Cafe Zinho

Underwhelmed! Very pricey food, cash only, average food. This is the first time I’ve been here and really have no reason to go back. To be fair, what they put in your food is quality stuff: the lamb and duck we had are nice pieces of meat, but they are not made into the type of dishes you’d expect for something worth ~$ 25 a piece. To the owner: either cut your cost and sell things for cheaper or improve the cooking! If you really need to save the 2−3% of credit card charges to get the profit you want, you are either too greedy or too bad of a manager.

Please take a party of 5 or more elsewhere.
Very saddened the place has taken a turn for the worst. We have always gone for celebrations over the years, but recently had a bad experience. We made our reservation for 8 guests two weeks in advance. I made the recommendation as none of this group of friends had ever been to celebrate a birthday.
When we arrived, the very first greeting («not a welcome to Café Zinho») was «your party has until 8:30 and then must be out». This was never stated in advance. We were immediately rushed to order.
Despite there being plenty of tables completely open for the family of 8 who was to arrive at 8:30, at 8:15 the staff began to usher us to pay quickly. All of my friends felt unwelcome, rushed and disappointed with the food quality. The sardines are inedible. They do not offer any impressive entrée any longer.
It seems like the once great chef and management has gotten complacent and stale. That explains the once packed, now open tables.

Such a cute, quaint and artsy place tucked away on a mostly residential street in Shadyside. I was worried about parking, but I went on a Wednesday and found parking just outside. Before I go further, THEY ARE CASH AND PERSONAL CHECK ONLY. I want to point that out as I am someone who usually has little cash on hand. The ingredients were very fresh. We had the pheasant tartine — I’ve never had tartine before — kind of like a pâté, but more firm — almost like cold head cheese consistency. Also my date had the puff pastry with mushrooms, which she loved. Our entrees were very good as well — a full rack of lamb for me, and she had the bronzino — both cooked very well. The skin on her bronzino was crispy and very tasty — and both entrees were well seasoned and cooked perfectly. This place is also BYOB. We will be back someday.

The food was innovative yet underwhelming. The ambiance was causal and quaint but not something I would recommend or choose to do again. Parking was hassle, a reservation is necessary and make sure to not show early. There is no space to wait unless you don’t mind sitting outside. I typically wouldn’t but as the weather begins to turn it becomes increasingly difficult to enjoy the outdoors. It seems that breakfast or brunch could be a smashing hit here but after my dinner, which I was so looking forward to, I’m not positive that I’m prepared to put this adventure at the top of my list.

This restaurant does NOT deserve the 4 Star Rating it has on Unilocal… a 5 Star Rating is much more fitting. Let’s break it down: a perfect cozy location off of Ellsworth, it’s BYOB — which is always a bonus, an eclectic & intimate setting (get there early and request window seating), an attentive wait staff that is warm and welcoming… and I haven’t EVEN gotten to the meal itself yet!
My husband and I took our 6 year old daughter there and we all had an amazing experience and delicious meal. My husband’s lamb burger melted in his mouth, my lamb chops were tender (medium rare) and juicy with just enough spices, my daughters spinach and cheese ravioli was so yummy she was practically licking her plate (insert appropriate level of parenting/​manners ;~)
All in all, my ‘foody family’ gave this ‘gem of a Portuguese/​Mediterranean restaurant’ an ENTHUSIASTIC THUMBS UP! And, due to our phenomenal dining experience last night, will be making our next dining outing very soon to Café Zinho.

My favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. Always wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Bring your own bottle.

Nice. No really, nice! A shade expensive but not overly so (3 people, 3 appetizers, 2 entrees, $ 5.00/bottle corkage fee for BYOB, $ 112.00 total); reservations recommended; nice menu/​choices, nice preparation/​presentation, nice flavors, nice service; this was a dinner where you have to say that the chef and staff were having a good day and enjoy their work. Nice.

I like the atmosphere, the food and the service. Just is a little small and expensive. But if don’t care about the price is very good recommedation. Especially their bread that is free. I love it!

Good is great and place is really cozy and romantic
I would also add easy parking and table by the window is nice. Service was very good
We would recommend fish pasta and chicken!
We will be back for sure

Café Zinho is a quaint and romantic Portuguese-​American restaurant. While they may not take the progressive-​dish risks of the similarly-​priced contemporary cuisine options in the area, they still manage to put their own twist on classic dishes – and they do it well.
I wish I could pinpoint a dish to recommend, but everything I tasted left me more satisfied than the previous bite. The smaller seating area allows for an intimate dinner whether you’re coming as a couple or bringing the whole family. Bring your own bottle, follow your gut (or the waiter’s recommendations), and sink in to Café Zinho. The worst part? When it’s all over, you have to leave.

This place is just lovely! When you walk in, it’s inviting and cozy. You’d never know it was an old garage. Plus, it’s BYOB, so that’s always a perk. Let’s add in super friendly service, and it’s a wine, I mean win.
I had high hopes, especially with how much I loved the ambiance. I love tomato bisque, so I was excited to dive into that for a first course, but it was very strangely thin. When you imagine bisque, you imagine heavy cream used, but I believe it was broth based. I just wasn’t digging it.
But then our starter came out, a goat cheese-​stuffed puff pastry, and it was divine! Things were looking up! It was a delicious mix of cheese, plus light and airy puff pastry that we gobbled up.
Me and a friend split two main courses; the Butternut Squash Ravioli with Pumpkin Coulis and the lamb burger with fontina and caramelized onions. I love lamb and I love squash, so this was the perfect splitting combo. I was pretty bummed when the lamb burger, while good lamb, didn’t give off a lot of flavor. Which was surprising considering it also had caramelized onions, which usually pack a flavorful punch. The butternut squash ravioli also didn’t offer the flavors imagines. Mostly it was the sauce that seemed to fall flat with this dish.
There was a sweet ending my friends, this cute little mason jar filled with layers of fresh raspberries, cream and Portuguese cookies was an amazing finish. I only wish everything had been equally as amazing.
I still feel like I’m not done with Café Zinho, so hopefully the next visit will be all wines, er wins!

Wow! We were looking forward to this for our anniversary, and we weren’t disappointed!
We splurged with three starters: grilled sardines, octopus, and pheasant terrine. Each was lovelier than the next. The terrine was particularly delicious, served with some sort of artisanal mustard and pickled onions on the side, and some nicely grilled bread. The octopus was perfectly cooked, not rubbery at all, but buttery, nicely seasoned and presented. The sardines were grill-​hot with an ever so slightly charred and crispy skin, and the accompanying vegetables were barely warm, which actually made for a nice contrast.
Main courses: I had the shellfish stew from the menu. All of the various seafood was perfectly cooked. The broth could have had a bit more heat for my taste, but still: lovely. The husband had one of the specials: cassoulet with venison osso buco. Heavenly, especially on a winter evening. Gorgeous venison shanks and dome nicely roasted vegetables.
Another splurge: dessert. We had the chocolate terrine and the key lime crème brûlée, both of which were understated and luxurious. Not fans of big, vulgar desserts, so these were right up our alley – rich, flavorful, just a nice sweet little end to a perfect meal.
Service was especially nice and attentive, but never intrusive. Loved the shabby chic décor and the oddly shaped dining room. Must be lovely in the summer with doors open in this quiet corner of Shadyside. We’ll definitely return to find out!

Café Zinho is a cute little restaurant tucked away on a street corner in Shadyside that serves up Portuguese food. Everything looked great on the menu, but execution was flawed through out our meal. Also, their dishes are not really Portuguese.
For appetizers, we got chicken livers and portuguese bread pudding with mushroom cream sauce. The chicken livers lacked flavor, which is unfortunate because chicken livers on their own are not very tasty. The bread pudding was pretty good though.
Entrees were, on the whole, not impressive. The lamb chops were obviously over cooked (we ordered medium rare, and the insides were almost fully cooked). The duck breast which people raved about online were tough and the sauce was too sweet. The seafood stew lacked flavor. The lamb burger was also overcooked.

The food here is really amazing. We ordered stuffed cornbread and vegetable soup as appetizers. For entrée we had roasted duck and pork loin. They both taste really Portugal with a hint of sweetness. The downside of this restaurant is that they ONLY accept cash.

There are restaurants that are special because of the food and there are restaurants that are special because of the service. Café Zinho is EVERYTHING.
The proprietor of Zinho is one of the nicest gents in the business as far as I’m concerned. I know this because I had occasion to collaborate with him on a few events 10 years ago. So while I may be a bit biased, 10 years in between interactions sort of negates that in my opinion. My point is, if you’re one of those people that enjoys patronizing establishments run by nice people, Zinho fits the bill.
We arrived last night for my birthday dinner at 7:30 and I immediately fell in love with the place. Nestled along the «homey» part of Ellsworth Avenue, Zinho exudes a relaxed luxury that might cater to customers of all types. Our server Ramon was wonderful, and made thoughtful recommendations for each course. I selected a roasted beet and goat cheese salad as a starter and crab cakes for my entrée. Neither disappointed. The salad was a tower of carefully combined goodness and the crab cakes were stuffed, not with filler, but succulent crab. While I’d get the crab cakes again, next time I’m in for the lamb, since one bite of Jonathan D’s dish had me hooked so hard I practically baaa’ed (poor lamb). At $ 180 for four people it isn’t the cheapest option in the ‘Burgh, but by no means is it the most expensive. AND, it’s BYOB so bring a bottle and enjoy the wonderfulness that is Café Zinho.

What a gem of a place in Shadyside. It s places like this that makes me miss living there. Food was outstanding! Because it was our first time, we wanted to do a little bit of this and that. 2 appetizers, Becky s salad and the special of the eve: smoked salmon on crostini with crème fresh, a clam dish, forgot name, with the best tomatoe-​white wine, I could have drunk from the bowl, broth; Becky s salad (the lemon dressing was out of this world delicious – again, could have drunk it, good). I m usually not fan of walnut in my salad, but the crumbled goat cheese made me forget about my dislike of it, that I ate it happily. Good pairing. The special of the night, we opted for sharing the lamb shank with reduced red wine sauce and simple veggies. Small veggie selection by american standards – half russet potato, slither of zucchini, and a stem of green onion, but the star afterall was the lamb, and it was meduim perfect, just as I ordered!
«Would you care for some dessert?», Ramon, our waiter (he was fabulous!) asked. And so round 3 begins. Coffee, a chocolate mousse with whip cream, beauty and… their version of crème brûlée. I thought it had a hint of peanut butter, but not sure. Regardless it was so, so divine.
This place was busy but we did not feel rushed, unlike most places. The service was great, the atmoshphere quaint; it s definitely a neighbourhood café– alot of repeat clientele, from what I gathered. We shall return.
Finally, on an end note. Café Zinho is BYOB, so bring your favourite bottle or magnum of vino. And they only take cash or personal check, but they do have an ATM.

My friends and I went there without a reservation on Thursday, and it seemed like there was only one small table in front the door left. We had no problem with it. All staff there are very friendly and helpful. The place is quite small so maybe you should make a reservation in advance.
One of nice things about this place is BYOB ($ 5 per a wine bottle). If you don’t bring anything. You can walk to Wine and Spirits, which is very close to the restaurant. So you can choose whatever you like to drink.
Most importantly, the food was great! We had chicken livers and octopus for appetizer. For main dishes, we had a whole fish with caper sauce, and lamb racks. The entrée dishes cost from $ 20-​$ 35, and $ 28 in average.

Best Mussels!!! They were large and quite tasty. The starter bread is corn bread and it is absolutely addicting. My boyfriend and I had dinner on a whim on a weekday and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The setting is intimate and I enjoyed it. I only wish we would’ve brought a bottle of wine since it’s BYOB. The service was excellent as well. I have no complaints, even if it is CASH only I think it’s worth it.
NOTE: Cash only. They do have an ATM inside for your convenience. BYOB

This is a cozy little place. I made last minute reservations for a Saturday evening because the restaurant we were supposed to go to closed due to an emergency. Major bummer for us, but life goes on and luckily we were able to get a table at this place. At first we were seated by the register area and that was a little awkward because it felt like the hostess and waitresses were right at the table with us. I wasn’t in the mood for a large group dinner so we asked to be moved, a request they graciously accomodated. Unfortunately, we were then seated pretty close to the door and it was a cold February evening so that was a little rough. Fortunately, we had a whole bottle of wine to warm us up.
OK, so now let’s talk about the wine thing:
this is the first BYOB place I’ve ever eaten at and I loved it! It’s pretty great to share a bottle of wine that you can pick out yourself, rather than spend a fortune on some ordinary bottle offered by the restaurant. I didn’t know if we had to open the bottle ourselves and brought a cork screw just in case, but turns out they open it for you; I can’t remember if there was a corkage fee, but it they do it’s a small fee.
Now, for the food: we shared a sardine appetizer and it was quite good. The bread was also really delicious, very fresh and soft. For my entrée I ordered the lobster tail and that was very tasty! The veggies served alongside were cooked perfectly and the sauce was light and flavorful. We ended the meal with a chocolate mousse, which my partner didn’t love, but I thought it was pretty good, definitely not the best I’ve had, but good!
To sum it all up: good food, cozy place, and friendly staff!

Based on the menu, I would classify Café Zinho as more of a general fine dining restaurant rather than a Portuguese specialty restaurant. There are some Portuguese items, but I feel the emphasis is on providing high quality dishes non-​specific to any particular cuisine.
For starters, we were brought corn bread which was great. It had a great textural contrast with the flakiness of corn bread along with the fluffiness of loafs.
Next, we had frog legs in a lemon and white wine sauce. The sauce was very pleasant as it highlighted a contrast among bittery, buttery, and sweetness. We dipped many pieces of corn bread in the sauce. Most of the flavor of the frog legs came from the sauce. The frog legs themselves were very chewy. I suspect that they were prepared in an oven; I think quickly grilling or quickly deep frying the frog legs might yield a more pleasant texture.
The main entrée was great! I had the filet of trout which comes with grilled vegetables. The grilled veggies were simple yet well executed. The trout was nicely seasoned and cooked. I was able to appreciate the taste of the fish as well as the light seasoning. I wish the trout’s skin was a bit crispier; however, I want to emphasis the the fish was cooked very much to my liking.
All in all, the food was very good. The main entrees were quite pricey. You’re likely to be spending at least $ 30 per person.