December is not supposed to be an exciting restaurant month. Holiday parties pile up, deadlines loom before we finally take time off, darkness settles in by 4:30 p.m., and most of us default to ordering the same comfort meals on repeat. And yet, Pittsburgh’s dining scene absolutely did not hib ernate. If anything, it felt like the city was recalibrating its cravings in real time. A beloved bagel pop-up finally found a permanent home. A suburban ramen shop arrived right on cue, serving brothy, umami-laden bowls loaded with melt-in-your mouth pork chashu, jammy eggs and springy noodles. A Chicago-born Sichuan restaurant, known for its commitment to real málà technique, aromatic chili oil, fermented doubanjiang and peppercorn numbness that creeps in and builds. An Indian restaurant opened with a grand, mansion-like feel, pairing regional dishes with familiar staples built for long tables. Newly minted Downtown coffee shops leaned fully into the season, serving fun with flavors like peppermint mochas, Grinch-inspired lattes and Rudolph’s Reindeer Fuel that make dark mornings feel brighter. Openings Photos courtesy of Lao Sze Chuan. Lao Sze Chuan 936 Sheraton Drive, Mars Lao Sze Chuan lands in the Pittsburgh area with a serious Sichuan menu and experienced ownership. The restaurant is run by Rong Zhou, who also owns Zen in Oakmont and Shanghai Tokyo in Sarver, and David Wang of Saga in Monroeville. The kitchen leans hard into Sichuan techniques. Peking duck, a marquee dish, begins as a 7-pound bird, marinated for hours before being slow-roasted until the skin turns lacquered while the meat stays rich and yielding. The dramatic mandarin fish is sliced and fanned into a flower shape, deep-fried using its tail so the flesh crisps into petals, then sauced. Much of the flavor begins before anything hits the wok: Oils are infused in-house with aromatics, and the kitchen works with five different dried chili powders, each contributing a distinct level of heat and character.  Classic Sichuan signatures — mapo tofu, dry-pot chicken, dan dan noodles and dry-fried green beans — carry the cuisine’s hallmark málà sensation, where chili heat is balanced by the citrusy numbness of Sichuan peppercorns and the savory depth of fermented chili bean paste. For a sweet ending, Ciba — glutinous rice cakes filled with molten caramelized brown sugar — are all gooey and nostalgic, not unlike a Chinese answer to a Pop-Tart. Photo by Aakanksha Agarwal. Haveli 245 Mall Plaza Blvd., Monroeville Haveli, literally meaning a traditional mansion or courtyard home, evokes hospitality, gathering and a sense of occasion rather than a single regional cuisine. The kitchen is led by executive chef Rohit Mhatre, who is Maharashtrian, and the ownership includes partners Ankitkumar, Parth and Pritesh Patel, brothers-in-law from the Patel family of Reva fame. While the name might hint at Rajasthani cooking, the food itself is intentionally pan-Indian, pulling from multiple regions and traditions. The menu moves comfortably between Old Delhi–style butter chicken, Kashmiri lamb rogan josh, Goan vindaloo, tender coconut fish moilee and tandoori offerings that include adraki lamb chops, tandoori pomfret and chicken momos cooked in a clay oven. Indo-Chinese staples like hakka noodles and fried rice sit alongside chaat plates such as palak chaat and kurkuri bhindi. The result is not a strict regional restaurant but a confident, crowd-aware snapshot of contemporary Indian dining, where familiar comfort dishes sit comfortably alongside lesser-seen regional cues. Fujiya Ramen 210 McHolme Drive, North Fayette If you were trying to pick the perfect month to open a ramen shop in Pittsburgh, December would be it. Warm, broth-driven meals just hit the spot when it’s all blustery outside. The menu centers on rich, satisfying bowls like tonkotsu, miso, spicy miso and spicy yuzu ramen, layered with pork belly chashu, soft-boiled eggs and vegetables. Starters such as pork and chive gyoza, takoyaki, karaage and agedashi tofu round things out, with donburi options like katsu curry and gyudon for anyone in the mood to skip noodles altogether. Origin Story Coffee 309 Smithfield St., Downtown Origin Story Coffee brings a playful, pop-culture-driven café concept to Downtown Pittsburgh, relocating from Asheville, North Carolina, in 2025 under founder Christian Watts. Designed as a true third space, the shop blends high-quality coffee with comic book and hero mythology.  Drinks range from straightforward essentials like americanos, cappuccinos and drip coffee to signature creations such as Vendetta Vanilla, Magic Mocha and the cayenne-spiked Ghostrider Latte, with escalating tiers labeled Epic, Legendary and Mythic.  The menu at Ruckus Café’s Downtown location. Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. Ruckus coffee to go, on right, photo by Aakanksha Agarwal. Ruckus Café  625 Liberty Ave., Downtown Another Downtown coffee shop has entered the chat.  When Ruckus Café opened Downtown earlier this month, it was with a very specific gap in mind. “There’s not really a ton of offerings for lunch per se and breakfast per se Downtown,” co-owner Christine Rauktis says. The Liberty Avenue location adapts the Shaler original’s daytime-only model for an office-heavy neighborhood, focusing on breakfast and lunch that are made to order but move fast. The menu runs from bagel sandwiches and wraps to yogurt and grab-and-go options, with a strong emphasis on local sourcing wherever possible. Coffee comes from Iron Star Roasting in the South Hills, matcha from Lucaso in Lawrenceville, honey from CoNectar in Millvale, dairy from Turner’s, bread from Breadworks and produce from Good Dirt Farm when in season. The one intentional exception is the bagels, which are shipped fresh from New York. “Everything is local, except the bagels,” Rauktis says. “Those have to come from New York.” The space itself is designed for both efficiency and pause, with communal tables that double as informal meeting spots, a small listening corner with vinyl, and plans to activate the building’s courtyard once warmer weather arrives. The team at Phat Bagel in Bloomfield. Photo courtesy of Phat Bagel. Phat Bagel 4508 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield Let’s just call it a good moment for bagels. Phat Bagel, founded by Dexter Edwards, is now open in Bloomfield, giving a long-running pop-up a permanent home and putting a distinctly personal spin on the bagel shop format.  Guests start with a base like cream cheese, avocado, goat cheese, ricotta or nut butter, then layer in mix-ins ranging from honey, fresh herbs and seasonal berries to vegetables, cinnamon and jalapeños. A curated menu of signature combinations anchors the experience, including an asiago bagel with candied jalapeño cream cheese, an original bagel topped with date and goat cheese spread, and an everything bagel stacked with bacon, egg and cheese, finished with hot honey ricotta. The concept has been a long time coming. Edwards first envisioned Phat Bagel in 2005 and officially took the leap into entrepreneurship in December 2023. As the project gained momentum, partners Anna Carley and Tom Hermanowski joined to help grow the brand through regular appearances at the Bloomfield Farmers Market, weekend pop-ups with Trace Brewing, and an expanding catering business. The brick-and-mortar shop launches with drip coffee from local roaster Ghost Coffee Collab, with plans to build out the drink program over time.  La Dolce Vita 2104 E. Carson St., South Side La Dolce Vita brings a familiar, comforting vision of Italian cooking to the South Side, leaning into crowd-pleasing classics. The menu centers on house pastas and red-sauce staples—spaghetti and meatballs with San Marzano tomatoes, tagliatelle Bolognese, baked rigatoni with sausage, and chicken Parmesan—alongside creamier favorites like shrimp Alfredo and spinach ravioli.  Starters such as arancini, burrata caprese and calamari set a straightforward, traditional tone, while desserts like tiramisu and cheesecake keep things nostalgic. 7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee in Moon Township. Photo courtesy of 7 Brew. 7 Brew Coffee  5960 University Blvd, Moon Need a fast caffeine stop near the airport or Robert Morris University? 7 Brew has opened its first Pittsburgh-area drive-thru in Moon Township, offering espresso drinks, flavored energy beverages, teas and sodas with a heavy emphasis on customization and speed. The stand officially opened Dec. 1 and features double drive-thru lanes and extended hours. Foxhole Tavern 211 Commercial Ave., Aspinwall From husband-and-wife team Adam and Diana Kucenic, Foxhole Tavern is a composed neighborhood tavern focused on well-executed American classics. The menu highlights steak frites, fish and chips, burgers and oysters, paired with a thoughtful cocktail program that gives martinis their due, all set in a warm, understated space designed for relaxed, unhurried evenings. Closings Murray Avenue Grill 1720 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill After 39 years serving classic American fare and welcoming generations of Squirrel Hill diners, Murray Avenue Grill is closing its doors. Owner Brian Allenbaugh announced that Dec. 28 will be the final day of service, marking the end of nearly four decades as a neighborhood gathering spot where longtime patrons shared birthdays, business dinners and casual weeknight meals. The announcement thanked the community for its loyal support since the restaurant’s founding in 1986. Carmi Express 1219 Federal St., North Side Carmi Express, a beloved soul food restaurant on the North Side for more than a decade, is ending daily operations after 13 years of service. The restaurant’s social media announcement spoke of the brick-and-mortar location’s closure on Dec. 12 but vowed the brand will continue through catering, private events, special collaborations and pop-ups. In its message, Chef Carleen thanked Pittsburgh for its support, noting that soul food remains “in our DNA” even as the physical space shutters. The Grant Bar Restaurant 114 Grant Ave., Millvale A Millvale institution for more than 90 years, The Grant Bar Restaurant served its final meals on Nov. 29, closing a chapter that began in the early 20th century. Co-owners cited rising costs and the physical toll of running the operation as core reasons for the closure. The post 9 new Pittsburgh restaurants worth trying before the end of the year appeared first on NEXTpittsburgh. ...read more read less