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    Rico's Restaurant

    3.3 (189 reviews)
    PriceyItalian
    Closed Closed

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    Lightly fried zucchini with Parmesan and red sauce
    Kristy D.

    What a GEM!! So hidden, friendly, Italian and family owned! I loved it. I was brought here unexpectedly and I am from Chicago. I loved the vibe the history on the walls and the food. I could never leave out the awesome energy and the service was amazing. We were there when there was no one and then when they were exploding with business. Jay the bartender was great! Very attentive and knew a lot about Pittsburgh with fun stories to share! Thank you Jim who brought us our bottles of wine and visited every customer in the place to make small talk and say hello to many regulars. Sprinkled with Old Roots and I loved it from the valet entrance to the welcome in & seating My new favorite is Rico's off Babcock Blvd up the hill- (near the Mini golf!!) MUST GO!!! Enjoy!!!!

    Menu
    Gracie D.

    Had a lovely dinner at Rico's a few months back to celebrate my Mom's birthday, as we do annually. Our group was 7 people, and we were seated in the additional room that may be used for banquets. It was our first time being seated in this area of all the times we went, but it was not an issue. We began the night with some drinks at the bar, and then were seated at our table at the time when our whole party was present. Started off with the Thinly Sliced Fried Zucchini, which is truly the best I have ever had - thin, crispy, and wonderful with Parmesan and lemon added. I personally had several daily specials. Enjoyed the Escarole Meatball soup as a starter. For my Mail course, I had the Salmon Italian Style, which was so delicious, accompanied by the Spinach and Mixed Greens! The crab meat and tomatoes added a lot to an already great dish. Others in my party got the various other items pictured: Broiled Seafood Rico and Rico's Famous Angel Hair (pink sauce, no pinolli nuts, add chicken). I, along with my family, always have a great experience at Rico's. We enjoy the old-time atmosphere, delicious dishes, and personal touches we receive when dining. Rico himself has personally talked we us and engaged in conversation several times over the years. We typically go during the week, but this visit was on a Saturday. So, I believe due to volume the following situations occurred. We requested bread several times, which is usually given at the table, but we never received it. This was disappointing due to the salt sticks being a favorite of my mom's. They were out of the French Onion Soup, which we wanted to try and were unable to. My last note is that after COVID, we were told the table-side service for the Caesar Salad only occurred on weekends. However, this time we were told they now only do it during the week. So, I am not sure when exactly they do this service, but wish we could have had that this visit. The Caesar and the dressing are wonderful, and the table-side adds a lot to the experience. Again, this is a wonderful restaurant and we will be back. Just hope to time the visit to where we can partake and experience all we want to! FYI to those visiting: all parking is valet so bring a few dollars in cash!

    Fried Zuchinni
    Paige B.

    I started my night in the bar area while waiting for my table. I ordered the Lemon Drop Martini and it was the perfect thing to start my night. The bar was super busy but the bartenders were very attentive and even asked to take pictures of me and my friends as we were going out for Valentines Day. I had never been here before but it's my boyfriends favorite restaurant so I told him make the reservations and let's try it. Upon driving up to the restaurant you are met with a valet then when you walk in there is a maiter d' and a coat checker. It's more upscale so do be prepared for that when you go. As as appetizer we ordered the Fried Zuchinni.... let me tell you something.... this by far the BEST Fried Zuchinni I have ever tried in my life! I would come again and again just to order that. It's lightly breaded with the best seasoning and my friends loved it just as much! I got the Filet for dinner and was so happy that it was cooked perfect with it being medium rare not at kitchens cook the meat correctly and I have to send it back quite often. The Asparagus that was paired with the Filet was AMAZING! The garlic and butter used was phenomenal. I just can't get over how great this place was overall. If you want an upscale restaurant that's been around forever check this place out. It's so good and the staff is so friendly that it's worth it!

    Lindsay M.

    I had my first experience at Rico's for my birthday dinner! I was there with my husband, my mom, my dad, my brother and sister in law. We all really enjoyed our time. Everyone working from the bartender, host, and waitress were wonderful. We had the well known and amazing zucchini appetizer as well as the artichoke appetizer...I did not try that one...but I would get the zucchini every single time! I had the chicken parm, my husband had the veal piccata and we shared a spaghetti, my sister in law had vodka pasta, my brother had the fish, and my parents had chicken parm as well. The overall experience was wonderful and quite memorable

    Linguini and seafood including shrimp, mussels and calamari
    Nelli T.

    Excellent service and menu. I enjoyed the many seafood and pasta dishes they had to offer. The restaurant has multiple dining rooms and only does valet parking. Great place for a special occasion dinner!

    Pine nut with crab

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    9 hours ago

    Amazing experience start to finish. Wonderful people, excellent food, great atmosphere. I'm so glad we found this lovely restaurant!!

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    9 months ago

    Excellent food and service. Staff is very observant of your needs. You can order off menu and receive a remarkable meal.

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    1 year ago

    Food great, service great, and ambiance great. Zucchini is the best! So light and tasteful.

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    1 year ago

    Great food! Pine nut pasta is phenomenal and always my go to. Inside is very elegant.

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    Do they take reservations?

    Yes they do. Also take out and they have valet parking

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    DiAnoia's Eatery

    DiAnoia's Eatery

    4.4
    (1.3k reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$

    My first restaurant since moving to Pittsburgh! We went on a Friday night and the restaurant was…read morepacked. We waited about an hour for our food which was kind of frustrating but they were absolutely slammed. Our server even brought us a second plate of bread and oil to make up for it (which we appreciated)! The food was worth the wait! Loved heirloom pasta and gnocchi w/ meatballs were delicious as well!! We also got tiramisu for dessert (not pictured) yeah, no. The mascarpone was dense and I believe they used cake instead of the ladyfingers. It genuinely pretty bad and I wouldn't get it again which sucked because tiramisu is my go to dessert (also pretty pricey for the portion we got). At that said, I will be back to try other dishes!

    People really hyped this place up, so I was excited to finally try it. The atmosphere is really…read morecute, and I'm glad I made a reservation because it got super busy, even on a Thursday. Our waitress, Emily, was wonderful and so kind. The bread was good, but I wish it had been served hot. I also wasn't a huge fan of it sitting directly in the olive oil and vinegar like that. The gnocchi was one of the best I've ever had. The texture was incredible. I also got the short rib pasta, which was just okay. The meat was very tender, but the overall flavors didn't really stand out to me. The portions are definitely huge, though! We also got the Caesar salad, and the dressing was really good, but the shishito peppers were almost soggy, which took away from the dish a bit. Really good spot for a date!

    Photos
    Seating area
    Seating area
    Margherita Calabrese
    Margherita Calabrese
    House Salad with Mixed Greens, Olives, Chickpeas, Cherry Tomatoes, Roasted Red Peppers, Cucumbers, and Oregano Vinaigrette

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    House Salad with Mixed Greens, Olives, Chickpeas, Cherry Tomatoes, Roasted Red Peppers, Cucumbers, and Oregano Vinaigrette
    Girasole Restaurant

    Girasole Restaurant

    3.9
    (758 reviews)
    5.6 mi
    $$

    So this location was only about a 10 minute walk from our hotel and we are so glad that we checked…read moreit out. It is a very cozy Italian restaurant that's serving homemade Italian food like your Nonna would make for you. We showed up on a Tuesday night and it was packed. It was around six or 6:30 in the evening and when we first got there, we were told it would be about a 20 minute wait before a two top was available. But the host came back and asked if we didn't mind sitting by the kitchen they could see us right away. We chose to sit by the kitchen, which honestly was probably the best option because it was actually a little bit quieter because there was a very large party that was celebrating a birthday and they had live music going on so it was hard to hear when you were in the main dining space but back by the kitchen it's a little bit quieter and we could actually hear ourselves talk. My husband got the penne with meatballs and the penny was nicely cooked with a beautiful tomato Bass sauce and the meatballs or some of the best Italian meatball he's ever had. His only complaint was that there were only two in the order and he wished there would've been three. I got the spinach and ricotta, stuffed ravioli, and by far one of the best raviolis I've ever had. The ravioli are large so there's only about five in a dish but they're packed fully and the flavoring and seasoning is absolutely spectacular. It's got a beautiful sauce like accompanies it and the chew you can definitely tell it is handmade pasta/ravioli. Our server, Emma was absolutely spectacular and was so kind. We truly enjoyed our experience here and would highly recommend anybody to check it out if you're in the area. But we also do recommend make your reservations ahead of time. This place gets packed quickly.

    Very, very good Italian spot near Walnut Street, very close by all the top shops. The ambiance is…read morevery nice, both inside and outside. Pretty tight space though. The waitresses are friendly and have great recommendations. I got to try their linguine rustica (essentially the clam pasta dish), a cappuccino, some cherry soda, and soup of the day, as well as complimentary bread. They got that bread out very quickly! Very soft, and served with quite high quality olive oil. The bottle has both olive oil and balsamic! The soup of the day was quite good as well. It was some sort of beef broth, I think may a beef and bean soup. Chickpeas in there as well. Next time, I might try the salad. The salad they have as a side is so good, an amazing portion and seems so fresh and tasty. The mains were excellent. Very good pasta with clam sauce. Lots of clam meat and a flavorful oil based sauce. My friend had some red penne with chicken and enjoyed that as well. Great portions, pretty fair prices. Finally, great drinks as well. Very memorable cherry cola that I believe the company is owned by the owner's son. Real cane sugar, very good. The cappuccino was great as well. Definitely come here!

    Photos
    Penne with sausage
    Penne with sausage
    Beef Tenderloin over Risotto & Spinach
    Beef Tenderloin over Risotto & Spinach
    (Mediocre) spinach and ricotta

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    (Mediocre) spinach and ricotta
    Saint Ravioli

    Saint Ravioli

    5.0
    (6 reviews)
    4.5 mi

    Every year my girlfriend and I find a cooking or baking class that is local in Pittsburgh to do…read moretogether. This year we decided to down our robes and become disciples of Saint Ravioli. Getting a spot in a class is very hard since they are limited to 6-8 people, but if you get the chance I absolutely recommend it. The classes are 2 hours long each and are extremely intimate. Bryan and Justin will meet you at the door and will introduce you to their workshop. There is a spread of antipasto to snack on which was curated very well. Each person gets to make 4 (four!!) dozen raviolis each. The class is extremely informative and fun. I personally haven't ordered any of their ravioli drops before, but from eating the batch I personally made, I know I will in the future. Highly recommend ordering their raviolis online or taking the class if it's available.

    Although it takes some planning to order ahead, then pickup your order, the Ravioli is amazing…read more When you pick up your order, it's frozen. To prepare it, simply drop into boiling water, then after it floats to the top, wait a few minutes. I also ordered the Marinara sauce which was delicious. The owner friendly and helpful. He noticed that this was my first order, so he took some time to explain a few things and answer questions. Parking is on the street, and I had no problems finding a spot. It's a fun experience and I will definitely do it again.

    Photos
    Saint Ravioli
    Wedding soup ravioli
    Wedding soup ravioli
    Saint Ravioli

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    Garbarinos

    Garbarinos

    4.5
    (206 reviews)
    5.4 mi
    $$

    We visited Garbarinos as part of restaurant week ... and glad we did!…read more Our meal started with an appetizer (beans and greens) then pasta and finished up with a cannoli! Street parking (free after six) but make sure to make a reservation.. this place gets BUSY! The Brussels - to die for! The beans and greens have sauce in them too - also very good! Both appeared to be full size apps too! I was stuffed when my pasta came but it was so good! The cannoli was def a 'I will take that to go' item. Def a must got back kinda place!

    I had high expectations for this place given the other reviews, but it unfortunately just didn't…read morequite live up to them. No issues with service and the appetizers were fine (Brussels were fantastic, others were decent). But for my main course I ordered the special, which was gnocchi. The portion was generous which was great, but the gnocchi just wasn't cooked right. Each bite would stick inside my mouth and I had a tough time scraping the dough residue out of the inside of my mouth at times. I've ordered gnocchi many times and never once had this experience at a restaurant. I DID have a similar experience when I tried making it at home, hence why I like to instead order it out and expect it to be cooked correctly. The "house made marinara" was okay, but a little bland and watery so it wasn't enough to save the dish for me. Perhaps it was just an off night or off dish, so given the other high ratings I wouldn't necessarily write this place off, but I was certainly expecting more for a place like this. Maybe skip the gnocchi if you go here.

    Photos
    Bar area
    Bar area
    Cannoli
    Cannoli
    Inside

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    Inside
    Piccolo Forno

    Piccolo Forno

    4.1
    (679 reviews)
    3.8 mi
    $$

    Piccolo Forno is a relaxing and tasty neighborhood Italian place with a very…read morefriendly and helpful staff.  The dishes were flavorful and satisfying with generous portions.  We enjoyed the Carrots and Brussels Sprouts and the Stuffed Banana Peppers as appetizers.  Both were delicious and the peppers really maintained their pepper flavor.   In the mood for pasta, we opted for the wheat flour ricotta cavatelli and the tortellini.  We would order both again and were happy to share them around the table.  Dessert was the tiramisu which also had a lot of flavor and was a nice sized portion.  The restaurant is pretty hopping.  We were glad to sit in the back area which was a little quieter.  Piccolo Forno, with its warm staff and even warmer pizza oven makes for a fun place to catch up with friends or sit down and enjoy a meal with family.

    Piccolo Forno was an excellent dining experience from start to finish. We began with the housemade…read morebread and herb butter, which was absolutely delicious. The burrata with asparagus purée, arugula, peas, and golden raisins was heavenly....fresh, creamy, and beautifully balanced. We also shared the Calabrese pizza from the wood fired oven, and the combination of spice and sweet hot honey was perfection. To finish, the meat tortelli was rich, comforting, and outstanding. Service was incredible, and Max took wonderful care of us all evening. Great food, warm atmosphere, and impeccable hospitality. Highly recommend if you're in Pittsburgh!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Seasonal Peach Bruschetta
    Seasonal Peach Bruschetta
    Tiramisu

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    Tiramisu
    Alta Via Market Square

    Alta Via Market Square

    4.3
    (176 reviews)
    5.2 mi
    $$$

    Great food. Very attentive service. Happy hour menu was perfect. A very welcoming place.read more

    Yet another entry in Big Burrito's generally excellent collection of restaurants, not to be…read moreconfused with Alta Via Pizza in Bakery Square. Same idea, different focus. AVP is excellent, by the way. We have been twice in the last couple of months. Front of House Team was excellent both visits. Our bartender/servers have been gracious and attentive. First visit was carbonara and beet salad; good but not life-changing. Second visit started with Frito Misto. Excellent. Bright, crispy and perfectly finished. The linguine is served with crab meat. I found it to be a glutinous mess. I'm not sure what happened in the kitchen. The mushroom side plate was under seasoned. Our friend who got the spaghetti loved it. Mushroom pasta was excellent with nicely cooked pasta and thorough mushroom taste. Our friends were very pleased with this plate. The chopped salad is perfectly dressed and is completely delicious. It was a treat. My lovely counterpart had the halibut piccata. She commented that it was "slightly overcooked." This is charitable: it was completely hammered. "It had the texture of chicken." The sauce was conspicuous by its sparsity; just not much flavor going on. She also observed that first bite was gritty, as if greens were inadequately cleaned. This dish has enormous potential, but it just wasn't delivered. This dish was palatable only by having the tomatoes on the vine as a side. My lovely counterpart on the Tomatoes on the Vine side: "I didn't love it, but it was necessary." She generally loves this sort of preparation but again, it just wasn't there. Cheesecake was great. Our server was excellent and attentive. Amanda, the assistant manager, was too busy to chat with us even though the house was mostly empty. Our table had two bottles of wine, ordered by the glass instead of by the bottle. The wine pours are staged outside of the bar, so the bartender wasn't involved. We are still at a loss to understand why Amanda was not willing to consider giving us even one of the bottles' worth at the bottle price and why she shut down our waitress when she asked. It seems like a weird hill to plant your flag on, and entirely inconsistent with our more than 30 years experience with Big Burrito. This is the first time we have experienced anything like this in a Big Burrito restaurant; truly bizarre and our poor server was clearly uncomfortable relaying the decision. We hadn't made any observations about the food to her and were having a great time even with kitchen's inconsistency. We might try again at some point: some of the dishes were great and there is clearly potential.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Bread
    Bread
    Chocolate Budino

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    Chocolate Budino
    Big Jim's Restaurant & Bar

    Big Jim's Restaurant & Bar

    4.2
    (366 reviews)
    6.6 mi
    $$

    Big Jim's is a Pittsburgh institution. It's been 20 years or so since my last visit to Big Jim's…read more My family was headed towards town around dinner time and decided to take advantage of the opportunity and stop by. We arrived around 4:30 on a Friday. We were able to get a parking spot around the back. We were quickly seated and beat the dinner rush by a few minutes. First off, our waitress couldn't have been sweeter. Super friendly and attentive. Very kind, especially to my youngest son. My wife had a small fish sandwich, my oldest son had the baked ziti, my youngest son had chicken parm, and I had gnocchi with meat sauce. Portions were large and tasty. Three of us had cups of wedding soup. Everyone was stuffed and enjoyed their meal. I would highly recommend and will not have a 20 year gap in visits to Big Jim's (in the run).

    A friend told us how good Big Jim's was and we are so glad we decided to go try it…read more We were warmly greeted when we entered. The waitress was also very nice and accommodating the entire time. A man was also very helpful and brought us things we may need. I really enjoyed the super meaty and delicious meatballs on my meatball hoagie. The Marinara was really good. My husband's Italian and absolutely loved the veal cutlet sandwich. It was huge, crunchy and tasty. It made him nostalgic for the veal cutlets his grandmother used to make. The Fresh-cut Fries were good but weren't seasoned well enough. I also wish they were crunchier. We saw a man order the Stromboli and it was ginormous but looked delicious. He was a big guy and only ate about 25% of it. Got my mom a corned beef sandwich and she said it one of the best she had ever had. We're Irish and she loves them. There are lots of great things on the menu and will be back to try other things.

    Photos
    Bar area
    Bar area
    Giant reubens
    Giant reubens
    Exterior

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    Exterior

    Rico's Restaurant - italian - Updated August 2026

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