I was eagerly anticipating my visit to the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh as this historic hotel is perhaps the most iconic of any in the city. One step in the lobby and you feel transported to a different time.
But sadly, this does not translate over into the room nearly as much, and I have to say- I was fairly let down from my stay here.
Pittsburgh's First Night is an annual New Year's Eve celebration in the Cultural District that features late-night gallery hours, live music, performances at many venues, food trucks, and so much more.
While this one has been ticketed in the past, the event is now free to attend!
Alta Via is the newest concept from the Big Burrito restaurant group that brings house-made pastas and other Italian fare to the Fox Chapel/Aspinwall area. As Big Burrito has been around Pittsburgh for decades and was part of the initial reawakening of the Pittsburgh restaurant scene, we are excited to see the introduction of a new concept from them.
As this one grew, they later expanded to open Alta Via Pizzeria in Bakery Square, and in 2023 added a Market Square location for Alta Via, too!
Italian in Pittsburgh gets better by the year.
If there should be an award for a festival that has come the furthest in recent years, it would most certainly be Picklesburgh.
When the event first started in 2015, we were underwhelmed. The Clemente Bridge was crowded shoulder-to-shoulder with patrons, and the number of vendors with pickle themed products was, well, few and far between. Apart from the gigantic pickle floating over the bridge, we did not get any pickle love at all.
Thankfully, after a while, this festival came around and became one of the premier pickle festivals out there. The crowds kept getting bigger and bigger (to a detriment, at times), and Picklesburgh became one of the top events in Pittsburgh each and every year.
Bridges & Bourbon opened in Pittsburgh's Cultural District in June 2019 and was a much-awaited cocktail bar due to their strong lead-up on social media.
The bar focuses on high-end cocktails with some rather interesting flair and novelties thrown into the mix as well, making it rather unique in Pittsburgh's cocktail bar scene!
We were guests of Bridges & Bourbon for a media preview event and wanted to share some of the great cocktails we tried in this one!
The kickoff of summer in Pittsburgh is marked by many events, be it through the traditional solstice or simply numerous outdoor experiences.
One relatively new event is a smaller one, but focuses on all things limoncello and ‘cello spirits at Vallozzi's. This is the Festa di Limoncello, and is designed to kick off summer with a trip to the Amalfi coast of Italy.
We were guest of Vallozzi's for this one in 2019, and share what the event is like below!
The Pittsburgh Jazz Festival is a stellar event that occurs in downtown Pittsburgh each June with three stages, three days of music, and extra performances going on nearby at the August Wilson Center!
If you like live jazz, or even simply live music, this free event is an absolute must.
If you've spent some time walking around downtown Pittsburgh, odds are good you've seen the old Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail. This historical building is one of the most stunning in the city and even includes its own Bridge of Sighs walkway that connected the two buildings.
Today the jail has been decommissioned and converted into a Common Pleas court, yet many artifacts from the era exist and are available on display in the Old Allegheny County Jail Museum.
But if you want to check this one out you'll have to plan accordingly- it is only open from 11:30am to 1pm on Mondays, February to October!
It is a rare event on Discover the Burgh for us to feature a national chain, but every so often we will make an exception if it is interesting and somewhat unique among what is available in the area.
When I was invited into Fogo de Chao in downtown to try out their menu of all-you-can-eat meat as part of a local media event, it was one such exception.
It is time for more churasscaria in Pittsburgh!
The Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh is a downtown Pittsburgh hotel that offers budget-friendly rooms and great views.
We booked a room in this one for an early 2019 stay and share our full thoughts in this review!