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5430 Penn Ave., Bloomfield
One by Spork is Pittsburgh’s newest immersive tasting counter, hosting just 16 guests per night for a curated, one-menu experience in Garfield.
The circular chef’s counter at One by Spork. Photo by Laura Petrilla.
Seated around a circular chef’s counter with a front-row view of the open kitchen, guests are served a prix fixe meal that leans on classic French technique while embracing modernist tools and practices like dry-aging, fermentation and from-scratch cooking. Every element, from the bread to the butter, is made in-house.
The menu is shaped by the restaurant’s on-site garden, which supplies everything from microgreens and heirloom vegetables to ingredients used in housemade misos, garums and vinegars. Ingredients also come from trusted partners like Strip District Meats, Elysian Fields Farms, Samuels Seafood, Jurgielewicz Duck Farm, Toska Truffles and Churchview Farm.
4520 Centre Ave., Oakland
Another month, another must-try dumpling spot. We’re not mad about it.
Hong Kong Dim Sum brings the spirit of a Cantonese family-style tea house to Oakland. The bamboo steamers are stacked high here, serving up everything from rich soup dumplings to ooey-gooey custard buns to crispy-edged turnip cakes.
Beyond the dim sum, the menu dives into cold dishes like shredded kelp in sour chili sauce, hearty bowls of tonkotsu-based noodle soup and sizzling teppan-style fried rice with scallop and crabmeat. There are even durian puff pastries if you’re feeling bold. To drink: brown sugar bubble tea or a creme brûlée milk tea, ideal for cooling the palate before you start plotting your next visit.
4830 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield
Dad’s Dog and Burger might be new, but it’s already serving up major nostalgia.
Opened earlier this month by Katelyn Bako, this diner-style spot in Bloomfield is a tribute to her father, Rick Bako — who along with her uncle, not only helped fully renovate the space but now works the register, does dishes, and, as Bako puts it, “is just being the best dad and employee I could ever ask for.”
“One of the things that makes Dad’s unique is that it’s not quite unique at all,” Bako says. “It’s familiar.”
619 Warrendale Road, Gibsonia
Gibsonia just got a serious flavor upgrade. Santo Coyote brings modern gastronomía mexicana to the North Hills with a menu that riffs on tradition while keeping things fresh.
Expect birria tacos dripping with consommé, grilled octopus with smoky aioli and enchiladas drenched in housemade mole, alongside all the familiar favorites like nachos, burritos and sizzling fajita platters.
The vibe leans upscale but inviting: casual enough for taco night, elevated enough for date night and a much-needed dose of heat north of the city.
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