A new luxury Italian restaurant with dishes ranging $7 to $65 opened next to Primanti Brothers in market square on October 27. Alta Via offers a range of handmade pastas, salads, meats and desserts.
Even though he’s not Italian, executive chef of Alta Via Dustin Gardner writes the menus for both restaurants. He transferred to the new Alta Via location after serving as executive chef at their Fox Chapel location.
He said his purpose was to develop the skills of young cooks and that the opening night for the restaurant was a lot of fun.
“The doors open at four o’clock and we were going; we take it day by day to make sure we’re doing the right thing,” Gardner said. “Making the right decision as far as food goes for our guests and our community.”
As a freshman musical theater major, Jessica Carmona is required to keep a meal plan, so she doesn’t go out to eat as much as she likes. She said that she doesn’t mind a more “pricey” restaurant opening Downtown because of people who go out to eat after theater performances.
“As a student, I wouldn’t pay $10 for cake, but I’m sure it’s good to some extent and there are people who can afford that,” Carmona said.
She would only go visit the restaurant after a performance or celebration of some kind.
Gardner wants to take things at a steady pace to make sure that things are done right. Although he doesn’t like mistakes, he is fostering an environment where, at first, it’s ok to not know all of the answers.
“A lot of people came in and applied and I had a lot of feedback: more direct messages than I’ve ever had in my entire life,” Gardner said. “We’ve had a brilliant team together for a very long time and there are a lot of people that are new here who are just learning.”
At the farmer’s market in Market Square, the restaurant gave away free samples of their dishes while cooks were training, Gardner said.
“It’s good to get to know our neighbors and let them know we’re here, what we’re all about and what we want to bring to the table,” Gardner said.
Freshman musical theater major Jacqueline Trinah-Juarez is indifferent to Italian food itself but is glad there is a new restaurant opening Downtown, since she eats out at least two times a week.
“I feel like we don’t have a lot of places to eat Downtown compared to Oakland and where all of the Pitt students are, and so I get a little [jealous],” Trinah-Juarez said. “But I do like that there are more restaurants opening up.”
Due to her financial situation, she can affordably eat out when she wants, even though she has a meal plan. She said that she eats out because she doesn’t believe that dining hall food is very nutritious.
At Alta Via, Gardner said that he makes sure that every dish is made right. His favorite dishes right now are the duck and then the rigatoni, the most “simple” dish on the menu.
“We put a lot of effort into the research and development, and we don’t settle just because it’s ‘good enough,’” Gardner said. “It’s- did we nail it? Is it right? Is this what our guest wants?”
Alta Via’s doors open at 4 p.m. and is open every day of the week with fluctuating closing hours. The restaurant currently has a staff of 30 but is always looking for experienced pasta makers and waitstaff.
