, Italian sodas, draft and bottled beer, as well as made-to-order salads and sandwiches.
