We love a good speakeasy, and when we heard about Bitter End in Etna serving classic cocktails in a speakeasy ambiance (complete with green light above the front door), we made our way over as quickly as we could.
Although we had some concerns over the balance of our drinks, we always welcome more cocktail programs in the Pittsburgh region.
In Pittsburgh, the start of the holiday season is not ambiguous.
It is not after Halloween when department stores put out Christmas decorations (or do they do it before now?). It is not the day after Thanksgiving that many traditionally observe. It is also not the first snow sighting, December 1st, the fall time change, or any other arbitrary benchmark.
This one particular instance should not be up for debate, as the start of the Christmas season in Pittsburgh is Light Up Night- the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
In this guide, we want to share some of our favorite tips on how to get the most out of what is perhaps our favorite annual event in Pittsburgh!
Note: In 2025, Light Up Night will have some slightly modified event locations due to the on-going construction in Market Square. While this article is meant to be somewhat static year-to-year, we've noted some variations for 2025's festivities in this one.
November in Pittsburgh is truly a month of change. If we are lucky the start of the month still has mild temperatures and peak fall colors, and by the end of the month winter is starting to descend upon the region.
As such, while there may still be a number of outdoor activities to enjoy this month, depending on the weather forecast you may also want to start moving inside for some experiences!
So if you are looking for things to do in Pittsburgh in November, check out the following options.
In many cases, we often overlook that Pittsburgh hotels often have on-site cocktail bars. Some of these may be your conventional hotel bar, while others may be a bit more.
At The Priory Hotel in the North Side, you get what is perhaps the most interesting hotel bar experience in the city, for one unique reason- it is said to be the smallest bar in the state of Pennsylvania.
Yes, The Monks' Bar is tiny, and according to The Priory's website, it seats just 14 customers. So cozy up with your fellow patrons, get to know your bartender, and grab a drink from this limited, albeit expertly curated, bar menu!
Do you love sandwiches? We know the answer is yes, but we feel like we have to ask anyway.
Since you likely fall into this category, we're just going to cut to the chase and tell you that you need to make it over to the North Side to check out their annual sandwich week- taking place starting October 27th in 2025.
This annual event challenges all North Side restaurants to showcase a special sandwich for the week and throw down against each other for a judged event at The Priory Hotel to kick off the festivities.
We were invited to check out the opening night party in 2025 as guest judges and were able to get a sneak peek at some of the creations.
This is one party you don't want to miss in future years!
Ever since Dancing Gnome opened their massive new brewery in Sharpsburg, we always wondered what would happen to their original, more intimate location along Main Street.
In late 2025, Dancing Gnome announced that the original bar would be opened, renamed Nine Two Five (sometimes written Nine T(w)o Five- perhaps the most appropriate street-address-turned-bar-name you could ask for), and would be a welcoming, all-around bar with beer, cocktails, wine, food, and more.
Naturally, we visited this one on the first soft open, and while we would fully argue this one is a cocktail bar first that also has great local brews and PA wines, this one really has something for everyone- including a new food menu from Blue Sparrow!
Every year, we always expect the Pittsburgh Zoo to put on some spectacular shows around the holidays.
In 2025, they get into the Halloween spirit by filling the zoo up with thousands of jack o'lanterns in the aptly named Jack O'Lantern Extravaganza.
So what all can you see in this one? We went to the zoo on a chilly fall evening to find out!
When it comes to parking in Pittsburgh, odds are good you are going to see a lot of signs. We have a lot of them.
Signs to denote when there are meters. Signs to denote permit parking. Signs to denote delivery parking. Many neighborhoods also have street cleaning rules to consider, too.
We often hear from visitors who find our parking signs to be confusing. So in this one, we thought we'd break down some of the most common parking signs you're likely to see, and share what each means in an (hopefully) easy-to-follow guide.
Note: This article only covers meter, permitting, and street cleaning signs within the city of Pittsburgh. Boroughs and suburbs may have different rules and signs to watch out for.
Phipps Conservatory is known for being one of the largest botanical gardens in the region, and also for its seasonal flower shows that are truly events not to be missed.
For 2025's Fall Flower Show, Phipps is heading to Asia with the theme Visions of Japan. With some elegant and intentional designs, this one will delight with imagery of the fall and harvest in East Asia.
As with all of our show reviews, we're not going to share every room in the Conservatory (you'll have to visit yourself to see them all!). Instead, we're going to feature a few of our favorite rooms from the show to highlight a cross-section of the displays!
Camino is a Mexican restaurant in Bloomfield with a fast-casual vibe. From the owners of other local Mexican spots Tocayo and Totopo, Camino offers a similar menu with cocktails, burritos, bowls, tacos, and more.
The space is bright and cheery, and while some of the entrees hit the mark for us more than others, the cocktails were respectable, and, perhaps most important of all, the food came in at an incredibly good value.
So if you want a reasonably priced Mexican restaurant, Camino has a lot to consider.