well done. first time having vegan eastern european, which must’ve been a difficult menu to build.
Nick Larsen
Hands down the best food and dining experience in Pittsburgh, whether you are vegan or not. Always friendly staff, always great wine, always a delightfully appealing menu. I only wish they were open more throughout the week. Reasonably priced for the high quality of the food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chao-Te Chou
[First Visit] December 2023My friends and I went there on Sunday night at around 7 without a reservation. We did not have to wait to be seated at the patio. The service at the restaurant is nice. We ordered an appetizer, three dishes and a dessert. The food is amazing and the price is really really good.The appetizer is Zakaski. It has several kinds of pickles and is served with 4 pieces of bread (2 pieces / kind). All the pickles taste good. The pierogi ziemniakami tastes good. I love the stuffing. It tastes good with the cream and the sauce. The Kluski Slaskie is the potato dumpling, which is quite different from the dumplings I had. The dumpling has no stuffing inside. It tastes like flour ball, but super chewy and the sauce is tasty. The Golabki uses the cabbage to wrap the rice and other stuff. It looks astonishing and tastes good. We ordered the peirnik for dessert. It tastes amazing. If I had not been so full, we would definitely order another one.In summary, I enjoy all the dishes we ordered and I am willing to go to the restaurant again and try out all these dishes again.[Second time visit] April 2024This was my second time visiting APTEKA with 3 friends. We did not make a reservation and arrived at around 5:30 PM to join the line. Luckily, we were able to get in the restaurant without waiting (We are a group of 4 people). Other groups with two people need to wait for an hour. I think it is due to the setup of the seating in the restaurant. Again, the food is fantastic.We ordered two starters, three main dishes and a dessert.**starters**:Placki ziemiaczane is a potato pancake dish. The outer ring of the pancake is well friend and so crispy. Pirozhki is a piece of pan fried bread with potato inside. It is pan fried so that outside layer of the bread is hard and crunchy. With the sauce and pickle, it tastes really good. I am so amazed at these two starters.**main dishes**:The main dishes we ordered this time is the same as the ones I ordered last time. They are still really statisfying. The Pierogi z Ziemniakami is a dish with potato stuffed pierogi. This time the dish has a different sauce, but I still like it a lot. The Stabo Golebi is a must order in this restaurant. It is a dish with rice wrapped in cabbage. The seasoning of the rice is so good. Also, this time we received 5 smaller pieces instead of 2 larger pieces. My hypothesis is that the number of cabbage wraps served is group dependent. Because we were a group of 3 people last time, we were served 2 large pieces. The Kluski Slaskie is as good as last time, but, this time, there were a bunch rutabaga and carrot on top of it.**Dessert**:I was so excited about having the cake I had last time as our dessert. However, it seems that they change the dessert menu. Thus, we order the Lody ze Slonecznika, whichis a vegan ice cream. The dessert tastes so good. The ice cream is not too sweet. The chocolate and nut layer outside is crunchy. Overall, I think it is as good as the cake I got lat time.Overall, I still ranked this restaurant a must visit in Pittsburgh.
Alan Zhu
Best restaurant in Pittsburgh.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
San Miguel
The vibe was just okay. They could create stuffed mushroom dumpling.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Vegan
Kim A
Visiting from out of town and the reviews and descriptions caught my eye.Worth my 30 min drive!Great, friendly service from every employee I engaged with.I was solo so sat at bar.This place just invites friendliness!Everything so fresh!Had the potato pancakes… very crispy, flavorful and large portion. Plenty to share.Then had the 2 types of pirogies plate… the cabbage were my favorite as a little sweet and a pop of pepper. But entire dish was delicious and large portion.I am not Vegan but thoroughly appreciated all the options and care put into the menu.I was told the menu changes frequently.I also got the brioche/plum dessert to go… not sweet and not my favorite. But again a big piece.Appreciated my bottle of chilled water.Will definitely return!
The wait was long, but really good food. My first time eating Eastern European cuisine and they make it vegan extremely well.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Vegan
Greg Nass
Amazing food everything was delicious and healthy. We weren’t rushed, yet we didn’t have to wait long. Good vibe. It’s a busy place so we showed up early to ensure we got in. Will go back frequently
So excellent I honestly forgot to take more pictures. I have never had Polish food before, and have very rarely eaten vegan food, and this was absolutely excellent. A friend insisted we had to eat here while we were in town.Vegetarian options: It’s a vegan restaurant. Everything is vegetarian.Dietary restrictions: Well marked menu, specifically for gluten intolerance.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stavi Xinou
My group had an amazing experience eating at Apteka for the first time over the weekend. The first thing we noticed when we walked in was the inviting atmosphere and how good the restaurant smelled. We loved every single bite and sip of everything we ordered! Everything was super flavorful and the flavor combinations felt very intentional and harmonious. The boiled pierogis were everyone’s favorite bite of the evening but you really can’t go wrong with whatever you choose to order. We loved our apps and entrees so much that we ordered all 3 desserts on the menu, and those didn’t disappoint either. Fav app was the potato salad. Another plus is that there are plenty of delicious non-alcoholic drink options on the menu. Highly recommend Apteka! And for those who normally wouldn’t go for vegan food…you really can’t tell that the food is vegan, other than that your body feels healthier than it normally would when you get home after a night of indulging!
I have dined in amazing restaurants all around the world and this place is in my top 3 and it is RIGHT HERE in Pittsburgh. Apteka is the best!! GO!!!!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Vegan
Dan Rai
Good service, way overpriced mediocre food. She and I had entrees (I had 4 pierogies, 2 types? only served 1 type -- no lentils. She had sad noodles. ) and 1 drink each, split 1 dessert. 20% tip, $78 out-the-door. Very pricey for what very little you get. Won't be back.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
BorderlineSavage
Absolutely fantastic! The food is delicious, and the drinks are also excellent. Don't sleep on the desserts - we ordered a couple and shared them and they were a perfect ending to the meal. Service is outstanding.
Rosie Dreucci
Vegetarian options: This is a vegan restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Smażone Pierogi Fried
Ann Lundy Brown
Verrrry delightful. Had been hearing about this place since moving to PA and finally got to go—wait wasn’t super lengthy, seating was neat (we sat outside in a tent with heaters), and food came out really quickly. Loved the sauce on top of my pierogis the most!
well done. first time having vegan eastern european, which must’ve been a difficult menu to build.
Hands down the best food and dining experience in Pittsburgh, whether you are vegan or not. Always friendly staff, always great wine, always a delightfully appealing menu. I only wish they were open more throughout the week. Reasonably priced for the high quality of the food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
[First Visit] December 2023My friends and I went there on Sunday night at around 7 without a reservation. We did not have to wait to be seated at the patio. The service at the restaurant is nice. We ordered an appetizer, three dishes and a dessert. The food is amazing and the price is really really good.The appetizer is Zakaski. It has several kinds of pickles and is served with 4 pieces of bread (2 pieces / kind). All the pickles taste good. The pierogi ziemniakami tastes good. I love the stuffing. It tastes good with the cream and the sauce. The Kluski Slaskie is the potato dumpling, which is quite different from the dumplings I had. The dumpling has no stuffing inside. It tastes like flour ball, but super chewy and the sauce is tasty. The Golabki uses the cabbage to wrap the rice and other stuff. It looks astonishing and tastes good. We ordered the peirnik for dessert. It tastes amazing. If I had not been so full, we would definitely order another one.In summary, I enjoy all the dishes we ordered and I am willing to go to the restaurant again and try out all these dishes again.[Second time visit] April 2024This was my second time visiting APTEKA with 3 friends. We did not make a reservation and arrived at around 5:30 PM to join the line. Luckily, we were able to get in the restaurant without waiting (We are a group of 4 people). Other groups with two people need to wait for an hour. I think it is due to the setup of the seating in the restaurant. Again, the food is fantastic.We ordered two starters, three main dishes and a dessert.**starters**:Placki ziemiaczane is a potato pancake dish. The outer ring of the pancake is well friend and so crispy. Pirozhki is a piece of pan fried bread with potato inside. It is pan fried so that outside layer of the bread is hard and crunchy. With the sauce and pickle, it tastes really good. I am so amazed at these two starters.**main dishes**:The main dishes we ordered this time is the same as the ones I ordered last time. They are still really statisfying. The Pierogi z Ziemniakami is a dish with potato stuffed pierogi. This time the dish has a different sauce, but I still like it a lot. The Stabo Golebi is a must order in this restaurant. It is a dish with rice wrapped in cabbage. The seasoning of the rice is so good. Also, this time we received 5 smaller pieces instead of 2 larger pieces. My hypothesis is that the number of cabbage wraps served is group dependent. Because we were a group of 3 people last time, we were served 2 large pieces. The Kluski Slaskie is as good as last time, but, this time, there were a bunch rutabaga and carrot on top of it.**Dessert**:I was so excited about having the cake I had last time as our dessert. However, it seems that they change the dessert menu. Thus, we order the Lody ze Slonecznika, whichis a vegan ice cream. The dessert tastes so good. The ice cream is not too sweet. The chocolate and nut layer outside is crunchy. Overall, I think it is as good as the cake I got lat time.Overall, I still ranked this restaurant a must visit in Pittsburgh.
Best restaurant in Pittsburgh.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The vibe was just okay. They could create stuffed mushroom dumpling.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Vegan
Visiting from out of town and the reviews and descriptions caught my eye.Worth my 30 min drive!Great, friendly service from every employee I engaged with.I was solo so sat at bar.This place just invites friendliness!Everything so fresh!Had the potato pancakes… very crispy, flavorful and large portion. Plenty to share.Then had the 2 types of pirogies plate… the cabbage were my favorite as a little sweet and a pop of pepper. But entire dish was delicious and large portion.I am not Vegan but thoroughly appreciated all the options and care put into the menu.I was told the menu changes frequently.I also got the brioche/plum dessert to go… not sweet and not my favorite. But again a big piece.Appreciated my bottle of chilled water.Will definitely return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vegan, Smażone Pierogi Fried, Potato Pancakes
The wait was long, but really good food. My first time eating Eastern European cuisine and they make it vegan extremely well.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Vegan
Amazing food everything was delicious and healthy. We weren’t rushed, yet we didn’t have to wait long. Good vibe. It’s a busy place so we showed up early to ensure we got in. Will go back frequently
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vegan, Pierogi Z Ziemniakami, Potato Dumplings, Kluski Śląskie, Fried Pierogies
So excellent I honestly forgot to take more pictures. I have never had Polish food before, and have very rarely eaten vegan food, and this was absolutely excellent. A friend insisted we had to eat here while we were in town.Vegetarian options: It’s a vegan restaurant. Everything is vegetarian.Dietary restrictions: Well marked menu, specifically for gluten intolerance.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My group had an amazing experience eating at Apteka for the first time over the weekend. The first thing we noticed when we walked in was the inviting atmosphere and how good the restaurant smelled. We loved every single bite and sip of everything we ordered! Everything was super flavorful and the flavor combinations felt very intentional and harmonious. The boiled pierogis were everyone’s favorite bite of the evening but you really can’t go wrong with whatever you choose to order. We loved our apps and entrees so much that we ordered all 3 desserts on the menu, and those didn’t disappoint either. Fav app was the potato salad. Another plus is that there are plenty of delicious non-alcoholic drink options on the menu. Highly recommend Apteka! And for those who normally wouldn’t go for vegan food…you really can’t tell that the food is vegan, other than that your body feels healthier than it normally would when you get home after a night of indulging!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I have dined in amazing restaurants all around the world and this place is in my top 3 and it is RIGHT HERE in Pittsburgh. Apteka is the best!! GO!!!!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Vegan
Good service, way overpriced mediocre food. She and I had entrees (I had 4 pierogies, 2 types? only served 1 type -- no lentils. She had sad noodles. ) and 1 drink each, split 1 dessert. 20% tip, $78 out-the-door. Very pricey for what very little you get. Won't be back.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Absolutely fantastic! The food is delicious, and the drinks are also excellent. Don't sleep on the desserts - we ordered a couple and shared them and they were a perfect ending to the meal. Service is outstanding.
Vegetarian options: This is a vegan restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Smażone Pierogi Fried
Verrrry delightful. Had been hearing about this place since moving to PA and finally got to go—wait wasn’t super lengthy, seating was neat (we sat outside in a tent with heaters), and food came out really quickly. Loved the sauce on top of my pierogis the most!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Smażone Pierogi Fried