Jeremy, Author at Discover the Burgh

The Best Places to View Pittsburgh Fireworks

June 28, 2026March 31, 2022

For reasons unknown to us, Pittsburgh is crazy about fireworks.

Fourth of July? Massive fireworks. Randomly scheduled nights during Pirates games? Fireworks. When the Pirates get a home run? Mini-fireworks. A mega-band playing at Acrisure Stadium? There will probably be some fireworks. A celebration to welcome winter and the Christmas season? It's freezing outside, but sure, let's have some fireworks anyway.

If you are wanting to check out these festivities, Pittsburgh will give you a chance to see some good shows roughly ten times per year (give or take based on the Pirates schedule). The only question from there is where you must be in order to have the best view. After exploring the city for several years, we have come up with a list of our favorite spots.

Hog Fathers BBQ Review – Classic Barbecue in Washington, PA

March 20, 2022

Sometimes when we want barbecue, we do not need all the bells and whistles and simply want perfectly cooked meats at reasonable prices.

When this craving hits south of Pittsburgh, you may want to be on the lookout for Hog Fathers BBQ. With several locations in the area this one can certainly help satisfy your needs quickly!

Viva Los Tacos Review – Themed Tacos and Margaritas in Oakland

May 21, 2026March 16, 2022

Viva Los Tacos seemingly closed in 2026.

Many Pittsburgher's were devastated when The Original Hot Dog Shop (also known as The O) closed in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood in early 2020. While many hoped someone would come along and purchase the restaurant to bring it back to life, sadly it was not in the cards.

Instead, the prime restaurant space was renovated, thoroughly cleaned, and opened up as a taco restaurant with a loaded bar with a name and style straight out of Las Vegas- Viva Los Tacos.

Naturally, I had to visit this one shortly after it opened to see what it was like.

Margaux Review – A Cafe, Restaurant, and Bar in East Liberty

November 21, 2024March 14, 2022

East Liberty's recent growth always has made us wonder what will open in the neighborhood next. One thing East Liberty felt like it was lacking was a large, approachable coffee shop where you could both hang out for hours to work or stop by for a quick drink in a unique ambiance.

When Margaux opened, we knew it would be just that- this spacious cafe, bar, and restaurant space satisfies the need for a space to hang out as much as it is to drink and dine.

While we will need several visits to truly work our way through the menu here, on the first visit we visited for a light brunch and coffee.

African Cuisine Review – Nigerian Meals in Squirrel Hill

February 16, 2026February 22, 2022

African Cuisine appears to be closed.

African Cuisine is an aptly named restaurant in Squirrel Hill that serves up a huge menu of dishes from West Africa and, more specifically, the country of Nigeria.

While we could go on a long tangent about how the city needs a much better representation of international cuisine in our restaurant scene (it is a prominent theme in our things we want in Pittsburgh article), we're just going to say that this particular spot checks a lot of boxes for us in this regard.

Delicious African food from countries and regions we haven't explored much of in the past? Sign us up.

Diners 2+1 Review – Japanese Staples in Squirrel Hill

February 22, 2022February 17, 2022

Diners 2+1 in Squirrel Hill is the kind of Japanese restaurant that has something for everyone. Not only do they have a large sushi menu (which brought us to visit), they also have a wide array of starters, rice bowls, and full entrees as well.

But as we were in the mood for sushi, during our first visit we stuck heavily to this side of the menu with some appetizers for good measure.

Harvie Review – Local Grocery Delivery in Pittsburgh

May 2, 2025February 17, 2022

You may be familiar with local CSAs (community supported agriculture), where farms offer what is effectively a crop share typically for a set seasonal fee. In these situations, you receive a box of produce each week based on whatever the farm is harvesting and, in many cases, they are delivered to drop sites near your house for easy pickup.

We've been avid CSA supporters for years and absolutely love getting fresh produce grown locally in the summer months. So when the folks at Harvie reached out to see if we would be interested in trying their service for local grocery delivery in Pittsburgh, we were intrigued.

This one is a little bit different than a conventional CSA, however. Rather than focusing solely on produce, Harvie broadened the scope and focuses on local food as a whole. This can range from produce to dairy, snacks to non-perishables, seafood to meats, flowers even, and many other items all produced within the greater Pittsburgh metro (or in the case of select tropical fruit, imported locally and via fair trade sources).

Instead of paying a set fee per box, you simply are buying items a la carte to craft your own box with the only real requirement being a minimum order value.

As such, Harvie Farms boxes are designed to be a weekly supplement to your shopping where (almost) everything is procured locally and delivered straight to your door. So, what was our experience like? Read on!

Harvie Discount: The team at Harvie has been kind enough to extend a $40 credit to readers of Discover the Burgh! This credit should be applied to your cart total at checkout for new subscribers.

tako Torta Review – A Fast Casual Adaptation in Bakery Square

August 13, 2026February 10, 2022

tako Torta closed in August 2026 and will be rebranded into a new concept by the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group.

In the past, we've raved about the high-end taco restaurant, aptly named tako (Japanese for octopus), in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. This restaurant features artisan tacos, a stellar tequila bar, and an ambiance that perfectly fits its location downtown.

One thing the restaurant is not, however, is approachable. Prime reservation slots are often booked up weeks in advance, and an order of their namesake tako tacos (yes- an octopus taco) clocks well over $20. A decent price for octopus, but an extreme one for tacos all the same.

So when we heard that the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group was opening another tako in Bakery Square, we had a moment of pause. “A high-end restaurant there?!” was our immediate gut reaction. Thankfully, the restaurant, called tako Torta, takes a fast-casual approach to this restaurant's delicious menu with tacos, torta sandwiches, and more!

Girasole Review – Flawless Italian Dining in Shadyside

January 31, 2022

There are some Pittsburgh restaurants that are straight-up classics. Places that execute their menus with a level of perfection where you want to go back over and over again while also having survived the test of time.

Girasole in Shadyside is one such restaurant.

While it took us many years to finally make our way into this Italian restaurant for a meal, we certainly won't be waiting that long for our 2nd, 3rd, or 4th visit.

Los Mayas Review – A Wonderful Mexican Spread in Harmony

April 19, 2024January 14, 2022

When it comes to drinking and dining north of Pittsburgh, Harmony and Zelienople are standing out with a wealth of options. These unassuming boroughs have become a bit of a hub in recent years for new breweries, restaurants, cafes, and more- with spots opening up all the time.

Los Mayas opened up in Harmony to fill the void of delicious Mexican cuisine and rocks it with their robust menu that will have you going back again and again just to get through it all.