Angie, Author at Discover the Burgh

Ephesus Pizza Review – Turkish Food and Pizza in Pittsburgh

December 1, 2020October 21, 2015

Note: Some of the Turkish pizzas and specialties mentioned below may no longer be offered at some Ephesus locations. At last check, the downtown Pittsburgh and Aspinwall location still offered some of the menu items discussed below but the Bellevue location did not.

When I first heard of Ephesus Pizza, I clung to the hope that they would actually serve some Turkish food and that the name wasn't just a pizza restaurant trying to sound exotic.

Specifically, I was hoping the restaurant would serve Turkish pide (basically a Turkish pizza), one of our favorite dishes from our travels in Turkey.

As I checked out the menu online I couldn't have been happier. Not only did they have our beloved pide complete with sujuk, a dry-cured meat sort of like pepperoni, but they also had lahmacun (another type of meat-topped flatbread), kebaps, and other gyro-esque wraps.

We just had to visit, and it only took us a few days in between hearing about this place and actually getting there. Since that first visit, we've found many reasons to return time and time again.

Lola Bistro Review – International Cuisine in the North Side

August 3, 2022October 12, 2015

Cioppino at Lola Bistro in the North Side

Lola Bistro appears to be permanently closed.

Lola Bistro on the North Side is a cute, cozy spot in a residential neighborhood that describes itself as serving international comfort cuisine.

Offering dishes from many different countries around the world and executing them all equally well is an ambitious goal, but in theory we are big fans of the concept. It's the kind of restaurant that we really want to like- but we think it needs a few tweaks before it will be there 100%.

Proper Brick Oven Review – Wood-Fired Pizza Downtown

October 5, 2023September 28, 2015

Pig and the Fig at Proper Brick Oven in Pittsburgh

When we heard that Proper Brick Oven had a wood-fired oven for making their pizzas, we knew we had to check the place out. You pretty much can't go wrong with a pie baked in one of those.

On our recent visit the pizza didn't disappoint, but nearly everything else was uninspiring at best- even the service.

The Pub Chip Shop Review – Fish, Chips, and More

August 2, 2020September 21, 2015

From the name alone, The Pub Chip Shop might not sound like anything other than a greasy fish and chips place for those who have imbibed a bit too much (after all, the restaurant is located in South Side).

However, the menu is rather extensive and offers some tasty surprises that are delicious even when perfectly sober, as we were on our recent visit.

Everyday Noodles Review – Taiwanese Noodles in Squirrel Hill

January 10, 2019September 5, 2015

Spicy Wonton Noodles at Everyday Noodles in Squirrel Hill

Sometime in the last few years, Squirrel Hill has turned into the Little Asia of Pittsburgh. Korean, Thai, Chinese, ramen, teppanyaki, sushi, and even Asian style baked goods- all of these foods can be found in this bustling neighborhood.

At first glance this seems a little it odd- how many different Asian restaurants do you need in just a few blocks? But we've been visiting these restaurants one by one, and the cool thing is that each one has a pretty specialized menu with a distinct type of cuisine that they focus on.

Everyday Noodle is one such restaurant, where the emphasis is on, you guessed it: noodles.

Butcher and the Rye Review – Whiskey and Modern Cuisine

October 5, 2023August 27, 2015

Note: Butcher and the Rye has been closed since the COVID pandemic and the space is currently being used as rotating pop-up bars. We hope that Butcher and the Rye will return soon.

Butcher and the Rye is one of the hottest restaurants in Pittsburgh, and guess where it is? Downtown!

We've always thought that this is one part of the city that needs more unique restaurants, and hearing about people going downtown just to eat is welcomed news.

In fact, so many people are trying to eat at Butcher and the Rye that it is quite difficult to get a reservation. We tried for weeks to get a table on a Saturday night that worked with our schedules, and after trying for quite some time we were finally able to get in at 9PM by calling just over a week in advance.

Not knowing when we'd make it back and that reservations are hard to come by, we went all out.

Kaya Pittsburgh Review – Caribbean Inspired Fare in the Strip

April 10, 2024August 4, 2015

Fried Avocado Tacos at Kaya in Pittsburgh

After living in Pittsburgh for five years and eating our way through neighborhood after neighborhood, Kaya is definitively one of our favorite restaurants in the city.

The laid back yet classy Caribbean vibe, awesome bar and happy hour, one of the best burgers we've ever had (just about anywhere), and a creative menu with Latin American and Caribbean influences combine to make this an all-around standout restaurant.

But to truly get the best out of this great restaurant in the Strip District, you'll have to visit at least three times.

28 of the Best Pittsburgh Ice Cream Shops to Visit

April 22, 2024July 18, 2015

I have a serious frozen concoction problem. I think it all started when I first moved to Pittsburgh during a bloody hot summer and the apartment I was renting didn't have air conditioning. But what it did have was an ice cream store next door, and I ended up eating my fair share of ice cream during that time.

Ever since then, my quest to find the best ice cream in Pittsburgh was born, and in this one we share some of our favorites!

44 Pittsburgh Coffee Shops to Grab a Delicious Brew

April 9, 2024June 29, 2015

I love coffee. And I don't mean sugar-laden, heart-attack-in-a-cup frappuccinos.

When I say I love coffee, I mean I love single origin coffee that actually tastes like something besides burnt beans (sorry Starbucks). Because I love experimenting with coffee brewing techniques at home, and have a good idea of how to brew a good cup, it takes a really excellent coffee to get me excited about visiting a coffee shop.

There is good reason for this. When I first moved to Pittsburgh I was pretty underwhelmed with the coffee scene. Luckily things have greatly improved over the past few years and they continue to get better all the time. Thanks to this new scene of coffee shops in Pittsburgh, I am on a quest to find the very best.

So which Pittsburgh coffee shops are worth your time? Our ever-expanding guide gets to the bottom of that question.

Tessaro’s Review – Legendary Burgers in Bloomfield

December 14, 2022June 27, 2015

Tessaro's is old school.

Upon stepping inside, everything from the waitresses calling you sweetie to the 1980s computer behind the bar suggests you've entered some sort of time capsule. After checking out so many up-and-coming restaurants and attractions in the past few weeks, we thought it was time to visit a Pittsburgh institution.

Tessaro's has a pretty extensive menu with deli style sandwiches, salads, ribs, steaks, and chicken. But if you've never been here before, there's really only one thing you need to know: get the burger.

Having been on all sorts of “best-of” burger lists, and being in search of the best burger in Pittsburgh ourselves, there was no question that we had to order burgers.