CAFÉ ALLEGRO
Executive Chef Joseph Nolan
12th and East Carson streets, South Side
412/481-7788, cafeallegropittsburgh.com
$$-$$$
For 21 years, this charming South Side bistro has served up a distinctive fare inspired by the French and Italian Riviera style of cooking. From spicy tomato and saffron bouillabaisse at dinner to a savory duck-confit tart with dried figs and balsamic reduction as an appetizer, the flavors transport you to Europe - as does the crisp, artful interior with its intimately sized bar. In summer, the sidewalk tables clustered outside add the final authentic touch.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make: Signature appetizer of grilled calamari dressed with spicy citrus marinade.
THE CAFÉ AT THE FRICK
Executive Chef Cory Hughes
7227 Reynolds St., Point Breeze
412/371-0600, frickart.org/features/cafe
$$
You'll leave your heart in Point Breeze after lunching at this lovely garden café known for its creative and sublimely fresh seasonal food. Many of the splendid herbs and vegetables used in the kitchen are organically grown on the surrounding grounds of the historic Frick Art & Historical Center and in its lush gardens and greenhouse. Former sous chef Cory Hughes is now at the helm after the recent departure of chef Patrick Laird. Lingering on the patio for the delicious afternoon tea service is a wonderful summer indulgence.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make: "Scallops and Pearls" entree with seared sea scallops and savory spring pea-cucumber tapioca with sweet-pepper coulis.
 >> Café Zao offers a colorful plate of stacked delicacies, including quail, duck mousse, roasted beef and assorted vegetables with Morello cherry sauce.
CAFÉ ZAO
Chef and Owner Toni Pais
649 Penn Ave., downtown
412/325-7007
$$$
Toni Pais, a native of Portugal, puts a sophisticated spin on the cuisine of his home country at this upscale restaurant. Unusual ingredients sourced everywhere from Europe to Indonesia, India and China - and the myriad other countries where Portuguese culture put down roots - give the fare a distinctive international flavor. Want to try a sauce made with Tuaca, an Italian liqueur with honey-citrus-herbal flavor? Done. As you relax in the dining room's spacious, sleek interior with its ice-blue and chocolate-brown walls, the exotic tastes go down easy.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make: Pan-seared quail wrapped in thinly sliced duck breast and served with Tuaca sauce.
CASBAH
Chef Alan Peet
229 S. Highland Ave., Shadyside
412/661-5656, bigburrito.com/casbah
$$$
Sparkly low lighting, jewel-toned walls and an appealing wine list make this intimate dining room great date-night material. Additional tables in the tented dining area out front are most charming in summer. The Mediterranean-inspired fare has just the right touch of intrigue, from the pomegranate vinaigrette and pistachios served with the duck confit to the house-made fennel sausage alongside the ricotta cavatelli. Even if you pop in just for a glass of bubbly and an artisan cheese plate, the visit will be worth your while.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make: Elysian Fields Farm lamb osso buco with fava beans, organic polenta, crispy red beets and natural jus.
DISH OSTERIA & BAR
Chef Michele Savoia
128 S. 17th St., South Side
412/390-2012
$$-$$$
This intimate South Side gem located just blocks off Carson Street's bustle serves up rustic Italian food and a lively, sophisticated ambience. The small, pretty dining room, set apart from the handsome (and usually smoky) bar, is the best place to indulge. Here, simple dishes such as grilled calamari with spinach or fresh pasta with wild mushrooms truly shine. Daily specials are the heart of the menu - each day brings four to five appetizer and three to four entree options (if you're lucky, one will be the dish listed below). In a crowning cosmopolitan touch, the kitchen doesn't close until midnight.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make: Grilled tuna with Sicilian chickpea fritters and sautéed fresh artichoke hearts with sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives.
ELEVEN
Chef Derek Stevens
1150 Smallman St., Strip District
412/201-5656, bigburrito.com/eleven
$$$-$$$$
One of the area's flagship splurge restaurants, Eleven is well-loved for its creative, contemporary American cuisine. An urbane mood suffuses the spacious multilevel interior with sleek dining area, large bar and open kitchen. Chef Stevens, second in command as the chef de cuisine during the restaurant's initial opening, now leads the kitchen (he came from Casbah to replace former chef Greg Alauzen, who departed last fall). His changes to the lunch and dinner offerings have not altered the menu's essence, which draws on the best ingredients of Western Pennsylvania and beyond. You'll find all the accessories of fine dining, from the well-crafted wine and cocktail lists to the American farmstead cheeses and house-made desserts.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make: Braised short ribs with Anson Mills grits, morels, ramps and collard greens.
 << Café Zao's "Trio of Seafood" includes scallops, tiger prawns and lupe de mer.
IOVINO'S CAF&Eactue;
Chef and Owner Jeff Iovino
300A Beverly Road, Mount Lebanon
412/440-0414
$$-$$$, BYOB
Jeff Iovino, who along with co-chef Mike Humphries won this year's Rising Star Chefs Award, has earned recognition after opening this internationally inspired bistro in the spring of last year. Iovino and Humphries are both big Burrito alums with a world-beat bent: You'll find excellent fresh seafood and sophisticated vegetarian fare set off by an eclectic fusion of flavors from Asia, Italy, Morocco, Thailand, India and beyond. The open dining area with 50 seats is a bright and pleasant backdrop - the vibe is casual enough for a quick weeknight meal yet charming enough that lingering over a four-course meal seems just as sensible.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make: Seared sea scallops with portobello red-pepper salsa served with black-pepper linguine tossed in apple-butter porcini cream sauce.
KAYA
Chef Brandy Stewart
2000 Smallman St., Strip District
412/261-6565, bigburrito.com/kaya
$$
Casual upscale dining gets a fresh infusion of island spice at Kaya. This creative kitchen turns up the heat with skill, whether it's an appetizer of spicy lentil and corn beignets with green-curry dipping sauce or delicious jerked chicken with cornbread and braised greens. The dining room, equipped with a comfy banquette on one side and a bar lined with palm-tree stools on the other, has just the right touch of tiki kitsch - the splashy cocktails do, too, so don't miss them.
Chef's Favorite Dish to Make:Guajillo-chili-dusted seared rare tuna with smashed canary beans and rice, fried bananas and sautéed bok choy in sweet garlic sauce and ginger oil.
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