I seriously cannot get enough of this place. It is by far my FAVORITE place to eat at, and it is always my go-to when I want to go out to eat. Zenith was initially very confusing and strange on my first visit, as you walk straight into a vintage thrift store. Walk to the back of the building, and viola! Seating. There are two separate rooms for eating, all furnished with vintage tables, coverings, and dishes. There is no A/C, so be prepared for it to get a bit stuffy in the summer. The food here is awesome. Comfort food along with unique dishes make this a great place for vegans, vegetarians, and meat eaters alike. Some dishes are more unique than others, and they rotate the menu each week. The Sunday brunch is a MUST if you have not experienced. For less than $12, you get your choice of entree plus an endless supply of savory salads, pastas, grape leaves, and CAKE. Seriously, probably the biggest reason we come back here all the time is the cake. I cannot recommend it enough. It's entirely vegan and they have SO. MANY. VARIATIONS. Spiced pear. Chocolate hazelnut. Chocolate peanut butter banana. Cherry vanilla with GIANT chunks of cherry. The list is endless. Brunch is a great way to try a ton of different flavors and find your favorite. The seating can be tight at brunch, and I recommend getting there early. Be prepared to share a table with people you don't know! Make some new friends and have some good conversation. Service here is always great. The staff is wonderful, we are always tended to very quickly, and many times they treat us to "extras" because the owners are so excited about the food/desserts they make that they can't help but share. read more

I stopped by here this past Sunday with my wife and sister for brunch. We were not originally planning on coming here and after having to call an audible we arrived shortly before 11 to find a huge line outside of Zenith. It was large enough that I was concerned we weren't going to get seated in the first wave of people for brunch. Having been here a couple of times before I knew that if we didn't make it into that first wave then we could be in for a long wait. Thankfully we eventually did make it and were seated at a table for six. Zenith is quite interesting in that they have a number of tables in the dining room but they are all communal tables and so they pack in as many people as they can. As such the three of us ended up sharing our table with another couple and a regular. The inside of Zenith is quite different than any other restaurant you have ever been to before. The front of the store also happens to be a thrift/antique store which you can peruse either while you wait or after your meal. That store happens to spill into the restaurant as well and there are numerous random items around you that are on sale. On my most recent visit two of the more random items were a 4 feet tall cardboard cutout of Santa that I was sitting next to and then a couch with a naked mannequin on it which was high up in front of our table. The bathroom that I used here was also somewhat creepy as it had hundreds of owls in it all of which were sort of watching you while you did your business. All of this was mentioned not to say anything bad about Zenith but merely to point that it is different which ends up being part of the charm of Zenith. If you have never been to brunch here before you get a drink (coffee/tea/iced tea), access to the buffet and then a entree item all for a single price. The buffet is where I think that Zenith really shines. It has a large number of cold salads, some bread and finally a number of different cakes and pies on it. During this visit I was able to try an array of different items and the ones that really stood out for me were the grape leaves, a green potato dish (sorry they don't have names or descriptions on the cold salad items) and finally the vanilla cake. Where I think Zenith is less successful is their entree items. On this visit I ended up choosing the homemade beefy seitan sandwich with lettuce and vegan mayo as my entree. I don't know what I was really expecting here but it wasn't the shaved seitan sandwich that resembled a roast beef sandwich. Even so I dove into it and I ended up thinking that the seitan in this sandwich tasted somewhat weird. I have had seitan in many forms before and normally really enjoy it but for some reason this one just didn't do it for me. Neither did the rice side that came with all of their entrees and was left by almost every person at our table. With all of that being said I think that I chose poorly for my entree as I was able to try my wife's jakarta wrap which was really delicious. It consisted of sweet and spicy tofu, fresh spinach, shredded carrots, raisins, sunflower seeds and peanut sauce with the tofu rightfully being the star of the dish. The bottom line for me is that I will head back here again in the future. While I hate having to get here early and wait outside for brunch, I think that it is well worth it and that Zenith is a brunch place that every Pittsburgher should try at least once! read more

AWESOME spot for Sunday Brunch! Have been twice and love it. There is something for everyone-- and with a vegetarian and vegan in our Pittsburgh crowd, Zenith is great for making EVERYONE happy. The food is good (not life-changing, but still solid) and there is a buffet. Which has pasta salad. And cake. What. I would be happy eating nothing BUT pasta salad and cake. But then you order a "main" entree that is generally a hot dish too! And, drumroll, it's $10. Last time I was there, I had lemon blueberry french toast.. it was hot and gooey and lemoney and had fresh blueberries-- delivered exactly as expected! The service is friendly and the atmosphere is super cool; you never run out of things to look at since it's an antique shop as well. Cool place for anyone, but must try for vegetarians! read more

Best brunch, best waitstaff, best antiques. The seating is amazing. If you're a small group you may be sat with another small group. It's great to have new conversation. Lunch and dinner there? Always superb. It's quiet. It's fresh. And there is a ton to look at while you're in there. It's like eating at your old irish gypsy grandma's read more

I found spit in my food and a poo in the sink I can't believe I ate thereit's to munch money for that what a dump

Can't say I thought the food here was that great. It's a very interesting experience though, and worth trying at least once. The breakfast bar food (buffet style) is much better than the hot food, imo. I had blueberry pancakes, which were too dense and not blueberry enough. I think everyone in my party agreed that the food was average. I will say that the atmosphere is extremely unique and lends itself to good conversation. The servers are fun as well, and you can't beat the prices. It seems like it would attract a hipster crowd, except families and old people go too. Go figure. read more

This might be my favorite place altogether in Pittsburgh! It's definitely hands down favorite brunch place. Sunday deal: $10 for one entree, one drink, cold appetizers buffet, cake buffet The food tastes SO GOOD! The cold appetizer buffet is the absolute best with all kinds of yummy salads, pastas, hummus, and fresh goodness. And the cakes are so so perfect as well... very obviously baked in the past day and not smothered in frosting just perfectly sweet. Something about all their food just leaves you with a clean feeling as you leave. Sure you might be bloated from stuffing your face but it's all good for you food and so fresh at that. read more

This place is about more than the food for most people that go there and love it. An for a certain hipstery set Zenith is like moths to a flame. For the rest of us though Zenith is an antique shop with mediocre food and ok service, It's held up to be something more than it is for those of us just looking for a decent meal. read more

Okay, maybe I should have known better than to go to this super-vegan friendly place for brunch with my vegan friends. But I would LOVE to think that I could be vegan... If only I wasn't allergic to soy! (We're talking I-may-need-that-epi-pen-that-I-don't-carry-around kind of allergy. Haven't gotten there yet, but unfortunately, the allergy gets worse and worse. :( And I'm Asian. Kinda sad, I know.) What I did eat before I needed to stop, was yummy! This place is great, seriously. Wish I could go back! I always shed a little tear when everyone else goes... and leaves me behind. For my own good. read more

Don't let the vegan and vegetarian tags keep you from eating brunch at Zenith!! As an omnivore, I never leave brunch here feeling hungry or dissatisfied. Other reviews are correct, when you sit down you're given an entree option and then access to the buffet -- one of which is real eggs with romano cheese (SO GOOD, but the Vegan Blueberry Pancakes are also BOMB). If the variety of the tastes and options isn't enough for you, going to The Zenith just to look around is well worth it! read more

Went yesterday with a friend to enjoy the Sunday Brunch, which is an absolute bargain at $10. It is not a secret judging by the line of people queuing up. Had the pleasure of waiting 20 minutes or so to be seated, which was NO problem, because there is just so damn much stuff to look at: vintage jewelry, shoes, clothing, glassware, furniture, bad art, good art, lamps (sooo many!) you get the idea. When you put your name in, they will ask if you mind sitting with other people. I love love love this idea! We met a couple who were perfect dining companions. The meal consisted of a dozen or so vegan salads, side dishes and desserts set out in a traditional buffet, plus a hot entree of choice cooked to order. For ten bucks! I should pay better attention to official menu descriptions of dishes. We sampled a few of the cold items on the buffet--all delicious. I thought the green bean salad was fantastic. We shared these two hot entrees: a chick pea, potato and green bean wrap. Steaming hot when cut open, the potatoes almost the consistency of mashed (or smashed), wee bit of a ginger scent. It was comfort food at its finest. The other item was a small casserole dish filled with chick peas, yams, red beans (NOT canned!) pineapple, kale with a jerk seasoning lightly mixed in. Skipped the desserts (AGAIN!), but I could see a large sideboard covered with layer cakes of many sorts....sigh... Cant wait to go back! read more

The zenith is a really hipster, unique looking place. It's also an antique store and the restaurant is almost hidden in the back. We came for brunch and got the TLT. The tofu is amazing!! The entrée comes with the entire buffet which includes noodles and different types of salads. There are also a variety of cakes which are really moist and tasty. It's nice and inexpensive, and a drink is included in the meal. Overall I had a great experience at this cute place. read more

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came here for brunch and it was amazing! the seating can be communal if they're busy but i was alone anyways and the people i got sat with were super friendly so it worked out well for me. i got the tofishy sandwich and it was amazing. included with brunch was coffee, tea, and a little buffet of dessert cakes and other appetizer type foods. the front is a little antique type store that was super cute. eating here was a whole experience, i loved it! read more

I've gone here for dinner and now just recently for their brunch. It's a small shop with antiques being sold in the front and the eating area in the back. The tables and chairs also seem like they are antique-like. If you go for dinner, you get a much larger menu along with a large assortment of teas to choose from. Their menu changes seasonally as well. For brunch, you get a buffet + entree + coffee/tea, all for $12. It is much busier during brunch, too. You have a variety to choose from for the buffet and the entrees, but the tea and coffee is only what they are currently brewing. You also get access to their cakes, which are quite delicious. Overall, Zenith offers a unique atmosphere and a delicious variety of vegetarian options... also delicious tea! :D read more

Disclaimer: I'm an avid carnivorous meat lover. And I still love zenith, despite it being vegetarian/vegan. Walking into zenith, it's a thrift store filled with all sorts of curiosities. Behind the store is the restaurant, with tables scattered between random antiques and oddities. There's two parts to zenith: the main meal and the buffet. The buffet has myriads of salads, pasta salads, different pastries, and desserts. The main is your typical brunch menu. I don't think I've had such tasty vegan food in my life. The only struggle is figuring out how to portion yourself so that you can enjoy a little bit of everything. Pro tip: get there early- we lined up in front maybe 30 minutes before they opened and we still had to wait in line a bit. I feel like Pittsburgh has some random gems, and Zenith is definitely one of them. read more

Most of my 4 stars is for the amazing atmosphere of Zenith. You could possibly spend HOURS wandering around looking at all the stuff in Zenith (it is also an antique store). How many things can they possibly hang from the ceiling? How many things can they hang salon style on every wall? Have you seen the bathrooms yet? The food is pretty awesome, too. Sundays are the times to go -- vegan/vegetarian buffet (includes coffee/tea drinks) for $10. Make sure to show up early, lines start forming quickly! read more

Favorite Sunday brunch place in Pittsburgh for Vegans and Vegetarians. Love the vegan buffet and I could eat just that, but then you also get a great entree to choose from too. Try the green beans, sesame noodles, and the vegan deserts. The only drawback is that sometimes the entree portions are too big. Don't take people take people who don't appreciate a diversion from the norm. I really feel like I can get my fill for $10. read more

I've actually been coming to zenith even before I moved to Pittsburgh (I've lived here since July 2013). For the most part, as long as you don't mind sharing a table with other customers, you can get seated reasonably fast. All of their buffet and entree food has been delicious. One thing I do not like is that not all their entrees are vegan even though everything on the buffet is. Prices have gone up over the past years, but I totally understand that. This is an awesome place for brunch to bring "out-of-towers" because not only is it a restaurant but also an antique shop. read more

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Had brunch here a couple weeks ago with a friend visiting from out of town and my husband. It definitely had an interesting atmosphere and the food was pretty good, too. You get an entree and beverage, as well as access to a huge buffet. I do wish that they allowed doggy-bags though for the entree, or that you could opt for either the entree or the buffet, because my entree was so big that I barely touched the buffet. It's a bit hectic, so you'll want to get there about 10 minutes before it opens if you want to sit down right away. There were literally people lined up around the block! It's not a bad place to wait though - plenty of merchandise to check out and they also had live music the day I was there. My friend found a nice dress for cheap on our way out. read more

My mother was in town and we decided to check out a vegetarian restaurant nearby. I don't know if we went in the wrong entrance, as we followed the google directions to the address listed, but we walked into a old retro antique shop with the name of the restaurant on the front door, that smelled and the windows had so much paint and dust I wouldn't eat there if my life depended on it. It smelled like food but the place was so creepy we walked back out and looked for another entrance. After walking around the block for 15 minutes and not being able to figure out if there was another entrance or not, we decided to go to a different restaurant. They need to update their sign/entrance info. or if we were in the right place, do not go there. Definitely not up to health code. BTW there were mannequin parts with just hands or legs. read more

One of the best places where one can enjoy brunch in Pittsburgh! To be honest, I'm not a big fan of brunch, mostly because I'm a guy and would like spend more time doing real fun stuff. But Zenith has never brought me this kind of feeling since going to Zenith is something FUN. No need to say to much about their food. Just wonderful. The real interesting things are their decorations as well as all kinds of antiques that fill up the entire place. A "must-go" in Pittsburgh!! read more

Very specially place! Check the review first and then decide to visit instantly. It's turn out its a very specially spot, especially suitable for vegetarians!!! Although it's a little salty yet still delicious! Strong recommend tofu sandwich! read more

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This is an absolutely captivating (mostly vegan) restaurant within an antique store (or an antique store within a restaurant) and I loved whatever it is that they're going for. We made it here for Easter brunch. Zenith has to be the first (and only) place where I was almost a bit disappointed when our host told us our wait time would be only 5 minutes. They have coffee/tea for you while you wait on eclectic antique couches and their entire store for you to explore.. and I certainly would have enjoyed a longer wait time. Soon enough we were seated and our coffee/tea was refilled and we placed our entree order. Their Easter brunch, inclusive of the entree, coffee/tea refills, a large buffet of salads, breads, appetizers and desserts is priced super reasonably at $11.50! The food itself didn't quite hit the spots for me but that could be just me. I found the almond French toast a bit too overwhelmingly almondy and the Seitan meatloaf not all that great. I was mistakenly served the portabello burgundy which I took a bite before realizing it wasn't my order.. and that tasted pretty good! I wish I'd ordered that instead of my meatloaf. Almost all the items on their buffet were tending towards the sweeter side except the one pesto pasta salad and the hummus. That plus the French toast and sweetish rice-side to the French toast was way too much "sweet" for my brunch palette. I'd initially loved the look of all those options on the dessert table but when it came time for dessert, we'd had way too much "sweet" already in our food to be able to give all those dessert-cakes their due. I tasted the orange-chocolate cake and the raspberry-coconut cake and found them just about ok. The servers are friendly and polite. I'll go back to Zenith and try their other offerings..but I'll go back mainly to poke around their antique store while I do that and look around a bit more. There's a lot to take in and we almost missed the mannequin lying in a couch suspended from the ceiling above our table! Creepy... but also really cool! Gotta go back for more such interesting displays we may have missed on our first visit here. read more

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Such a fun place. Restaurant with vegetarian and vegan options AND a vintage store wrapped in one. Decorations for the food part is so fun. Old and cluttered in a fun way, mismatched furniture and silverware. Delicious and well priced food. read more

I always take my non-vegan friends here and they love it. The service is excellent and they always remember us every time we come in. The atmosphere is so unique and no place I have been is really like it. It feels like you are in someone home and you are getting a home cooked meal. Very reasonable price for an all you can eat meal. read more

This place is the best for Sunday brunch. Its a vegetarian's paradise. There's so much to choose from on the buffet, and you also have your choice of a meal and tea. I had the spicy chickpea soft tacos when I was there last. Set my mouth on fire, but, luckily, I was able to calm that after devouring the crazy amazing desserts. This is definitely a place to take guests from out of town. One thing I dislike about the joint is that the seating is so limited, you're typically sat with other people that aren't with your party. So, if you're looking for a more intimate setting, at least for brunch, this isn't the place. Can't wait to try out their dinner menu sometime. read more

The food is fantastic but I just can't get over the old things laying around; it feels dirty and moldy, I almost lost my appetite.

A vegan place in Southside with quirky (weird?) decor. I tried the chicken soup and tacos with refried beans. I liked both!

My 19 year old son and I stopped in Pittsburgh on the way to Cleveland for a concert. I am a vegan and my son is limiting his meat intake so this place seemed perfect. As we walked in one of the cooks asked us if we were looking for the buffet. We weren't, and proceeded to seat ourselves. I loved the eccentric vibe of Zenith and spent a few minutes walking around looking at all the cool stuff, much from my childhood! We started with the smoky potato soup, which was delicious. I ordered the seitan sandwich and my son had the tacos. The sandwich was okay and my son also said the same of his tacos. The cook who greeted us when we came in came to our table and asked about how our soup was. Then, she never left. She actually stood there talking the entire time we were eating. That alone will make me not go back. But the food, it was just okay. The soup was good, but the seitan was served as a gravy-covered sandwich on white bread. As a vegan, I was supremely disappointed. To me, being a vegan isn't just about not eating meat, its about eating healthily. Why would I want a mushy gravy covered sandwich made with white bread, regardless of what was inside? That sandwich would have been delicious served on brioche or focaccia with onions, sautéed mushrooms and garlic, topped with arugula. Instead I got something barely edible with a staff person who needs to learn restaurant worker etiquette. I would not go back. . read more

Quirky and fantastic blend of vegetarian / vegan homemade delights and a mesmerizing collection of eclectic antiques. Pittsburgh classic that really is a best kept secret. The menu is limited because of the boutique nature of establishment. Family run and fantastic creative items like the Tofishy Sandwish ( this is Tofu done amazingly right ) and many others. Vegetarian or Vegan and up for something not so cookie cutter? Try this spot. Saturday lunch or Sunday Brunch are also great times. read more

I don't get to the South Side much so I've only been there once, but I was really impressed. This would be a great place to take my parents I think. The decor and common tables (not all the tables are common) are just different enough that my parents would feel uncomfortable. Yea, and my dad would definitely think he's going to go away hungry, which he won't (his comment whenever I say I want to go to a vegetarian restaurant is that he doesn't want to b/c he's rather hungry). Anyhow, they use great ingredients and the prices are good. read more

I finally got to go here a couple of months ago, and if I can ever wake my significant other up early enough on a Sunday for brunch I will go again! I went for a sunday brunch and the food was outstanding. The buffet offered a lot (I was tempted to run out of the place with the giant bowl of Thai peanut noodles). The buffet was cold dishes, noodles, fruit salads, pasta salads, etc...and they offer a hot food menu on top of that - all vegan of course. On this occasion, if I remember correctly, I had something along the lines of a vegan crepe. I do remember that it was really good. They also have a VAST variety of teas. And the price was amazing - 10$ a head. A few things to know: Get there early. They will not seat you unless your whole party has arrived. For Sunday brunch they open the doors at 11. I got there at 1030 and the line was beginning to form. They do offer coffee while you wait to be seated, and it is in an antique shop so there is a lot to keep you occupied. At Sunday brunch they do not offer to-go containers for I think obvious buffet-related reasons. Everything there is for sale. Everything. Like the chair you are sitting on? Ask a price. read more

After reading a few reviews about this place I decided to give it a try. I had only read briefly that it offered some delicious, fresh vegetarian dishes and was a cool, new atmosphere that I probably hadn't experienced before. Both of the things that I heard about this place were accurate. And for only 10 bucks, the amount of food and the quality of it were both worth it. One thing that I actually really enjoyed about the restaurant is that you get seated with random people. If I were asked this at any other restaurant I would definitely feel weird about it, but here it seemed just right. My friend and I agreed, and were happy to sit next to two ladies who had been there many many times and had recommendations on what we should get. I opted for the eggs with zucchini, and my friend got the french toast...both of which were much better than I'm used to getting at any breakfast restaurant. The buffet was pretty good, and I really enjoyed most of the vegan desserts. There was a cookie flavored cake that I thought was extremely good. The coffee was better than most breakfast places as well. I will definitely be returning to this place for breakfast. The only thing that I would like more would be if there were more variety at the salad bar, as it was pretty one note. read more

The food is okay. Except the tofu. I can't even find the words describe it. Just not good. I'm used to a filler in grape leaf wraps. But i think i just got grape leaves. I liked the feta, and my better half loved the olives. Fresh cakes were being put out for display as we finished our meals, and a few in our party ordered some. This is as nice as I am able to get, I'm afraid. Presented with the bill, our five top were given a statement of hope from our server that we didn't want separate checks, and confidence that we would be able to figure it out. The check placed down, and plates picked up. And a wet, dangling shirtsleeve slid over my friends cake. From elbow to cuff. We could not divide the bill, our individual totals added versus the total written, was off by 4$. We asked for clarification, and we were given a revised, unseparated bill 4$ higher. With a name like Zenith, THE Zenith..I'll give it a chance again to live up to its name, and will revise my review. read more

My sister and I ate here the other night and it was such a fun experience! The environment, food, and service were wonderful. We got a pot of the mocha hazelnut herbal tea with our meals and it was, by far,the best tea I'd ever had. Our kind waiter (and perhaps the cook himself?) gave us each free pieces of carrot piece cake as a parting gift! We left The Zenith with full bellies and smiling faces. read more

The Zenith uses white, not raw or other natural, sugar in their desserts. White sugar often has animal bone char in it (about 50%of the time, it's not labeled, ya da ya da - if you don't know, Google it)... thus, anything with sugar in it at Zenith is not veg or vegan. Sorry folks. We asked one of the cooks... She said that the desserts were made from "regular" sugar. That being said, the atmosphere is awesome as is the store. For that, they get 2 stars from me. But, you simply can't call yourself a vegetarian or vegan restaurant when you serve desserts that contain white processed sugar :( read more

Urgh. Not a fan. Being vegan, I was psyched to hear about this place and definitely wanted to check out their Sunday brunch. However, I was supremely disappointed. For starters, I get that the vibe is laid back and all, but in my eyes everything just came off as messy! I am by no means a neat freak but when I eat I do like to feel like i'm in a clean environment...and I just didn't. The buffet was underwhelming...random foods (which were bland and didn't seem to relate to one another in any way) thrown sloppily into bowls...and very little actual "brunch" items. Also, super noisy and just a feeling of chaos was in the air the whole time. The only cool part was the thrift store in the front. read more

This place reminded me of eating in a thrift store. If you can get over that, you'll probably enjoy it. I believe that their menu is 100% vegetarian. I just couldn't get over the fact that I was eating amongst people's old possessions. read more

My husband and I went to the zenith for the Sunday brunch, very excited to find a new place to eat for vegetarians.. the buffet was good but the entrees we ordered were sweet ! We ordered the stuffed cabbage and a wrap ! The desserts were okay ! read more

Other reviewers have described how unique and confusing the restaurant is located in the back of an antique store. We were visiting Pittsburgh and were looking for a good place to get a vegan lunch. Couldn't have done better. We were there around 2:30 and there were 3 couples, all there for the first time. Everyone seemed to devour everything that was ordered. Good taste, good portions, reasonable price, unique experience. read more