Squirrel Hill Market — Restaurant in Pittsburgh

Third time attending this restaurant today .The First time I went, I ordered pound of corn beef. It was OK. I didn’t particularly care for the taste. It didn’t taste as kosher as other places. The second time I went I ordered a half a pound of corn beef and a half a pound of pastrami. I forgot that I didn’t particularly care for the corned beef, but I found the pastrami to taste pretty good my only problem was the pastrami was in little itty bitty pieces, as if it was the leftover shavings from shaving off of a brisket. When I got home and opened up the package, it was filled with little itty-bitty pieces not one slice of pastrami so I went again today, but before I went, I called and asked if she could shave me a half a pound of thin pastrami for sandwiches she said yes Well when I got there, she pulled out a container of little pieces of shavings and she told me that that is what she sells for sandwiches and I just watched her shave a brisket of corned beef with nice slices, but she told me that the pastrami comes out in little pieces and that’s how she sells it Well, that’s not what the pictures look like on the website. It looks like slices of pastrami. So of course, I told her I didn’t want little bitty pieces of leftover shavings with hardly any meat and fat. I see other reviews with people taking pictures of pastrami with slices. Why does she want to give me the leftover scrapings ! I will never go back ! Who the hell wants to buy scrapings Of pastrami to make a sandwich, especially when on the website all the sandwiches look like they come from a deli in New York. Why can’t you buy a pound or a half a pound of sliced pastrami? I left and drove to the strip district to Smallman Street deli And got what I was looking for ! I have been buying corn, beef and pastrami since the gazebo days and Shadyside and Kasons deli In squirrel Hill back when corned beef and pastrami was 499 a pound now it’s practically $21-$23 some places a pound. Kosher corn beef and pastrami is my favorite deli meat so I’m pretty familiar with how it should look and how it should taste ! This pic is from Smallman Street deli. This is exactly what I was looking for slices not little pieces of shavings from a brisket !

Their response is not true at all… this is the first time that me and the woman that was doing the shaving of the meat ever had a conversation the last two times I was in there I do not recall speaking out loud if so, I love to see it please post it. Maybe I’m wrong but you have a tape so post it ! On your website plenty of people have posted sandwiches pastrami sandwiches so the only way I can get a slice of pastrami as if I order a sandwich but I can’t get a slice of pastrami if I order a half a pound or a pound to go if that’s how it goes, I understand But that’s not what I see when I look at your website ! And absolutely I wish I would’ve bought the pastrami at Smallman street deli when I bought the corn beef earlier I wasted gas driving to Sq Hill after I called to ask if you would slice a half a pound for me. You wanted to give me shavings from a brisket as you did the last time I wasn’t going to allow it this time. You was not going to shave me anything you were gonna give me the shaving little pieces out of your little silver container the little pieces of brisket no thanks. Go yourself to the deli and ask for a pound or a half a pound of pastrami and what’s the container she pulls out with little pieces of meat and fat.. I’ve never seen any DELI sell those shavings as half a pounds or pounds of meat. I will also let Smallman Street Deli know how you feel about the quality of meat they sell. All feelings mutual ! This post would have never posted if I had not called the deli first and asked if pastrami could be sliced thin for me and she said yes, then I made the trip to only have the container pulled from out the fridge and told...

Squirrel Hill Market is an absolute gem. Honestly, I have no idea how they can afford to serve up a full pound of homemade corned beef or pastrami on a sandwich at the price they do. They should be charging more! This isn’t your typical, store-bought corned beef or mass-produced pastrami—this is the real deal.

They hand-select their briskets, cure, season, and cook everything from scratch, ensuring every bite is packed with incredible flavor. But it doesn’t stop there. They don’t take shortcuts or rely on generic condiments—you won’t find store-bought mustard or pickles here. Everything is made in-house, from their tangy, crunchy pickles to their insanely good spicy brown mustard, ensuring that every element of their food is as fresh and flavorful as possible.

Now, let’s talk about value. A 1-pound corned beef or pastrami sandwich, loaded with your choice of homemade toppings, for just $22? That’s unheard of. To put it in perspective, there’s a restaurant near me that charges $30 for a dry, flavorless beef brisket sandwich with a handful of overcooked potato chips—and somehow, they’re always busy. That sandwich barely has any meat, the sauce is over-seasoned and does nothing to complement the brisket, and the bun is tiny compared to what Squirrel Hill Market serves. Meanwhile, this place is putting out premium, handcrafted sandwiches that should easily cost $30+—and they’re doing it without cutting corners.

But it’s not just the sandwiches that shine. Their matzoh ball soup is another must-try. They’ve taken this traditional dish and turned it into something uniquely flavorful while still honoring its comforting roots. If you’re in the area and haven’t tried it, you’re seriously missing out.

And then, there’s the spicy brown mustard—and let me tell you, we don’t just like it—we are obsessed with it. It’s so good that every time we visit, my family and I clear out their entire supply. We buy every single jar they have on the shelf because we literally put it on everything. It’s that addictive. If they ever stopped making it, I’m not sure what we’d do.

And of course, the honey—and trust me, this isn’t just any honey. They sell their own brand, Pittsburgh Honey, and if you think you know what good honey tastes like, you haven’t truly experienced it until you’ve tried theirs. It’s the purest, cleanest, and most flavorful honey I’ve ever had. My family and friends are hooked, and now we stock up every time we visit. It’s rare to find a business that puts this much care into every product they sell, but Squirrel Hill Market delivers nothing but quality, honesty, and flavor.

I can’t say enough good things about this place. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind staple in the community, and it deserves far more recognition. If you appreciate high-quality food, fair pricing, and homemade excellence, this is the...

TLDR: this spot has great service, a nostalgic atmosphere, and great ingredients. This larger than life vision for Jewish Deli isn't what I was looking for, but you should give it a try!

[Note: Although I did not change my overall rating, I changed the wording of my review after receiving the owners thoughtful and knowledgable--albeit feisty--response. I'm used to reviewing deli's that have been in business for decades. It's important to support new businesses. To set the historical record straight, 1) I moved quickly after sitting down; I was not able to finish the sandwich. 2) This is the first and probably the only time I will hear the sandwiches at Brent's and Langers referred to as a "diminutive, tidy experience." However, compared the sandwiches served here, it's true.]

I review Jewish Delis in every city I visit, so you can imagine my excitement when I learned that one opened up in my home city. The grocery store/deli restaurant is thoughtfully stocked and beautifully decorated with homages to old-world delis. The menu is full of deli classics and the pastrami dog is a clever idea! The server was kind and recommended I try the pastrami.

Let's start with the good: the pastrami is delicate, thinly sliced, and melts in your mouth. I thought the pastrami was over-salted and a bit greasy, even by pastrami standards. The bread was soft and pillowy and the restaurant offered a good assortment of mustards. I was impressed when the server created the largest pastrami sandwich I'd ever laid eyes on, but my astonishment turned to disappointment when I opened the sandwich at outdoor table and a pile of meat slid out of the paper. To offer a cohesive sandwich experience, the bread must be sturdy enough to contain delicate crumbly meat or the meat must be cut thickly enough to stay in the sandwich. With so much meat, the mustard was overpowered. With prices that rival my favorite LA Delis (compare to Brent's, Canters, Langers), I was hoping for a cohesive sandwich experience.

With all the love and care that has gone into the decoration, atmosphere, ingredients, and staff selection, I'm hoping this deli succeeds. Reviews certainly suggest it will! However, I think sturdier, larger slices of bread...