The Forge in Lawrenceville is one of those spots that you may not notice when driving along Penn Avenue. Apart from a small sign out front, this one is easy to miss if you're not looking closely.
But for those who make the effort to stop and head in, a delicious cocktail bar with Mediterranean small-plates and a modest pizza menu is your reward!
Second Story Spirits is a spirits producer that opened its doors in Lawrenceville in September 2026.
Upon first glance, you may think Second Story Spirits is another distillery in Pittsburgh. We are happy to report, it is not.
This one is different in that they do not distill their base spirits in house, but rather engage in the art of infusion- that is, adding flavors to an already produced base spirit. Yes, there is no still here!
Where this could run in any number of ways, as we certainly have had our share of questionable infusions in the past, Second Story Spirits not only does this well, but their initial lineup is among the best in the game- distillery, infusion joint, or otherwise.
Pittsburgh is a beer city, there is no getting around it.
No matter where you are, you are never too far away from a brewery. No matter what time of year it is, odds are good a beer festival is just around the corner, too.
But if you are into the local beer scene and want to try out something a little different, look no further than Brewing for a Cause- the annual homebrewer beer festival at Velum Fermentation that showcases amateur brewer's while raising funds for charity.
This has truly become one of our favorite beer festivals in the city!
We can think back to a time in the not-so-distance past when there were no distilleries in Pittsburgh at all (distilleries in the form we know and love, at least).
Yes, it seems unusual to think that the region known for the historic Whiskey Rebellion from 1791-1794 would somehow ever be devoid of distilleries outright. This all came about thanks to an arcane law that prevented distilleries from having on-site sales and as such only a few operated in the state- mostly for commercial sales direct to bars, the state store, and other indirect consumers.
It wasn't until the founders of Wigle Whiskey lobbied to get the law change that our distillery scene really started to take off with the on-site bar programs we know and love. For reference of time scale, this was only in 2012, and with the change in laws, Wigle became the first distillery to open in the city limits and only the third to open in the state at all!
As such, Pittsburgh's distillery scene can only be defined as young but growing rapidly. Distilleries, like Wigle, that were founded around the start of the rule change are only recently starting to get aged products that rival other regions that have been producing for decades, and not a year goes by that several new distilleries pop onto the scene as well.
In this one, we want to briefly share a bit about all of the distilleries we've been to so far!
We have a soft spot for all things Oktoberfest, and after getting to enjoy the celebration in Munich for its wild party, we love checking out all of the Pittsburgh Oktoberfest celebrations that take place throughout September (with some spilling into August and October).
As there are no shortage of events taking place in breweries and other public places, we thought we would share a few of the top Oktoberfest events you may want to consider. Prost!
Note: This article features a mix of Oktoberfest celebrations that have been announced in 2026 as well as celebrations that were regulars in previous years that we hope will return. These will be noted in each section and we will continue to update this article as more event dates are announced.
Pittsburgh really is becoming a space city, and the molecular mixology cocktail bar, Space Bar, will help everyone explore the universe- with tasty libation in hand.
Located right in the heart of Market Square (aptly referred to as the holodeck when onboard), the cocktail lounge is the resident bar of the SS Oasis ship which travels distant worlds and services locals of the various systems visited with tasty cocktails- some familiar, some simply other-worldly.
We were fortunate enough to visit this one many times since they opened in the fall of 2023, and share some updated thoughts of what you can expect in this one!
Disclaimer: We are friends with the owners of Space Bar, provided consulting during start-up, and attended a preview event at opening. We have also purchased the cocktails discussed below outside of these instances. As always, all opinions are our own.
When it comes to drinking in Pittsburgh, we have a number of great options ranging from beer, to wine, to liquor, and even a strong scene of local producers for all three of those as well!
One industry that has been growing at a rapid pace in recent years is wineries, and more specifically that of the wine bar.
Today, we wanted to share some of our favorites from our explorations around the city!
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.
We love tiki drinks, and when we heard that Spork Island Trading Company was opening up as an immersive tiki bar in Pittsburgh's Cultural District, we had to go right away.
This one combines a beautiful ambiance with a robust tiki menu and is helping convert Penn Avenue downtown into quite the cocktail hub.
So, let's dive in and share a bit of our experience from opening night in this one!
Almost everyone is down for a good cocktail, and we are spoiled with a number of truly awesome cocktail bars in Pittsburgh that specialize in these creative beverages.
We've been exploring many of the best cocktail bars in recent years, and today we want to share a list of some of the best. So if fortified libations are in your future, check out one of the following!
As per all of our guides, the following is a list of cocktail bars we've personally visited. As we find more, we'll update this guide accordingly!