Ritual House: The Newest Addition to The Golden Triangle
By Olivia Miller
Downtown Pittsburgh is home to some of the most eclectic and delicious restaurants not only in the region, but in the whole country. Ritual House is the newest addition to the Golden Triangle restaurant scene and offers an experience like no other.
Just opened on February 26th 2023, the restaurant’s concept was created and curated by owners Herky and Lisa Pollock and Chef Ricky and Michelle Kirsop. The inspiration behind the restaurant’s artistic yet homey interior is the group’s travels. The “secret garden” seating area with its hanging wisteria and rope swings is meant to invoke feelings of lounging in Tulum, Mexico.
The restaurant promises an “atmosphere designed for the senses” not only in its flavorful food and cocktail pairings, but also in its sparkling chandeliers, lengthy black marble bar, and one-of-a-kind mural by local artist Mia Tarducci on its second floor. It is evident that not even the smallest details have been overlooked at Ritual House.
The inspiration behind the restaurant’s moniker comes from the owners’ goal to make Ritual House a Pittsburgh tradition. Owner Michelle Kirsop calls the establishment her “love letter to Pittsburgh” and hopes that the tradition of connecting with family and friends over a meal will continue at the restaurant. She wants customers to feel at home and “enjoy a different part of the space” each time they visit.
Guests can look forward to tasting an array of mouthwatering dishes for brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert. For brunch on the weekends, Ritual House specializes in unique sweet breakfast treats like their lemon meringue pancakes topped with freshly torched meringue or their red velvet pancakes topped with hand-spun cotton candy that melts away with a drizzle of syrup. For lunch, the restaurant offers casual dishes such as their triple salmon sandwich served with crispy french fries or their turkey devonshire served with candied strips of bacon. For dinner, guests can try a variety of meat and seafood dishes like their New York strip steak topped with a flavorful chimichurri sauce and roasted shishito peppers.
After your meal, you’ll always have room for dessert at Ritual House after seeing their sweet offering of confections such as banana cream pie, key lime pie, and bread pudding. They also offer an upscale, reimagined version of the iconic Pittsburgh pecan ball which features vanilla ice cream wrapped in pecans and topped with a spun sugar garnish.
No meal at Ritual House would be complete without one of their specially crafted cocktails. Each cocktail has its own unique name like their “there’s always thyme” cocktail with Hennessy cognac mingled with notes of lemon and honey.
Ritual House is open from 11am - 10 pm Tuesday through Saturday and from 9am - 8pm on Sunday. To see their full menu or book a reservation, you can visit their website at ritualhousepgh.com or follow them on Instagram at @ritualhousepgh.
