Monroeville couple open Back To The Foodture on 5th near PPG Paints Arena
Joe Giuffre and his son Joey were the first customers. They found a booth near the back and ordered loaded buffalo chicken fries.
“The owners are great people, and they are family-oriented,” Joe said about Back To The Foodture on 5th, minutes after it opened on Jan. 2. “It’s a place to get something to eat that will fill you up. And there are fun things to do and see here.”
Joe Giuffre knows about Back To The Foodture because he’s dined at the other location in Pittsburgh’s SouthSide Works. He said the new spot is perfect because it’s close to UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, where he attends Duquesne University basketball games just steps from campus on Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh Uptown. After eating, he and his son played a game of pool, and there is also air hockey, a dart board and retro video games, plus a dedicated family section where guests can play board games.
Chef Angel Magwood and husband Eddie Barnz of Monroeville, owners of Back To The Foodture on 5th, plan to add amenities to the existing pool table. The couple want the place to be an experience for guests that is more than just drinks and dining.
The new Back To The Foodture is located at 1014 5th Ave., across the street from PPG Paints Arena inside the former Buford’s Kitchen and Blue Line Grille. It seats 167.
Customers like Giuffre had been waiting for it to open. The week before it debuted, many people stopped by to see if business had started, said Magwood.
The couple debuted their first place in Pitcairn in 2018. They closed that when they found space at 2767 E. Carson Street in SouthSide Works three years later.
They have enough staff to run both SouthSide Works and Downtown locations, employing 25 people at the new spot. Magwood and Barnz found staff by dining at other restaurants and visiting other businesses to see how workers handled themselves through adversity or challenging situations, and then talked to them about working at Back to the Foodture.
“It’s about being courteous to the customers,” Barnz said. “Things happen in this business, and you need to be friendly and take care of something if it goes wrong. And you need to be able to cope with the stress of the restaurant business. You need patience.”
The couple have also teamed with area high schools to offer jobs for youth.
“Some kids feel their only option is the street, but we want to help them find another option,” Barnz said. “Angel and I want to make a difference. My dad always told me it takes all of us to change the world.”
Magwood’s oldest son, R.J., 15, works part-time at the South Side location, and her youngest son, Ryeon, 12, inspired the “Buggie” burger. It’s two grilled cheese sandwiches, one piece of Texas toast, two patties, two eggs, two pieces of bacon and two pieces of cheese with extra layers of tomato, lettuce, mayo and ketchup sauce for $15.
The “Big Poppa” has three doughnuts, two patties, two eggs, two pieces of bacon and two slices of American cheese, topped with signature house sauce.
In addition to its 13 burger selections, the restaurant offers a build-your-own, which includes a veggie option.
The place is known for its wings. There are more than 100 options including sweet chili, spicy ranch and honey barbecue. Six wings are $9.
Back To The Foodture on 5th has 26 types of fries, from plain to sriracha, as well as appetizers, hot dogs with 33 topping choices, and other sandwiches and salads, including the Yinzer salad with steak or chicken, egg and, of course, French fries.
The theme of all the Back To The Foodtures is a museum-type setting. Guests can check out retro items such as an Etch A Sketch, Lite Brite, rotary phone and even a manual typewriter.
Hours will be noon to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Magwood and Barnz are in the process of obtaining a liquor license, which they expect in February, and the plan is to extend hours at that point. It’s BYOB in the interim.
The 6,300 square feet of space has 17 televisions and a party room with scenes from movies such as “Clueless,” “National Lampoon’s Animal House” and “Revenge of the Nerds.” You can rent the room for $100 an hour for a minimum of four hours.
Magwood credits her cooking skills to watching and helping her six grandmothers and great-grandmothers.
“I learned to love cooking from them,” Magwood said. “Grandmothers are the best.”
The food is really good, said Kelli Thompson of Wilkinsburg, who stopped by on opening day with her husband, Thomas. Kelli said she likes the place because it’s a different atmosphere than other restaurants. She said all of the wings are fabulous because there are so many flavors from which to choose.
Thomas said he likes the nostalgia of the place.
“It reminds me of my childhood,” he said.
“Same,” agreed Darnell Ingram of the Hill District of the unique décor. He said being able to walk to the restaurant is an added bonus and that it will be great for people attending Penguins games, concerts and other events at PPG Paints Arena.
“The fries with bacon and cheddar cheese are amazing,” Ingram said. “I get them every time.”
At the soft opening for media on Dec. 30, the Penguins had a game that day. Many sports fans wearing Pittsburgh hockey jerseys stopped in.
“We weren’t officially open, but there were so many people,” Barnz said. “It was a great turnout, and we didn’t want to turn people away.”
The minute Magwood saw the space she envisioned what it could be. She said it had all the basics and just needed some Back To The Foodture details. The plan is to continue to grow the business and find other locations as perfect as this one, the owners said.
“My mouth dropped when I walked in and saw it,” Magwood said. “The space is beautiful. This restaurant will change our lives.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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