Shamrock Named Top 4 Finalist for Best New Restaurant in the Pittsburgh Area
Voting is now open through May 31. Here’s how to support our rural Laurel Highlands kitchen.
Some news from Rockwood: Shamrock Whisky & Cigar Bar has been named one of the Top 4 finalists for Best New Restaurant in the Pittsburgh Area at the 2026 Spirit of Hospitality Pittsburgh Restaurant Awards and cinched the award.
The category honors restaurants that have been open between six months and two years and have already made an impact in Pennsylvania’s restaurant industry. To even share the shortlist with the established Pittsburgh kitchens we grew up admiring, in only our second year, is something we did not expect.
The recognition belongs to Chef Alex Ginter, manager, Taylor Hange and every member of our team: From our skilled mixologists, gracious and responsive servers, and our talented kitchen crew. They work harder and longer than most people outside these walls ever see. They built this place from a converted barn on a working family farm into a five-star kitchen, and they did it on a hillside in Somerset County rather than in the heart of the city.
“We are elated to be named a Top 4 finalist for best new restaurant in the Pittsburgh area,” said Angela Svonavec, founding proprietor. “It’s a huge honor for us in our second year to even be considered in a field with all the Pittsburgh talent. Our entire staff is so excited and overjoyed for the recognition.”
Shamrock was built on Angela’s belief in providing holistic, wellness-focused fine dining, with Black Angus beef raised right here on our own Banshee Farm. For a rural community like ours, this nomination offers validation in the concept and in our local talent.
How to vote
Voting is open through May 31, 2026. You enter your email, select Shamrock from the list, and you’re done. No account, no signup required.
Cast your vote here: https://form.jotform.com/261344974024154
The winner will be announced at the Spirit of Hospitality Pittsburgh Restaurant Awards Celebration on June 15 at The Rivers Casino.
We’d love your help spreading the word. If you have ever enjoyed a steak at our table, a cocktail at our bar, a cigar on the porch, or a round on the sporting clays course, we’d be honored by your vote.
Come celebrate with us
Whether or not we take the top spot, the recognition has given everyone on the team a real lift, and we want to share it with the people who made it possible. Our regulars, our members, our community. Stop in Thursday through Sunday for dinner. Bring a friend who hasn’t been yet. Order the tallow-fried fries.
Thank you, from all of us at Shamrock, for your continued support.
