With the recent opening of 2Red and Richard Chen, East Liberty has become a vibrant drinking and dining destination. Now new restaurant and wine bar
Dinette is adding a passion for simple fresh ingredients to the neighborhood’s culinary mix.
Located at 5996 Penn Circle S. in Eastside, the 1,386-square-foot eatery seats 36 in its sleek glass-enclosed setting. Creating small plates and thin crust pizzas using local, seasonal and organic ingredients is a top priority for owner/chef Sonja Finn, who wrote her thesis on East Liberty while studying urban planning at Columbia University.
“I moved to San Francisco to work with the best foods possible. Coming back to visit family I saw the big commitment to revitalizing Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods,” adds Finn, who was trained at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. “There’s a restaurant community here—everyone is welcoming and supportive. I’m part of the neighborhood as a local business owner. It can’t just be chains.”
Dinette’s modern European design features concrete floors, bright orange Jasper Morrison air chairs, brushed aluminum tables, and Metro shelving. Combining culinary arts with sustainability, Finn designed renewable plyboo countertops, built an energy efficient kitchen and restrooms, and serves filtered carbonated water. Dinette’s open kitchen design allows patrons to view dinner production.
“We’re sticking with a very simple menu—having twenty things that are all awesome, and making sure it stays as local as possible,” adds Finn who is also passionate about featuring a wide range of wines, Pennsylvania craft beers and products from Parma Sausage, Turner Dairy Farms and Penn’s Corner.
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Jennifer BaronSource: Sonja Finn, Dinette
Photograph copyright Brian Cohen