It’s October, and we’re coming in hot with our food-and-drink updates. There’s some tasty new spots to devour: some serving Puerto Rican eats, South American fare, and authentic halal food, and others dishing up bagel sammies, deep-dish pizza, doughnuts, coffee, coffee, and more coffee.
Let’s do our best to support our new neighbors who serve us each and every day. That means wearing a mask if they ask, showing your vaccination proof if needed, being extra patient these days, and as always, tipping well.
In case you missed last month’s edition, you can play catch up here. If we missed something, let us know so we can add it to the list.
Let’s dive right in, shall we?
Hello
Driven PGH is dishing up that deep dish. (📸: courtesy of @drivenpgh)
🌮 Do you love tacos as much as Baby Loves Tacos? If so, you can check out its newest location at 116 Meyran Ave. in Oakland.
🍳 Brooklyn Bagel finally brought its delicious breakfast bites to the Arsenal on Butler St., along with Italian coffee, espresso from La Prima, and pastries from Enrico Biscotti.
🍪 Brother Andre’s Cafe is a coffee shop in the renovated basement of Church of the Epiphany in the Hill District, and is staffed by Pat, the baker extraordinaire, and other friends with various disabilities and abilities, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
🍵 Centered Coffee & Wellness is serving healing vibes with organic coffee, tea, smoothies, and snacks in Shadyside.
🍨 Churn, the North Pittsburgh-based ice cream and coffee bar, just opened a shop in the South Side, serving sweet drinks and treats that will perk you up on East Carson St.
🇨🇴 The Colombian Spot, located in the South Side, is now serving South American fare at its express location in Oakland at 3533 Forbes Ave.
☕ Divvy Coffee & Buns on Forbes Ave. is your newest go-to spot for both sweet and savory breakfast bites, healthy salads, and of course, a variety of freshly brewed beans and unique drinks.
🍕 Driven is the newest addition to the Federal Galley on the North Side, serving inventive slices of Detroit-style pizza like the PBR made with pepperoni, banana peppers, ricotta, hot honey, marinara, mozz, and cheddar cheese.
🍗 Fusion 20 is a takeout-only restaurant in East Pittsburgh plating up memorable flavors and comfort food dishes, like macaroni and cheese, cajun chicken alfredo, and more.
🇵🇷 The popular Puerto Rican food truck Secretos de mis Abuelos is laying roots alongside Hapa Hawaiian Grill in Uptown, and is “likely the only place in the region where you’ll find spam musubi, chicken mofongo, and kalua pork under the same roof,” according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
🍣 Sushi Kim Restaurant has returned to Pittsburgh after its original location closed in 2019. The new spot, Sushi Kim 2, held the grand opening for its new Smithfield Street location on Oct. 5.
Let’s taco bout Gordo’s Tacos. (📸: courtesy of @gordos_pgh)
🌮 Get your fill of Mexican-American fusion on the Mount. Gordo’s Tacos & Tequila is finally finished with construction in its Mount Washington location, and they’re currently open with a limited menu.
🍩 Doughnut miss this! An Ohio doughnut institution has a new location in Castle Shannon. Madsen Donuts comes to 3609 Library Road with 83 years’ experience of perfecting 12 varieties of traditional cake and raised doughnuts, per NEXTPittsburgh.
🍸 The Market Exchange is the newest addition to Market Square, serving American lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch alongside delicious crafts and cocktails every Wednesday through Sunday.
🍾 Chef Kevin Sousa switched gears from Superior Motors to open up Mount Oliver Bodega, a boutique wine shop, bar, and restaurant in the former Kullman’s Bakery.
🌯 Shah’s Halal is now posted up in Oakland at 412 Semple St. (Yinz got a great address!) They’re serving authentic halal food — like gyros and salad bowls — made with halal meat and farm-fresh, locally sourced vegetables.
See you soon
🍩 Valkyrie Doughnuts, the popular pop-up serving vegan friendly treats across ‘tahn, will soon by frying in a brick-and-mortar located at 601 Lincoln Ave. in Bellevue.
🍲 Sullivan’s Steakhouse is about to be sizzling at its new location in the U.S. Steel Tower on Grant. St. Downtown’s newest steakhouse will open on Oct. 7, serving perfectly cooked meats, french onion soup, blue cheese salads, old-fashioned cocktails, and more, TribLIVE reports.
🌮 The long-awaited opening of Tako, the Asian Mexican fusion restaurant, in Bakery Square has finally come. Don’t miss its opening on Oct. 14. And guess what. You don’t have to wait for dinner to enjoy Tako; they’re extending their hours and menu to serve 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday, and their 360-degree bar open late on Fridays and Saturdays.
☕ Cafetano is so close to serving its signature Honduran Coffee with an Italian flair to the Strip District. The coffee purveyor is setting up shop in the former Gaucho Parilla Argentina space on Penn Ave and will specialize in the full coffee experience but will also sell smoothies, breakfast, and lunch, and dessert. Don’t miss its grand opening on Oct. 16 with free coffee for the first 100 customers, gift card giveaways, Steelers ticket raffles, and free signature bites.
🍩 You may have seen Oliver’s Donuts popping up around ‘tahn, but pretty soon they’ll be slinging tasty cake donuts at a permanent spot in the Lawrenceville Market House.
🍸 G’s on Liberty is counting down the days until its opening on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield with “a full service restaurant, focusing on real, innovative, creative food, and cocktails,” NEXTPittsburgh reports.
🍳 Wild Child, popular pop-up from acclaimed chef Jamilka Borges, will very soon be serving coastal cuisine, including fresh, seafood dishes to Etna.
🍔 Full moon, full belly. The famed pop-up Moonlit Burgers is opening a brick-and-mortar on Potomac Avenue in Dormont this fall, and will serve its famous juicy smash burgers with delectable crispy edges, NEXTPittsburgh reports.
🍺 Brothers from the City of Brotherly Love are planning to open Lolev Brewing Co. in Lawrenceville with specialty brews, rooftop seating, and a rotating lineup of food trucks, NEXTPittsburgh reports.
🎶 Brillobox is back in business in Bloomfield. After announcing its closure during the pandemic, the beloved 15-year-old bar and music venue recently announced that it plans to reopen in the fall, according to Pittsburgh City Paper.
🧀 Bitter End Rye & Charcuterie Bar is Rear End’s sister restaurant and the former location of Nooch’s Bar. The eatery will offer “whiskey & meat” in a modern speakeasy setting with specialty cocktails and charcuterie boards.
🌮 Las Chicas, a fav Pittsburgh food truck, is set to open a location in Millvale, bringing its tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more to a brick-and-mortar.
🍾 In addition to opening Mount Oliver Bodega, Chef Kevin Sousa (formerly of Superior Motors) is also set to open the Arlington Beverage Club, a new concept coming to an old social club in Allentown, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette details.
🎳 Shorty’s Pins x Pints, is a new entertainment concept with duckpin bowling, bocce, pinball, cornhole, firepits, and street food is coming to the North Shore late 2021, per NEXTPittsburgh.
🍵 Adda Coffee & Tea House is opening its fifth location in Downtown’s Cultural District this fall with a coffee shop and local vendor hall combo, as reported by Good Food Pittsburgh.
🍺 Sly Fox Brewing Co., a Philly-based brewery, is putting down roots at The Highline on the South Side this summer. In the meantime, you can follow their Instagram to learn about their latest pop-ups.
🍸Storyville Lounge, a “hidden” Victoria-era bar, will be the latest venture by the owners of Dr. Tumblety’s Time-Inspired Specialty Shop in Allentown coming this fall, according to NEXTPittsburgh.
🍺 Back Alley Brewing is on a mission to create Dormont’s first craft brewery, and you can follow along with their progress on Instagram.
🍕 AVP, a pizza-focused spinoff of Alta Via, is joining the restaurant lineup at Bakery Square this fall, adding to big Burrito’s restaurant portfolio around town, Pittsburgh Magazine reports.
🍽️ Tupelo Honey, a Southern cuisine chain, is coming to Station Square later this fall and will become an early anchor of the updated Freight House Shops, per Pittsburgh Patch.
🍻 Bonafide Beer Co. is planned to take over the former Chicken Latino spot in the Strip District.
🐟 PennsylvAsia reported that work on Wild Ninja Asian Grill is underway in Oakland, replacing Uncle Sam’s Gourmet Subs.
Long-term openings on our radar
🍺 Verona-based Inner Groove Brewing is getting ready to open its second location in Allentown with a tap room and beer garden tucked between the South Side Slopes and Mount Washington. Reno is still in progress, but you can follow along on Inner Groove Brewing’s social pages for updates.
🍺 Virginia-based Aslin Beer Company is opening a 7,000-square-foot taproom and 10-barrel brewhouse at The Terminal in the Strip District, set to open sometime in summer 2022, according to Pittsburgh City Paper.
🍦 New York based Posman Books and Odd Fellows Ice Cream Co. are teaming up to shares stories and scoops at the Strip District Terminal building, NEXTPittsburgh reports.
🍳 The Journeyman’s Table is still on its journey to opening on Penn Avenue, and will soon offer from-scratch, seasonal dinners alongside craft cocktails, wine, and local beers.
🍔 Eminent Cafe is well… an imminent addition to Bedford Ave. in the Hill District. No details or opening dates are known, but it looks like they will be serving delicious sandwiches, according to the post by Soul Pitt.
🍳 The folks behind Geppetto Cafe in Lawrenceville are taking over a spot down the street, bringing a new breakfast restaurant to the former Coca Cafe, per WPXI-TV.
🍽️ Cafe Momentum is coming to Forbes Ave., Downtown to serve food and at-risk youth. It will provide culinary training for teenagers who have been in juvenile detention facilities, as well as a community service center, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
🍜 Chengdu Gourmet plans to open a second location in in the former Oritental Market on McKnight Road in addition to their popular Americanized-Chinese Squirrel Hill location, Pittsburgh Magazine reports.
🍔 98 K Burger is a new burger place coming to Squirrel Hill, according to PennsylvAsia; 98 K shares a name with spots in Brooklyn and Queens, but it is unclear whether the one opening in Pittsburgh is a part of a chain, Pittsburgh City Paper reports.
🍱 Bento is a new restaurant coming to Shadyside, according to PennsylvAsia, but there’s no word on the details or timeline.
🍺 Pittsburgh Brewing Co. is planning a new brewery in the former Pittsburgh Glass Works plant on a 40-acre site along the Allegheny River in Creighton. Pittsburgh Business Times has the latest — and more on the fascinating history of the site.
🍵 Tupelo Honey Teas in Millvale acquired the building next door and will renovate and expand over the next several years. P.S. There will be garden tea parties!
🚀 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.
🎸 Pittsburgh City Paper reports that Howler’s is moving to East Liberty after 19 years in Bloomfield.
🍕 Big Burrito is bringing a yet-to-be-named restaurant to Lawrenceville with a focus on pizza, veggie-forward dishes, and burgers, according to Pittsburgh Magazine.
🏛 The Vandal owners are working on two new concepts to the Pitt Building Downtown, the Post-Gazette reports. One is a sandwich shop. The other is a supper club called Saint Johannes.
🍞 Philadelphia’s PrimoHoagies is expanding to the Pittsburgh region and will sell its Italian-style sandwiches at 1600 Smallman St. in the Strip District sometime in 2022, per TribLIVE.
Farewell
☕ Last month, Redhawk Coffee announced that it will be permanently closing its Smithfield St. location, but fans of this coffee bar shouldn’t fret. They’re currently looking for another Downtown spot to call home.
⭐ Thanks to Satellite Sports Connection, an Authorized DIRECTV for Business Dealer, for helping us bring the food and drink opening and closing list to our readers. With offers starting at just under $30, it’s a good option for bars, restaurants, and shops to bring hours of entertainment for their customers.
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