As 2025 comes to a close, we\u2019re taking a delicious look back at a year packed with incredible food, creative cocktails, and unforgettable experiences across Pittsburgh. From food trucks to neighborhood favorites, our Best Bites tours are all about celebrating the local icons that make this city such a fun place to eat and drink.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Below, we\u2019re highlighting the winners from each Best Bites event in 2025\u2014plus the dishes and drinks that had attendees talking long after the last bite.<\/p>\n
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Best Bite: Cold Friends Kitchen<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Dish: Pork Belly Bites: Twice roasted pork belly tossed in bourbon BBQ glaze, topped with fire sauce, sesame, and scallions over local vegan kimchi<\/p>\n Cold Friends Kitchen is a Pittsburgh-based food truck known for globally inspired street food and big, bold flavors. Their pork belly bites delivered the perfect mix of crispy, saucy, sweet, and spicy earning them top honors and proving that some of the best bites in Pittsburgh come on four wheels.<\/p>\n Best Drink: Jackworth Ginger Beer<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Sips: Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer, Classic Non-Alcoholic Ginger Beer and Spicy Non-Alcoholic Ginger Beer<\/p>\n As Pennsylvania\u2019s only ginger beer brewery, Jackworth Ginger Beer focuses on real ingredients and serious ginger flavor. With both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, their refreshing lineup was a crowd favorite and an easy pairing with just about anything.<\/p>\n Best Tasting Experience: Cilantro & Ajo<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Tasting: Choice of empanada stuffed with chicken, ground beef or black beans and cheese, plus two teque\u00f1os with Venezuelan cheese, paired with signature cilantro and garlic sauce<\/p>\n Cilantro & Ajo brings Venezuelan comfort food to Pittsburgh with a modern, feel-good twist. Their crispy teque\u00f1os and empanadas made their tasting experience a warm and comforting one on a chilly day!<\/p>\n Best Bite: Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings (Pittsburgh)<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Dishes: Vegetable Spring Rolls, Red Bean Puffs and Pork and Vegetable Wontons in Spicy Peanut Sauce<\/p>\n Known nationwide for their soup dumplings, Nan Xiang\u2019s new Pittsburgh location impressed with their Michelin-recommended cuisine. Their flavorful small plates were a standout on the SouthSide Works tour, offering a perfect balance of comfort and bold spice.<\/p>\n Best Drink: The Pittsburgh Pour<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Cocktails: The Point Breeze, Downtown Hibiscus Collins and Arnie\u2019s Peach Whiskey Palmer<\/p>\n The Pittsburgh Pour is beloved for handcrafted cocktails made with fresh ingredients and local flair. Each cocktail brought bright, balanced flavors; ideal for sipping between stops on the tour.<\/p>\n Best Tasting Experience: Dive Bar & Grille<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Pairing: Short Rib Melt with caramelized onion, smoked cheddar and horseradish aioli, paired with an Unruly Sangria with Livingston Merlot, Stoli Raspberry, Stoli Blueberry, orange juice, wild berry simple syrup and oranges, lemons and limes<\/p>\n Dive Bar & Grille surprised guests with elevated bar food done right. The rich, melty short rib paired with house-made sangria created a fan-favorite, indulgent tasting.<\/p>\n Central Tour<\/p>\n Best Bite: Puttshack Pittsburgh<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Dish: Quesabirria with slow-braised shredded beef, Chihuahua cheese blend, chipotle aioli, flour tortillas, onion, cilantro and consom\u00e9 dipping sauce<\/p>\n Located in the heart of the Strip District, Puttshack combines high-tech mini golf with a chef-driven menu. Their quesabirria (crispy, cheesy, and packed with flavor) proved they\u2019re just as serious about food as they are about fun.<\/p>\n Best Drink: The Pittsburgh Pour<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Cocktails: Coconut and Mango Mojito, Downtown Hibiscus Collins and Arnie\u2019s Peach Whiskey Palmer<\/p>\n With tropical notes and fruit-forward flavors, The Pittsburgh Pour once again delivered cocktails that felt fresh, fun, and perfectly suited for a lively Strip District crawl.<\/p>\n Best Tasting Experience: City Winery Pittsburgh<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Pairing: Dip Trio (salt baked beet dip, red pepper walnut dip and yogurt dip with pita) paired with your choice of sauvignon blanc or ros\u00e9<\/p>\n City Winery Pittsburgh offers an urban winery experience unlike anything else in the city. From live music and house-made dishes to award-winning wine, their tasting highlighted why this spot is a go-to for wine lovers and foodies alike.<\/p>\n Upper Tour<\/p>\n Best Bite and Best Tasting Experience: CADENCE+ Cellars Speakeasy<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Dish: Stuffed Manicotti and PDS cocktail<\/p>\n Tucked beneath the Strip District, CADENCE+ Cellars Speakeasy delivers an intimate 1920s dining experience focused on seasonal dishes and curated cocktails. They took home double wins for their manicotti, cocktail pairing and the overall memorable experience!<\/p>\n Best Drink: Kingfly Spirits<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Sip: Kingfly Signature Limoncello Slushie<\/p>\n A staple in Pittsburgh\u2019s craft spirits scene, Kingfly Spirits is known for European-style liqueurs made locally. Their bright, citrusy limoncello slushie was refreshing, perfectly balanced, and a standout sip of the summer.<\/p>\n Best Bite: Mola<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Dishes: Tuna poke, salmon poke, assorted sushi rolls<\/p>\n Mola is a go-to destination in East Liberty for high-quality sushi and seafood. Their poke bowls and sushi rolls showcased fresh flavors and expert technique, making them a clear winner on this tour.<\/p>\n Best Drink: Lorelei<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Cocktail: Basset Hound cocktail with rye whiskey, Amaro Montenegro, damson plum, and coriander-lime cordial<\/p>\n An Alpine-inspired wine and cocktail bar, beer hall, and bottle shop, Lorelei is known well in East Liberty for thoughtful and delicious cocktails. The Basset Hound delivered depth and balance that wowed tour guests.<\/p>\n Best Tasting Experience: Alta Via Pizzeria<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Tasting: Fig & Brie Pizza made with figs, brie, fresh mozzarella, arugula and pistachios<\/p>\n Alta Via Pizzeria is a neighborhood favorite that brings warm Italian cooking and hospitality to Bakery Square. Their tasting experience highlighted their handmade Fig & Brie Pizza with seasonal ingredients.<\/p>\n Best Bite: Barcelona Wine Bar<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Dishes: Jam\u00f3n and Manchego Croquetas, Manchego and Serrano Skewers, Paella Verduras<\/p>\n Barcelona Wine Bar is known for vibrant Spanish tapas designed for sharing. Bold flavors, beautiful presentation, and a lively atmosphere made their tasting one of the highlights of the Downtown tour.<\/p>\n Best Drink: The Commoner<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Cocktail: Commoner Old Fashioned with Elijah Craig bourbon, strawberry, fernet, and Ancho Reyes Barrica<\/p>\n Located inside Hotel Monaco, The Commoner blends classic cocktail technique with a modern edge. Their Old Fashioned was well balanced and undeniably memorable.<\/p>\n Best Sweet Treat: Prantl\u2019s Bakery<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Sweet Treat: Prantl\u2019s Walking Torte<\/p>\n For the first time in Best Bites history, we crowned the Best Sweet Treat! Prantl\u2019s Bakery is famous for timeless desserts made from scratch. The on-the-go version of the classic Burnt Almond Torte was the perfect sweet finish and a nostalgic nod to one of the city\u2019s most beloved bakeries.<\/p>\n Best Tasting Experience: Alta Via<\/a><\/p>\n Winning Tasting: Campanelle Carbonara with guanciale, black pepper, egg yolk and Pecorino Romano<\/p>\n Alta Via in Market Square rounded out the Downtown tour with exceptional hospitality and refined Italian cooking, an experience that left guests feeling welcomed and well-fed.<\/p>\n From food trucks to fine dining, the Best Bites of 2025 showcased just how deep Pittsburgh\u2019s food and drink scene really is.\u00a0<\/p>\n Want in on the next round? Be sure to join the Best Bites email list<\/a> to get early access to tickets, special perks, and insider updates. Keep the eating going with our Pittsburgh Pizza Passport<\/a>, a 10-week pizza adventure across the city. Trust us: your appetite is going to be busy in 2026.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThis content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.<\/p>\n \t\tTags: \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t412<\/a>, Best Bites<\/a>, best of pgh<\/a>, best of pittsburgh<\/a>, cocktails<\/a>, Downtown<\/a>, Downtown Pittsburgh<\/a>, drink local<\/a>, East Liberty<\/a>, East Liberty Pittsburgh<\/a>, Events<\/a>, food<\/a>, food tasting<\/a>, foodie<\/a>, local businesses<\/a>, pgh<\/a>, pgh made<\/a>, Pittsburgh<\/a>, Pittsburgh food<\/a>, Pittsburgh Pizza Passport<\/a>, small businesses<\/a>, South Side<\/a>, south side pittsburgh<\/a>, Southside Works<\/a>, Strip District<\/a>, wine tasting<\/a>\t<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c32fa20286576cb47f883e6c80f2d8412ab43800097558c197141cd12956f776.jpeg\")
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