"The Pitt" shoutout brings new attention to Pino's
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Baked olives and fresh Prince Edward Island Mussels at Pino's. Photo: Chrissy Suttles/Axios
A surprise shoutout on last Thursday's episode of "The Pitt" has driven new interest in a family-owned Italian restaurant in Point Breeze.
The big picture: "Dinner starts at Pino's, the best Italian in town," a patient tells Dr. Cassie McKay in Episode 4 of the award-winning HBO Max series.
- The mention lit up the family's phones, says Pino's Contemporary Italian co-owner Jen Mico — fueling a bump in online engagement and, likely, foot traffic at the neighborhood Italian spot.
- "It was a complete surprise to us," she says. … "Given the bitter cold start to the week from Snowmageddon, we believe it's made a definite impact. I think we'll continue to see an increase for the foreseeable future."
Zoom in: Pino's serves fresh, house-made pasta prepared daily, with all sauces and stocks made from scratch. The menu also features pizzas, salads, desserts, signature cocktails, mocktails, and an extensive selection of beers and wines by the bottle or glass.
- The restaurant is owned and operated by Jen Mico and her husband, chef Joe "Pino" Mico.
- Reservations are strongly recommended and available via OpenTable for parties of five or fewer. Larger parties are encouraged to call the restaurant directly.
- Seating includes an indoor dining room, wine bar and seasonal outdoor patio.
Dig in: We stopped by Pino's last Saturday to a packed house — and it lived up to the hype.
- Our table started with airy housemade focaccia ($8), warm baked olives ($7) and a pound of fresh Prince Edward Island Mussels ($24) to share.
- Entrees included the baked eggplant with béchamel, seasoned ricotta and tomato basil sauce ($28), among other dishes.
- We finished with a rich, silky chocolate budino — Italian custard and honey-mascarpone whipped cream ($10).
Zoom out: The Pittsburgh-set medical drama is packed with local nods this season — from Zambelli Fireworks and an "art gallery" at 40th and Butler (the Lawrenceville Wendy's?) to a moving tribute to the Tree of Life Synagogue victims.
- "It's been incredible to see the popularity of the show and how closely people pay attention to the local Pittsburgh references," says Mico. "It's truly what makes Pittsburgh such a special place — everyone has a connection."
If you go: Pino's is at 6738 Reynolds St., Point Breeze
- Tuesday-Thursday 4pm-9pm, Friday-Saturday 4pm-10 pm