The Pittsburgh restaurant scene is growing up.
Once known in the culinary world mostly for it’s gut-busting, french fry-topped sandwiches — and perhaps its love affair with ketchup — the Steel City is finally getting more healthy, fast-casual restaurants.
Hot on the heels of new eateries Pittsburgh Poke, Plate & Bowl and Earth Inspired Salads, Philly-based Honeygrow is the latest restaurant to bring simple yet sophisticated meal-in-a-bowl style eating to The ‘Burgh.
Honeygrow Pittsburgh offers a menu full of seasonally-sourced produce that customers can use to create customized stir-fry bowls or salads. A menu hangs on the wall listing exactly which local farms particular produce came from. (On this day, I was pleased to know the broccoli in my stir-fry came from a town nearby to where I grew up.)
“People are control freaks, and I’m certainly one of them,” said Honeygrow CEO Justin Rosenberg, “And especially today. There are so many allergy restrictions so we want to make sure that people can come in, create what they like and know what’s behind that.”
The namesake “honeybar” features cups of fruit and toppings like coconut, chocolate, granola, and, of course, honey. The Honeybar also offers original cold-pressed juices in “red,” “orange,” or “green.”
And the condiments, well, don’t even ask for ketchup. All sauces and marinades are made in-house.
Rosenberg said that his inspiration for his restaurant came from his family’s own personal healthy eating habits and desire to source ingredients locally.
Just a decade ago, this health-based menu would have been out of place with the former meat and potatoes town, but Pittsburgh is quickly leaving its blue-collar past for a more mature, fresher future in food, and the locals are happy to have it.
The new restaurant is now open and located at 105 S. Highland Ave. at the corner of Highland and Penn is now open 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
See our one-on-ones with Honeygrow CEO, Justin Rosenberg and Chef David Katz.
Everybody Craves visits Honeygrow in East Liberty:
