In 2017 Pittsburgh was named one of the “Best Cities To Visit.“ Recently I had the chance to explore and enjoy a weekend of delicious food and sightseeing.

Our first stop was Kaya a delicious restaurant with inspired by the sea and the sun, melding fresh, high-quality ingredients with bold flavor and alluring preparation. This description is perfect but to add to that the food at Kaya was the best I‘ve had in a long time. The vibe was very upbeat and eclectic along with an enthusiastic staff that provided a level of customer service that’s rare to come by these days. I think I jammed the continuously the music was perfect. The menu had Caribbean, Latin American, and Jamaican style cuisine options. The vibe was very upbeat and eclectic along with an enthusiastic staff that provided a level of customer service that’s rare to come by these days. I think I jammed the continuously the music was perfect. The menu had Caribbean, Latin American, and Jamaican style cuisine options.

We kicked off the evening with refreshing beverages and mouth-watering appetizers.

If mussels are on the menu King Thrifty has to order them. The Blue Bay Mussels chorizo, fingerling potatoes, crunchy bread, and scallions were everything. I fell in love with the flavoring and herbs it was all well prepared to perfection.

The appetizers were very generous portions we bearly made it through our entrees, but again the food was so excellent it was hard to ask for a take-home box. King Thrifty ordered the Tropical Paella: chicken, chorizo, shrimp, mussels, peas, pineapple, and roasted red peppers.

I ordered Jubilee Hilltop Ranch flank steak served with chili relleno, black beans, potatoes, chihuahua cheese, Pico De Gallo, radishes, cilantro.

My brother-in-law ordered Caribbean Flank Steak Stir Fry: coconut rice, mint, basil, habanero, lime, peppers, asparagus, onions, ginger, scallions, soy, and green beans.

Kaya has an excellent menu, well-prepared entrees, appetizers, tropical cocktails, and craft beer to choose from. They even have a delicious selection of desserts so before you take off you have to share the delicious lava cake with a scope of vanilla ice cream. After dessert, we packed up our entrees to take home and requested a visit from the Chef. It was important to let him know how amazing the food was.

Kaya is located in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Executive Chef Benjamin Sloan incorporates the culinary customs of the Caribbean Islands, South America, the Pacific and beyond. The varied and complex menu and festive tropical drinks have made Kaya an award-winning dining destination for more than a decade. I recommended they next time you’re in or around the area swing by Kaya you won’t be disappointed you did!

Our leftovers were easy to reheat and delicious as before.