Carmi Express closed in 2025.
Long a North Side institution, Carmi Soul Food was previously located on Western Avenue, relocated to South Side, and now has opened a second location dubbed Carmi Express back in the North Side (on Federal). Although Carmi Express is a takeout only joint, it still satisfies our cravings for chicken and waffles, barbecue, and other classic soul food.
The Holocaust Center has relocated to Chatham University. As of now, the exhibit space is not open. We will update once we hear more information!
Did you know that the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh has a small museum space inside featuring a few permanent and seasonal exhibits?
While you may only require a quick stop at this one, the displays and exhibits offer a valuable insight into the history of the Holocaust.
Mary's Vine closed in October 2025.
Mary's Vine is a high-end wine bar that opened in the Pittsburgh borough of Rankin in late 2019.
This one can be found in a converted church and provides an ambiance and wine selection that is truly unlike no other wine bar in the region.
So if strong attention to detail and an impressive (albeit expensive) wine selection is what you seek, a trip to Mary's Vine is a must.
Pittsburgh Winery announced they were closing in August 2026. As such, we're not sure if this event will return in the future.
Vine Rewind is a newer music festival in Pittsburgh's Strip District that combines all of our favorite things into one- live music, food trucks, art, and wine!
So if you are in the mood for getting out into the summer sun next July for some wine and music, this one is for you!
Kingfly Spirits closed in February 2026.
Kingfly Spirits opened its doors in Pittsburgh's Strip District in early 2019 and is poised to be a new drinking hotspot in one of the city's most popular neighborhoods.
We ventured down to the Strip to check this one out on opening day and were rather impressed with what we found.
Bae Bae's Kitchen and Cafe closed permanently in November 2025.
Bae Bae's Kitchen in downtown Pittsburgh fills a much-needed niche in the downtown dining scene: quick, delicious food cooked from scratch with a casual but adorable vibe. This cozy little spot adorned with beautiful plants serves up Korean rice, noodle, and salad bowls with a build-your-own concept.
We'd been intrigued by Bae Bae's Kitchen for a while, and we finally found the time to make it in on a cold, windy, grey January day. As soon as we walked in our spirits were instantly lifted by the cheerful plants, cute decor, and all of the inviting smells.
At this time, we do not know if Jingle Bar will be returning for the 2023 holiday season.
Pop-up bars are becoming a trend now for seemingly every major holiday, and the Christmas season features several around Pittsburgh
One of these bars is Jingle Bar, a pop-up located just east of Market Square (now in South Side Works for 2022). We visited this one during its 2018 run and share our thoughts on if it is worth your time for a festive libation!
*Note: As we visited during a previous season, some of the below may have changed.
We are told that Maifest is no longer returning at Teutonia Mannerchor; however, they will have other festivities throughout the year for the public.
German beer lovers, rejoice!
You don't have to book an expensive plane ticket to fly to Germany to drink great beer.
All you have to do is wait for one of the many events held by the local German club, Teutonia Mannerchor, to take place*!
Note: Bitter Ends closed permanently in April 2022.
You may have seen the Bitter Ends pop up at the Bloomfield Farmers Market on Saturdays in the past, but now they've got their very own storefront in Bloomfield.
With farm fresh ingredients (straight from their own farm) and everything made from scratch including bread and pastries, soups, and sandwiches, we haven't been this ecstatic about a restaurant opening in a while.
Threadbare's North Side location is seemingly only open for special events. Try their ciders at their Ross Park Mall store!
Threadbare Cider House in the North Side is the brainchild of the folks at Wigle Whiskey, arguably Pittsburgh's most famous local distiller.
When wanting to branch out into a new venture, the owners stumbled upon the history of Johnny Appleseed (or John Chapman by his real name)- a rather eccentric fellow who, in the late-1700s/early-1800s, wandered around the region, preached conservation and planted nurseries to be tended to by locals (giving rise to the modern legend), and spreading the gospel far and wide.
Some stories of his travels had him based near Pittsburgh for a while (possibly even during the famous Whiskey Rebellion that Wigle proudly promotes), and when the owners realized this the idea for Threadbare came to life. Fast forward a few years, and they are now ramping up production of fine ciders made with locally sourced apples and are serving them at their North Side production facility along with stellar artisan pizzas.
Shortly before opening, our friends at Wigle gave us a call and invited us down to try out their menu- and sample the menu we did. Between three separate visits we had just about everything they offer!