Restaurants in McKeesport

At Elements Contemporary Cuisine, executive chef Robert Courser champions the Japanese concept of kappo, which emphasizes capturing fare at its freshest, purest state. In this spirit, Courser forged partnerships with local farms to save fresh produce from dull careers as still-life models.

He tweaks his menu of upscale international cuisine to showcase seasonal ingredients, earning the restaurant a nod from the New York Times. At the Spanish marble bar, chefs arrange trays of cheese hailing from Lancaster and the Delaware River Valley, as well as morsels of cured venison and pork. The rest of the dining room proves as elegant, with chocolate-brown tablecloths and steel-gray chairs.

Opening on weekdays at 4:01 p.m. and Saturdays at 11:31 a.m., Shiloh Grill reminds visitors that patience will be rewarded. The restaurant’s most popular offering, the Burgher, consists of half a pound of ground turkey topped with dried cranberries, sage stuffing, and rosemary aioli—a year-round reminder of autumn that balances out the ever-rotating seasonal menus and selection of craft brews. Several events also run throughout the week, such as Wednesday’s tarot readings that always eerily predict when the next card will be drawn from the deck.

At Bossa Nova, it’s okay to begin a meal with cupcakes. In the baked chicken cupcakes—one of many tapas plates on the menu—mashed potatoes are substituted for frosting, and there’s a garnish of sautéed zucchini. Such innovative recipes are mixed in with a number of classic ones; you can also try fried calamari, spicy tuna tartar wrapped in cucumber, and a bacon, brie, and potato sandwich. These dishes are centered on a communal dining experience, which encourages you to try whatever tapas plate your friend is eating without first pretending to have somehow misplaced your own. In addition to tapas, the kitchen serves up larger entrees such as Spanish chorizo and beef filet.

The restaurant's space is just as eclectic as the cuisine, with a circular bar covered in mosaic tiles acting as the centerpiece. Stop here to order wine and cocktails, and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, guests head to the dance floor during DJ sets. Chandeliers and vibrant artwork surround the tables spread throughout the dining room, and there are nooks embedded into the walls if you want a more intimate setting.

Red Tea House peppers palates with an amalgam of Asian flavors with a menu of Chinese specialties and freshly bundled sushi options. While skilled maki chefs manipulate scallops, salmon, and yellowtail into intricate rolls, diners wrap their own morsels of classic peking duck and mu-shu pork in delicate, steaming crepes. Seven days a week, patrons can stop in for a dumpling appetizer, or savor Asian fare at home with complimentary delivery in order to effectively discipline a misbehaving wok.

Carmi Family Restaurant has walls, tables, and its very own kitchen—at first glance, these factors make it a run-of-the-mill establishment. But this brick-and-mortar restaurant arose out of overwhelming demand and governmental petitions for chef Michael King's southern soul food, which he originally prepared through his catering operation, Catering Kings. As buzz about on-the-go soul food swept the area, King and his fiancée "became victims of their success" and were forced to open their own storefront, according to Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Pittsburgh City Paper's reviewers slaked their appetites on "terrific" waffles and chicken with a "thick, heavily seasoned crust that provided plenty of crunch." The author of Baking, domesticity, and all things mini polished off "every last crumb" of the gravy-drenched meatloaf and buttered up the staff who were "friendly and charming right from the start."

Opened in 2003, Mexi-Casa’s playful take on Tex-Mex dishes quickly earned it the tagline “Pittsburgh’s Least Authentic Mexican Restaurant,” according to the Dormont-Brookline Patch. The full bar pours domestic and imported beers as well as hand-mixed margaritas on the rocks margaritas in five fruity flavors. The chef adds his own creative flair to each dish, resulting in globe-spanning combinations such as the Mediterranean quesadilla, pretzels con queso, and the Acapulco burrito—a blend of pulled pork, grilled pineapple, and trilingual cheeses. The menu also offers more traditional Tex-Mex dishes, including more than 40 burrito combinations, soft-shell tacos, and house-made guacamole.

The full bar pours domestic and imported beers as well as hand-mixed margaritas on the rocks margaritas in five fruity flavors. The eatery’s late-night menu offers a limited selection of appetizers and entrees, chicken wings in six sauces.