Executive Chef Jamilka Borges will helm the kitchen at Sally Ann's Downtown. Photo courtesy of DeShantz Restaurant Group.

Jamilka Borges is back! The acclaimed chef is taking over the kitchen at Sally Ann’s, a new counter-service restaurant Downtown that will open the last week of May at 136 6th St., just in time for the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival.

The latest addition to the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group is especially personal to co-owner Richard DeShantz, who named the eatery after his late mother.

Daisies, her favorite flowers, are dotted throughout the homey space courtesy of local artist Matt Spahr.

Sally Ann’s, named after Richard DeShantz’s late mother, features daisies by local artist Matt Spahr because they were her favorite flower. Photo courtesy of the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group.
Sally Ann’s, named after Richard DeShantz’s late mother, features daisies by local artist Matt Spahr because they were her favorite flower. Photo courtesy of the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group.

Sally Ann’s will be a place for Borges to bloom again, too. The Puerto Rico native, who moved to Pittsburgh in 2007 to attend culinary school, has worked at some of the city’s biggest hotspots: Legume Bistro, Livermore, Bar Marco, Spoon, The Independent Brewing Company, Hidden Harbor and Lorelei. She was poised to open her own seafood restaurant in Etna, but the pandemic grounded Wild Child.

Her accolades include a James Beard Foundation Semifinalist Best Chef Mid Atlantic 2019 and a James Beard Foundation Semifinalist Rising Star 2015.

At Sally Ann’s Borges will make hearty sandwiches such as the Pork Roll and Reuben alongside vegetable-forward spins on classics such as the Cauliflower Cubano and Kimcheese Melt. Borges also will be whipping up Carrot Pierogies, a Fancy Mac n’ Cheese of the week, soups and salads.

The coffee bar will open daily at 7 a.m. to offer La Colombe roasts, house-made pastries, juices, smoothies and a selection of to-go brunch items such as a Jerusalem Bagel with smoked salmon, labneh and caper relish.

Work is underway to transform the former Pork & Beans space into Sally Ann’s. Photo courtesy of the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group.
Work is underway to transform the former Pork & Beans space into Sally Ann’s. Photo courtesy of the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group.

The space, which most recently housed the DeShantz concept Pork & Beans, will include seating for about 100 patrons, including in lounge areas and at a full bar.

Outdoor dining depends on the completion of a construction project. The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership is currently giving Sixth Street a facelift, which will include a permanent patio space.

In addition to opening Sally Ann’s, the DeShantz group, which is co-owned by Tolga Sevdik, is working on renovations to Fish Nor Fowl and Butcher and the Rye. Meat & Potatoes, täkō, Poulet Bleu, gi-jin, Coop De Ville and täkō tôrtä are all open.

Kristy Locklin is a North Hills-based writer. When she's not busy reporting, she enjoys watching horror movies and exploring Pittsburgh's craft beer scene.