I’d heard whisperings of how delicious Wise County Biscuits & Cafe was from multiple sources. A friend, who was raised by a Southern mother from Alabama, said this cafe was the real deal, and I had to try it immediately. I was already sold, as I had tried the cafe’s fluffy biscuits in frozen form at home and had been impressed, but this enticed me even more.
Wise County Biscuits emanates Southern vibes. One of the co-owners and chef, James Wolfe, grew up with his Southern grandma’s cooking. The restaurant is named after the place she lived, Wise County, Virginia.
Walking in, Wise County Biscuits feels like your grandma’s kitchen. The walls are painted a buttery yellow and decorated with beautiful copper baking molds and a large, colorful quilt. Antique lamps warm the room with soft light. They have a stocked pastry counter my grandma would have been proud of. There are shelves stocked with some of the products they use, like bourbon maple syrup and specialty jams, and a freezer filled with biscuits, all available for purchase. They sell buttermilk, sweet potato mini, and even gluten-free biscuits, all frozen and ready to bake. It’s a counter service restaurant, so you order as soon as you walk in, and then grab a seat at one of their lacquered wooden tables. The big windows bring light into the space, and there’s a nice view of the shops on Galveston Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Allegheny-West neighborhood.
Wise County Biscuits’s menu leans more savory. They have a variety of biscuit sandwiches featuring eggs, meat, veggies and cheese. There are ready-to-order options, as well as a build-your-own. They also have breakfast plates, such as the traditional biscuits and sausage gravy and a country ham plate served with cheddar grits. Lunch is also an option, starting at 11 a.m., and that menu has offerings like a braised pork sandwich and grilled cheese with braised greens.
I ordered the fried chicken biscuit made with Gerber Farms chicken and Pennsylvania-made Paul Family Farms honey. I also opted for a side of crispy fried potatoes, a must for any breakfast order. This chicken biscuit blended both sweet and savory flavors. The chicken was seasoned to perfection and incredibly tender and juicy. The drizzled honey on top added a hint of sweetness. I also splashed on some hot sauce for that kick of heat, which I felt was needed, but I know not everyone loves. The biscuit soaked up all of the tasty juices and flavors from the chicken, while also remaining light and fluffy. As for the potatoes, they were everything you want in a breakfast potato. They were crispy, but soft in the center and perfectly salted.
I also ordered some cinnamon sugar biscuit bites to contrast with the savory flavors on my plate. This dish is really the only sweet thing available on the restaurant’s weekday menu, other than the bakery items in their case. These biscuit bites were like donut holes, but incredibly airy. Wise County Biscuits should definitely add some more sweet offerings to their menu if they’re anything like this dish.
My dining companion opted for a buttermilk biscuit slathered with strawberry jam and a side of grits. I sampled a bit of both. The jam, of course, paired well with the tender, buttery biscuit. Wise County’s biscuits really do lend themselves to both sweet and savory flavors. They’re chameleons changing their flavor profile based on what you pair them with. I see why the restaurant is named for the biscuits. The grits were sinfully buttery and cheesy. They literally melted in my mouth. I could eat a bowl of just these for breakfast, and I’d be satisfied.
I’m already planning on when I can make my next trip back to Wise County Biscuits. As tempted as I am to have the chicken biscuit again, I’ll force myself to try a breakfast biscuit with egg, bacon and cheddar cheese. It’ll be a true sacrifice.
Wise County Biscuits has brought the South, their rich and homey food and their kindness to Pittsburgh. Here’s hoping they never leave.
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