I spent a full month in Western Pennsylvania for the first time in about six months. Staying in Pittsburgh just meant it was a busy month of dinners and events around the city. I’ve been working on a bunch of partnerships. Some of them are way more exciting than others. This month isn’t without its disappointments. I supported the Harris Walz campaign and proud to have done so, but obviously ended with their losing the election. I was also sick for the last week of the month with a respiratory infection that hit me very suddenly.
Restaurants
I got dinner with my parents at De Blasio’s Italian Restaurant in Greentree with my parents. I really wanted a comfort meal the night after the election and got a veal parmesan. It’s a rather sizeable meal of decent food. However, I was still sort of in a daze, and really didn’t think to take any photos.
I had to run an errand down in Washington, PA, and decided to visit a random restaurant. It paid off. I ended up at Alice’s Restaurant in Canonsburg. This hole in the wall style dinner had some of the best sausage gravy and biscuits I’ve eaten.
I went to Sarris Candies and Ice Cream for the first time. I’ve been living in Pittsburgh for 15 years and never visited. I love chocolate. It’s a chocolate lover’s dream. The shop is filled with lots of chocolate themed displays and old stained glass. They also have an ice cream shop where I got a fantastic sundae.
I got lunch at Madonna’s Mediterranean Cuisine. This is a gem of downtown. I always get one of their entrees. It’s so much food and it’s delicious.
I got to check out Compliments by Scratch & Co. This is a new concept they are doing on Tuesday evenings, transforming the bar area into a lounge. They are encouraging people to choose their own adventure with drinks. They will have complimentary tapas each week. The intention is to create a space to mingle, meet new people, and have good conversations. They are planning to have different themes, entertainment and food popups. This was a lot of fun and I plan to go back.
I had dinner at The Urban Tap in Shadyside. I needed to film some content for a partnership I am working on. I got a Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich and a beer. It was a pretty good sandwich.
I had lunch at Mulligan’s Sports Bar in West Mifflin as part of a partnership I am working on. I got a Reuben and wings. Both were ok.
I had an amazing dinner at The Tavern on the Square in New Wilmington, about an hour north of Pittsburgh. I was invited to come up there by Visit Lawrence Country to experience the transformation of this long-time staple of the community. They renovated and updated the menu to feature more farm to table and locally sourced ingredients. They also have an impressive cocktail program. I had an amazing meal. My favorites were the Korean Sticky Ribs and the Live Fire Pork Chop. This is a restaurant that is worth the drive up from the city.
I drove up to The Clubhouse in Gibsonia as part of a partnership I am working on. I got a Bacon Cheeseburger for dinner. The burger was pretty good. The Clubhouse is also a cool spot. I’d go back there.
I got lunch at Whiskey B’s in Market Square. They have a fantastic $12 burger and fries deal for lunch. The burgers have always been pretty good.
I went to Miracle on 7th, this year’s version of the Miracle Holiday Popup bar. These are always my favorite because the cocktails are fantastic and proceeds go to charities. They are open every day through New Year’s Eve.
Got dinner at Tako. Although a little pricey for two tacos, they are always delicious.
I got dessert at Ritual House with Cat, the Pennsylvania Junkie. They have a new Brownie Sundae that is amazing.
I got apps at Shenanigan’s Bar & Grille in the North Hills as part of a partnership I am working on. I really liked my wings. I would go back for happy hour or to watch a game.
I went back to Ritual House for dinner to see their new Lotus Room upstairs and to see the AURORA light display in Mellon Square Park across the street.
Takeout and Food Trucks
I took a walk over to Back Alley Brewing for some beers and dinner from The Boonseek. I got their Boonseeker Korean Corn Dog which is half hot dog and half mozzarella and the Chi-Bob Korean Fried Chicken. Both of these things hit the spot.
I went to the Pittsburgh Brunch Society pop-up collaboration between Pittsburgh Sandwich Society and Blue Sparrow at Strange Roots Experimental Ales. They used to do brunch all the time years ago, and I am glad to see they are bringing it back sometimes. I got the DonutNut Boy fried chicken sandwich and Global Street Tots from Pittsburgh Sandwich Society, and my brother got the Sparrow Society Sammich with housemade maple sausage.
I picked up a pizza for dinner at Badamo’s Pizza in Dormont. They have one of the best NY Style pizzas in the area.
I went to McDonald’s to get Krispy Kreme donuts as part of a partnership.
Events
I went to Good Taste Pittsburgh Hometown Homegrown at the Heinz History Center. This event is a showcase of local vendors presenting their baked goods, prepared foods, and other items. There are also demonstrations by local chefs. The event is part of standard admission to the Heinz History Center that day.
I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Pittsburgh rally for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as an official creator the night before the election. The event at Carrie Furnace was pretty amazing. They gave me an official Creator badge when I arrived. We grabbed some food from the food trucks before heading over to the viewing area. We got to be right in front of the stages. The performers were Katy Perry, Andra Day and DJ Arie Cole. It was a fantastic evening and I was glad to be in attendance for it. Unfortunately, the election didn’t go our way.
I got the really cool opportunity to help film a video with Ryan Peters, the local Pittsburgh content creator known for making pasta. I first met Ryan years ago when he was still working in restaurants around Pittsburgh. He was looking for people to help with cracking eggs for one of his next videos. I was already off from work for the day so I volunteered. He partnered with Outreached Arms to make pasta meals for the homeless and those in need. It was interesting to see the process of filming the video. Multiple shots and angles are needed. It got me thinking much more about wanting to start to do more long-form videos and maybe even do content creation full time.
I was invited to a creator night at Wigle Wonderland, the winter popup bar at Wigle Whiskey. I don’t go to many popup bars, but I like this one because the focus is on the cocktails. I tried a few that I really enjoyed. The decorations are tasteful and not over the top.
