Updated 10:26 a.m. Sept. 3, 2019
This month, sip beers in Bellevue, try renowned chef Justin Severino’s new spot, find your new go-to lunch spot Downtown, and get a taste of France without ever leaving Pittsburgh.
Here’s the complete report on what’s new in the city’s food and beverage scene (and what you might have missed in July).
Hello
☕️ The metal/punk-themed coffee shop Black Forge has opened a second location in McKees Rocks. Located inside an old bank building, this 6,000-square foot space houses a roastery and hosts bands and artists.
🇫🇷 For a taste of France, a new outpost for Gaby et Jules Patisseries et Macaron bakery has opened in East Liberty with sweet treats, coffee, and tea.
🎂 Ka-Fair Coffee and Cakery in Morningside is serving up juices, beautiful sweet treats, and black coffee — served in bowls. Ka-Fair means coffee in Thai, and the cafe is run by friends who met in Thailand, NEXT Pittsburgh reports.
🥓 Larder, a new restaurant from Justin Severino, is now open inside the East End Brewing Brewpub in Larimer with everything from steamed mussels to dry coffee rub smoked wings to a smoked chicken salad sandwich (it’s Severino’s Mom’s recipe), plus vegetarian-friendly dishes, too.
🍺 Lincoln Ave. Brewery is now open in Bellevue with a dozen beers, paninis, and salads. During the process, 130 volunteers logging 2,000 volunteer hours helped bring the project to life.
🍞 At long last, a permanent location for the beloved Pigeon Bagels has opened in Squirrel Hill.
🥗 SoFresh, a fast casual chain has opened a Pittsburgh location in PPG Plaza with a variety of lunch and dinner bowls, smoothies, and juices.
🌮 Describing itself as Pittsburgh’s only build-your-own taco and pan pizza bar, SYN Taqueria & Pizzeria has set up shop in the former Sharp Edge Friendship location. It offers 35 Pennsylvania beers on tap and flavored margaritas.
🎶 Thunderbird, a historic spot for music and drinks, is now open after a significant renovation.
🍷 At The Vault Taproom, experience Pittsburgh’s first self-serve draft beer and wine system, along with small plates in the South Side.
See you soon
🍻 A Sly Fox taproom near Point State Park in the space formerly occupied by Stone Neapolitan Pizza is expected to open in August.
🐉 The subject of years of anticipation, restaurateurs Richard DeShantz and Tolga Sevdik are expected to open Gi-Jin soon. Look for sushi, gin, Japanese whiskey, and a giant dragon mural.
🍦 A Lawrenceville location for Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream is in the works, though it doesn’t appear any work has happened recently.
🍺 A new location for Dive Bar is coming to Regent Square in the former Ryan’s Pub location, expected to open this summer.
🍣 A yet-to-be-named 14-seat sushi counter tucked on the second floor between Round Corner Cantini and Umami in Lawrenceville is set to open this summer.
🥗 Famed chef Justin Severino is planning a casual California-inspired cafe near North Park by summer’s end.
🍔 Supper, formerly of Federal Galley, is moving this summer to the space occupied by Crystal on Penn in the Strip District.
🍗 Oakmont Barbeque Company is planning a permanent location — not in Oakmont but in neighboring Verona — by summer’s end.
🍺 The Woods House, a Scottish pub, is slated for one of Pittsburgh’s oldest houses. Crews are working toward summer pop-ups and a fall opening.
🍺 Platform Beer Co., the Cleveland-based brewery, will open a brewery and tasting room this year in Garfield.
🌯 A Mexican-Italian fusion is coming to the Strip District in partnership with Edgar Alvarez of Edgar’s Best Tacos.
🔥 Fig & Ash, a “farm-to-flame restaurant,” is headed to Deutschtown.
🍻 Rogan Brewing Co., a taproom with pints and growlers, is coming to West Homestead.
🍗 The Eagle, a casual fried chicken restaurant, is coming to Penn Avenue Downtown this fall.
☕️ Convive Coffee will open its flagship location in Lawrenceville this fall, joining its original McCandless store, per a press release from Midwood Investment & Development.
🌮 Empanada purveyor Mi Empanada will debut its first retail location in Lawrenceville this fall, according to Midwood Investment & Development.
🍺 BrewDog, a Scottish brewery with more than 50 locations around the world, will open this fall in the Eastside Bond building in East Liberty.
🍳 Lola’s Eatery will open inside Lawrenceville’s Engine House 25 Winery come September drawing on a love of baking and Mexican-Filipino heritage.
🍕 Iron Born Pizza has moved out of Smallman Galley and is moving into the former Carhops location just down the street sometime this year.
🎳 Shorty’s Pins x Pints, a new entertainment concept with duckpin bowling, bocce, pinball, cornhole, and giant beer pong, plus street food, is coming to the North Shore by year’s end.
🚀 Grist House Craft Brewery is turning a Collier Township Cold War-era Nike Missile Command Center into another outpost for the popular brewery. But a lot of work is ahead, so be patient. An opening date is expected a year or two from now.
🎮 Look for a location of the Punch Bowl Social chain with food and drinks, plus ping pong, darts, bowling, classic video games, and karaoke in the Lower Hill in 2020.
🍗 Chicken Latino is working on a Beechview location, but the Peruvian spot won’t move out of the Strip District until summer 2020.
🎶 A Rascal Flatts restaurant is coming to Station Square. … Maybe. The operator has been served with an eviction notice, and there’s plenty of legal drama, the Business Times explains.
🏈 North Shore Seven, a restaurant near Heinz Field from Ben Roethlisberger, is planned for the North Shore, of course, boasting made-from-scratch entrees and “Hollywood-style booth seating,” which is maybe just a little excessive. But when? It’s still on the sidelines, as of now.
Farewell
🎂 Known for its glazed donuts, ladylocks, and cakes, Schorr Family Bakery, with locations in Observatory Hill and West View, has closed after 45 years.
🍺 East End Brewing has closed its Strip District taproom, opting to “focus our energies elsewhere for the time being” and encouraging regulars to make the 15-minute drive to their Larimer location.