Neighborhood guide

Central Oakland food guide

Most of the food in Central Oakland is on Forbes Avenue. Start with sandwiches and coffee, then see what else is around.

Part of the Oakland area guide
77places to eat
53%independent
4city parks
9transit stops
Open on the mapBrowse by craving
Map: U.S. Census TIGER/Line · 77 listings

About Central Oakland

Central Catholic High School is a private, Catholic, Lasallian, all boys college preparatory school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
From Wikipedia, Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh), quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.

By the county permit file, Central Oakland is home to 77 places to eat or drink, putting it 7th among the 90 official city neighborhoods we cover1. The most common category is sandwiches and delis (8), followed by coffee and cafes (8). 41 of the 77 are independent and 36 belong to chains.

About 5,835 people lived here in 2020, down from 6,086 in 20102. Green space includes Boundary Street Park, Oakland Square, and Parkview Islands among 4 city park properties3. There are 5 sets of city steps4. About 47% of working residents walk to work5.

Central Oakland by the numbers

77places to eat and drink
53%independent
8with a full bar
2with a patio
275listings per sq mi
0.28square miles of land

Counts from our directory1. Land area from the City's neighborhood boundaries7.

Listings by category

Sandwiches & delis8Coffee & cafes8Mexican & tacos7Pizza5Bars & pubs5Ice cream & dessert5Breakfast & brunch5Chicken4Burgers4Japanese & sushi4

Main food streets: Forbes Avenue (28), Oakland Avenue (11), Atwood Street (10), and Semple Street (10).

New and changing

These Central Oakland facilities had a preoperational inspection from the Allegheny County Health Department between Aug 11, 2025 and Jul 28, 2026. That inspection happens before a food facility opens, changes owners or reopens after major work8.

Things to do nearby

Parks and playgrounds

4 city park properties and 1 playground.

  • Boundary Street Park
  • Oakland Square
  • Parkview Islands
  • Zulema Park

Source39

Public art

5 works in the City's public art inventory, including:

  • A Song to Nature · Victor David Brenner
  • Fourth Ward Memorial
  • The Hiker · Allen George Newman
  • Tree Memorial (Mothers)
  • Tree Memorial (Wives)

Source10

City steps

5 public stairways with 361 steps in all. Longest: Joncaire St at Isis Way to Frick Art Museum (136 steps).

Source4

Getting there

Transit

9 active stops, about 20,814 scheduled trips a week, by bus. Busiest stop: Forbes Ave. at Bouquet St. Fs (4,775 weekly trips).

28X545861A61B61C61D65676971A71B71C71D75818393P3

Source11 Check PRT for live times.

How working residents commute

Walk47%
Transit14%
Bike2%
Work from home8%

Percent of workers 16+, 2018-2022 estimates5.

Who lives here

5,835Residents, 2020 census (-4% since 2010)2
5%Age 25 to 445
86%Age 18 to 245
91%Homes that are rented5
32%Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher5
Spotlight picks

Picked from our directory

All 77 on the map

How we pick: one independent spot from each of the most common categories in Central Oakland, among listings whose latest county inspection on file reads "Inspected & Permitted". The pick rotates weekly. This is not a ranking, and no one pays to appear here.

Chick'n BubblyCoffee & cafesLast inspection Apr 30, 2026: Inspected & PermittedLa Cantina by MaderoMexican & tacosLast inspection Jan 21, 2026: Inspected & PermittedSciulli's PizzaPizzaLast inspection Jul 7, 2026: Inspected & PermittedDave & Andy's Homemade Ice CreamIce cream & dessertLast inspection Oct 3, 2025: Inspected & PermittedPrince of India RestaurantBreakfast & brunchLast inspection Jun 15, 2026: Inspected & PermittedOishii BentoJapanese & sushiLast inspection Jun 1, 2026: Inspected & Permitted

Nearby neighborhoods and towns

All city neighborhoods
Hill District21 places · 16 independentPittsburgh areaSouth Side Flats148 places · 99 independentPittsburgh neighborhoodGreenfield21 places · 19 independentPittsburgh neighborhoodPolish Hill5 places · 4 independentPittsburgh neighborhood

Central Oakland FAQ

How many restaurants and bars are in Central Oakland?

Our directory lists 77 places to eat and drink in Central Oakland (41 independent, 8 with a full bar), based on Allegheny County food facility permits refreshed October 28, 2026. The busiest street is Forbes Avenue with 28.

What kinds of food are most common in Central Oakland?

By listing count: Sandwiches & Delis (8), Coffee & Cafes (8), and Mexican & Tacos (7). See the full category breakdown on this page.

How do I get to Central Oakland by bus or the T?

Pittsburgh Regional Transit's stop file lists 9 active stops in Central Oakland, served by routes including 28X, 54, 58, 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, 65, 67, and 69 and 9 more. The busiest stop is Forbes Ave. at Bouquet St. Fs with about 4,775 scheduled trips a week. Check PRT for current schedules.

What is there to do in Central Oakland besides eat?

City open data lists 4 city park properties such as Boundary Street Park and Oakland Square, 5 public art works, and 5 sets of public steps.

Can I see health inspection results for restaurants in Central Oakland?

Yes. We matched 60 of Central Oakland's listings to Allegheny County Health Department inspection records (Aug 11, 2025 to Jul 28, 2026). Each matched spot page shows the most recent inspection date and placard. The Health Department's own records are the official source.

Sources

Every number on this page comes from these public sources.

  1. Pittsburgh Spotlight directory, built from Allegheny County Health Department food facility permits, plus OpenStreetMap listings marked unverifiedUpdated October 28, 2026. Counts include every listing inside the official boundary.
  2. 2020 Census Redistricting Data: City of Pittsburgh Neighborhood PopulationUniversity of Pittsburgh UCSUR via WPRDC (source: U.S. Census Bureau PL 94-171). Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY), per WPRDC.
  3. City of Pittsburgh ParksCity of Pittsburgh via WPRDC. Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY), per WPRDC.
  4. City of Pittsburgh StepsCity of Pittsburgh via WPRDC. Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY), per WPRDC.
  5. Profiles of Change: 2008-2012 vs 2018-2022 ACS estimates for Pittsburgh neighborhoodsUniversity of Pittsburgh UCSUR via WPRDC (source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year). Public domain (per WPRDC listing). 2018-2022 five year estimates; reported for Central Oakland. Estimates carry margins of error.
  6. Wikipedia, "Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh)"Text paraphrased or quoted from the article (retrieved Oct 28, 2026). Wikipedia content is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
  7. City of Pittsburgh Neighborhoods (boundaries)City of Pittsburgh via WPRDC. Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY), per WPRDC. Used for boundaries and land area.
  8. Allegheny County Restaurant/Food Facility InspectionsAllegheny County Health Department via WPRDC. CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication). Inspections dated Aug 11, 2025 to Jul 28, 2026. Matches to listings are conservative and may miss some places.
  9. City of Pittsburgh PlaygroundsCity of Pittsburgh via WPRDC. Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY), per WPRDC.
  10. City of Pittsburgh Public ArtCity of Pittsburgh via WPRDC. CC0 1.0.
  11. Pittsburgh Regional Transit StopsPittsburgh Regional Transit via WPRDC. Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY), per WPRDC. Active stops; weekly trips are scheduled trips in the stop file.

Inspection details reflect the most recent record in the county's open data file and may not reflect a facility's current status. For official results, contact the Allegheny County Health Department. Listings come from permit data and may include places that have closed.

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