I chose the restaurant for lunch while we were in Mt. Lebanon. The Elite reviews said all good things and the ratings were all 5s. We sat down and reviewed the menu and found some cuisine that was very unique to Uzbek to share and our server informed us most of our selections were not available. That took a bit of wind out of our sails for a moment until we regrouped. We decided to start with a sampler of samsa- beef, chicken, pumpkin with tomato garlic sauce. We were all very surprised that the pumpkin was everyone's favorite with the chicken as the 2nd most flavorful. We followed that with baba ganoush with pitas. Everyone enjoyed the unique flavor of the tahini and lemon in the dip. For our main course we ordered beef shish kabobs with rice, salad and fried sliced potatoes. The beef was flavored with cumin and chili spices which worked well. I would have thought it would have a sauce but surprisingly to me, the dried spices on the fried beef were outstanding! The dressing on the salad with the rice and beef was a great combo. The decor of the dining was amazing. One wall has the name of the restaurant and holes molded out of clay or plaster with lights and clay vases on each opening. See photo. The opposite wall had plates with names of prominent cities in Uzbekistan. This place will be a hit for a long time with the attention to detail and the unique cuisine. Looking forward to my next visit when I am in Pittsburgh! read more

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I will be dreaming about this honey cake for years!!! My friend and I had an incredible evening at this delicious Uzbek restaurant in the heart of uptown. Service was prompt and kind, the restaurant was beautifully decorated, and the food was top notch. I highly recommend trying every single dessert, especially the honey cake! read more

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I came here with my family the other day, food was really tasty and the atmosphere and decoration was also quite nice. The servers immediately sat us down without a reservation and got our orders. Food came about 20 minutes later, I am really pleased with the way it tasted and blended together, nice savory, juicy,salty, flavors. Overall I would recommend Piyola. Probably one of my go-to restaurants in mt lebo read more

Oh my! First off what a beautiful restaurant. I just loved the look and feel of it. This was my first introduction to Piyola and loved it. My friends brought me here for dinner and we had an amazing time! Servers were amazing , polite and friendly. They were able to recommend items for me to try! I had the lamb shank and it was absolutely amazing, falling off the bone! I couldn't get enough of it! Definitely recommend this beautiful restaurant read more

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Absolutely delicious! We had the lamb and noodle soup, chicken and beef kabobs, and the napoleon cake dessert. Great food and service! Thanks!! read more

Piyola immediately made it into my Top 10 restaurants in Pittsburgh! The restaurant is beautifully decorated with natural colors & authentic decor. They have a couple little spots that are perfect for taking pictures. They also sell authentic Uzbekistan clothing, which includes the clothing that the waiters and waitresses wear! We had a large group of 10, and our waiter, Muhammad, did a great job keeping everything straight and doing so with a smiling face. He was even willing to take a picture with us at the end! Here's what I tried at Piyola: [Pumpkin Samsa]: These delicious pockets of heaven contained pumpkin & onions and we're so flavorful. I would order this again and again. [Mixed Appetizer]: This contained hummus, labneh, eggplant roll, and Eggplant spread. Everything was so good, and I couldn't pick a favorite. The Uzbeki bread was perfection! [Creamy Beef Medallions]: This dish was so flavorful and like comfort food. The combination of flavors was so good! [Raspberry Meringue Dessert]: This was so delicious and flavorful! They were sold out and the waiter gave me the piece that he was going to take home. It was so so worth it! I also tried one of their fruity drinks, and it was so sweet and flavorful! Honestly, the food and service was spot on, and the experience is so nice and special! I cannot wait to go back and try something new along with some of my new favorites! read more

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4.5 stars. Piyola restaurant opened in 2024 and serves halal Uzbek foods. Please see my attached photos for the menu in January 2025. I had called the restaurant to make a reservation for lunch for two people for their opening time of 11 AM on a Saturday. The weather outside was very cold and snowy, and my husband and I stood outside for several minutes before an employee opened the door. I discovered that I did not actually need a reservation given the number of available tables. Things got better! The interior of the restaurant had a very beautiful interior design. The employees promptly and politely took our order, brought our drinks and foods, and at the end processed our payment. Please note that I have eaten Uzbek foods elsewhere for many years, so I am familiar with how they are supposed to taste. Here are my reviews for our foods: Beef samsa - 4.5 stars - This appetizer was a flaky puff pastry that was filled with minced beef and onion and accompanied by a garlic-tomato sauce. It tasted very good. It was served at room temperature, so I would have preferred that it be hotter and slightly fresher/crispier. Mixed appetizers - 4.5 stars - This cold sampler appetizer was a very large size, so we had leftovers to take home. It consisted of two breads (pita and naan), three dips--hummus, labneh (yogurt with herbs, olives, and olive oil), and eggplant spread (tomato-based sauce with eggplant, peppers, carrots, onions, garlic, and dill)--and eggplant rolls (rolled-up eggplant, tomato, cucumber, cheese, garlic-mayonnaise sauce, and herbs with a side of tomato sauce). Assorted shish kebabs - 4.5 stars - This entree is supposed to feed 2-3 people, and we had leftovers to take home. The shish kebabs came in multiple flavors: lyulya (minced/ground beef), chicken, beef, and lamb. We also received two lamb chops, rice, salad, and tomatoes. The meats were very juicy and nicely seasoned. The rice was cooked well. The vegetables tasted very fresh. Raspberry-mint tea - 5 stars - We received a large teapot of hot tea, and its raspberry-mint flavor tasted delicious. The total price was $101 *plus* a tip. read more

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Great ambiance, you feel transported! We never had Uzbek food but the dished were great, the Caprese salad and greek salad were top notch with a lovely tart and herbaceous dressing. The fries and shawarma were a big hit. The special strawberry drink was great too. Lamb-shank fell of the bone and had nice subtle favor. Absolute fine dinning. I will return! The server needed more experience, but he was sweet. read more

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It's a beautiful ethnic place. Very well decorated. The service is nice and friendly. They don't serve alcohol, nor let you drink if you bring your bottle. The food was mediocre. Not bad, not fantastic. As a person familiar with that region's cuisine, I would expect much more. Otherwise we enjoyed our visit. read more

Piyola - Mixed Appetizers - Uzbek Near Me - Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania

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A month or so ago, I had the awesome opportunity to attend Hello Neighbor's Neighborhood Nosh event, with all food provided by immigrant and refugee owned businesses. That's where I was introduced to Chaykhana, and the owner mentioned they were about to open a second place in Mt. Lebo. This is that spot, in the site of the former Caspian Corner, and looking at former reviews all I can say is WOW, they have completely transformed this space. It's stunning, especially as you go to the back and see the surprise of the beautifully, warmly decorated dining room that you'd never guess was hiding back there. We walked in around 8:15 and they closed at 9, so it was really nice of them to still take us for dinner. And we were never once rushed. At our server's recommendation we started with a pot of raspberry mint tea to share which was a great starter on a cold snowy night. My friend is gluten free so we went with the potatoes and mushrooms for an app and they were delicious, with the crispiest potatoes! I also couldn't resist trying the hummus which I like to try everywhere and it was very good, with a hint of curry to it. The bread was thick and I prefer a thinner pita but that's minor. On to our dinners and when I mentioned I was vegetarian, our server pointed out several options but didn't hesitate to recommend the mixed veggies as the best one. I went with that and was not at all sorry. A beautiful, fresh and filling plate and I had plenty left for the next day (when I think it tasted even better). My friend got the Uzbek Plov which she enjoyed. Our server was extremely attentive and the owner came around to make sure we were happy with everything. This is a beautiful space and they clearly care very much about the food and customer experience. I'm sure we'll be back! read more

Piyola - Mixed vegetables entree. So fresh and delicious. - Uzbek Near Me - Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania

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We have wanted to try this restaurant since it opened. It looks small from the street, but staff took us through to the back room, which was busy and beautiful. The menu is large, but not so large as to confuse - just a wide selection of salads, small plates and entrees. We ordered beet hummus, Mandi (beef dumplings) and beef medallions served with potatoes, rice and emulsified green beans. All were excellent- no regrets about ordering, but next time we will try other items. The couple next to us ordered the grilled platter which was huge and looked amazing. For dessert we ordered the napoleon and the meringue. Each alone worth a return. The restaurant does not serve alcohol nor did we see a byob policy but we didn't miss it. East End Brewing is a couple of doors up if a pre- or post-dinner drink is desired. It is family-friendly, and nearby tables had children of varying ages. Lastly, the in-person menu is less expensive than what you see online, but the atmosphere is lovely and inviting. read more

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Can't stop thinking about and telling all my Pittsburgh friends about this meal. Once every couple hundred dining experiences you get a dinner where every detail from service to execution and plating are en pointe. AND THEN you're handed a more than reasonable bill. What? I was thrown when we walked in at 6:30 and the place looked empty. . In a moment, our smiling host whisked us PAST the front room of about 6 tables, retail and pastry case area into a GORGEOUS back dining room with flattering light, elegantly set tables with cloth, and many other happy diners. Piyola if you're reading this, seat some folks in your Washington Rd windows. We started with the beef dumplings pictured here, and only because they were out of the pumpkin pastries much loved on Yelp!. Our luck since my companion and I both said they were the most ethereal, flaky and savory little fried dumpling ever, bearing all the marks of a hand and scratch made item. We loved the lebneh and chili sauce on the side in porcelain cups. Can it get better? Yes! Out came the Uzbek bread cut in wedges, glazed and garnished with toasted sesame and a fresh tomato salad with a careful dusting of sumac and precisely bias cut scallions. Folks, this kind of presentation and knife work back in the kitchen shows these chefs are on it and care. This was to accompany the Lamb Plov; a mountain of fluffy saffron basmati with currants, carrots and chickpeas topped with a generous peak of roasted lamb. The lamb was tender and well seasoned. The flavor balances and texture had us going for spoon after spoon. Next was the chicken kebabs. These were boneless thighs marinated and grilled PRECISELY to doneness. How many under and overcooked chicken kebabs have you had in your life? I've had a lot. THESE were as optimum as it gets. On the plate was a timbale of freshly steamed (I can tell) basmati with toasted cumin seeds and a lovely toss of arugula and grape tomatoes with fresh lemon and oil. I wish I could tell you about dessert but we didn't make it that far. Next trip I'll try to save some room. I hope Piyola becomes the destination restaurant for PGH foodies I think it deserves to be. We were checked on multiple times during our meal by several of the folks from Piyola, who couldn't have been more warm and welcoming. I'm a great fan of Persian, Lebanese and Indian food. If you are, you might want to add Uzbek food to your list. read more

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Fabulous food in a strikingly beautiful restaurant! The Uzbek dishes were so tasty and the salad with chopped tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers and red onions had a wonderful lemony dressing. We'll be back! read more

Piyola - Dining area - Uzbek Near Me - Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Um Piyola is the full freaking package - price, ambiance, service , quality food. Holy freaking goodness. We ordered a bunch of starters and only one entree and every single thing we bought was absolutely delicious. Burrata magnificent, fresh, delicious, pair the cheese with the bread and holy freaking smokes and okay the bread wow I like actually can't put into words how amazing and fluffy and delicious the bread was. Then the samsas flaky crisp delicious. My do'ner sandwich was on that same soft delicate incredible bread. I think I found my new favorite restraunt like oh my goodness. And all these delicious carbs at an incredibly reasonable price. I literally can't even piyola has my whole heart. The wait staff was kind knowledgeable and the food came FAST I mean FREAKY FAST like you'd of thought we were in jimmy johns the food came out so quickly. And it was fresh and delicious. Honestly I am with a loss of words this place is delicious and I will be coming back to taste the menu - it is something different in the area and an absolute home run. Great job Piyola team and family you have really made something trulyagnificant read more

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We went to Piyola in Mt. Lebanon for the first time this afternoon and had a wonderful experience! The atmosphere is warm and inviting and the staff was super friendly. They made us feel right at home and made some great recommendations from the menu. And the food? Everything we ordered was fresh, full of flavor, and beautifully put together. We're already talking about going back.....soon!! read more

Piyola - Uzbek Near Me - Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania

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First time trying Uzbek food and had a gr8 time. Neel found this place on reels and we came out here for lunch on a sunday. Empty enough to get seated quick but busy enough to see that people liked it. They got the plov which comes with a salad and bread, I got the Chicken shashlik. Let me tell you, this was one of the best chicken dishes that I've had here. Chicken was moist, juicy, and tender and the whole dish was filling as well. I could not stop talking about this Chicken the whole time I was there. They worked magic on it frfr. Worker told me I have good pronunciation and it made me blush. Would 100% come back again. Got a warm Samsa as an app and it was hot and meaty as the boys I came with. read more

Piyola - Uzbek Near Me - Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Truly such an excellent restaurant. Everything about this place is great. The atmosphere is lovely and makes you feel special. The people running it seem very friendly. The food is authentic and excellent. Love this place. I got to try out their shawarma, honey cake, and Uzbek bread. The shawarma was very good. It was filled with tons of very high quality meat. I will say that it was a tad bit soggy, but I honestly didn't mind. The flavor made up for it. Great slightly creamy sauce. Tender meat. Fresh tomato and vegetables. So good for a very reasonable price. The honey cake was also extremely good. I thought it might have a bit of that refrigerator taste many restaurant desserts have, but not here. It seemed fresh and the cream on the inside was still very good. Sweet but not excessively so. Definitely recommend this treat. The Uzbek bread was a fantastic addition to this meal, and to any meal, really. It's huge and very good. Crispy on the outside, soft in the middle. Bit of seeds for extra flavor. This would go especially well with the kebabs. All in all, this is a great restaurant. I would be happy to celebrate special events here. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Outstanding. The price is not steep and could honestly could be better. So we only go for special occasion's.

There's a lot to like about Piyola. It's charming, located in a walkable part of town, and the food is good. Service can be great or ok. If you're a vegetarian, it's tough to go back and expect to try something new. Their cold and hot appetizers are excellent. The labne and Uzbek bread are standouts. These alone are why I've returned twice. Entrees for vegetarians are limited. Their tofu shashlik is quite good. But how many times can you have it? Their raspberry and mint tea is excellent. It's a great place to have a nice meal in a lovely setting especially in the spacious back room. read more

Piyola - Tofu Shashlik - Uzbek Near Me - Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania

We really enjoyed our meals here! So yummy! There is a large back room with lots of seating and it's very contemporary and nice back there. Service was ok, maybe he was a little too busy. read more

We got take out and I must say this is some of the best food I have ever had. not just middle eastern food - any food I have ever had. the soup was incredible. read more

I'm being completely honest here, I do not understand the hype of this place. The food was fine but I've had tastier meals at other places similar to this. We had no idea that we needed to make reservations but we were able to get seated in the front area. The staff wasn't as friendly as I was expecting, based on all of the reviews. Maybe they were having an off day but only 2 of the servers were actually friendly and had a smile on their face. To start, the server asked if we wanted water with our meal. We said yes and she brought out a bottle that we had to pay for. She didn't even give us the option or state that there was a cost. That was something that threw me off. We ordered the Assorted Shish Kebobs and bread. The bread was nothing to write home about. Very yeasty and tasted like a bland bagel. The main dish was beautiful to look at so that made me excited but I was let down by the flavors. First, let me say that the meat IS fresh and they know how to cook each kind perfectly. The lamb chops were delicious and I wish we had just a plate full of those. Every other kebab tasted like cumin. We watched how they prepared the kebabs and how they added so much cumin to all of the meat. I couldn't get the smell of cumin off my hands for the rest of the night. The tomatoes were good and the rice was cooked nicely but had really no taste, the salad is just arugula with a couple tomatoes thrown on and you get two very small pieces of corn. The red onions were delicious and a nice reprieve from all of the cumin. The tomato consume was just crushed up tomatoes with spices. I don't know, I'm just really let down by this restaurant and I was hoping to really love it. I don't believe I will be going back for a 2nd visit unless someone else I'm with wants to. read more

Meet some friends and had a nice dinner at Piyola. We were seated in the back dinning area that is very nicely decorated and was rather full. The service was good and they would discuss any item we asked about. The menu explains most of the items on the menu. We started with a Beef Samsa that had some onion in the beef in a pastry shell. Then we had an eggplant dip with some Uzbek bread. Tasty fresh bread and the dip had tomato, with some peppers, onion, garlic and some other flavors. We split an Uzbek Plov which is some roasted lamb on rice and carrots, chickpeas and raisins. Also had the Beshbarmak that is lamb shank on a bed of noodles with some onion and spices. Both were really tasty entrees. If you are looking for an interesting meal and a good dinning experience, check it out. read more

Very tasty food and friendly staff at Piyola! My husband and I visited for Valentine's Day with a dinner reservation. They were completely full, and we did have to wait about 10 minutes for a table to open, but they did lead us into the back dining room once it was ready. The space is very lovely and well-decorated, but the tables are quite close together and the sound ECHOES, so it wasn't the most intimate dinner ambiance. The servers were all running around and seemed to be perhaps a bit overwhelmed by the volume of people, but they were nonetheless friendly and kind! We ordered raspberry mint tea which was served in a beautiful kettle. It was so tasty! For appetizers, we tried the eggplant dip with Uzbek bread, one of each type of Samsa (beef, chicken, and pumpkin), and fried Pelmeni (SO good). These dishes were incredible, I would truly go back for the apps alone. For our entree, we tried the shish kebab sampler, which included a variety of grilled and skewered meats, rice, salad, and grilled tomatoes. It was very tasty! That being said, I was more blown away by the apps than by the entree, just in terms of unique flavors. Still a very yummy centerpiece to the meal! And it looks beautiful, too. A bit of a letdown was the fact that once we got our entree, we didn't have anyone check on us for about 45 minutes. I'd have ordered dessert had we gotten the chance, but by the time we flagged someone down, we were ready to pack up leftovers and go home. I think it was a busy night, and I give them a lot of grace for managing so many tables, so I hope they grow into establishing a slightly better dinner service model. Again, ALL the food is delicious and I want to return to try more authentic Uzbek fare. I look forward to returning on perhaps a less busy evening or for lunch! read more

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Very good place, beautiful interior, great personal and very tasty food Recommend to visit to get nice experience! read more

The place was bustling during Ramadan, and my wife and I had an absolutely flawless birthday dinner. This was our first time at Piyola, and the service, the upscale ambience without any of the snootiness, and the fantastic food made this a place where we will come back in a few weeks. I had lamb shashlik before, both in other restarants and friends, and this was the best I've had in years -- if not the best. Highly recommend. read more

Fantastic. I should probably stop there but I want to say more. The people are incredible and the food is indescribably delicious. Pleas go there and try it. The restaurant itself is beautiful as well. Try the Uzbek Plov! read more

We had an amazing dinner at Piyola. They've done a great job with the space. The food was outstanding, flavorful and perfectly prepared. The Samsa appetizers (similar to Indian Samosas) were delicious , we shared the beef, the chicken and the pumpkin. We enjoyed the beef shish kabobs and Juvava (beef dumplings and vegetables in a rich broth), naan (thicker than Indian naan) and hot tea. We had black tea as well as the raspberry mint. The servers were friendly and attentive and helped make the experience enjoyable. They've only been open for three weeks and are working out some kinks but are doing a great job! I can't wait to go back. read more

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Be warned that they don't sell alcohol or allow byob. We learned this the hard and awkward way. I assumed it was byob as most nice dinner places are so we brought a bottle of wine. The server implied we were offending them by bringing it and asked if we could place it under the table. The food was very good but the service was spotty. Will definitely get takeout from here going forward. read more

What a wonderful experience at this lovely spot! The food was perfectly seasoned and delicious. We had the beet hummus and it was the best I've had. All three flavors of Samsas were terrific. The Lamb Shank was fall of the bone tender and tasty. My favorite entree was the Creamy Beef! For desert we tried the chocolate dessert and loved it. I like to support local neighborhood restaurants and it is my new favorite spot! Service by the lovely owner was sweet. Definitely give it a go! read more

Unique food served on a white cloth in the middle of Mt. Lebanon. Delicious, very specific dishes so if you'd like to adventure in an ethnic cuisine, this is a good place. read more

Went here for the first time last week and I was very impressed. The space is nice and clean. The service was very friendly and the food was great! read more

Piyola - Uzbek Near Me - Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Just a more Fancy Uzbek Restaurant or a more fancy Chaykana.The ambience of the restaurant is nice .The service is great like their sister restaurant Chaykana . But the chef in Chaykana has better hand that the Chef in Piyola. If you live in Mt.Lebo go check it out .If you love Mediterranean Greek Turkish Middle Eastern and Indian style foods you would fell in love with Uzbek , You try Uzbek food you would come back of the 4 Uzbek Restaurants that I found is in my 3 ,Kasva is my 4 read more

Food and service were AMAZING! We were not rushed, and the servers were happy to answer our questions and make suggestions.

Everything was delicious!! Had the best dessert to finish off a great lunch! The service is amazing as well, everyone is so kind and attentive!! read more

Piyola - Berry roulade - Uzbek Near Me - Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Amazing food and friendly service. Highly recommend the lamb shank! The dessert is also exceptional

My husband and I were wonderfully delighted to find this incredible new restaurant in Mt. Lebanon. On a Friday evening, it was very busy (reservation suggested), but the staff did fit in two extra hungry people. Having waited for a table, everyone was most accommodating in getting our food out quickly. We shared their kebab platter which was beautifully presented and cooked to perfection. Whatever your food preferences, there is something on this Uzbek menu that will appeal to you, and your family. It's not only authentic delicious food with friendly caring staff, it's fun. We can't wait to go back - again and again! read more

First time trying Uzbekistan cuisine and it is hands down one of the best ethnic food in the South hills area. Highly recommend without any reservation. read more

We wanted to try something different with friends so we headed to Piyola for an Uzbek meal. We had no idea what to expect. Upon entering we were struck by the gorgeous desserts in the display window. We were guided to the back where the main seating area was, passing by the kitchen where we observed food being prepared; everyone was very friendly and welcomed us and the main dining area was nicely decorated. We started out with a Pumpkin Samsa (like a baked Samosa or Empanada) which was awesome! An eggplant dip with Uzbek bread was fresh and tasty. The Sultan's Chicken was a unique blend of tender chicken, beet hummus, smoked eggplant puree - great! The Manti (beef dumplings) were wonderful. One of our friends had the lamb shank over noodles and enjoyed it. For dessert they split a Napoleon which was very different than usual but they liked. We shared the Sebastian Cheesecake with chocolate sauce - amazing! All the food was wonderfully presented with pride. One might interpret the service as slow to follow up, but we saw it as cultural to not distract our conversation. read more

Inviting atmosphere, cool decor, delicious, unique food and attentive service combined for a fantastic dining experience!