Looking to satisfy your appetite for Italian fare?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Italian restaurants around Pittsburgh, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture when cravings strike.
1. Proper Brick Oven & Tap Room
Topping the list is Proper Brick Oven & Tap Room, a downtown bar and Italian spot located at 139 Seventh St. Offering wood-fired pizzas and more, it's the highest rated Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh, boasting 4.5 stars out of 514 reviews on Yelp.
Established in 2013 by Pittsburgh native Suzanne Hrach, the restaurant's menu includes offerings for lunch and dinner as well as Sunday brunch.
Start out with pancetta-wrapped shrimp, a salad or the pepperoni pagnotta, a freshly baked Parmesan focaccia roll stuffed with diced pepperoni and fontina cheese. For dinner, try one of the nine pizzas like the Forest with roasted wild mushrooms or the Ocean featuring clams and shrimp. Pan-seared salmon, wine-braised shredded lamb and brisket mac and cheese are also on the menu.
2. DiAnoia's Eatery
Next up is DiAnoia's Eatery, situated at 2549 Penn Ave. in the Strip District. With 4.5 stars out of 336 reviews on Yelp, the Italian restaurant has proved to be a local favorite and was recently named one of the year's best restaurants by Pittsburgh Magazine.
DiAnoia's Eatery features a full-service bar and serves up paninis, pizzas, pasta dishes and other Italian favorites. Breakfast is offered from 8-11 a.m. Tuesday-Sunday and includes three options: an egg sandwich, Italian doughnuts or panzarotti (fried dough with a savory filling). Standout lunch and dinner items include the beef cheek ravioli, veal panini, and gnocchi and meatballs served in a bread bowl.
3. Fiori's Pizzaria
Brookline's Fiori's Pizzaria, located at 103 Capital Ave., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the Italian spot offering pizza and more 4.5 stars out of 266 reviews.
The locally owned and operated pizza restaurant offers an array of Italian fare including traditional and white sauce pizzas, hoagies, calzones, wings, pasta and Italian salad. Grab a large 16-inch pizza or buy by the slice. Hoagies come in full or half sizes, and there are small, medium and large calzones on the menu.
4. Sienna Mercato
Head downtown to Sienna Mercato, another go-to with four stars out of 681 Yelp reviews. Located at 942 Penn Ave., the rustic-modern bar and restaurant has three floors with different vibes.
"With three distinct dining options under one roof, Sienna Mercato brings a unique restaurant experience to Pittsburgh’s Cultural District," the business states on its website.
The first of its options is meatball joint Emporio. Choose from beef, chicken, pork or vegetarian meatballs and one of 10 sauce options. The ground-floor dining area includes a full bar with 32 draft beers.
The second is Mezzo — a full-service Italian restaurant with offerings that range from risotto to steak to pizza. Pair your plate with a bottle or glass of Italian wine.
Head upstairs for Il Tetto, a rooftop bar with a view of downtown Pittsburgh. Offering 36 drafts, cocktails, wine and light snacks, the bar features a retractable glass roof that can be opened up when the weather allows.
5. Alla Famiglia
Over in Allentown, check out the upscale Alla Famiglia, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 177 reviews on Yelp. You can find the Italian restaurant at 804 E. Warrington Ave.
Open since 1997 and offering made-from-scratch fare, Alla Famiglia says its mission is "all about celebrating our lives with family through exceptional food, wine and exemplary service."
Begin your meal with a cold or hot starter such as a cured meat board, raw oysters or prosciutto-wrapped shrimp. On the menu, expect to find Italian specialties like diver scallops seared with foie gras, oyster mushrooms, roasted shallots and Madeira wine sauce as well as steak, pasta dishes and 10 types of veal scallopini.
