Pittsburgh Vegan Restaurant Week returns for 2nd yearVideo
Preparing for Pittsburgh Vegan Restaurant Week, Cucina Vitale Chef Frank Vitale was surprised to find out how many ingredients on his menu were already vegan. At the traditional red-sauce Italian restaurant in Green Tree, pasta is made fresh from semolina flour and water. Wines from the family-run Allora Wine Group...
Counting calories at PNC Park: How ballpark foods add up
Grabbing a bite at the ballpark used to mean peanuts and Cracker Jacks — immortalized in song since 1908. But modern ballparks have raised the culinary stakes, expanding menus to include extravagant, oversized and hyper-local food each season. This year, the Pirates home opener at PNC Park debuted chipped ham...
On Mother’s Day, moms get a free sandwich at Primanti Bros.
Primanti Bros. is honoring moms with a special Mother’s Day free sandwich deal, using the honor system. On Sunday, all Primanti Bros. locations will be giving out a free classic sandwich to any and all moms who spend at least $10 dining at the restaurant. The classic sandwich includes a...
Lawrenceville Distillery shifts operations to historic bank in Verona
Spirits are high in Verona. Lawrenceville Distilling Co.’s Riverbank Distillery opened last month inside a more than 100-year-old former bank. The opening marks the official relocation of Lawrenceville Distilling Co. from Lawrenceville to Verona. Co-owners and brothers Jeremy and Joe DeGroot didn’t renew the lease last year on their small-batch...
McDonald’s to debut new refreshers, crafted sodas, beaded drink carriers this week
New refreshers and crafted sodas launch at McDonald’s starting Wednesday. There are six options in the new lineup of drinks, according to an announcement. Three will be refreshers and three will be crafted sodas. Here are the specifics:Strawberry Watermelon Refresher* blends sweet strawberry and watermelon flavors with a lemonade base,...
Health Department issues consumer alert for Carbonara’s Ristorante in Castle Shannon
Carbonara’s Ristorante in Castle Shannon has been issued a consumer alert by the Allegheny County Health Department. An inspection of the Italian restaurant on April 30 found 16 health code violations, according to the inspection report. Four violations were listed as high-risk, meaning hazards that can directly cause food-borne illness,...
Pittsburgh’s 3 major sports teams promote Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank fundraiser
Meghan Phrampus wants to raise $5,000. To do this, Phrampus — a 23-year-old North Hills resident and Pittsburgh sports social media influencer — plans to walk 30 miles in 30 days. If her fundraising efforts are successful, Phrampus’ steps will help feed 30,000 people. Phrampus’ campaign is part of the...
Contaminated seasoning triggers a nationwide recall of Utz potato chips
A Pennsylvania-based snack food maker has voluntarily recalled some of its potato chips because they have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. Utz Quality Foods, a subsidiary of Utz Brands of Hanover, recalled some Zapp’s and Dirty potato chips. The company was notified that a seasoning containing dry milk...
Restaurants celebrate authentic Mexican culture and history this Cinco de Mayo
Nayomie Mendoza has become accustomed to how Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the U.S.: the platters of tacos, the pitchers of margaritas and the jubilant sounds of mariachi bands. She is among a number of Mexican American business owners who’ve become more vocal about also honoring Mexican history and...
Independent coffee shops: A community and economic driverVideo
Seeking a sense of community is what got April Zeolla, owner and operator of Novo Café in Arnold, into the coffee business. And a community is what she found. “I’ve always loved just any way to gather people in a room,” Zeolla said. “This is the best way to gather...
Hemingway’s Cafe goes quiet after 43 years in Oakland
Hemingway’s Cafe in Oakland served its last pitcher in the wee hours of Monday morning, ending its 43-year run in the heart of the University of Pittsburgh’s campus. Last call came around 1 a.m. and was met with a round of applause. More than 50 customers were hanging on, soaking...
Brentwood’s Crack’d Egg announces it’s closing downVideo
The Crack’d Egg, a Brentwood restaurant that sparked attention for fighting covid-19 restrictions, announced it is closing. In a social media post, the owners said they contemplated closing last year but decided to sign an additional one-year lease. “And here we are in 2026,” the post continued. “Costs through the...
Western Pennsylvania confectionaries weigh in on chocolate trendsVideo
Scanning the candy bars at the checkout line at the grocery store or the case at your favorite sweet shop may evoke nostalgia with classic confections. But chocolate, like everything else, can be trendy. Chocolate makers and retailers in Southwestern Pennsylvania have seen a balance between what Confectionery News calls...
NFL Draft-driven restaurant traffic a tale of haves and have nots
McFadden’s Irish pub boasted a line down North Shore Drive on Thursday afternoon. The bar between PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium usually doesn’t get jam-packed until late at night, but business was booming most of Thursday and Friday. The reason why is hard to miss. McFadden’s is within eyesight of...
Food21 explores building a dairy hub in Western PennsylvaniaVideo
Pittsburgh nonprofit Food21’s mission is to improve the design, operation and regulation of local and regional food economies, and to work to find funding to achieve it. A recent feasibility study commissioned by the group examined ways to establish a dairy processing plant, agricultural research center and demonstration farm, potentially...
Western PA experts offer what to serve at your Kentucky Derby party
The Kentucky Derby may be nicknamed “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” but hopefully your Derby party will last significantly longer than 120 seconds. This year will be the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby, which takes place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The race takes place May...
Table for who? Some restaurants see drop-off in diners during NFL Draft
With the 2026 NFL Draft taking place only a few blocks away, Peppi’s sandwich shop on Pittsburgh’s North Side simplified its menu, stocked up on ingredients and brought in extra staff ahead of what owner Jeff Trebac expected to be a hectic three days. Business on Thursday — the draft’s...
NFL Draft’s Pittsburgh food vendors proud to be ‘local 1st’
Pittsburgh fans perusing the food options at the NFL Draft Experience might recognize a few restaurant names. Six local eateries are serving concessions at Point State Park through Saturday, and five more make up a Taste of Pittsburgh concessions area on the North Shore — offering food ranging from pizza...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: April 24-26
Most Pittsburghers will fall into one of two camps this weekend: those excited to attend the NFL Draft and those on “snowstorm protocol,” staying home with lots of snacks. But never fear — there is a happy medium. Here are some events to check out if you don’t want to...
Taste of the Draft fundraiser celebrates local foods while helping students
Downtown visitors could hear the Pittsburgh Steeline drumming for blocks as it kicked off the Taste of the Draft fundraiser Wednesday evening. Considered to be an unofficial start to the 2026 NFL Draft, the philanthropic and tasting event drew about 700 people to sample food from more than 20 local...
Researchers have spent decades breeding better potatoes for chips, and their work isn’t done
EAST LANSING, Mich. — There’s a surprising amount of science in a bag of potato chips. Researchers have spent decades developing potatoes for chip makers that can grow in all kinds of climates, avoid diseases and pests, sit in storage for months and still deliver a satisfying crunch. They’ve also...
Pittsburgh restaurants prepare for NFL Draft surge as closures raise concerns
With hundreds of thousands of football fans expected in town, restaurants near the NFL Draft footprint in Pittsburgh say they’re anticipating large crowds — but worry that widespread road closures could make it difficult for employees to get to work. “We are used to volume, whether it’s football or opening...
New seafood restaurant coming to Pittsburgh’s Cultural District
A new coastal seafood restaurant is coming to Downtown Pittsburgh. Meredith Boyle and Fernando Navas, owners of the Argentine eatery Balvanera in the Strip District, will open another concept, Casa Anchoa. Set to launch this fall, the restaurant will take over the space formerly occupied by Nine on Nine at...
Consumers are lost at sea as seafood sustainability grows more complex
BOSTON — Don’t overfish. Don’t trawl the seabed. Keep aquaculture healthy for the fish as well as the ocean. Some aspects of sustainable seafood are obvious and well-trod, even if the how-to intricacies likely are lost on most consumers. But sustainability today is complicated terrain, as much about business as...
Where to eat on the South Side during the 2026 NFL Draft
Tourists visiting Pittsburgh for the 2026 NFL Draft, and seeking to avoid the North Shore crowds by staying in Pittsburgh’s historic South Side, have plenty of walkable dining options in the neighborhood. East Carson Street — known as one of the nation’s longest Victorian-era main streets — is lined with...
