Fet-Fisk’s Grilled Cabbage Caesar

This grilled cabbage Caesar salad is one of the oldest dishes on the menu at Fet-Fisk, a Nordic-inspired seafood restaurant in Pittsburgh and one of our Best New Restaurants for 2025. It’s so popular that it’s served year-round with little to no changes. The contrast of serving a grilled vegetable ice-cold is thrilling, and the Caesar dressing is rich and thick enough to cling longingly to each leaf of cabbage. At the restaurant, the breadcrumbs are made from their house-made rye focaccia. Ordinary panko recreates the results just as well.

For the best flavor, grill the cabbage to a level of char that may be out of your comfort zone. Cook one side until it is very deeply cooked, almost burnt, then flip and cook the second side briefly, just to take the raw edge off. Once the cabbage is chilled and the outer leaves removed, there will be only a thin edge of char on each leaf, adding to the visual interest of the finished salad.