Passion Fruit Crepe Cake at Amy’s Bakery Café in Mt. Lebanon (Washington Rd., downtown). There are some amazing and unique selections at this superior Asian bakery that go beyond the oft-offered sweet buns with red-bean-paste fillings. At Amy’s you will especially want to bring home a large slice of the crepe cake, its multiple layers of thin soft crepes alternating with layers of a delectable flavored cream—there’s passion fruit, lychee rose, tiramisu, matcha, pistachio, and others. While there, also pick up their creamy egg tart, which is like a soft pie-pastry shell filled with creme brulee, reminiscent of the similar Portuguese-bakery confection. And don’t forget the bubble tea!
Greek Hummus and Veggie (Grilled Eggplant) Sandwich at Anthos in Castle Shannon (Willow Ave. at the “T” tracks). We are regular customers at this spectacular ultra-Greek bakery and café because the savory foods are so inventive and the breads and pastries are so distinctive and delicious. You could sit at a table, but counter service starts things off. From there you can take out any number of uniquely prepared sandwiches on various homemade breads and add Greek pastries such as baklava, orange cake, or a square of Galaktoboureko—its flaky phyllo layers accented with lemon-vanilla custard—or anything from the case’s window of freshly baked inventive sweets. Our recommended Hummus and Veggie sandwich has grilled eggplant with roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, apple molasses, and a piquant lemon-based dressing on a fresh baked multi-seed baguette “bun.”
Chocolate-iced Donut at The Diner in Oakdale (town center). This is certainly an unexpected source for donuts, but just walk up to The Diner’s counter display of sweets and concentrate on what I think is the South Hills’s freshest and fluffiest yeast donut, covered with sublime chocolate icing. If you prefer the cakey type, there’s Madsen Donuts (in South Fayette and Castle Shannon). The Party Cake Shop in Brookline is also a notable spot for donuts—especially its Paczki.
Enchiladas de Mole at Panaderia Jazmin in Mt. Lebanon (Beverly Ave.). This bakery turns out to be a really outstanding Mexican restaurant-café. The quality and uniqueness of the food is above par and full of surprises. The mole enchiladas are a trio of rolled tortillas with shredded chicken, red onion, cilantro, sour cream, Mexican crumble cheese, and a delicious mole sauce. But don’t pass up the sandwich (torta) called a Pambazo, a soft roll doused in Guajillo sauce encasing potatoes, chorizo, lettuce, Mexican crumble cheese, and sour cream, and served with a homemade green house salsa. When you pick up your lunch (or breakfast) at the main counter, stop first at the glass-doored self-service case and bring over a Mexican pastry or two, such as a large churro filled with cream and a Pay de Queso cheese pie (a crusty cookie-like “muffin” with a baked sweet cheese). And why not add a Café de Olla (citrus-accented Mexican coffee) or Mexican hot chocolate?
White Sicilian Pizza Square at Badamo’s in Dormont (Potomac Ave.). Badamo’s has neon window signs that read “Pizza Party,” “Slices,” and “Squares,” and the latter two words perfectly describe what makes this a great takeout (eat in, too) pizzeria. The authentically prepared pizza squares and slices boast hot-oven-charred yet airy crusts, with a good amount of flavorful crushed-tomato sauce (the best kind), on five varieties of traditional-slice pies and three selections of squares. Badamo’s calls the squares Sicilian, but they are the “as-seen-in-Italy” kind and not the typically thick and doughy one-style type usually available elsewhere. Best—and most unique—among the medium-crust squares is the White Sicilian Pizza: ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, crushed-tomato sauce, red onions, and basil. Perfetto!
Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Ice Cream at Handel’s in McCandless (Rt. 19/McKnight Rd.). Handel’s does have a number of stores in Ohio, where it originated in 1945, and other states. But apparently the Pittsburgh-area presence is now limited to one walkup-windowed store in the North Hills at McCandless Crossing. There is no end to the daring ice cream flavors available here, and along with the heartily favored Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, any of these flavors (and many more) are worth sampling: Key Lime Pie, Blueberry Cheesecake Chunk, Horchata, French Silk Pie, Caramel Latte, Taro, Coconut Cream Pie, Cherry Cordial, Pumpkin Pecan, Green Tea, Grape(!), a vegan Chocolate Almond Milk, plus Pomegranate Sorbet and Pink Champagne Sherbet. And if you can wait until next spring, an outstanding ice cream shop in McDonald is M.A.’s, where five bucks can get you a mountainous cup/cone of two different flavors (such as peanut butter cheesecake and lemon berry).
Gyro Sandwich at Pitaland in Brookline (Brookline Blvd.). There is certainly no dearth of Middle Eastern cafes/restaurants where one can get good pita sandwiches to go. But the long-established and friendly Lebanese Pitaland deli/market in Brookline, where a blackboard describes pita-encased sandwiches to be ordered at the counter, is a top place for an authentic gyro stuffed with melt-in-your-mouth meat—or other such pita sandwich fare, featuring chicken shawarma, falafel, and more, each emboldened with such refreshing accompaniments as tomatoes, pickled radishes, and tzatziki sauce.
Italian Construct-It-Yourself Sandwich at Labriola’s in Warrendale (Rt. 19/Perry Hwy.). Since Labriola’s is an Italian deli and not a restaurant (takeout or otherwise), this ultimate Italian sandwich is made by the customer by ordering its myriad contents at the deli counter (where they can be heated). Here’s a suggested combo: a Chicken Romano cutlet, some mini-balls of fresh mozzarella, a few thin slices of prosciutto or soppressata, some sweet green roasted peppers—all sandwiched between pieces of any of the authentically crusty Italian breads found in an adjacent aisle. Alternatively, you might want to take out other lunchtime glass-case counter delights, such as the Eggplant Napoleon (a triple “burger” of breaded/sauced eggplant slices sandwiched with ricotta layers), or make yourself a sub of Italian sausage with peppers and onions.
Stuffed Pepper Soup at Frisch’s in Whitehall (Caste Village). Frisch’s is a deli/cafe (family run since 1948) where you can order one of the daily blackboard specials (sandwich, soup, drink) at the counter for carrying out or eating in. Everything is homemade—with an extra touch of unique preparation/ingredients. For a treat to go, order a quart (or cup/bowl size) of one of their amazing soups, in varieties (daily) such as Stuffed Pepper, Wedding, Chicken Dumpling, and Broccoli Cheddar. Interestingly, in the search for authentic, traditional-deli sandwiches in our area, Frisch’s also represents a satisfying option for a really good corned beef sandwich.
Esspres’shew-Self Smoothie at Salud Juicery in Bridgeville. For a delicious and healthy smoothie, perhaps to coolly top off some of the exciting eating suggested so far, try the Esspres’shew-self (banana, crushed cashews and dates, cinnamon, agave, espresso, and almond milk) at Salud Juicery, where inventive juice and smoothie concoctions have names like Racers Edge, Straw NaNa, Thank You Berry Much, Ifulike Pina Coladas, Scarlet O’Hara, and Jane Good’all. The Juicery is set among the shops in the Hastings Charter Homes and Neighborhoods community off Mayview Road in Bridgeville/South Fayette.
Greg Suriano edits The Strip! and then drives around with his wife in search of unique and delicious foods to go.
Photos by Sandy Suriano