East Liberty has a new address for escapism. Palm Palm, the latest venture from the team behind Downtown Pittsburgh's Ritual House, opened its doors on July 6 at 5996 Centre Ave., transforming the sun-starved corner of Highland and Centre avenues into something that feels lifted straight from a 1950s Palm Springs resort. The space had sat empty since Plum Pan Asian closed in 2018 — eight years of waiting that, judging by the crowd on opening weekend, the neighborhood was more than ready to end.
The concept comes from Herky and Lisa Pollock, who co-own the restaurant with their Ritual House business partners Edwin and Amanda Smith. Herky Pollock calls it "Ritual House's light and airy little sister," and the description fits. Where Ritual House trades in polished Downtown gravitas, Palm Palm is unabashedly playful: a love letter to the sun-soaked leisure photography of Slim Aarons, the World War II combat photographer who spent his postwar years documenting the glamorous poolside life of mid-century California and Florida.
The interior leans hard into that reference. Floor-to-cathedral-ceiling windows flood the main dining room with light, complemented by warm woods, gold and brass accents, and Mid-Century Modern furniture arranged for lingering. A 53-foot mural of palm trees stretches above the bar. The bar stools themselves — shaped like oversized golden baseball gloves — are already earning their own admirers. Two private, glass-walled dining rooms sit inside the kitchen, offering a front-row view of the action. Sixty-five seats spill onto the patio when Pittsburgh's weather cooperates.
Sharing Is the Point
Chef Edwin Smith has built the menu around the spirit of passing plates and lingering over drinks. Thirty small dishes and ten larger ones are designed to be shared, drawing from the coastal cuisines of California and South America. The range is deliberately wide: Sushi Tots sit alongside Street Corn Taquitos; fried goat cheese and shishito peppers share space with mini lobster rolls and deviled crab fritters. Bone marrow tartare arrives with pretzel crostini. Truffle Spaghettios — a cheeky nod to the Campbell's original — are bathed in parmesan cream with black garlic and shaved black truffle. Weekend brunch will follow the same shareable philosophy, with a rotating menu keeping regulars curious.
The drinks program extends the same philosophy of fun without pretension. The Palm Margarita — tequila, cold-pressed green juice, orange, and lime with a hibiscus salt rim — is already the room's most-photographed object. The No Bad Bananas (rye, cognac, falernum on the rocks) offers a more contemplative alternative for those who prefer their cocktail hour with a little depth. Housemade sodas and a full non-alcoholic cocktail list ensure the vibe is accessible regardless of preference. Wine and seasonal beverages round out a menu designed to match the food's easygoing spirit.
What This Means for the East End
Palm Palm joins a wave of thoughtful openings reshaping East Liberty's Centre Avenue corridor into one of the city's most dynamic dining streets. The Pollocks and Smiths bring proven credentials: Ritual House has been a reliable anchor of Downtown Pittsburgh's restaurant revival since its opening, earning a following for its commitment to quality without stuffiness. Applying that same sensibility to a neighborhood format — with a shareable menu priced to encourage experimentation — should give Palm Palm broad appeal across the East End's diverse residential base.
For Pittsburgh's dining scene more broadly, the opening is a signal that independent restaurateurs are still betting on the city's long-term vitality. Reviving a space that sat dark for eight years, investing in a theatrical interior, and committing to a seasonal menu takes real confidence in the neighborhood and the city around it. If the opening weekend crowds are any indication, that confidence is well placed. Palm Palm is at 5996 Centre Ave., at the corner of Highland Avenue. Reservations are available through OpenTable.