A three-story Japanese dining concept has taken over the former Sushi I space on Fourth Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh, stacking a grab-and-go dessert cafe, a reservation-only omakase counter and a rooftop cocktail bar into a single building near Market Square. Okane held its grand opening after several weeks of a soft launch, offering lunch, dinner and late-night dining across its three distinct floors.
According to Axios, Okane is owned by the Opal Group and sits at 245 Fourth Ave., just steps from Market Square. The Axios report, by Ryan Deto, describes the restaurant as offering three separate Japanese food experiences under one roof: casual grab-and-go on the ground floor, fine dining on the second, and a social cocktail-and-bites setting on the roof. Mayor Corey O'Connor attended the grand opening, continuing what Public Source describes as a pattern of personal outreach to local business owners since he was sworn in as Pittsburgh's 62nd mayor on January 5, 2026.
A Dessert Cafe Built for Matcha Fans
The first-floor Sweet Spot specializes in matchas, milky coffees, specialty iced teas and pastries, per the Axios report. Its menu also includes Vietnamese iced coffee topped with ube cold foam, while the shop keeps grab-and-go hours of 11 am to 9 pm Sunday through Thursday and 11 am to 9:30 pm on Friday and Saturday.
The cafe's offerings extend beyond drinks into Japanese street food, with deep-fried cream sandos, freshly made taiyaki, matcha soft-serve ice cream and crispy bubble waffles rounding out the menu, according to The Steel City Ledger. At the opening, Mayor O'Connor reportedly said matchas would make a great St. Patrick's Day parade drink, per Axios.
Omakase Counter Requires a Reservation
Up a floor, the second-floor omakase venue offers a rotating chef's tasting menu of fresh, high-end sushi and other Japanese delicacies, Axios reports. The Steel City Ledger notes the omakase operates by reservation only, with a 16-course tasting menu starting at $88 per person and an 18-course menu for $138 per person, and the same outlet reports that reservations run between 5 pm and 8:30 pm daily. Dishes served at Okane include amaebi pani puri, made with sweet shrimp and creamy avocado in a crispy, lightly fried pastry shell, along with Wagyu tartare, according to Axios.
Rooftop Bar Caps the Building With Skyline Views
The top floor houses a rooftop bar featuring neon lights and greenery in an open social setting, per Axios, with hours running 11:30 am to 9 pm Sunday through Thursday and 11:30 am to 9:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. The rooftop also serves sushi tacos and rice pizzas alongside a curated collection of small-batch Japanese whiskeys and rare sakes, according to Patch. Patch also reports that the renovated building at 245 Fourth Avenue includes a rooftop patio with a retractable awning and lush greenery, allowing weather-protected outdoor dining framed by Downtown skyline views.
Patch further reports that Okane's rollout began with a multi-week soft opening starting July 16, 2026, offering limited hours at the Sweet Spot and rooftop before the full grand opening in mid-August.
Part of a Growing Local Restaurant Empire
Okane joins a fast-expanding roster of Opal Group properties across the Pittsburgh area. Per Patch, the company also operates Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings in South Side, Top Pot Korean BBQ on East Carson Street and the artisanal French-Asian bakery Opa Fé in SouthSide Works. The group is also converting the long-vacant, 16,000-square-foot former Rock Bottom Brewery space at The Waterfront in Homestead into Opal Grand Buffet, a 400-seat international buffet priced around $43 per person, according to The Pittsburgh Wire.
Downtown's Broader Investment Push
Okane's arrival near Market Square lands amid a wider wave of investment in the Golden Triangle. The plaza completed a multi-phase renovation in April 2026 as part of a $600 million, 10-year state and municipal Downtown revitalization initiative, according to the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. The same organization administers a first-year rent abatement program for new Downtown businesses, covering up to 50% of monthly rent capped at $2,000 per month, as reported by the New Pittsburgh Courier.
Even with that support, the Courier notes that local hospitality operators continue to face thin margins, fluctuating Downtown foot traffic and rising buildout costs — a backdrop that makes the long-term sustainability of ambitious, multi-concept venues like Okane worth watching as it settles into its new home near Market Square.
