What is the best Small Plates restaurant in Pittsburgh?

Emerson's in Downtown leads this board at 4.8/5. Upstairs in the Thompson Building off Market Square, and the best-kept date secret Downtown has. Firelight, a wine list with real depth, cocktails built like they matter, and a kitchen that outcooks the 'bar food' label by a mile. The hush is the luxury.

How is this list ranked?

Every spot on Pittsburgh Food Map is scored 1-5 by one local critic across food, vibe, value and service. This board is cut mechanically from those ratings. No restaurant can pay to appear or to move up.

5 ranked

The best Small Plates restaurants in Pittsburgh

5 Small Plates kitchens on the map, from cheap counters to the full sit-down. Lawrenceville carries the most of them, and every one is ranked by the same 1-5 score as the rest of the site.

1
Emerson's4.8
Downtown · $$$ · No. 9 of 157 overall
Upstairs in the Thompson Building off Market Square, and the best-kept date secret Downtown has. Firelight, a wine list with real depth, cocktails built like they matter, and a kitchen that outcooks the 'bar food' label by a mile. The hush is the luxury.
Order: A fireside Old Fashioned and the truffle fries
Full review →See on the map →
2
Allegheny Wine Mixer3.9
Lawrenceville · $$ · No. 45 of 157 overall
A tiny Butler Street wine bar with a name that is a joke and a list that is not. Tell them what you like and let them ignore you productively.
Order: A glass you have never heard of and a cheese plate
Full review →See on the map →
3
Solera Wine Co.3.5
Lawrenceville · $$ · No. 100 of 157 overall
A sommelier-run corrective to Pennsylvania's soulless wine-buying experience. A tight, globally minded list built around character and farming, not points. Drink in or grab a bottle to go, with a few smart bites to keep you honest. The kind of small, opinionated room every neighborhood wishes it had.
Order: A glass of low-intervention something with a snacky plate
Full review →See on the map →
4
Hey Babe3.4
East Liberty · $$$ · No. 111 of 157 overall
Folded into the historic YMCA-turned-Maverick Hotel, this throwback lounge nails the moody-music, low-light, order-another-round vibe the old Ace corner always wanted. Cain and Hirst know this scene cold, and the seasonal bites punch above 'hotel bar.' Walk-ins only. Embrace the no-plans energy.
Order: Crispy eggplant with whipped feta, pine nuts, and basil oil
Full review →See on the map →
5
Palm Palm3.3
East Liberty · $$$ · No. 125 of 157 overall
Herky Pollock built a Palm Springs fever dream in the East End, terrazzo, palm fronds, vintage glam, and the coastal small plates mostly keep up with the looks. The Truffle Spaghettios are a wink that actually works. It's a scene first and a meal second, but the scene's a good time.
Order: Truffle Spaghettios with parmesan cream and black truffle
Full review →See on the map →

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Every list on this site is cut from the same board: 157 restaurants scored 1-5 by one critic, where nothing can be bought. How the ratings work →

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