Spork Pit closed in 2023. They are now smoking meat for Double Wide Grill in South Side.
Spork Pit Barbecue opened in Pittsburgh's Garfield neighborhood in mid-2018 and was a much anticipated restaurant opening by the folks behind the small-plates focused restaurant just across the street, Spork.
We made our way down for this one shortly after opening and were pleasantly surprised with what we found!
Go Ape closed at North Park in 2022. It sounds like they may be looking for a new location elsewhere in Pittsburgh but as of now has not been announced.
Tucked away just steps away from the lake at Pittsburgh's North Park is the Go Ape Treetop Adventure obstacle course.
This one is almost a blink-and-you'll-miss-it kind of place (we sure did during our first visit to the park several years back) and is the kind of spot you really should plan to take some time to visit and enjoy.
We were invited to check out the course by our friends at Go Ape Pittsburgh and put the course to the test during a nice summer day out in nature!
Area 51 Barbecue is now closed.
Area 51 Barbecue in Belle Vernon, PA, is one of those places that if you blink, you'll miss it.
It is not being unfair to say this is in a tiny two room house on the side of the busy route 51 with minimal signage, because that is exactly what it is.
Naturally, when we saw it we had to stop (or to be more honest, do a u-turn and pull back around) to give it a shot.
At this time, we are not sure if the North Side Sandwich Week will be returning.
Do you love sandwiches? We know the answer is yes, but we feel like we have to ask anyway.
Since you likely fall into this category, we're just going to cut to the chase and tell you that you need to make it over to the North Side to check out their annual sandwich week that takes place each May.
This annual event challenges all North Side restaurants to create a special sandwich for the week, and throw down against each other for a judged event at The Priory Hotel to kick off the festivities.
We were invited to check out the “sandwich sampler” opening night party in 2018 and were able to get a sneak peak at some of the creations.Â
This is one party you don't want to miss!
Note: In July 2018 Bar Frenchman changed its name to La Riviera and closed in early 2019. Its sister restaurant, The Twisted Frenchman, closed in June 2020.
Bar Frenchman (now La Riviera) in East Liberty is a fine dining restaurant serving up French dishes in a modern, non-stuffy atmosphere. On our recent visit the cocktails were whimsical and impressive, the food was delicious and nearly perfect, and the service was on point.
The restaurant's supremely tall ceilings, tiled floors, and suspended lights all give off a more casual vibe than the Twisted Frenchman, Bar Frenchman's sister that offers a multi-course tasting menu experience on the second floor of the building. The relaxed atmosphere may seem at first a little incongruous with the menu style and pricing, but we think it keeps the restaurant from being too staid.
Pittsburgh Poke closed in 2020 and does not appear to be returning.
Pittsburgh Poke brings the trendy Hawaiian raw fish salad known as poke right to the heart of downtown Pittsburgh. This spot serves up super fresh build your own sushi bowls and burritos, perfect for a healthy lunch on the go.
We visited Pittsburgh Poke on a Friday evening not that long before they closed. We were a little apprehensive as the place seemed shutting down and there weren't that many patrons, but we're glad we followed through as the meal ended up being surprisingly delicious.
That said, given that this spot closes at 7 PM on week nights, it definitely seems geared more for the weekday downtown lunch crowd.
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.
Acorn closed in 2023.
Acorn brings modern American cuisine with an inclination towards fine dining to the Shadyside neighborhood.
The menu focuses on seasonally inspired cuisine with dishes that are on the surface straightforward enough but with international flavors, interesting ingredients, and creative spins sneaking in to each dish to keep things interesting.
We had been eyeing this one for a while, and when the folks at Acorn invited us in to try out their winter menu, we were pretty excited to try some of their hearty dishes on one of the coldest days of the year.
Note: It does not appear that Shadrack's will be returning in 2023. However, the Butler County Fairgrounds will be home to a light show called the Holiday Lightshow which does not appear affiliated with Shadrack's.
Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland is a holiday light display that has several locations around the country.
In western Pennsylvania, Shadrack's calls Butler County its home and is one of the most popular Christmas experiences in the greater Pittsburgh region.
Harris Grill closed their downtown location in December 2021. As such, this popup bar is likely not returning in future years.
Christmas in Pittsburgh is a big thing. We as a city go all-in for the holiday from Light Up Night until well after New Years.
The downtown Pittsburgh restaurant Harris Grill gets in on the holiday spirit and transforms their first floor bar space into a holiday pop-up known as Tinsel Town Cocktails.
While this one may not be over-the-top Christmas like nearby Miracle on Market, it does offer a laid back drinking experience during the holidays that downtown Pittsburgh could always use more of.