Forged in the fires of the steel industry and defined by a fierce, blue-collar resilience, Pittsburgh is a city that has brilliantly reinvented itself without losing its rugged soul. Arriving in 2017 for Parts Unknown, the objective was to champion the incredible, working-class roots of this Rust Belt powerhouse while acknowledging its modern culinary renaissance. The food scene here is a magnificent homage to the massive waves of Eastern European immigrants who built the city, deeply reliant on hearty, unpretentious comfort food designed to sustain hard labor. The exploration perfectly balanced the past and the future, seeking out the dive bars serving iconic platters of kielbasa and pierogi, and celebrating the mad genius of home-cooked Hungarian feasts that feel more like rowdy house parties than restaurants. It also highlighted the ambitious, community-driven fine dining emerging in the shadows of abandoned steel mills. It is a masterful, respectful look at a city that honors its scars. To truly understand the heart of the Steel City, you have to eat where the locals eat. Here are the essential, deeply satisfying spots that defined this incredible journey.
The great Anthony Bourdain left his mark everywhere he went. When his death was announced to the world in June 2018, media throughout the globe chimed in and listed all the great things he had done for their respective city. Whereas before, tourists would shy away from exotic foods, thanks to him, travellers now go the extra mile to find and try local bites. With this in mind, here are all the restaurants Bourdain visited and the dishes he tasted when he shot Anthony Bourdain Pittsburgh for his show, Parts Unknown Season 10 Episode 4 (originally aired October 22, 2017):
DISH – Kielbasa, Pierogi, and Mac n’ Cheese
WHAT IS IT?
Kielbasa – Polish meat sausage; Pierogi – Polish filled dumplings; Mac n’ Cheese – macaroni with cheese sauce.
READ MORE: OCHEN’ VKUSNO! 8 MUST-TRY EASTERN EUROPEAN FOODS AND DRINKS
WHERE IS IT?
Kelly’s Bar & Lounge
6012 Centre Ave
Pittsburgh, PA, United States
READ MORE: DETROIT: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON PARTS UNKNOWN
ANTHONY BOURDAIN PITTSBURGH NOTES
At Kelly’s Bar & Lounge, Anthony Bourdain had the “Pitt Platter” (kielbasa and pierogi), along with a side of molten mac n’ cheese.
DISH – Chicken Paprikash, Lángos, Kolbász and Uborkasaláta
WHAT IS IT?
Chicken Paprikash – chicken cooked in butter, with onions, paprika and a little sour cream; Lángos – Hungarian deep-fried dough; Kolbász – Hungarian sausages; Uborkasaláta – cucumber salad.
WHERE IS IT?
Jozsa Corner
4800 Second Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15207, United States
Unfortunately, this restaurant has since closed its doors.
ANTHONY BOURDAIN PITTSBURGH NOTES
In Parts Unknown Pittsburgh, Anthony Bourdain describes Jozsa Corner as “not really a restaurant in the classic sense, but a house party with food”.
DISH – Farm-to-Table Fine Dining – Anthony Bourdain Pittsburgh
WHAT IS IT?
Fine dining dishes using locally-produced ingredients.
WHERE IS IT?
Superior Motors
1211 Braddock Ave
Braddock, PA, United States
Unfortunately, this restaurant has since closed its doors.
ANTHONY BOURDAIN PITTSBURGH NOTES
Superior Motors is a fine dining restaurant in a former Chevy dealership that serves farm-to-table fare. Here, Anthony Bourdain had pike with new potatoes, and beef short ribs.
READ MORE: PHILADELPHIA: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON THE LAYOVER
This exploration of Pittsburgh stands as a brilliant, deeply empathetic defense of America’s industrial heartland. In the context of his broader work, it perfectly illustrates his lifelong dedication to championing the unsung, working-class communities that are often ignored by coastal elites. The profound respect shown for the heavy, Eastern European culinary traditions—and the people who fiercely maintain them—elevated the episode into a beautiful tribute to Rust Belt resilience. It is historically significant for capturing a city in the midst of a successful, community-led rebirth, proving that innovation does not require the erasure of history. Grab a booth at a local tavern, order a plate of pierogis, and experience the unyielding, magnificent spirit of the Steel City.
