The Zenith

First, I will say that the food was delicious. However, the ambiance was VERY… interesting. Being that me and my date were the only people in the joint, it was even more so. Won’t be back but it’s because it’s just not for me. But the FOOD was great, truly. I will stress that.

I’ve read the reviews so knew pretty much what I was in for. Kind of like going on a roller coaster for the first time but knowing what to expect because you spent months talking to your friends about it.
I thought the experience was pretty cool, perhaps ghoulishly cool. We parked around the corner, and once we were on the street we walked right past it. There isn’t a sign or anything but because of all the pictures on Unilocal I recognized it just as I passed it. We walked in, and right into what could be an art exhibit. Or a garage sale, depending on your point of view. Even the bathrooms are loaded with stuff. Other restaurants that use pieces of Americana as décor are mere imitators of this place. The Zenith is the real McCoy.
Now about the food: I was there on a Saturday, and had the wheat berry salad. It was large, and filled me up. It tasted good and I was pleased with it. I will be back to try other items.

The best part of Zenith is the salads and desserts that come with Sunday brunch. They have distinct flavors and combinations in all their offerings. The worst part of Zenith is that the entrees are not always so good. They’re innovative and interesting, but they’re not always that great.
I’ve had French toast and pancakes where one of the two pieces were burnt and they were still served. Two weeks ago my friend ordered a sweet and sour tofu rice dish that was 50% liquid. My chickpea sandwich was good, but the rice that came with was overly sweet and disappointing. The entrees are overall just not my thing. I wish they were but they’re just disappointing.
The service is usually really good. The food is also served within an antique shop (which is kind of their thing/​shtick) but it’s also kind of musty/​dusty.

VEGETARIAN BRUNCH.
Top three things to love about Zenith:
1. Out of this world décor
2. Elaborate veggie dishes
3. $ 11.50
I realize to the average bear that might not get you going, but breakfast has a lot of fatty meats in it (sausage, bacon, grits, whathaveyou) and it makes brunch a lot less fun when you don’t partake in those items.
Easily a vegetarian brunch could just mean a Comfort Inn Continental Breakfast. This is not the case. The buffet is made of couscous, broccoli salad, vegan cakes… Really 75% of what’s going on those tables are raw and clean foods. Super healthy.
I ordered veggie burger. Admittedly I was recovering from a doosie of an evening that my friend group called «Galentine’s Day.» At any rate, this was just what the doctor ordered. And all those veggies replenished my vitamin supply.
It’s regularly an antique shop from what I gather. It’s very over-​the-​top, dancing on the line of creepy. Millions of angels, a few mannequins, and an oddly placed Santa doll later and you’ve got the Zenith deco scheme. I dig it.
It’s a hidden gem just off of Carson Street and one worth making a trip to uncover.
P. S. The coffee wasn’t amazing, but Big Dog Coffeeshop is just a hop and a slip away to complete your Sunday morning checklist.

There is a line to get in, so go early. Upon entrance you walk through the antique collectibles and there are lots of them. Soon you enter into the dining rooms, set up in the middle of shop. The tables are set with antique dishes. The menu is a small card on the table. You order an an entrée and the vegetarian buffet is included. The flavors are absolutely amazing. This is a hidden gem. Assorted bundt cakes for dessert, at least 15 to choose from… help yourself to deliciousness…

Boy did this place give me the heebie-​jeebies!!! Talk about a real life version of American Horror Story. You walk in and half-​expect Jessica Lange to jump out behind the clothing racks on the side of the foyer wearing an old wedding dress and wielding a chain saw.
Me and my reluctant, non-​vegan boyfriend arrived here at 11:30am on a Saturday, just as they opened. The front part of the restaurant is basically an untouched, vintage thrift shop from the 1980’s. There were racks of old clothes, household décor, and a randomly placed jewelry display case. Once you rummage through all that old crap, you get to the dining hall, which smelled strangely enough like a vintage car burning diesel fuel inside of a closed garage. The decoration was a hoarders paradise — years of collecting old crap from the Goodwill across the street on East Carson. The waitstaff, again, reminded us of American Horror Story. They were slow even though we were the only people in the restaurant from the time we got there to the time we left (11:30−1), but had suspiciously cheery attitudes and made sure we had enough coffee… very suspicious indeed!
The food was actually a delight. We shared the Greek platter as an appetizer. None of it was homemade, we could tell, but it didn’t taste bad. My boyfriend got the sweet potato burger which tasted like maple syrup, in a good way. I ordered the curry chick pea burrito which was rich and filling. The zenith of our meal was actually not being poisoned or tortured! Food was good, environment was weird — ⁷⁄₁₀.

Quirky vegan place with great tea and cake. NOM!

Best brunch deal in town — and hands down the best vegan brunch ever. I’ve brunched at Zenith probably a dozen times and I’ve never been disappointed. Don’t eat anything before you come, because you’ve got to save room for everything on the buffet (peanut noodles! Bundr cakes!) — plus your entrée! The entrée menu differs every week so keep your eyes peeled for an item that intrigues you.

Delicious vegan/​vegetarian. Super cool design with the restaurant being in an antique store. The price is really impressive — you order an entrée and can go to the buffet! Food quality seems like like it might be from Costco or off the Sysco truck, but it tastes amazing! If you’re looking for seasonal/​local, doesn’t seem like the place for you, but it’s a neat place to try and the food doesn’t disappoint!

All you can eat vegan buffet on Sundays!!! Plus you get an entrée option (some of which have dairy) and a tea or coffee. The buffet has amazing cakes and pies for desert — all vegan and probably 10 different types. Everything they have is delicious and the two of us usually share one entrée and go all out on the buffet (it’s way too much food if you like the buffet items).

This place was awesome! I had my doubts walking in, but it turned out great.
Came for a late lunch or early dinner, around 4ish, so we were the only people in the shop. It’s an antique shop, with a dine-​in option. Though we didn’t see people come in for dinner when we were leaving around 6ish, there were a couple of takeout orders.
Had a wonderful dinner — ordered a variety of stuff, including soup, salads, and appetizers. Everything was super delicious!
Afterward, we shopped around a bit and got some pretty cool things. I got a pair of retro Nikes for $ 20!
An archaic, vintage shop with vegetarian dining. So bizarre but wonderful.
Note, staff was very friendly!

I was visiting my friend from out of town with another vegan friend, and she took us here for Sunday brunch. It is hands down my favorite place and I wish they had one in NY/​CT! We got there early to make sure we could get a seat since the line apparently gets long. The brunch included an entrée PLUS the brunch. That was definitely more food than needed, I would have been happy with just the brunch, but wanted to try the entrée as well. So I tried to take tiny portions of the brunch food just to get a taste.
The setting was super cute too! Very quirky and fun. The prices were a great deal too. I had to drive around a block for parking but found parking on the street. I hope to go back next time I’m in Pittsburgh!

Calling all vegans this is your dream place for brunch! Even non vegans like me will love it. Go right when the place opens to get in line as it gets very crowded for Sunday brunch and can be a pretty long wait. The place is located inside a neat antique shop and you can shop while you wait. We went right at 11 when they open and the line was already down the street. Luckily we were seated pretty quickly with our party of 3 and they added 2 others from another party into our table. Community seating is the new thing and we met a cool couple. It is a set price of 11.50 for coffee or tea, buffet and an entrée. The buffet is enough for a full meal with many salads, fruits and an amazing pound cake bar. Then with the entrée on top you will leave feeling full. This past visit they had about 5 entrees to pick from. I went with the one non vegan option of scrambled eggs with cheese and it came with some kind of sweet hash. Others in my party ordered the veggie burger which was a huge portion. They also have French toast and pancake options. Everything is vegan and tastes delicious. I enjoyed a little sampling of most salads from the buffet including fresh fruit, a potatoes salad that does not have the normal mayonnaise taste, green beans, and lots of other fresh veggie salads. The pound cake options are just amazing from pumpkin to double chocolate with raspberry. A must try for Sunday brunch.

Wow, what a disappointment. After all the great reviews I can’t help but be disappointed. The veggie burger I ate had no flavor and was a waste of money. The veggie burger was more of a mushroom mess slopped together to look like a veggie burger.
The service was lacking. The waitress did a lousy job waiting on our table, she was slow and non-​attentive and non-​existent most of the meal.
The price for the buffet was high compared to the quality of the food, and I’m hoping lunch and dinner selections are better than the brunch.
Save yourself money and go to Double Wide Grill? Im sure you will like it better then Zenith.

3.5 stars for The Zenith. I finally made it here for Sunday brunch:
* I arrived ten minutes before opening and there was already a group waiting in line which continued to build until they let us in. Looking back it was not necessary for us to do that as there seemed to be always a few opened tables. However my friend and I were seated at a table just for us versus the communal seating.
* I choose my entrée as the coconut pancakes. The coconut was not overpowering which was great though the baking soda that was used could be tasted so not so great. The curry side was a weird pairing and it was okay though The Zenith could have just served me my pancakes (and mixed the batter more to nix the baking soda taste).
* The desserts were good. The salads — smattering of fruit, leafy greens, pasta/​grains — were hit or miss for me. The peanut noodles as recommended by other Unilocalers were a hit.
* Service was slow and our waitress did not give us coffee refills upon our request towards the end of our meal. She also could not be found when it came to paying our check so we had to ask the other waiters to track her down.
Overall I’m glad I came to The Zenith. It is a cool unique venue and am glad it caters to the vegan/​vegetarian crowd. The price is right for all that you get and I definitely left full (and not the greasy full) but I’m on the fence as to whether I would come back.

I love this place.
It is the really only true vegetarian restaurant in the area.
NO booze.
They have tea, water and coffee.
The ambiance is amazing, being in a thrift store and all.
The food? Freaking delicious. Seriously.
I want to eat here all the time and I would if it wouldn’t be so creepy.

Very specially place! Check the review first and then decide to visit instantly. It’s turn out its a very specially spot, especially suitable for vegetarians!!! Although it’s a little salty yet still delicious! Strong recommend tofu sandwich!

The zenith is a really hipster, unique looking place. It’s also an antique store and the restaurant is almost hidden in the back. We came for brunch and got the TLT. The tofu is amazing! The entrée comes with the entire buffet which includes noodles and different types of salads. There are also a variety of cakes which are really moist and tasty. It’s nice and inexpensive, and a drink is included in the meal. Overall I had a great experience at this cute place.

Went here for brunch with my father for fathers day, he’s totally a meat eater, but he’s open minded sometimes.
The food was delicious as always, I have the seitan and the girlfriend had the tofu salad sandwich. The brunch buffet has Peanut Noodles to die for! As well the spinach and strawberry salad was yummy!
The environment makes this place even more awesome! We spent some time exploring the antique shop after we were done eating and it’s reminds me of my great aunt Mary’s bedroom, just filled with awesome trash.
Overall please go to here for brunch on Sundays. You won’t regret it, and even your non-​vegetarian parents will fall in love.

I am not a vegetarian by any means, but I’m pretty open minded on vegetarian and vegan food and have cooked quite a few dishes. I have always had heard good things about The Zenith, but never had an opportunity to go. Today I went, and it was everything that I thought it would be. I went to the Sunday brunch and ordered the tofu and walnut meatball sandwich. The buffet and coffee/​tree comes with any entrée you order. The buffet hands down the best part of the experience. They had really unique yet simple salad and pasta dishes. The pickled cucumber/​red onions and the noodles with peanut sauce were my favorite dishes from the buffet. The tofu and walnut meatball sandwich was pretty good, but ate all of it except the bread because I was already half full by the time the sandwich came to our table.
The only downside is that you’re not able to take your main entrée home. So I had to leave quite a few things on the plate unfortunately. I can understand not taking buffet food home, but we should be allowed to take our main entrée home if we can’t finish.
Besides that downside overall the place is fantastic and can’t wait to come again.

I took my vegetarian friend to The Zenith when she came to visit after a suggestion from another vegetarian friend. THIS IS A GREAT DEAL. I thought I was reading the website/​menu wrong when I saw that you get an entrée, drink and a sides and dessert buffet all for about $ 12 – 13.
The charm of this place is the environment. It is in the back of a antique store and basically looks like a huge dining room. Guests will fill up large tables, which affords you the opportunity to meet different people and have chats (if you want). The decorations are very eclectic, with each corner/​section having a theme (e.g. Christmas). You order an entrée (full on breakfast, lunch and brunch options are on the menu) and you can also get unlimited servings of delicious sides like hummus, pasta salads, etc. There is also a huge table of desserts.
The Zenith is unlike any other eatery I have been to — which is pretty cool. Plus, it was approved by my picky vegetarian friend :)

I stopped by here this past Sunday with my wife and sister for brunch. We were not originally planning on coming here and after having to call an audible we arrived shortly before 11 to find a huge line outside of Zenith. It was large enough that I was concerned we weren’t going to get seated in the first wave of people for brunch. Having been here a couple of times before I knew that if we didn’t make it into that first wave then we could be in for a long wait. Thankfully we eventually did make it and were seated at a table for six. Zenith is quite interesting in that they have a number of tables in the dining room but they are all communal tables and so they pack in as many people as they can. As such the three of us ended up sharing our table with another couple and a regular. The inside of Zenith is quite different than any other restaurant you have ever been to before. The front of the store also happens to be a thrift/​antique store which you can peruse either while you wait or after your meal. That store happens to spill into the restaurant as well and there are numerous random items around you that are on sale. On my most recent visit two of the more random items were a 4 feet tall cardboard cutout of Santa that I was sitting next to and then a couch with a naked mannequin on it which was high up in front of our table. The bathroom that I used here was also somewhat creepy as it had hundreds of owls in it all of which were sort of watching you while you did your business. All of this was mentioned not to say anything bad about Zenith but merely to point that it is different which ends up being part of the charm of Zenith.
If you have never been to brunch here before you get a drink (coffee/​tea/​iced tea), access to the buffet and then a entrée item all for a single price. The buffet is where I think that Zenith really shines. It has a large number of cold salads, some bread and finally a number of different cakes and pies on it. During this visit I was able to try an array of different items and the ones that really stood out for me were the grape leaves, a green potato dish (sorry they don’t have names or descriptions on the cold salad items) and finally the vanilla cake. Where I think Zenith is less successful is their entrée items. On this visit I ended up choosing the homemade beefy seitan sandwich with lettuce and vegan mayo as my entrée. I don’t know what I was really expecting here but it wasn’t the shaved seitan sandwich that resembled a roast beef sandwich. Even so I dove into it and I ended up thinking that the seitan in this sandwich tasted somewhat weird. I have had seitan in many forms before and normally really enjoy it but for some reason this one just didn’t do it for me. Neither did the rice side that came with all of their entrees and was left by almost every person at our table. With all of that being said I think that I chose poorly for my entrée as I was able to try my wife’s jakarta wrap which was really delicious. It consisted of sweet and spicy tofu, fresh spinach, shredded carrots, raisins, sunflower seeds and peanut sauce with the tofu rightfully being the star of the dish.
The bottom line for me is that I will head back here again in the future. While I hate having to get here early and wait outside for brunch, I think that it is well worth it and that Zenith is a brunch place that every Pittsburgher should try at least once!

So after reading all the 5 star reviews about Zenith, I had to stop in and see what everyone was raving about. I’ll skip the part about how cool it is, the hipster ambiance, and how the inside is like an A.D.D. person’s wet dream. That’s already been hammered to death in all of the other reviews on this site. I should also state up front that I am a carnivore, Yes, that’s right, I like to eat dead animals. But I knew the Zenith caters to the vegan nitch when I went in and I was all good with that. Lastly, I should mention that I noticed that most of the rave reviews on here are for the brunch menu. I came here around 5:00 pm and ordered from the dinner menu.
The guy that greeted me had a friendly demeanor, invited me to choose a table and he handed me a menu. I chose the Curry Chick Pea Burrito mainly because it boasted «curry spices» and I have a palate for spicy foods. It didn’t take long for my burrito to come and it was piping hot when it arrived. I cut it in half and took a bite and it was just there. I was hoping for the flavor to jump out but it was just a bland burrito. I asked for some Sriracha sauce which gave it some kick but I thought the curry should have done that.
If you’re a die-​hard vegan I suppose this is the place for you. But if you’re looking for a burrito, check out one of the many Mexican restaurants in the South Side that use beef.

I stopped in for brunch with Laura Sunday morning and had a fun time at this unique shop and restaurant. I live nearby, but never stopped in since i wasn’t too sure of what i would order since i am not vegetarian. I’ve been missing out! The shop itself as well as the décor in the dining room is totally cool. Laura & I were seated with a couple who were very friendly and seemed to come here often. We learned from them that the menu changes often, but the buffet is often the same.
The buffet had a mix of pasta salads, fruit, pastries as well as an entire table of bundt cakes. I sampled a few pastas as well as some fruit. I’m not sure what it was, but the pasta salad with peanut sauce was my favorite. Speaking of that, i wish they would put the name of the pasta so we could remember it. maybe even a list of what it consist of for example :)
For brunch, i ordered the almond french toast. It was super tasty as well as filling. My order came with two large pieces of french toast plus a side dish of rice (or something along those lines) I could only finish one piece of the french toast, but then again i sampled 3 pastas and some fruit from the buffet. The brunch menu states no to go boxes so i assumed that was both for the entrée and buffet. FYI: one flat price ($ 11.50) equals an entrée and unlimited trips to the buffet.
I’m sure I’ll try the brunch here again since i live so close. It is also nice that the menu changes, so im excited to see what else is offered. my fiancé is pretty open minded so he may like this place as well and he can tag along next time. We shall see.

I visited the Zenith yesterday for Sunday brunch with fellow Unilocaler Chelsea S. We’d been wanting to do brunch together for awhile, so I suggested the Zenith, since I knew it was near where she lives and I’d heard it was a really unique and cool brunch venue. Although neither of us are vegetarian or had tried a vegetarian brunch before, we’re both game to try new things, so we decided to check it out.
The first thing you notice when walking into the Zenith is the interesting kitschy antiques everywhere – including suspended from the ceiling. Unlike the Beehive coffeeshop further down Carson St., which has similar interesting décor, it’s my understanding that these items – as well as the tables, chairs, flatware, etc. – can be purchased. I’m not sure of the range of prices, since I didn’t inquire, though.
The second thing that became apparent, which I didn’t realize from reading previous reviews, is that parties of two are mostly seated together with other pairs (i.e., communal/​family style seating). That wasn’t a problem for us, since our tablemates were interesting conversation partners, but if you’re a couple looking for an intimate/​romantic brunch venue, you may wish to look elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you’re game for meeting new people, by all means, check it out!
As for ordering, the setup is a hybrid of a prix fixe and a brunch buffet. All of the entrees, which change on a weekly basis, are the same price ($ 11.50), which also includes coffee or tea with unlimited refills. (I had herbal tea.) Once you order, you have access to the buffet tables, one of which focuses on salads and fruit/​vegetable side dishes, and the other of which contains an assortment of bundt cakes.
For my entrée, I ordered the pumpkin pancakes. I was expecting wafer-​thin flapjacks, but they turned out to be quite thick, moist, and cakey – in a good way. This entrée was proof that vegetarian fare can be quite filling! I wasn’t as much of a fan of the side dish that came with it (not sure what exactly it was), but it added some welcome savoriness. As it were, my selections from the vegetable buffet table added the savoriness I needed to offset the sweetness of the pancakes. They included pasta salad, thai peanut noodles (?), chickpea salad, spinach salad, a piece of bread, and some fruit, as well. All of them were quite good, and also filling in their own right. Finally, I sampled several of the bundt cakes (double chocolate, vanilla blueberry, poppy seed lemon, and orange lavender (?)). While I enjoyed all of them, too, my favorite was the double chocolate, due to its moistness. If you don’t have as much of a sweet tooth as me, you may prefer some of the other flavors, which were less sweet.
I’m definitely glad that I tried the Zenith’s brunch buffet, since it’s one of the most unique brunches in PGH, for sure. Even if you’re leery of vegetarian food, I’d encourage you to check it out – I daresay you’ll be pleasantly surprised! And, of course, it was great to share the experience with a fellow Unilocaler (Chelsea S.), as well as our table mates, and make some new friends while enjoying a delicious brunch!

Disclaimer: I’m an avid carnivorous meat lover. And I still love zenith, despite it being vegetarian/​vegan. Walking into zenith, it’s a thrift store filled with all sorts of curiosities. Behind the store is the restaurant, with tables scattered between random antiques and oddities. There’s two parts to zenith: the main meal and the buffet. The buffet has myriads of salads, pasta salads, different pastries, and desserts. The main is your typical brunch menu. I don’t think I’ve had such tasty vegan food in my life. The only struggle is figuring out how to portion yourself so that you can enjoy a little bit of everything.
Pro tip: get there early– we lined up in front maybe 30 minutes before they opened and we still had to wait in line a bit.
I feel like Pittsburgh has some random gems, and Zenith is definitely one of them.