Vegan
Beer/Wine
European
Polish
Central and Eastern European cuisine focused restaurant and bar, opened here Feb 2016. Had sprouted from a monthly pop-up called Pierogi Night. Contact via email for reservations and questions: aptekapgh@gmail.com. Open Fri-Sun 5:00pm-10:00pm.
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4606 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, 15224
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Last update on 18 Jun 2025 by xinemachine
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Added by chk49 on 12 Apr 2016
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110 Reviews
First Review by jswiss
MidwestMuncher
Points +255
The Best Restaurant - Edit
I’ve eaten a lot of food in my life. Plenty of fantastic restaurants, countless incredible dishes. Again, plenty. This one stands above all the rest. I’m a huge fan of vegan meats and vegan cheeses (definitely not one to shy away from processed vegan food as long as it tastes good), but I love how the focus here is on utilizing fresh produce to create beautiful, rustic, cultural, and very filling dishes. They highlight the fact that just because the food is vegetable-forward, it can still be every bit as satisfying, if not more so. Every bite here is tied for the best bite I’ve ever had. The amount of love and care that is put into each dish is truly palpable here, and the resultant excellence is certainly appreciated by me and plenty of other diners. Every dish tastes incredibly fresh, and it makes you realize just how rare it is to have such high quality food with so much effort put into it. If you want to truly experience the cuisine of another culture, this restaurant is the premier representation of Polish offerings. I have had some similarly excellent cultural experiences when it comes to food, but this one is certainly the best. The atmosphere is great too; the inside is incredibly homey and cozy. It should also be mentioned that this place functions as a standalone wine bar during Wednesdays and Thursdays. I highly recommend trying some of their wine or their cocktails if you’re already here for the food. Speaking of the food, it’s nearly impossible to choose favorites, but some of the highlights include:
Read more1. They have a wide variety of breads served with various dishes, all of which are delicious
2. The desserts are some of the most impressively creative, such as their parsnip ice cream(!)
3. They have some classic favorites on their regular weekly menu (such as pierogi, celeriac cutlet, Silesian dumplings, etc.) but are also constantly rotating the majority of their menu to accommodate the available produce, so no two visits to eat here are exactly alike
4. They do a phenomenal job at having dishes that walk the fine line between approachability and enhancing the patron’s palate. For example, going back to the parsnip ice cream (and also carrot ice cream!): I was very excited to try it, but I didn’t actually think it would be very good. And I was dead wrong; it was amazing! It lured me in with its uniqueness, but then blew me away with the incredible flavor. That was my first time having anything parsnip-related, and now I love them & Apteka!
Pros: It’s the best restaurant I’ve ever been to., The food is nothing short of divine., I count the days until I can make the drive back.
Cons: Not open every day, but perfection takes time, Often busy (because others know it’s incredible)
Guest
redeats
Points +63
spiritual - Edit
One of the best meals of my life. The restaurant’s setting is beautiful, loved, and warm. We got a bunch of things to split, both the pierogi dishes, the potato dumplings, sunflowers, roasted pepper toast situation. Phenomenal ❤️❤️❤️ everything.
Read morePros: All the Pierogis!!! , Beautiful atmosphere
Guest
DerekBoylan
Points +38
Worth the wait - Edit
Cafe style on a busy Sunday night made for over an hour and half before food. Thankfully the food was worth it. Sunflower, fried pierogies were great
Read moreGuest
Averageveganmom
Points +333
Exceptional, essential - Edit
One of the main reasons I decided to take a trip to Pittsburgh was to come here. Expectations were high and somehow the food surpassed it! Try as many things as you can because everything is amazing. There’s a line out the door at opening so get there early or be prepared to wait (so worth it though). Don’t skip the appetizer platter!
Read moreGuest
TifK29
Points +543
Wowzas. - Edit
The cold salad and beans with fluffy onion bread was perfect. The a Fred X wine was delish. For main course we had fried pirogies, schnitzel, and stuffed peppers. Everything was glorious!!!!
Read morePros: Pierogies, Wiiiiiiiiine, Knowledge/hospitality
Cons: Na
Guest
Cassmula
Points +472
Delicious - Edit
I have never had Ethiopian food. I was unsure what to expect but knew I’ve been wanting to try Apteka. We had a little wait, but well worth it. Flavors out of this world and super yummy drinks. Everything I had was amazing. Don’t ask me to pronounce it though !
Read morePros: Cute place , Indoor/outdoor seating ( sit indoor if you can )
Guest
Jax_The_Coyote
Points +293
Great Eastern European Food - Edit
Lots of great cuisine that is not common to find in the US, much less veganized!
Read moreCons: Small portion sizes
Guest
TheVeganWerewolf
Points +216
Very Tasty - Edit
The wait was well worth it! I had the Smazone Pierogi and a celeryseed soda. I was intrigued by the soda, and was expecting something weird, but it tasted very good! The pierogi were great too! I also tried the Kluski Slaskie and I think that may have been my favorite! It had a great time trying new foods.
Read moreGuest
caliburrito
Points +26
The best - Edit
The best vegan restaurant in Pittsburgh, hands down.
Read moreGuest
lrz613
Points +300
Mind-blowing experience - Edit
This review is long overdue. I've visited Apteka several times and am consistently blown away by the entire experience. The flavors are indescribable. Apteka uses fresh, unique ingredients to create impressive Eastern European dishes. I crave the beet soup often, the pierogi fillings are unlike any other pierogi I've had, the potato dumplings with mushroom sauce brought to life flavors I've never had before, the stuffed cabbage is savory and filling, and the ever-changing desserts are never too sweet. They offer tons of beer, wine, and homemade cocktails. The staff works so well together; they are friendly, helpful, and efficient. There is always a wait to get in, but it is worth it every time. Once seated, service is quick and attentive. The atmosphere is unique and cozy.
Read moreI must also mention "Crapteka" --- a few weeks at the beginning of the year where they forego their typical menu to serve "junk" food...a variety of burgers, fries, and shakes!
10/10 EVERYONE must try this place, vegan or not. You will not leave disappointed!!
Pros: THE FLAVORS, All vegan, Prompt, friendly service
Guest
aeryus
Points +472
fantastic - Edit
absolutely delicious food every single time
Read moreGuest
veghen
Points +191
Delicious, unique food - Edit
I was excited to try this place. It's definitely a different experience. The food was great. It was maybe a little pricey, but about what you would expect for this area. I would go back. Parking was not as difficult as I expected.
Read morePros: Yummy food
Cons: Noisy
Guest
Tiskers
Points +37
MUST GO!!! - Edit
APTEKA is AMAAAAAAZING!
Read moreIt was my first time here. We got there right at 5 pm, and there was a line already (though it went fast!) Menus were handed out while in line by a very friendly and gracious staff member. You order and pay once you enter the building and before sitting down. (You can add on later, if desired, for example - dessert.)
The atmosphere is so pleasant, service is friendly, and the food is simply DIVINE. (And the water, served from glass bottles is delicious - I’m fussy about the water I drink and this water is obviously filtered and clean.)
We got the pierogi and it was delicious. APTEKA is a wonderful 100% vegan experience. We will definitely be back. If we didn’t live 2 hours away, we’d be there weekly and make it a goal to try everything in the menu.
RUN, don’t walk, to APTEKA!
Pros: 100% vegan, Delicious food
Guest
simpleworldme
Points +46
Spectacular - Edit
Apteka blew my mind. Their food, ambiance, and service are top-notch. Their approach to Polish food is unique and guarantees an unforgettable experience!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-12-26
Pros: Cuisine, Service , Music
Guest
Smalltownvgn
Points +67
Such a flavorful meal - Edit
Split 1 small plate and 1 large plate and 2 desserts between 2 and it was the perfect amount!
Read morePros: Taste , Speed, Prices
Cons: Can be a long wait , Gets busy so it will be noisy , Tight spaced seating options
Guest
greenlily
Points +140
Just fantastic - Edit
Went here for birthday dinner and had a wonderful experience. We waited about 20 minutes to put our names down, then maybe 15 more to get a table. Once we ordered, the food arrived within five minutes. The potato dumplings with rye crumbs are one of the best bites I’ve ever eaten. Also had the onion and cabbage pie and the celeriac schnitzel; both very good but slightly less mind-blowing. The drinks are also amazing and made with in-house syrups.
Read morePros: Warm atmosphere, Creative menu
Cons: Slightly disorganized seating/ordering process
Guest
SabrinaJaffe
Points +909
Amazing - Edit
Great food and atmosphere! We ordered two small plates, two big plates, and two drinks. Everything was delicious. We will definitely be back.
Read morePros: All vegan
Guest
KaleSnail
Points +101
Vegan Slavic Food: One of the Last Frontiers! - Edit
As soon as I found out there was a vegan restaurant based on Slavic cuisines, I absolutely had to go! Partly because I myself have a Czech background, but also because it's one of the few types of food you almost never see being made vegan. It's admittedly not the most naturally vegan friendly, and seems to be in a grey area of sorts: not familiar to most Americans but also not "exotic" enough to be deemed interesting. All in all, Apteka has an excellent take on Slavic food: almost all of the dishes are fairly traditional in composition, and make vegan through the unintrusive substitutions of cashew cream for dairy and suchlike. We went for the pierogies, a staple of Slavic cuisine and also strongly associated with Pittsburgh, and couldn't have been happier with the fairly straightforward preparation, paired with some very attractive plating that elevated the experience just enough. Celeriac schnitzel was a nice twist on a basic dish and a great way to highlight an under-served vegetable and bring some lightness to a fried dish. And although we didn't order them there were definitely some more daring items on the menu as well, including whole sunflower heads! (I always love to see actual plants on the menu at a vegan restaurant, especially since "apteka" means "drugstore" or "pharmacy.") We also really enjoyed the dessert option of the cream cake with sour cherries; probably much prettier eaten in house but still delicious with a nice hearty texture. I really wanted to give this place a full five stars based on the amazing food alone, but sadly there were other factors I really disliked. Namely, Apteka's ordering system is a complete mess. Rather than get seated at a table and ordering with a waiter, you have to queue up at a one person ordering station to order everything. This is tedious and slow and honestly feels kind of patronizing; even if they think most customers are going to need a lot of help understanding unfamiliar dishes on the menu, waitstaff can explain things at tables instead of bottlenecking everything behind one person! We were there on a busy Saturday night and the wait was substantial because of this. When we expressed worry about it, the host assured us food would come out super fast to make up for it, but this wasn't really the case at all, and we were quite upset about being lied to. It's also small inside, very loud, and dark, so not pleasant to sit down in. I suggest you order takeout to avoid these issues!
Read morePros: Great Renditions of Slav Classics, Attractive Plating, Dessert Made In House
Cons: Confusing Ordering System, Loud & Dark Ambiance, Very Busy / Wait Times
Guest
recycledstar
Points +357
My favorite restaurant - Edit
Apteka is my obsession. The food, service, variety, quality, everything. When traveling to Pittsburgh it is a must. Try everything you can!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-08-25
Pros: Everything is amazing , Service is great, Love the space
Guest
GrayHorwitz
Points +2106
Excellent and unique fine dining (for a price) - Edit
Amazing, creative, and locally and/or intentionally sourced, apteka offers a dining experience that is rare and worth it for special occasions. The back garden seating is lovely and service was thoughtful and kind.
Read moreGuest
ElissaBVegan
Points +3387
Great if you like Polish food - Edit
I wasn’t sure what to expect…
Read moreI found the food to be pretty salty and oily, but interesting.
Pros: All vegan
Guest
Dannywood
Points +49
Excellent excellent excellent - Edit
Wow holy [censored].
Read moreIncredible food,
amazing service,
Guest
greenbluegray
Points +1780
NYT calls it one of the 50 best U.S. restaurants - Edit
The NYT rating was from 2022, and that was ALL restaurants, not vegan ones. I might not even have noticed that there was no meat. The dishes were all hearty and amazing. Order a bunch of plates to share, and as everyone says, get the pierogies. We loved the soft ones best as well as the incredible cabbage rolls. There are no reservations for small parties, so come early since you might have to wait in line. Everyone was so nice, and the wine list was unusual and delightful. Good iced tea too. We had excellent recommendations for a few bottles to take home. It wasn't hard to find parking on the street, but we were there early (on a Friday). I cannot imagine who would not enjoy this food which is fancy yet earthy. with a casual modern atmosphere. I agree that it is an experience not easy to find elsewhere. Well done Pittsburgh~
Read morePros: Homey earthy food beautifully presented, reasonable prices, helpful kind service
Cons: It is several hours away, lol
Guest
SharonR
Points +3374
Rich Eastern European Foods - Edit
This restaurant is a whole experience. They're only open Friday through Sunday, so I think everybody and their mother tries to get in those 3 days.
Read moreDespite the appearance (and food) of an upscale restaurant, there's no dedicated server per table. You order up front and they really take their time (if you need it) to walk you through the menu, the wines to pair with it, and so on. This has pros and cons. If you happen to get a slow group in front of you, you're in for a whole lot of waiting (the couple in front of us took about 20 minutes, which I'm assuming and hoping it's not the norm). The pro is that if you want to add anything at any point, you don't have to wait to catch the waiters attention, and when you want to pay the check, you're good to come up too.
Food: it's HEAVY. Central/Eastern European foods. Lots of cream and fried bread. I say this as a lover of these things. Just order accordingly. We got the fried bread, pierogis, nettle soup (as our "healthy" option"), Zakaski (a platter with several pickled vegetables, lentils, smoked parsnip), and cake. I'm not a dessert person, so ymmv, the cake was good, but everything else was better.
greenbluegray
Great review!
Read moreGuest
VeganMusicMan
Points +297
Wow. Wow. Wow. - Edit
Apteka. WOW. So awesome to find a vegan restaurant that not only has great food, but feels so special. We showed up 15 minutes before opening and there were already 20 people in front of us. And everybody was excited to eat there. We had the house made black pepper soda, celery seed soda, Zakąski (pickle plate), Szparagi (asparagus sautéed in black pepper, vin, mint, lemon, onion), Smażone Pierogi (a variety of pierogi), Kotlet Selerowy (celeriac cutlet), and Żytnie Ciasto z Powidlami (rye flour cake with oat crème, plum, apricot). Everything was amazing, we were stoked with each serving. Everything wonderfully spiced, sublime condiments, and more. If you’re in Pittsburgh, we really recommend this place!
Read moreGuest
ponchoswindow
Points +818
Had everything- want everything again. - Edit
I went several months ago and haven’t stopped thinking about how good the dessert was. My table split several small dishes and we each had our own entree (mine was the best). Not sure what I ate, sorry. Regardless, we each left feeling full and satisfied. Satisfied in the way where you’ve had all the right flavors and portions of healthy foods in your diet and it all tasted perfect.
Read moreGuest
MelissaNoe
Points +33
Don't question it just GO - Edit
The food was AMAZING!! Pierogis were phenomenal and the best dish to me by far was called Langos. A fried bread with some sort of deliciousness in the middle.
Read moreGuest
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