Pennsylvania's Elevated Restaurant In Pittsburgh Is An Elegant Experience With Mouth-Watering Meals Overlooking The City

There's so much to see and do in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but one unmissable experience involves leaving the city center to see it from an elevated perspective. You can ride the historic funicular railway to the top of Mount Washington and dine at Altius, a high-end restaurant serving contemporary American cuisine with breathtaking views over Pittsburgh's skyline.

The restaurant, which opened in 2014, is a joint project by Chef Jessica Bauer and the prominent Pittsburgh restaurateur Josephine "B" DeFrancis. Altius offers fine dining in an airy, modern space, where there's a great view from each elegantly appointed table. While lingering over a charcuterie board or steak tartare, guests can look out over the Point — the spot where the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers converge — and the downtown skyscrapers just beyond, which are especially beautiful at dusk when the city's lights start switching on. 

That's not all there is to see from one of the city's top dining spots. Pittsburgh is known as the City of Bridges — it has a record-breaking 446, even more than the romantic destination of Venice — so it's fitting that many are visible from Altius. A series of bridges, including the charming yellow Roberto Clemente Bridge, is on grand display through the restaurant's oversized picture windows. 

Views aside, prospective diners may wonder what they can expect from the food and drinks at Altius. According to the owners, the menu centers on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, and the chef is known for a mix of classic and unique dishes. Past patrons suggest starting with drinks from the cocktail menu, like Pieces of Midnight, a tequila-based drink made with fresh pomegranate, lemon, and egg whites, or Reverse Psychology, a bourbon cocktail that incorporates amaro and homemade apple bitters. One recent Google reviewer said that the bartender "crafted the best pre-dinner drinks, adding a creative twist to our Paper Plane cocktail with citrus peel airplane punch-outs," adding that it was "a fun and memorable touch."

Pair cocktails or wine with small plates, like wild-caught crab toast or chilled oysters — or splurge on a selection from Altius' caviar offerings. Gourmet entrees run the range from filet mignon and New York strip steaks to Australian lamb shank and Chilean sea bass, and shareable sides include truffled gouda purple potato puree, French green beans, and rock shrimp risotto. Still have room for dessert? Try the chocolate ganache-based Silken S'more or the decadent carrot cake with caramelized walnuts. 

If you can time your meal with sunset, you'll be in for the best views. However, any time is a good time to savor a delicious dinner with sweeping panoramas of Pittsburgh, especially with expert staff helping to make the evening's experience especially refined. "I went for dinner and everything from the food to the service, to the amazing skyline view was simply outstanding," said one diner. Altius is open from 5 to 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday, and 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturday.