Cafe Zinho
(412) 363-1500
238 Spahr St
Pittsburgh,
PA
15232
40.4578
-79.9273
Neighborhood: Shadyside
What People Are Saying About Cafe Zinho
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
The back wall is painted with the restaurant's logo, tables and chairs appear to be Goodwill and flea-market finds, yet the space is good looking. Also attractive are the people of all ages who frequent the place. If you're lucky, you might get the single table in the back "art room," which features very bad reproductions of very good paintings.
The Food
The menu is eclectic, serving moderate portions of unusual dishes for both lunch and dinner. The roast garlic and tomato bisque with dill is a delicious first course. Everyone seems to enjoy the shrimp cake with toasted macadamia nuts, coconut milk, lime and Dijon mustard sauce, as well as the steamed mussels. Another dish of note is the chicken liver mousse pate.
User Reviews
pghgasman
January 29, 2009
I read the reviews on this site and I wondered if they were talking of the same restaurant that I found tucked away on Spahr Street in Shadyside. Either that, or Cafe Zinho has taken the criticisms to heart and mended their ways. The service was excellent. Yes they did make a mistake and brought us two appetizers when we had canceled one, but they were very apologetic about it. The food itself was excellent. I had snapper and my wife had the lamb and both were delicious. We shared a dessert between us & the dessert itself was heavenly (white cake with icing). Those reviewers who complained about the prices have obviously not eaten at the other Shadyside restaurants. I thought that a delicious meal for two at $50 was excellent value for money. At another restaurant around the corner, they charge $12 for a glass of mediocre wine, so BYOP at Cafe Zinho was defintely a plus. I was surprised that they don't accept credit cards, but to me, paying for food by a credit card is really moronic unless one is talking of huge cash amounts. There is something charming about paying for something you have consumed immediately and not carry a credit on it. I would go back there in a hearbeat.
read full review
JMB27
November 24, 2008
My girlfriend and I decided to try Cafe Zinho on a whim. From the moment we walked in, something just felt off. It was freezing cold and so dark inside the restaurant that we could hardly read the menus, which consisted of dishes that were just as unappealing as their descriptions made them sound. As much as we tried to find something good about Cafe Zinho, our dreams of having a good meal that evening were crushed with too-tiny plates covered in Phyllo dough. At the risk of sounding mean, it felt like we were in a refugee camp. If you make the mistake of going there, you'll know exactly what I mean.
read full review
cellogal
September 20, 2008
We just had dinner at Cafe Zinho this evening for the first time. We have been curious to try this place since it is in our neighborhood. The service was very slow, and our waiter was quite awkward and not very sociable (not good for being in a service-oriented business). The food was below average and my husband's pork chop was seriously undercooked and raw in the middle, so that we had to send it back. We will not be returning to this place - there are far better restaurants in Shadyside. Also, keep in mind that this is a cash only restaurant that's right, no credit cards. Please don't waste your time or money with this one.
read full reviewThe Details on Cafe Zinho
The Extras:
Cafe Zinho is an old garage turned into a funky-chic restaurant.
Know Before You Go:
Everything is a la carte, so the bill builds rapidly.
