In Pittsburgh, the dining scene is beginning to get increasingly diverse. While chain establishments like Starbucks and Chipotle still reign in popularity, hole-in-the-wall eateries are finding their way into some of the city’s most well-known districts.

One of these understated sandwich shops is called Bluebird Kitchen. It has two locations: one on Stanwix Street and one on Forbes Avenue.

The fare that I had the pleasure of sampling was from the Forbes Avenue location, just around the corner from the Chipotle in Market Square.

In terms of location, Bluebird Kitchen receives a thumbs-up. With Market Square being one of the most well-known and utilized areas in the Steel City, it is easy for anyone who’s interested to stop by.

Attendees of the countless events in Market Square, students from Point Park College, and professionals from PPG Place populate the eatery, which makes for a refined crowd, something that cannot always be expected when dining in the city.

Now that the general tone of the restaurant has been set, allow me to describe the venue in more detail. The front of the restaurant is comprised of glass windows, which allow diners to look out at the streets and engage in various people-watching activities. Additionally, the glass windows provide a view of Bluebird Kitchen’s interior to passersby. Perhaps this is the Kitchen’s goal. The quaint seating arrangements set up along two adjacent walls within the cafe might just lure in a few hungry stragglers.

Upon entering Bluebird Kitchen, prospective diners are greeted by the daily assortment of freshly-prepared foods. And to be quite honest, the word “assortment” may be an understatement.

All types of baked goods are on display, from Cap’n Crunch macaroons to Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jam pie. Their assortment of desserts changes on a regular basis, so the selection never gets stale. During my visit, there were at least six different types of cookies and macaroons on display.

I bypassed the sweets, however, because I had a different mission: lunch. I arrived with a friend at almost exactly 11 0’clock, which is the time that Bluebird Kitchen serves lunch. Breakfast can be found there from 7 to 10:30 AM, but being an early riser, lunch was more up my alley.

When we arrived, the place was hardly crowded. A few customers were milling about, but  ordering was a simple and friendly process. The man from whom I placed my meal order allowed me to taste a soup I was considering, and was able to answer my questions about ingredients used in a sandwich that I ended up with.

Overall the staff was very friendly and helpful, and ordering was extremely easy– especially granted that three large chalkboards are mounted on the walls with the names, ingredients, and prices of the menu options.

The meal itself was excellent. I ordered a sandwich called “October’s Vegetarian.” The food was brought out quickly– we were called up no more than ten minutes after ordering. The actual product didn’t disappoint, either. As described by the online menu, my sandwich had golden beets, arugula, house sauerkraut, and red pepper vegan aioli.

These ingredients were nestled between two pieces of house made multi-grain bread, which, while tasty, was just a tad on the salty side. Additionally, there seemed to be a bit too much bread for the ingredients.While most of the bread-to-ingredient ratio was pretty spot-on, I found myself throwing away a few chunks of bread  that had nothing to fill them.

The sandwich was appetizing when I unwrapped it, with colorful, fresh vegetables and herbs providing an appealing aesthetic. The beets were golden and a little sweet, a similar taste to red beets.

The sauerkraut, though it sounds like a salty side dish that old German people eat, was actually surprisingly pretty. Made from red cabbage and some kind of vinegar that I couldn’t quite identify, the sauerkraut was a bright magenta color and had a light but tangy flavor from the vinegar.

When combined with the herbs and vegan aioli (made from red peppers and tofu), the “October Vegetarian” was a light but flavorful sandwich that tasted fresh and autumnal.

The overall experience of Bluebird Kitchen was an overwhelmingly positive one. I will give one warning, though.

Arriving at 11 o’clock ensures that an individual will be one of the first to place an order and receive a meal. However, about fifteen minutes later, there seems to be a general lunch hour among the professionals at PPG, and many of those workers seem to enjoy Bluebird Kitchen as much as I did. So just know that depending on when a person a arrives, he or she might have to deal with a lunch rush.

I would absolutely recommend Bluebird Kitchen to anyone who enjoys wholesome foods or unique pastries, and I can see myself going back again in the future.

Bluebird Kitchen has an Instagram and a Twitter “@bluebirdkitchen” and a Website, bluebirdkitchen.com; each account is active and the menu variations can be easily accessed from the website.

Bon appétit!