Eat & Drink Archives - Page 33 of 35

Pho Van Review – Underwhelming Vietnamese in the Strip District

October 14, 2018November 11, 2015

Vietnamese cuisine is a culinary style that hasn't taken off in popularity yet in Pittsburgh, but is one of the best national cuisines in the world. During my travels in Vietnam I fell in love with the cuisine, but also came away with an understanding that it is also hard to do right as there is a fine line to make the sweet, spicy, and salty flavors work in many of the dishes.

There are several restaurants that do an incredible job at Vietnamese food in Pittsburgh, Tram's Kitchen and Lucy's Banh Mi cart being a few, and it was with great excitement that I visited Pho Van in the Strip District to try some more of one of my favorite cuisines.

Unfortunately, I left reminded why this cuisine is so hard to do right. Pho Van was a major let down.

The Porch Pittsburgh Review – A Delicious Brunch in Oakland

August 6, 2020November 3, 2015

In a neighborhood full of colleges and universities, you might not expect to find much more in the way of dining besides fast food and coffee shops.

However, there are several bright spots in the Oakland neighborhood serving up delicious, thoughtful cuisine- one being The Porch located in the beautiful Schenley Plaza in the heart of the neighborhood.

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.

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.

Maggie’s Farm Rum Review – Award Winning Rum in the Strip

December 19, 2023September 14, 2015

Everyone in Pittsburgh likely knows Wigle, the city's flagship success story when it comes to high proof spirits. But did you know that the Strip District is also home to a multi-award winning rum distillery? If you were like us up until a few weeks ago, you probably did not.

Enter Maggie's Farm Rum, winner of numerous national awards including Pennsylvania Distillery of the Year at the NY International Spirits Competition and America's Best Rum by the American Craft Spirits Association.

Thirsty yet?

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.

21 Pittsburgh Wineries, Cider Houses, and Meaderies to Visit

January 17, 2024September 2, 2015

Pittsburgh is not known to be a wine capital in the US, let alone a highlight in the region, but that isn't stopping local brewers and wine makers from producing some pretty incredible beverages. That is enough to get us excited, and we're on a quest to find the gems that are worth your time.

When it comes to wineries in Pittsburgh, many go beyond the standard batch of fermented grapes to produce something completely unique. The following are some of the best that we have tried so far.

Note: This guide also features cider houses and meaderies in addition to traditional southwest Pennsylvania wineries.

Slice on Broadway Review – New York Style Pizza

August 1, 2020August 20, 2015

Slice New York Style Pizza in Pittsburgh

After a somewhat disappointing visit to Spak Brothers in Garfield, we've been taking pizza recommendations in Pittsburgh with a grain of salt. It wasn't until we met up with a group of acquaintances who shared our opinion of Spak Brothers (and Pittsburgh pizza as a whole) that we started to get excited about another option they were raving about.

That pizza joint was Slice on Broadway in Beechview, and it wasn't but an hour later that we were in our car driving out to give it a shot.

77 Pittsburgh Breweries to Visit in and Around the City

April 15, 2024August 15, 2015

The craft brewing scene is currently taking Pittsburgh by storm. Not a month goes by where you don't hear about a brewery opening up in the region or a staple making news nationally for their products.

It is our lofty goal to visit all of the southwest Pennsylvania breweries popping up, and in this guide we'll be sharing our thoughts on all the breweries we've visited to date.

So if there is a brewery out there producing something unique that you need to check out, you can be certain we will feature it here!