Dish Osteria and Bar

I had a wonderful meal at Dish. The food was excellent and the service was great. I highly recommend this place to my friends.

This was one of the best meals I have had in a long time! Everything was perfect from the appetizers to dessert. Will definitely have to visit this restaurant again. Well worth the cost.
Only downside is the parking in south side. Street parking only.

Can’t believe I’ve lived just a few blocks from this place for years but just now finally got around to trying it! Fantastic, incredible, all the good words! Tl;dr highly recommended.
The boyfriend and I wanted to celebrate at a nice place, and while it’s true that parking kinda sucks around here we were lucky enough to be able to just walk over. We did have a reservation just in case; on slow nights you can prob slide by without one but on a weekend I’d recommend making a reservation for sure, they must get super busy and it’s a small place.
The only thing that wasn’t 100% perfect was that our server was also waiting on a large party of 6 or 8 at the same time as us, and of course they were ordering a lot more food and drinks than us ($$$$$$$$$) so I mean go figure who got more attention. Bf and I have both worked in many restaurants so we kinda know how that goes. Meh. The food made up for it. Even though it would’ve been nice to have the bread and olive oil/​vinegar while waiting for our food rather than at the same time but again all was forgiven as soon as I took a bite of the pasta.
Boyfriend enjoyed his cavatelli, and I had the rigatoni (alla scamorza I think?) with the smoked mozzarella and peas and pistachios and either prosciutto or pancetta, can’t remember, but it was AMAZING. It was like $ 18 and I’m glad I’m not the only reviewer who still dreams about this pasta, lol. One of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Such a perfect combination of flavors and textures nghhh so good. Even though we were totally stuffed we had to try a lil something for dessert, we had some kind of custard for $ 5 (can’t remember, I was still enchanted by the pasta) and it was reeeally good. I can’t wait to try the tiramisu next time.
All-​in-​all it was a little expensive but so totally worth it! The lighting is dim enough that some grandparents may complain, but for a date night I can’t recommend it enough, it’s so perfect. The best part is with the regular portion size of pasta I got 4 meals total out of it, one at the restaurant and 3 separate meals over the next two days at home, seriously. It was still delicious as leftovers.
Dish is amazing and is like the epitome of why restaurants exist, getting to eat really special stuff you can’t just make easily at home, and in a lovely setting, too.

we did not have a reservation and waited FOREVER for a table. that said, they let us sit at the bar and get mussels while we waited. we had the option to eat at the bar, but wanted a table. service at both the bar and our table were amazing. all the dishes going by were gorgeous. i got a seasonal softshell crab dish and my girlfriend got seafood pasta. both were absolutely beautiful and delicious. my meal was $ 16 and hers $ 20, if i remember correctly. impeccable service, beautiful atmosphere, classy music, and UNREAL food. 5 star restaurant for 3 star prices. cannot recommend enough. great spot for a date.
also, we did not have dessert, but we were watching it go by and oh man if it tasted as good as it looked…

What???
Super fresh pasta. Good beer. Good cocktails beeeeeotches! This place is awesome. Sat at the bar and loved the Gnocchi… Made fresh at the restaurant.
Had a old fashioned… Also great. Ray Lyne at the bar makes a great drink.
Best pasta I ever had… No shit!

Excellent, very personal service; seated promptly. I ordered the rigatoni with a cream sauce and prosciutto, which was incredibly tasty. The quality shows in their handmade, change by the day menu. As a visitor to Pittsburgh, it was tough to find parking since so much around the restaurant was designated residential. Would definitely go back.

My fella has treated me to many sexy dinner dates around Pittsburgh, but this charming little ‘hole in the wall’ two blocks away from our Southside apartment is by far my absolute favorite.
If I actually wrote paragraphs here I would write forever so I’ll do bullet points.
–Candlelit and romantic atmosphere. Not too trendy. Not «old yinzer». Just simple and romantic.
–Absolutely superb service. Every bartender and server we have had here has known their stuff with the wine, liquor and food. A lot of wonderful personalities on staff as well.
–Perfect noise level for an intimate night out. Not too quiet and stuffy, not too loud.
–Easy to make a reservation.
–Ever-​changing menu, so you can always try something new.
–Gorgeous cocktail menu. Lots of creative drinks on there.
–I have only had the tiramisu as far as desserts because it’s so dang good I don’t wanna ever leave without it.
–The quality of the food is amazing. So fresh and light. Every fish dish I’ve had has been the highest quality. The pasta is the real deal. No «Olive Garden» sauces here.
–NO TVs IN SIGHT. Thank god.
–Get the cheese board.
–The price is UNREAL. Our first time here we got a bottle of wine, the cheese board, an appetizer, two entrees, tiramisu, and two espressos… it was about $ 200. I couldn’t believe it.
GO TO DISH.
But not too much, cause I still wanna be able to get a table!

Absolutely the best Italian food in Pittsburgh. I could eat the rigatoni every day! The ambiance is romantic and the servers are super nice. I frequent here with my lady often.

This is my favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh! The fresh seafood and pasta dishes are simply delicious. You can’t visit Dish without trying the scallop appetizer. One of the best features of Dish is the extremely accurate sommelier. She willake your taste buds do dances with her pairings. My wife is a vegetarian and they are very accommodating for her when there is nothing on the menu.
The owners are the nicest people and use old world family recipes over culinary concoctions. The bar can get crowded and a little loud, but the dining area is perfect for an intimate occasion. This is my go to place for valentine’s day and anniversaries.

It was OK. During our three day stay in Pittsburgh a number of people recommended this place. It was a nice surprise to see so many people and the nicely decorated place amid the kind of questionable buildings and homes in this section of Pittsburgh. The restaurant was kind of noisy and the music was too loud. This clashed with the fine dining experience I was expecting, having read the menu. I know that loud music is a «thing» in restaurants nowadays, but it didn’t fit in here.
The bar area was very busy, and we wondered why we had to wait until 8:30 to get a reservation since there were several empty tables in the dining room that were never filled. Also, it was too dark and I had to use the flashlight on my phone to read the menu. The three slices (for two people) of cold ordinary bread was a disappointing start. Our Negroni cocktails, however, were the best we ever had! Very oranage-​y! We ordered the antipasto for two, and admittedly it was delicious. Nice selection of meats and cheeses, but a little skimpy I thought. Not even one olive on the plate.
The main courses themselves were very good, as was the wine we chose, but nothing to write home about. Just Ok, like it said.

Not crazy about the pasta dishes here, meh for the prices (if you want to charge East Coast Italian restaurant prices, you need to serve up East Coast Italian restaurant excellence).
Come for an expensive yet slightly mediocre dinner BUT stay for the excellent collection of grappa, the homemade desserts, and the most authentic cappuccino I’ve had west of New York City! So yeah, we end up coming and staying at the bar with dessert and drinks rather than a sit-​down dinner.

Fantastic food! Delicious cocktails! Great atmosphere. Great vibes.
I still fantasize about the seafood alfredo.

I have to admit I was a bit standoffish coming here as, since it being Italian, I immediately feared it would be your typical run-​of-​the-​mill water-​ed down Americanized cuisine. Boy was I wrong. The venue is located a few blocks off East Carson, the main drag in a quieter area. The venue does seem a bit cramped when you walk in and unlike most of the sports bars on East Carson there were no flat screens where I could watch the Steelers game that was on at the time. Take into account that this was a little after 5:00pm so it had just opened and wasn’t that crowded.
I ordered the Polpo alla Griglia, grilled octopus salad, the sardine, which came with two whole sardines with raisins and toasted pine nuts, and for dessert, the tiramisu. The octopus dish was delicious as was the sardine dish. Although the bones were a bit annoying, the dish was still divine as I loved how the bitterness of the sardines went with the sweetness of the onions, raisins and pine nuts. The tiramisu was easily the best I have ever had. It was so moist but not at all overly sweet. During my meal I also got to chat with some other clientele seated next to me one of who was also a food and restaurant connoisseur like me.
I think what separates this place from all the rest in the area is it’s locale, it’s interior and how it lacked the televisions thus only seeming to cater to those interested in the venue and the cuisine, and it’s authenticity in that there seemed to be nothing Americanized about it… pure Italian. It’s unfortunate that all I ordered were two appetizers and dessert. Next time around I’ll have to try an entrée.

This is gonna be another one of my long-​winded reviews, so if you’re in a hurry I’ll sum Dish up for you in one word: FANTASTIC.
Full disclosure: I have lived in the Southside for 5 years and have always heard from friends and locals alike that Dish is an experience to be had. Unfortunately, I just never seemed to make my way there until last night when we were able to secure a 7:15pm reservation for 2. I will say that choosing to dine on a Monday night definitely worked in our favor, because from previous reviews it appears their weekend evenings book at least a month out. We arrived around 6:30 to grab drinks at the bar and wait for our table. The bartender was pleasant and answered all of our questions, as well as made a few recommendations. I started with a Dirty Dish Martini ($ 9.50), garnished with gorgonzola stuffed olives. Yummy! It was made very well and went down a little too easy! We crept closer to our reservation time but I decided to order one more drink — the Branca Mule ($ 9). I love a good Moscow Mule and was intrigued by Dish’s twist on this foolproof drink: made with lemons instead of limes, as well as Maraschino. This drink was a bit strong for my tastes and I found it a tad bitter… I would probably not order it again, though I’m sure any cocktail connoisseur would enjoy it.
The maître d’ stopped by the bar and let us know that he was ready to seat us, but that there was no rush for us to pay our bar tab… I have always loved the Italian pace of life and Dish echoes that to a T. I imagine that they are a bit more rushed on weekends, but this particular night was relaxed and at our own pace. There was no hurry: the only place we needed to be was right here, right now.
Our waitress brought over water and the menus, and we decided to order the beef carpaccio ($ 11) and Melanzane ($ 9.50, grilled eggplant topped with buffalo mozzarella, basil and balsamic). Both were delivered to our table within minutes, and I have to think that their simple, refined menu is important in kitchen turnaround time. Both appetizers were phenomenal, easily shared between two people, and light enough that I wasn’t dreading ordering a full meal afterwards. For our entrees, my dining partner ordered the gnocchi with sausage in a tomato sauce, and I settled on the rigatoni served with cream sauce, peas and prosciutto.
It wasn’t long after our appetizer plates were cleared that the waitress brought us fresh bread with an olive oil+balsamic dipping oil and a few moments later, our entrees. My rigatoni was so outstanding that I am still thinking about it today and wondering how soon I can get another reservation. The gnocchi was fantastic too — normally I steer clear of red sauce in restaurants because being raised Italian with a secret family sauce recipe has refined my palette maybe TOO much. Most restaurants serve sauce that is either too sweet, too saucy, etc… but Dish’s sauce almost brought a tear to my eye. It tastes EXACTLY like the sauce my grandmother perfected and shared with all of the ladies in our family. The sauce that I spend hours in the kitchen making every few months… This whole time, it’s little Italian twin is mere blocks from my front door! I was under the impression that the owner and the head chef here are both from Italy, and it shows. From the relaxed pace of your meal to the refined tastes you will experience, I would recommend Dish to anyone and everyone looking for a fantastic meal in the city.
We finished off our meals with an order of the tiramisu and a slice of lemon cheesecake, both of which are made fresh by the chef’s mother-​in-​law! I don’t even like dessert, but this cheesecake was so, so good. When the checks came, I was pleasantly surprised: 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts, a glass of wine and a bottle of San Pellegrino: $ 85. Not bad at all, considering some other reviews had me prepared to spend $ 85 on my share of the bill alone!

I had heard great things about Dish and when my coworker confirmed them, I wanted to visit. We visited on a Saturday night. Without a reservation, we were stuck having to dine in the bar area. No worries, I actually like the bar area here.
Our server was incredible. Very friendly, very helpful with suggestions. We started with a Insalata di Arance e Finocchi. Yeah, I can’t say that either. But it’s a salad with fennel and oranges and arugola, red onions with a light red wine dressing. Perfection. Incredibly fresh and tasty. For our meals, the bf had one of his favorite Italian dishes — Spaghetti ai Frutti di Mare and it did not disappoint. The scallops, mussels, shrimp, little neck clams and calamari were fresh and delicious. They were also able to spice up the red pepper sauce which made him very happy. I got the Rigatoni alla Scamorza, good bless you. It rigatoni with smokey mozzarella, peas and pistachio nuts in a cream sauce. I absolutely loved this dish!
Since our meals were so delicious, we could not say no to dessert. We shared the mango cake and it was perfection. We really love our experience here.

Do say we were disappointed is an understatement! The atmosphere was very loud, and not conducive to having a quiet conversation!
The menu was barely sparse and not tempting at all!
I will NOT be returning OR recommending this restaurant to ANYONE!

These places are always worth coming to during the week, if you can to avoid crowds. I got the Grigliata Mista di Pesce and it was amazing! I’m a big seafood eater and was growing tired of the usual salmon, halibut, and sea bass, so I’m really glad that Dish offered something different. The main fish was blue marlin on top of saffron risotto and it was really perfect. Surrounding the fish were shrimp, scallop, squid, eggplant and their special asparagus and it was delicious. Absolutely worth the time and money.
I also followed with the chocolate bread pudding for dessert. It was another excellent choice.

Without Unilocal,we would’ve never found this place. It’s pretty tucked away. I didn’t see a parking lot so we parked on the street about a block away. Coming from the Wexford area, it took about 40 – 45 mins because of traffic and detours. You Pittsburghers have some crazy streets (especially through downtown).
Got there, we didn’t make reservations, and sat in the bar area. The lady that took care of us was friendly. I ordered the pork rib chop and my friend ordered the lamb gnocchi. My chop was accompanied by brussels sprouts and gnocchi. The pork chop was a tad overdone — it was a little tough. The brussels sprouts were good but I didn’t expect them to be thinly sliced/​shredded. I have never had gnocchi until that night. I don’t know how I feel about it yet. However, my friend says that’s what good gnocchi is suppose to be like. Not chewy or rubbery. I guess I’ll have to trust her judgement!
They had a full bar but they could use a bigger wine list.
I would like to come back to this place when we’re not in a time crunch and let you guys know.

Marvelous food and attentive service. I love the intimate ambiance and the attention to detail. Dish is very welcoming, and their food is wonderful. Parking can be a hassle, there’s lots of on-​street parking, but much of it is already full, so leave some time to deal with parking. For my entrée I ordered the Stuffed Pork Rib Chop with Gnocchi and Brussels Sprouts, and it was great.
Wonderful restaurant restaurant for conversation and enjoying good food.

We very much enjoyed this impromptu stop at one of the places I have been longing to try!
Our waiter was prompt and polite, and made sure that we knew about the changes in the menu.
After perusing a list of very appealing selections, we decided on splitting the Grigliata (tuna) on a bed of saffron risotto with a vegetable and seafood mix that complimented the sides of the tuna.
Everything was cooked to perfection, and this is not an over exaggeration. Our only complaint is that the vegetable mix was brined in a lot of salt. A LOT of salt. There were olives in this mixture, so I would urge the preparers to back off a bit on the NaCl.
Service was timely throughout the meal, and quite pleasant.
Wine selection was impressive and beer selection was great for what we expected to be a wine bar.
Music was too loud, and lighting was too dark. Time: 8:30 ish.
Other than that, I loved this place. Perfect for a date night. Atmosphere: +