Pittsburgh's food culture reflects its working-class heritage and its immigrant past — Polish pierogies, Italian sauces, and the city's own sandwich invention at Primanti Brothers (the original is on Smallman Street in the Strip District: grilled meat, cheese, coleslaw, and french fries, all on Italian bread, which sounds wrong until you eat one). For the freshest seafood, Wholey's Fish Market on Penn Avenue in the Strip sells whole fish and sandwiches from a warehouse that has been there since 1912.
Kiki Japanese Restaurant on West Station Square Drive serves some of the best sushi in Pittsburgh. Their rainbow roll and Allegheny roll are house specialties.
Abbruzzi's at 20 South Tenth Street is a reliable Italian restaurant with a strong wine list. Locals recommend the shrimp in marinara and the eggplant parmigiano.
The Strip District has the greatest density of options: Smallman Galley is a food hall with rotating chefs; multiple delis and specialty food shops line Penn Avenue for grazing and picnic supplies. On Saturday mornings it is one of the most enjoyable places in Pittsburgh to spend a few hours.