Jeremy

Jeremy is the co-owner of Discover the Burgh. His favorite Pittsburgh activities include discovering unusual attractions, trying new breweries, and seeking out the city's best happy hours. He also runs the long-term travel blog, Living the Dream.

Spak Brothers Review – Pizza and Wings in Garfield

Spak Brothers Pizza in Pittsburgh

I am a staunch critic of the pizza scene in Pittsburgh.

It seems like there is a standard recipe that every pizzeria in the city uses when making their pies. The crusts are all the same, the sauce is the same, and the preparation style is virtually all the same.

The pizzas are all good enough when you want a quick meal, but when you go to different shops you really can't say much to distinguish them from each other.

Sure, there are places to get a good pizza at a restaurant that isn't a pizzeria (La Tavola, anyone?), but when it comes to takeaway from a dedicated pizza shop the options for something astounding are few and far between.

It is because of this reason that we don't write about most of the pizzas we order in Pittsburgh on this site as most all of them would have the same exact summary.

For us to talk about pizza it needs to be something special, and we thought Spak Brothers in Garfield would be just that.

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Construction Junction – A Large Re-Use Center in Pittsburgh

Collection at Construction Junction in Pittsburgh

Construction Junction in PittsburghWhere do home furnishings go when they die? Well, in Pittsburgh if they have any remaining value and have the potential of being salvaged, it is highly likely that they'll end up in Construction Junction in Point Breeze North.

I ended up in Construction Junction the same way I visited Artifacts in the West End a few weeks prior. Angie and I were on the hunt for some home furnishings and were checking out the odd stores in Pittsburgh to see if we could find the perfect pieces we're dreaming of.

But where Artifacts caters to high-end items imported from around the world, Construction Junction's showroom is all reuse items that could use a little love and attention.

If there was a store that could save me from the seemingly inevitable trip to Ikea, it had to be this one.

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The Center for PostNatural History – A Most Unusual Museum

Transgenic Goat at the PostNatural Museum in Pittsburgh

The Specimen Vault at the PostNatural Museum Pittsburgh is a hub of unusual museums, and The Center for PostNatural History in Garfield is no exception.

For those who are not familiar with the term, PostNatural describes living organisms that have been modified by man through everything from selective breeding all the way to genetic engineering by accredited scientists, mad scientists, and everything in between.

As an engineer this museum sounded perfect to me, and I was incredibly excited about visiting during their limited Friday and Sunday opening hours to check out the exhibits.

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Gaucho Pittsburgh Review – Delicious Argentinian Meat

When it comes to barbecued meat, the country of Argentina could really teach the world a thing or two.

During our travels in Argentina we devoured the country's famous barbecue and were so enamored with it that we frequently highlight the dish of Patagonian lamb as one of the best things we've ever eaten. (…and if you read our full travel destination list, you'll understand that this is truly saying something).

That being said, crafting an authentic Argentinian barbecue is not easy, and we can attest to being disappointed in most Argentinian restaurants that try to produce this country's iconic food outside of South America. As you can imagine, we had mixed emotions going into our visit to Gaucho Parrilla Argentina.

On one hand the reviews we've seen were all fantastic, but on the other hand we have a long history of being disappointed by restaurants in other parts of the country that simply do not stack up to the real thing.

Luckily for Gaucho Parrilla, they are absolutely spot on and routinely deliver what could be our favorite meals in all of Pittsburgh.

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Artifacts Pittsburgh – Fantasy Shopping in the West End

Artifacts Pittsburgh

If you have an itch to do some fantasy shopping for one-of-a-kind items in Pittsburgh, look no further than Artifacts in the West End. Touted as a “museum with a price tag,” Artifacts is home to over 20,000 items ranging from Turkish rugs, European artwork, hand crafted tables, to stuffed lions and giraffe busts, human-sized griffon statues, and everything in between.

We couldn't make this up even if we tried.

We first learned about Artifacts during a quest to find a seating area that would compliment a Turkish rug and lamp that we bought while traveling in Istanbul. Naturally, stories of Artifacts' massive showroom of Turkish rugs and other unique items inspired us to visit in hopes of finding our dream accompaniment.

We didn't, and that is fine by us.

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Grapperia Review – The Most Italian Bar in Pittsburgh

Spritz Homage at Grapperia in Pittsburgh

Grapperia Bar in PittsburghIt only took one word to get me into Piccolo Forno's annexed bar, and that word is grappa.

For those who do not know this spirit, grappa is made by distilling the waste products from the wine-making process (think skins, pulp, seeds, etc).  The result of the distillation process is an extremely concentrated, very flavorful, and incredibly high-proof alcohol that quickly became one of my favorites during our travels around Europe.

For reasons unknown to me, this spirit has not taken off as much in the USA, and grappa has been something I've only enjoyed while abroad- until now.

Congratulations Pittsburgh, you're now officially a European city.

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Randyland is a Colorful Must See Attraction in Pittsburgh

Unlike other attractions in the city, you'll have no problem spotting Randyland from a distance.

This outdoor art studio, if you can call it that, is quite possibly the most colorful spot in all of Pittsburgh– and that is only the first impression from looking at it on the outside.

Once you enter, a world of incredible art and whimsy is yours to explore.

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Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a Must Visit

Phipps Conservatory in Oakland is one of the shining gems of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This is true not only for the gorgeous plants and foliage that they show off in their massive botanical gardens, but also for their efforts in sustainability- Phipps Conservatory is one of the most energy efficient buildings in the world.

With dozens of themed rooms, an assortment of flowers and artwork that cycles quarterly in their seasonal flower shows, and improvements made every year, Phipps is an attraction that will keep you returning time and time again.

When we decided to write a review of this stellar attraction, we were debating on whether or not to feature one flower show, or go broad and share images from several. In the end we decided for the latter, purely because we don't want to give it all away. We want you to see it for yourself.

So come inside and let us give you a brief glimpse at why we love this attraction!

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29 of the Best Pittsburgh Hotels to Consider – Local’s Guide

Pittsburgh has thriving tourism scene that brings in millions of visitors per year, be it for our many sporting events, major conventions, or purely from the fact that the city is pretty awesome (okay, we may be a bit biased on that one).

If you are one of those millions of visitors, you're in luck- this one is for you!

Since founding Discover the Burgh, one of the most common questions we receive is “what hotel should I stay at during my visit?”. To help answer this question, and continue our quest to experience everything Pittsburgh has to offer, we decided to make it our mission to personally review every single Pittsburgh hotel.

We do this not via a Google search, not by passing through the lobby or on a 30-minute guided tour, but by personally reserving a room and staying in every single hotel in the Pittsburgh.

To cover the best hotels in Pittsburgh that we have visited so far, this guide was born!

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