Commonplace Coffee to open 9th location
Commonplace Coffee announced plans to open a new bakery cafe in Shadyside, replacing the former Georgie’s Corner Bakery & Café. The new coffee shop, located at 5743 Walnut St., will be Commonplace’s ninth retail coffeehouse location and also move a “significant portion” of its kitchen and baking operations to Pittsburgh...
Penn Brewery listed for sheriff’s saleVideo
Penn Brewery has been listed for sheriff’s sale. The brewery, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month, was listed by creditor First Commonwealth Bank on the Allegheny County Sheriff Office’s website updated May 8. Three tracts at the brewery’s Vinial Street location are scheduled for auction June 1...
Carbonara’s Ristorante passes reinspection by Allegheny County Health Department
After being hit with a consumer alert, Carbonara’s Ristorante in Castle Shannon has passed reinspection by the Allegheny County Health Department. The Italian restaurant was successfully reassessed on May 7 after being cited for 16 health code violations April 30, according to the department’s website. While the Health Department does...
New Playa Bowls location to open in Bakery Square
Playa Bowls will officially open in Bakery Square this week. One of the nation’s largest açai shop franchises, Playa Bowls’ latest Pittsburgh location will open at 11 a.m. on Friday. The first 50 guests in line will receive a free bowl and Playa Bowls T-shirt, according to the announcement. “We’re...
O’Hara officials working with PennDOT, Curbside on the Run, to address parking issuesVideo
Parking has become a serious problem for some O’Hara residents and patrons of a township cafe. Police have issued about 30 tickets within the past few weeks in connection with parking issues related to Curbside on the Run. The casual cafe, located near the intersection of Powers Run Road and...
Gail Klingensmith, co-owner of Pamela’s Diner for nearly a half century, has died
Gail Klingensmith, co-owner of Pamela’s Diner, a Pittsburgh institution for well over four decades, has died. Pamela Cohen, who founded the local chain with Klingensmith 46 years ago, took to Facebook to make a public remembrance on Tuesday morning: “Today, I lost my business partner, best friend and my ‘sister.’...
Eat’n Park debuts strawberry Smiley Cookie
Eat’n Park has added a new treat to its summer menu: a strawberry Smiley Cookie. The new, limited-edition flavor features pink strawberry icing and the cookie’s signature hand-iced grin. Strawberry Smiley Cookies are available now and throughout the summer months at all Eat’n Park restaurants. For decades, the restaurant has...
Pittsburgh Vegan Restaurant Week returns for 2nd yearVideo
Preparing for Pittsburgh Vegan Restaurant Week, Chef Frank Vitale was surprised to find out how many ingredients on his menu at Cucina Vitale 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...
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...
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...
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...
