Best of Food + Drink 

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Best Take-Out 

Spak Brothers
5107 Penn Ave., Garfield
412-362-7725 or www.spakbrothers.com

Grab-and-go staples like pizza, hoagies and chicken wings can be found here at very reasonable prices at this no-frills shop. Vegan and vegetarian options are available too. While waiting for your order, get in a game or two of pinball.

2^nd: Noodlehead
3^rd: Sesame Inn

Best Service/Wait Staff 

Eleven
1150 Smallman St., Strip District
412-201-5656 or www.elevenck.com 

The waiters and waitresses here fulfill the classic requirements of what a wait staff should be: attentive, polite and informed about the food and drinks menu. Nor are they overly obtrusive, so that diners at this high-end restaurant can enjoy their meals and conversations without unnecessary interruption.

2^nd: Bar Marco
3^rd: Morcilla

Best Outdoor Dining 

Round Corner Cantina
3720 Butler St., Lawrenceville
412- 904-2279 or www.roundcornercantina.com

Sure Lawrenceville has gotten a bit see-and-be-seen, but what if you want to hang out in a hip space away from prying eyes? Nothing beats Round Corner’s interior patio, a fenced-in getaway where one can sip on cocktails and munch on veggie tacos in peace.

2^nd: Double Wide Grill
3^rd: Harris Grill 

Best Rooftop Bar 

Il Tetto 
942 Penn Ave., Downtown
412-281-2810 or www.siennapgh.com/mercato

With a retractable glass roof, spacious bar and funky lighting, the perch atop this three-storied restaurant complex is a year-round destination for rooftop drinking. The people-watching views of the Cultural District and the action on Penn Ave below are unrivaled.

2^nd: Hotel Monaco
3^rd: Six Penn Kitchen 

Best Hotel Bar 

The Ace Hotel
120 S. Whitfield St., East Liberty
412-626-3090 or www.whitfieldpgh.com

This bar checks all the hipster-chic boxes: white walls, lack of clutter, reclaimed-wood bar, and a dynamite local twist on the Manhattan, called the East Liberty. It’s a perfect start to a night on the town, or settle into the vintage furniture with friends and a board game.

2^nd: Hotel Monaco
3^rd: Omni William Penn 

Best Late-Night Menu 

Mad Mex
Multiple locations
www.madmex.com 

The exclusive late-night draw for after-hours dining is the $7 special on 22-ounce margaritas from 10 p.m. to midnight. A couple of those and everything looks good, but many Mad Mex locations also offer late-night specials on select food items.

2^nd: Fuel and Fuddle
3^rd: Ritters Diner

Best Pub Grub

Pub Chip Shop
1830 E. Carson St., South Side
412-381-2447

Can you get beer at Pub Chip Shop? Yes! But unlike many South Side establishments, the focus here is on food. The impressive British-inspired menu offers everything from fish-and-chips and Scotch eggs to perch tacos and fried Mars bars. A range of savory baked goods are also available.

2^nd: Industry Public House
3^rd: Monterey Pub 

Best Gluten-Free Menu 

Eden 
735 Copeland St., Shadyside
412-802-7070 or www.edenpitt.com

An oasis for diners with dietary concerns, Eden offers healthful seasonal fare, prepared raw, that is allergy conscious, vegan and gluten-free. It is also a great spot for adventurous diners, who can appreciate lasagna made with flax noodles or a farm-fresh beet salad.

2^nd: Bella Frutteto
3^rd: Gluuteny 

Best Place to Eat at the Bar 

Tako 
214 Sixth St., Downtown
412-471-8256 or www.takopgh.com

Warm lighting, a laid-back atmosphere, and an ample margarita and cocktail list make this Downtown hotspot a good pick for quick, on-the-go dining. Warm weather offers extra bar-side-like seating, with five sidewalk stools peering into the lively kitchen. 

2^nd: Industry Public House
3^rd: Burgatory

Best Food-Delivery Service 

Wheel Deliver 
412-421-9346 or wheeldeliver.net

With service to the East End, Regent Square, Edgewood, Mount Washington, Downtown and South Side, this multi-restaurant delivery service gives at-home diners access to the menus of 30 restaurant partners. And users can even order from more than two restaurants at once. 

2^nd: Grubhub
3^rd: Postmates

Best Margarita 

Mad Mex
Multiple locations
www.madmex.com 

Nothing says “I’m ready to drink and have a good time” like a margarita, and locally based Mexican-food chain Mad Mex offers several options, including a sage-infused cranberry variety. To truly embrace one’s inner “good time” spirit, try the frozen margaritas that are spinning in the machines.

2^nd: Round Corner Cantina
3^rd: Tako

Best Martini 

Olive or Twist 
140 Sixth St., Downtown
412-255-0524 or www.olive-twist.com

Sometimes, a night out at the theater isn’t complete without a nightcap. Olive or Twist, in the heart of the Cultural District, offers a menu of daily and seasonal selections. Go with a traditional martini, or be adventurous with a “Black and Gold Martini.”

2^nd: Tender Bar + Kitchen
3^rd: Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse

Best Bloody Mary

Meat and Potatoes
649 Penn Ave., Downtown
412-325-7007 or www.meatandpotatoespgh.com

In Pittsburgh as elsewhere, Bloody Marys have become an art form, and Meat and Potatoes scores with its brunchtime Bloody Mary bar, where $7 buys access to the acclaimed house mix, plus your choice of pickled and raw vegetables, hot sauce, and even charcuterie and cheeses.

2^nd: The Urban Tap
3^rd: The Commoner

Best Local Beer 

East End Brewing Company 
147 Julius St., Larimer, and 102 19^th St., Strip District
412-537-2337 or www.eastendbrewing.com

Since 2004, this brewery has been making beer right here. It now brews about 35 types of beer a year, including seasonal offerings and year-round favorites such as Big Hop IPA, Monkey Boy Hefeweizen and Fat Gary Nut Brown Ale. Stop by for a tour or sample a pint at Pittsburgh bars.

2^nd: Grist House Craft Brewery
3^rd: Brew Gentlemen 

Best Restaurant Beer List

Sharp Edge
Various locations
www.sharpedgebeer.com

Lots of bars have forests of taps and warehouses of bottles. But the venerable Sharp Edge — each of whose five locations boasts dozens of drafts and 150 or more bottled varieties — remains esteemed for its connoisseurship, especially of the cornucopia of flavors offered by the prized beers of Belgium.

2^nd: Fat Head’s Saloon
3^rd: Industry Public House 

Best Restaurant Wine List

Sonoma Grille
947 Penn Ave., Downtown
412-697-1336 or www.thesonomagrille.com

With over 90 bottles of wine served by the glass, Sonoma Grille has the curious wine drinker covered. Try a curated wine flight, or make your own. If you’re looking for a recommendation, the little wine glass icons on the menu mark staff favorites.

2^nd: Allegheny Wine Mixer
3^rd: Eleven

Best Locally Made Spirit 

Wigle Whiskey 
2401 Smallman St, Strip District
412-224-2827 or www.wiglewhiskey.com

Since Wigle opened in 2012, the family-owned craft distillery has enjoyed nearly nonstop acclaim. It’s been the most-awarded craft whiskey in the country for the past two years, succeeding with classics like rye and bourbon, as well as more adventurous spirits like ginever and white whiskey. 

2^nd: Maggie’s Farm Rum
3^rd: Arsenal Cider 

Best Food Truck 

Pgh Taco Truck 
www.pghtacotruck.com

At this mobile taqueria, the menu is (almost always) gluten-free; the corn tortillas are layered two-deep; and the tacos are rich, simple and unfussy. The filling options rotate, but favorites like Thai peanut chicken and spicy jerk chicken are safe bets on most days.

2^nd: BRGR Truck
3^rd: The Mac & Gold Truck 

Best New Food Truck (as of June 2015) 

Driftwood Oven 
www.facebook.com/Driftwoodoven 

It’s a wood-fired pizza oven on a trailer. They can drive it anywhere, set up and cook wonderfully crispy and full-flavored pizzas. It’s no wonder Driftwood was named this year’s best new food truck. Use Twitter to find out where it will be: @driftwoodoven.

2^nd: Leena’s Food Truck 
3^rd: Gaucho Parrilla Argentina Truck

Best Juice/Smoothie Bar

Pittsburgh Juice Company 
3418 Penn Ave., Lawrenceville
412-586-5060 or www.pittsburghjuicecompany.com

In the mood for a healthy boost? Stop in for a cold-pressed juice, smoothie or snack (think spinach crisps and vegan cheesecake). Everything is raw, vegan and gluten-free, and made with fresh, organic ingredients. You can even stop in for a class at the adjoining yoga studio.

^2nd: Salud Juicery
3^rd: Simpatico Espresso 

Best Food Festival 

VegFest
www.pittsburghvegfest.org

This outdoor summer festival celebrates vegetarian food and sustainable living with live music, wellness vendors, educational speakers, yoga and cooking demonstrations. The day-long event is hosted by Justice For Animals, a Pittsburgh-based animal-rights nonprofit organization.

^2nd: Pickelsburgh
3^rd: St. Nicholas Greek Food Festival