It's a pretty familiar thought..."Where should we go out tonight?"
"I know what I don't want!" someone chimes in.
"I don't care where we go as long as I don't have to go through the Squirrel Hill tunnel!" another says, not kidding.
"I only have $10..."
Perhaps you've been here before.
There are so many great bars and restaurants in the Pittsburgh area...
...but finding reliable information on the internet can feel like an exercise in futility.
How many fake-sounding Yelp reviews can you read before you throw in the towel and hit up the Olive Garden?
I'm here to tell you that you do not need to settle for the "same old" with so much to experience in Pittsburgh, and you do not need to spend a fortune to have an amazing time.
There is another way! But first, a little background...
At Penn State, I discovered a site called the State College Bar Tour.
It had all the drink specials at every bar, every day of the week. It was updated weekly.
As most of you know, when you are in college, funds are limited, having access to see where you can drink cheap in college is a huge asset. This was the first time I was like, "wow, how useful to have this information available any time, right at your fingertips - tailored to my location and written by people I trust!"
As I moved on from my college years, I noticed a lack of the same tools for the general public.
Sure, I could sift through reviews of bars and restaurants in Pittsburgh on Google or Yelp until the cows came home...but I never felt like I could really trust what I was reading.
Additionally, there wasn't a single place I could go to see all of the best specials of the week to decide where to spend my cash.
Thus, Restaurant Gems Restaurant Reviews of Pittsburgh began!
I started small, posting reviews on Facebook for fun. It grew from there as people found my reviews helpful, thorough, and sometimes even comical.
My ultimate goal is to help everyday Pittsburghers find hidden restaurant gems that won’t break the bank.
Think of me as your good friend who has tried the best restaurants in and around the city, giving you reviews you know you can trust. That's what this website is all about.
I have written restaurant articles for applications and newspapers, appeared on the radio, am working on my second Pittsburgh restaurant book, and am starting to become well known in the Pittsburgh area as I visit all different types of restaurants from all over the area.
You can get started by reading some of my reviews below!
On Facebook:
QUESTION? IS Oram's Donuts the best is Pittsburgh? YES or NO?![]()
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🏭 If you are from Beaver County or even the greater Pittsburgh area, you know how hard it can be to get your hands on a Oram’s donut. If you have never tried a Oram’s donut, a lot of their loyal customers will say once you try one, no other donut will ever compare. What is the mystery behind their mouthwatering flavor you ask? Yours truly puts on the monocle 🧐 and investigates why these donuts are considered the cream of the crop!![]()
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🤔 The difference – What separates Oram’s donuts from the rest of the pack? First things first, Oram’s donuts are made the old-fashioned way with heavy concentration on quality and flavor. While a lot of competitors focus on providing a ton variety, Oram’s focuses on quality, while keeping the menu selection simple. A lot of people in Beaver County, often referred to as “America’s County” by legendary talk show host and TV personality Ellis Cannon, want to keep things the way they are with minimal change. Oram’s fits this narrative as they do not go along with the modern donut trends, they believe if it is not broke, do not fix it. Lastly, the sheer size of these donuts is huge. On average, their donuts are twice the size of an average donut. Let us break down their menu selection.![]()
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🍩 Famous Cinnamon Rolls (Best Seller) – The first thing you cannot help to notice is these cinnamon rolls are massive! This donut is shared by two by most of the time or saved for later. If you were to consume this whole donut in one sitting and you were to get bloodwork done the next day, there is a chance you your blood sugar levels would go through the roof. They are delicate, fluffy on the inside, and dusted in a cinnamon-sugary utopia.![]()
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🍩 Filled donuts – Oram’s is also famous for their cream filled donuts. They use the finest available ingredients, and an old-fashioned recipe they have used for decades. To top the donut off, it is slathered with your choice of chocolate or vanilla icing. Oram’s also has custard filled donuts which uses a Bavarian cream. You can also get strawberry, raspberry, lemon, and blueberry filling.![]()
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🍩 Other donut options – Oram’s also offers other donut options such as cake donuts available in vanilla, chocolate, blueberry glazed, and honey raisin glazed. Their “raised donuts” feature options such as glazed, sugar, and toasted coconut. They also have seasonal donuts and pastries such as cream puffs, cream horns, muffins, and chocolate gobs.![]()
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🕵️♂️ My final take – Here is the deal, when something is regionally famous and unbelievably delicious, people are willing to travel extensive lengths to savor it. Kevin Colbert, Pittsburgh Steeler General Manager, makes the trek every year to Beaver Falls, PA the morning of the NFL Draft to purchase dozens of donuts and takes them up to the Steelers board room for the draft. There are stories of people traveling from as far as Akron, Ohio for only cinnamon rolls. Steeler fans also love to bring them to tailgates. What a better way to soak up the alcohol from the night before and give yourself a good base for another day of drinking? It is no secret why a lot of people say these donuts are simply the best!![]()
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🔥🔥🍖 RESTAURANT OWNER WANTING TO get your restaurant in front of THOUSANDS OF new Potential clients? ![]()
Check this out 👇![]()
![]()
I will come to your restaurant to do a professional VIP restaurant review which includes - ![]()
✨A customized, behind-the-scenes video reel highlighting your hidden gem ![]()
AND ![]()
✨An in-depth article showcasing your delectible featured food items + ambiance![]()
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The average reel reaches an audience of 30k! ![]()
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Let’s get your hidden gem in front of new potential customers!![]()
👇👇👇👇👇👇![]()
christinatarantola.typeform.com/to/WIUA9vUr
🎉🔥 16,000 FOLLOWERS! Thank you! Not only for following me but for trying/patronizing new restaurants I feature! I’m constantly getting messages from restaurants that they are seeing new customers that become regulars!![]()
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In my travels one of the biggest things restaurant owners tell me is it’s becoming harder and harder to generate a decent profit with rising cost. The new business helps them tremendously!
HIDDEN RESTAURANT GEM in ZELIENOPE, PENNSYLVNIA SERVES SCRUMPTIOUS ITALIAN FOOD WITH COZY ATMOSPHERE![]()
Goodfello's Pizza Pasta and Grille![]()
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🤔 If you have not been to Zelienople, Pennsylvania, you may be surprised to see the number of flourishing businesses, and the amount of traffic that runs through this small town. With that said, as you are driving down the main drag of town, if you blink, you may miss Goodfello’s Pizza & Pasta Grille. It may not seem like much other than takeout pizza, but it is far more than that as we dig in a little further!![]()
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🧀 Appetizers – The appetizer list is extensive. Goodfello’s has your traditional appetizers such as chicken tenders, fried provolone, and fried zucchini. Take it up a notch and try the stuffed banana peppers which are homemade filled with ground beef, spices, and baked in marinara sauce. The King Kong fries offer a generous portion of French fries, loaded with steak, chicken, green peppers, fried onions, cheese sauce, mozzarella, and provolone baked and served with ranch. They are also known for crispy, chicken wings served with a variety of sauces.![]()
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🥪 Sandwiches, hoagies, and burgers – The portion sizes are large, and the toppings are ample. The “Nero” is their regionally famous Italian sub on steroids. It features double toppings which include capicola, salami, ham, pepperoni, mozzarella, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onions, and dressing. The “Goodfello” is similar to a Pittsburgh Style Sandwich, it features sliced capicola and provolone, fried egg, tomato, coleslaw, and French fries on thick, sliced Italian bread. If you are looking for a burger, you have the option to double the meat and make it a Bighead Burger for those with larger appetites.![]()
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🍕 Pizza – Goodfello’s is known for their homemade, hand tossed pizzas. They have tweaked their recipe of herbs and spices to create a delicious red sauce. You also have the choice to go with a white pizza that uses an oil and garlic sauce. The topping list is extensive! Tradition toppings include pepperoni, sausage, bacon, vegetables, and much more! Gourmet toppings include feta, ricotta, meatballs, steak, chicken, capicola, and salami. You have the option of traditional round pizza or thick, Sicilian square. If you are looking for a specialty pizza, try their Buffalo or Barbecue Chicken, Steak, Ranch and Onions, or the Chicago Deep Dish.![]()
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🍝 Entrees – Pasta dishes include traditional Marinara, Fettuccini Alfredo, Chicken and Sausage Mafalda, Rigatoni Casserole, Stuffed Shells, Homemade Five Layer Lasagna, and other pasta creations. There are also classic dishes such as Chicken Parmesan and Eggplant Parmesan which are served with your choice of two sides.![]()
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🥩 Other menu items – Goodfello’s also has delicious Calzones, Pepperoni Rolls, and salads. Their Buffalo Chicken Salad will surprise. This is an item that is on most restaurant menus. What separates Goodfello’s is the fresh breaded chicken tossed into a house mixed buffalo sauce. The chicken soaks up the buffalo sauce and is just the right of amount heat on your palate.![]()
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🧐 My final take – This is a place that you drive by dozens of times that stirs your curiosity. Your gut is saying give this place a try. If you trust your gut, you will not be disappointed! The front of the building has its own takeout area, and the back part is the restaurant. It has a cozy dining area and is well staffed with a team that provides excellent service. If you have not tried this place and are looking for something new, add it to your list! It will soon become a go to place on your dining list!![]()
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🔥🔥🍖 RESTAURANT OWNER WANTING TO get your restaurant in front of THOUSANDS OF new Potential clients? ![]()
Check this out 👇![]()
![]()
I will come to your restaurant to do a professional VIP restaurant review which includes - ![]()
✨A customized, behind-the-scenes video reel highlighting your hidden gem ![]()
AND ![]()
✨An in-depth article showcasing your delectible featured food items + ambiance![]()
![]()
The average reel reaches an audience of 30k! ![]()
![]()
Let’s get your hidden gem in front of new potential customers!![]()
👇👇👇👇👇👇![]()
christinatarantola.typeform.com/to/WIUA9vUr
Thanks for being a top engager and making it on to my weekly engagement list! 🎉![]()
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Julia Murhammer, Kevin Main, Jennifer Carrozza, Joe Schrock, Brittany Betz Schaffer
To be LISTED on the LIST OF TOP 100 PLACES to EAT in the U.S, YOU GOT to BE GOOD!![]()
Gaucho Parrilla Argentina![]()
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🤔 Back to basics – It all starts with one of mankind's first great innovations, fire. Fire in general creates a level nostalgia that draws people towards it. For ages, a lot of people have cooked their meals over an open fire.![]()
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🔥 Owner Anthony Falcon has taken this fundamental philosophy of cooking over an open flame to create Gaucho Parrilla Argentina, which was rated on Yelp’s 2015 list of the top 100 places to eat in the U.S. Gaucho Parrilla Argentina features Argentinian-style wood-fired meats, sandwiches, salads, and other menu items. The demand is so high to dine here that you need a reservation, no walk ins. Let us breakdown in detail why this restaurant juggernaut is so darn good!![]()
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🌶 The flavor – As important as it is to cook the meet correctly, it is just as important to buy high quality meats and ingredients. Gaucho purchases the highest quality meats and produce from local suppliers. The secret to the taste and flavor is the meats are cooked over an open fire at high heat over hardwoods such as traditional hickory, oak, and cherry which creates rich and smoky flavors. The owner and staff also have extreme passion for putting a tremendous amount of love into the food. Couple these elements with a fun atmosphere and you have the perfect formula for great food!![]()
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🧀 Appetizers – Start your meal with a shareable and trending item, the Charcuterie Board. The selections change daily while making sure all the key elements of a Charcuterie Board are met. The key elements are cured meat, hand selected and aged cheeses, bread, sweet items such as jams and honey, and savory items such as olives and assorted nuts. Another popular appetizer are the Empanadas which are beef with olives, chicken, and chorizo.![]()
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🍋 Dipping sauces – A lot of people will argue you do not dip high quality meats in dipping sauce, Gaucho however, is the exception. Their dipping sauces are made from scratch which further elevate the flavor of the foods. Their staple dipping sauce is the Chimichurri, which is also served over steaks. It blends garlic, oregano, parsley, olive oil and white vinegar to give any of the food on the menu the ultimate flavor pop.![]()
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🥩 The steaks – If you are looking to go big and experience all the different cuts of steak, go with the Asado Platter which features flank steak, New York strip, sirloin, ribeye, and filet mignon. These cuts of meat can also be ordered individually as well and are served with grilled ciabatta toast and your choice of La Casa Salad or pappas.![]()
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🍖 Other signature items – Other favorites are the Bondiola De Certo/Roast Pig. This dish features roasted, pulled pork which is served with caramelized onions, Dijon mustard, casa salad, and ciabatta toast. The Paella, intended to serve multiple guests, features mussels, shrimp, sweet chorizo, shallots, peas, tomatoes, charred lemon, and saffron rice.![]()
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🥪 Sandwiches – Gaucho takes it up a notch when it comes to sandwiches. The most popular on the menu are the Braised Beef and Carne Steak. The Braised Beef Features Garlic Rosemary Shredded Beef, horseradish sauce, and caramelized onions on grilled ciabatta. The Carne Steak utilizes flank steak, the house chimichurri sauce, caramelized onions, and grilled peppers on ciabatta to create a wonderful layer of flavor.![]()
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🧐 My final take – Before moving to downtown, Pittsburgh, there is a reason that it was normal to see lines of people extending out the door onto the 16th street bridge in the Strip District, the food is that good. What is also top notch at this restaurant is the staff. Take notice while dining here, the staff operates like a well-oiled machine, and everyone is happy. They have also added a rooftop level where you can dine outside creating an added level of ambience. Believe the hype, Gaucho Parrilla Argentina has earned being listed as one of the top 100 places to eat in the United States of America.