Living Here

10 Excellent International Grocery Stores in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh's regional grocery store scene leaves a lot to be desired, we have to admit. 

Thankfully, we have a lot of international grocery stores in the region that fill in the gap and provide unique food options that you may not get at a conventional grocer (with many at prices at, or better than, our local chains!).

So in this one, we thought we'd take a look at ten international grocers that have some of our favorite selections in the city. Whether you're looking for Asian, Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern, Indian, or Eastern European, we've got you covered in this one!

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Where We Regularly Shop for Food in Pittsburgh

Since founding Discover the Burgh, we've been fortunate enough to visit many stores in Pittsburgh and southwest PA. 

We always like to buy something at every place we visit to support local as much as possible, and some businesses we have become big fans of that we are now regular customers (or, at least, as regular as running a site like ours allows).

So in this one, we thought we'd talk shopping, particularly food shopping, and share a summary of all of the stores you are likely to find us as regulars. So whether you're looking for a new farm for meat, a new brewery for beer, a cheese shop, or simply a place to pick up a delicious pastry, the following are some of the places we visit the most!

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30+ Local Services to Know When Living in Pittsburgh

If you're considering moving to Pittsburgh or nearby boroughs in Pennsylvania, there are a number of government services you may want to know about.

From local tax offices to public transit, parks, and an array of transit considerations, there are a number of services that help residents out in all avenues of life.

In this one, we wanted to share about local services and government agencies we think you will want to know about when living in Pittsburgh. Know of something we're missing? Be sure to contact us and let us know!

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5 of the Best Pittsburgh Facebook Groups to Join

If there is any social network that is present the most in our everyday lives, it is likely Facebook. 3 Billion people are thought to use the network every month, and when it comes to finding local content relative to your interests, odds are good you can do it there.

We may be biased here, because we maintain a strong presence on Facebook too (check out our page here), but it is true that you can find just about everything on the network- good, bad, or otherwise.

In this one, we thought we'd take a dive into some of the best Facebook groups out there that are Pittsburgh focused. Ranging from things to do to food, buy nothing groups, neighborhood groups, and more, you really can get a lot of information just by joining a few groups!

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5 Reasons to Love Living in Mount Washington

Many Pittsburgh residents dream of living in Mount Washington. This neighborhood is one of the best spots in the city for great views of the skyline, access to tourist experiences like riding on the Inclines, and, of course, great restaurants and amenities.

We were really fortunate to live in Mount Washington as renters for several years and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. Although we have since moved to the North Side, we often dream about potentially one day returning.

So in this one, we thought we'd focus on what the neighborhood is like for those considering moving there, where we share some of the reasons we love Mount Washington as a place to live, and also share some other important details to keep in mind before moving in.

Please Note: The area that most call Mount Washington typically also includes the city neighborhood of Duquesne Heights near the Duquesne Incline to the west in addition to the city neighborhood of Mount Washington. For the purpose of this article, we're calling both “Mount Washington” as the same logic applies to both neighborhoods on the hilltop. 

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5 Reasons to Love Living in the Mexican War Streets

Pittsburgh's housing scene has been booming in recent years, and some neighborhoods have really become quite the popular spots to live, work, and play.

In this series, we thought it'd be fun to take a look at the major neighborhoods in Pittsburgh and share some reasons why you will love living there, plus give additional tips and insider advice you need to keep in mind before deciding to rent or buy a house in the Mexican War Streets.

So let's take a look at one of our favorite areas in Pittsburgh, the Mexican War Streets, and share some of our favorite details for residents!

Looking for a real estate agent? Be sure to check out our friends at The Melinda Lynch Team and tell them Discover the Burgh sent you!

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10 Questions to Ask Your Pittsburgh Real Estate Agent Before Buying

Are you thinking of buying a house in Pittsburgh and looking to get started with a real estate agent? 

Before you sign on with an agent and start looking at houses, be prepared with a list of questions to help your agent understand your wants and needs and to get valuable feedback into the Pittsburgh marketplace at large.

In this one, we wanted to share some of the most important questions you may want to consider asking!

If you need an agent for your house search, be sure to contact Melinda Lynch from The Melinda Lynch Team as well!

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6 Unique Fruits You Can Grow in Pittsburgh

Being located in Zones 6 to 7a, Pittsburgh has an interesting climate. 

The warm, often humid climate in the summer presents great growing conditions for numerous plants, but the cold winters with periodic deep freezes can be quite challenging for non-cold hardy plants to make it through.

So, while you may be used to growing common fruits like apples, berries, peaches, and more, there are actually a ton of fruits that could grow in Pittsburgh that you may not know about.

In this one, we thought we'd share some of the more unique fruits we've found that can thrive in our climate, plus give some tips we've found from our own trees for special considerations to keep in mind (when applicable).

Notes: We presently are growing (or plan on growing) most all of the fruits listed in this article. However, all of our plants are still young and not quite producing just yet. As such, first-hand maintenance information may be limited until our plants grow more. Likewise, only specific varieties of any given species may grow in our area (e.g. brown turkey figs and not mission figs). This will be a recurring theme, but always check growing zone ratings before purchasing any plants- especially if you want to plant them outside permanently.

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Renovating a Kitchen in Pittsburgh – Who We Used

When we started renovating our kitchen, we knew we wanted to support as many Pittsburgh businesses as we could over more conventional big box retailors.

Although many of the products we installed in our kitchen were, of course, not locally made, this one purchasing decision at least allowed us to help keep some of what ended up being a rather expensive remodel local.

So in this one, we thought we'd share who we used, what we thought, and more to help others who are looking to renovate a kitchen in Pittsburgh like we did!

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