The second Alta Via restaurant is scheduled to open on Friday in Market Square.
Located in the former Molinaro Ristorante & Bar in Downtown Pittsburgh, Big Burrito Restaurant Group president Bill Fuller said it’s a great spot. The newest location joins the original Alta Via in Fox Chapel Plaza in O’Hara, which opened in 2019. It’s taken about two years to get to this point, Fuller said, because of supply-chain issues and staffing challenges. It was originally slated for a spring debut.
“We’ve been excited to open since we found this space,” Fuller said. “It’s a cool location. We are really stoked.”
Fuller said the city is thriving. He’s noticed there are more people in Market Square. Some of them have stopped to inquire about when the restaurant will be ready for business.
“I’ve seen tourists and lots of people walking past the restaurant going to and from Pirates and Steelers games,” Fuller said. “There is also always something going on in Market Square … the farmers market, bands and other events.”
Light Up Night is Nov. 18 and The UPMC Rink at PPG Place will be opening, he said, adding that the restaurant is also not that far from the Cultural District.
The menu will be similar to the Fox Chapel location. Fuller said they will take into consideration what people Downtown want versus what the diners in Fox Chapel prefer and adjust the offerings accordingly.
The Market Square establishment is larger than the Fox Chapel location. It can accommodate 80 people in a lower-level party room and 155 patrons in the dining room and bar area.
There are 90 seats outside that Fuller said he plans to use most of the year because there are heaters.
Alta Via is a welcome addition to Market Square and Downtown as a whole, enriching the thriving food and local business scene in the area, said Jeremy Waldrup, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.
Alta Via is known for fresh handmade pasta and grilled meats and vegetables. Fuller described it as modern Italian cooking with fresh ingredients.
The Big Burrito group also owns the Mad Mex chain and several other dining establishments throughout Pittsburgh, including Casbah, Soba, Kaya and Alta Via Pizzeria in Bakery Square.
Fuller said there aren’t any current plans for any additional restaurants.
“We want to get this one up and running,” Fuller said. “So much has changed in the restaurant business in the past three years (because of the pandemic) with staffing and supply-chain complications. We want to see how this one goes before we make any other decisions. We have to figure out what a new normal is.”
Alta Via is located at 2 PPG Place.It will be open seven nights a week for dinner. Lunch hours will be added at later date. Hours will be 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Details: 412- 981-5155 or altaviapgh.com
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact JoAnne by email at jharrop@triblive.com or via Twitter .