The Story
Justin Severino opened Cure in 2013 on Butler Street in Lawrenceville with a singular focus: house-cured meats, handmade pastas, and seasonal Italian cooking executed at the highest level. The restaurant earned immediate critical acclaim and put Pittsburgh on the national culinary map.
Severino's background in charcuterie drives the menu. Whole animals are broken down in-house, cured into salumi, and served alongside pastas made fresh daily. The approach is deeply traditional in technique but distinctly modern in execution, and it earned Severino multiple James Beard Award nominations for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic.
Cure's influence on Pittsburgh dining cannot be overstated. It proved that the city could support ambitious, ingredient-driven restaurants and inspired a generation of chefs to stay in Pittsburgh rather than leave for New York or Chicago.
What Makes It Pittsburgh
Cure is the restaurant that changed the conversation about Pittsburgh food. Before Cure, the city's dining reputation was built on pierogies and Primanti's. After Cure, national food writers started paying attention, and Pittsburgh earned a place in the serious American dining conversation.
The Lawrenceville location is small, personal, and driven by relationships with local farmers. It is fine dining without pretension, which is about as Pittsburgh as it gets.