Abby Mackey stories

Amadine Fevrier of Mt. Lebanon spent nearly every summer of her childhood in the Brittany region of France. At the rear of the family’s property is a centuries-old “little house” where Fevrier’s grandmother would make the region’s traditional Sunday lunch: a heaping stack of savory — not sweet — crêpes...

The North Shore’s Jerome Bettis’ Grille 36 has remained closed since March, but Steelers Nation is in no danger of losing the restaurant and bar in the shadow of Heinz Field. A substantial remodel will begin in February with a tentative reopening date of April 1, according to Howard Shiller,...

More people than ever are spending their work days at home during the covid-19 pandemic. Whether it’s a quest for comfort food, a search for convenience or the freedom of a more flexible schedule, weekend breakfast spots are now any-day breakfast spots. Here is a list of five breakfast-offering, neighborhood...

When chef and restaurateur Brian Pekarcik contemplated how his two BRGR restaurants should approach this fall and winter, he thought of the restaurants’ perennial favorites: the Gobble Gobble turkey burger, a spiked pumpkin milkshake and a warmly spiced rum cocktail, among others. He also thought about covid-19 dining restrictions, many...

The Strip District Terminal’s storied past is about to reach future generations with a new chapter. Earlier this month, the building’s developer, Chicago-based McCaffery Interests, announced agreements with three more retailers as the $50 million redevelopment nears its end. In keeping with McCaffery’s commitment to lease 25% of the Terminal...

The pure joy felt by children as they race toward an ice cream truck has few, if any, adult parallels. Perhaps it would be different if the truck sold coffee instead of ice cream and played heavy metal instead of a played-out nursery rhyme. It’s about to become a reality...

Pittsburgh hip-hop artist Mars Jackson has a knack for surprising people. He performed in art galleries, like Penn Avenue’s Most Wanted Fine Art, when clubs weren’t his style. Threads of soul, jazz and gospel are prominently displayed in his melodic brand of hip-hop music. He openly discusses the benefits of...

Cars have barely left the parking lot for the final dinner service at The Fairlane, but there’s already a taker for the space that caps one end of Mt. Lebanon’s Beverly Road retail district. Mediterra Cafe will open its second location there by early November. Mediterra Cafe, also a bakery...

Neurosurgeon, author and long-time Sewickley resident Dr. Joseph Maroon was presented with the 2020 UPMC Clinician of Courage Award through a virtual ceremony on Aug. 24. Given as a part of the annual Dr. Loren Roth Quality and Patient Safety Awards, the distinction is meant to honor a UPMC physician...

Summertime restaurant discussions almost always include a spirited debate over the best outdoor dining spots. In a year when half of Americans have canceled summer vacations, however, it seems appropriate to explore restaurant patios that do more than just provide fresh air. This list gives a nod to Pittsburgh-area restaurants...

Face masks are tools proven to quell the spread of covid-19. But for those who rely on lip reading or have trouble observing social cues, traditional masks can also block their ability to communicate with others. At Squirrel Hill’s The Friendship Circle, breaking down barriers for the differently-abled is exactly...

View Gisele Barreto Fetterman through the lens of social media, and one might assume she is among the world’s most upbeat people. But those close to the lieutenant governor’s wife know she’s waged a lifelong war against chronic pain, with medical marijuana being an effective form of treatment. She felt...

Brookline’s refined diner, Menuette, had a false start earlier this year, but its second chance comes starting Wednesday as a revamped, quirky and casual spot called Oak Hill Post. Much of Brookline sits atop the 1870s caverns of the Oak (coal) Mine, making “Oak Hill” a natural nickname for the...

When Miriam La Forest’s 11-year-old daughter, Chelsea, took an hour to complete 20 minutes worth of online school work, La Forrest knew a break was in order. “It was literally after every subject just because she was over it,” said La Forrest, 47, of Brookline. “It means she fell asleep...

Pittsburgh’s restaurant scene continues to endure losses as Larder of East End and Mt. Lebanon’s The Fairlane will close their doors permanently this weekend. Larder is a collaborative venture between chef Justin Severino and his partner Hilary Prescott, and East End Brewing Co. owner and head brewer Scott Smith. The...

Rico Lunardi opened the third location of Slice on Broadway, his local pizza chain in 2016 at PNC Park. He guesses he missed only five or six Pirates game nights since he opened the spot with a street entrance on Federal Street. “I will never be a professional athlete, but...

Tamara O’Brien has always planted a fall garden. She sows various types of greens, cucumbers and heirloom squashes much later into the summer than less-seasoned gardeners might dare and harvests all the way through October. Planting a fall plot is a strategy that lengthens the growing season and increases the...

When Scott Neeley talks about making customers happy with KingView meads and wines, he means a lot more than just a responsible buzz for the 21-and-over crowd. “I always wanted to start a business that hit three major marks: It had to be fun, had to be something I was...

Gregg Kander doesn’t know when to stop. Just ask those working on his newest project, the rehabilitation of Braddock’s historic Ohringer Furniture building. By late summer, it is expected to house a hand-picked, diverse community of artists living in a space designed to catalyze creativity. The basement will house communal...

A Jamaican restaurant, 2 Sisters 2 Sons, opened on Main Street in Sharpsburg just a few days into July, but their cuisine is hardly new to Pittsburgh’s Caribbean food scene. Their phone is ringing off the hook. Those callers might know the sisters, Denise Josephs and Marlene Siddo, from their...

The past 24 hours have brought permanent closure announcements from two popular Pittsburgh eateries, Downtown’s NOLA on the Square and East Liberty’s Spoon. Spoon’s announcement came yesterday through Facebook, though the rationale is more complicated than just the financial pressures which have accompanied covid-19 restrictions. According to Spoon’s part-owner and...

Mt. Lebanon’s Il Pizzaiolo has temporarily halted dine-in service. Curbside and delivery options will be available for the remainder of the week, according to the restaurant’s website. Beginning next week, patrons may dine in-house by limited reservation only, seating customers outside and at the wine bar exclusively. “This way we...

Chef Jamilka Borges will put her bravery and culinary prowess on display in Etna as she opens her first restaurant, mid-pandemic, appropriately named Wild Child. Etna’s business district will welcome the new concept, inspired by Borges’ passion for international, coastal foods, in the space formerly occupied by Seasons restaurant on...

One of the largest underdeveloped parcels of land in Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs has caught the eye of retail giant Amazon for the purposes of a high-tech distribution facility, though the future of that project is uncertain, according to Churchill and Allegheny County officials. A recent change to zoning of the...