Downtown

Biergarten Review – Rooftop European Beers at the Hotel Monaco

With all the beautiful buildings in downtown Pittsburgh, we often find ourselves wishing for more options for eating and drinking on the rooftops of some of the tallest buildings.

While we do not have many sky-high dining options available, the folks at the Hotel Monaco have tried to rectify this problem with their rooftop Biergarten.

We had been to this one before for quick drinks and were invited back down as guests of the hotel to try more. In this one we share our full thoughts on this beautiful rooftop bar!

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Things to Know Before Attending a Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey Game

“It's a hockey night in Pittsburgh!” – Mike Lange

Okay, tonight may not be a hockey night specifically, but when it is we absolutely go nuts for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

We've been fortunate to have a great hockey team in Pittsburgh in recent years, and after many attempts, we finally made our way to a playoff game in 2018 to cheer the Pens on (to a 7-0 shutout of the Flyers- about as perfect as they come).

If you are looking to get down to PPG Paints Arena (formely Consol Energy Center) to check out an upcoming Pittsburgh Penguins game, be sure to keep some of these tips in mind!

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The Warren Pittsburgh Review – A Welcoming Bar for Cocktails

If you are familiar with the cocktails in Pittsburgh, the name Spencer Warren may be familiar to you.

For those who are not, the short of it is that Spencer Warren is a local cocktail specialist who has made a name for himself with craft creations at his previous bar, Embury (now closed).

Since then he became the force behind the local edition of the international Miracle pop-up bar (which his team managed), consulted on cocktail menus at many of your favorite local bars, and is finally returning to the spotlight with his new bar, The Warren, in the Cultural District.

As we missed being able to try cocktails at Embury, our experience with Spencer Warren's cocktails have only been on the periphery. But we liked what we saw, and made sure to make our way down to The Warren shortly after opening to give his cocktails a try.

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Meat and Potatoes Pittsburgh Review – Changing Downtown Dining

We distinctly remember when Meat and Potatoes opened up in 2011. It was one of the first chef-driven restaurants to open in downtown Pittsburgh (that we are aware of at least), helping to spur the revival of Pittsburgh's dining scene.

We remember people were freaking out (in a good way) over the bone marrow, poutine, pate, and other appetizers and entrees that were less common at the time, as well as the craft cocktails.

Although we dined at Meat and Potatoes years ago when it opened, we figured we were long due for a return visit to see how it was holding up.

The short answer? Deliciously.

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Attending a Modern Opera at CAPA Theater by the Pittsburgh Opera

When you think of the Pittsburgh Opera in general, you may think of classic operas by the likes of Mozart, Verdi, and Rossini. But did you know that the Pittsburgh Opera is also dedicated to the performance and even debut of modern American operas?

We were invited to take in the contemporary opera “The Long Walk” at the CAPA Theater which was an outstanding introduction to the great work that the Pittsburgh Opera does in this performance genre.

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Miracle Bar Pop-Up Review – Wall to Wall Christmas

If there is any Christmas popup bar that we try to visit at least once every December, it would be Miracle Bar.

To call this holiday pop-up bar popular would be an understatement, as seemingly everyone wants a piece of the action- Miracle Bar is routinely the most popular and can have lines to match.

Thankfully, in subsequent years the bar has moved into larger and larger spaces to accommodate guests, and has truly grown to be the premier holiday bar in the city!

Note: Photos in this article may be from past Miracle pop-up iterations and may not be fully reflective of this year's popup design.

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City Works Review – 90 Beers on Tap in Market Square

City Works in Market Square is a massive pub with a huge draft list, and it's perfectly situated in PPG Place for after work happy hours and watching sports games on one of their 15 TVs.

We visited on a recent week night just after happy hour had ended, and it was bustling with large groups of professionals enjoying the deals ($4 rotating drafts and select $4 appetizers). While we were sad about missing out on the specials, we dove in to our meal all the same.

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Handmade Arcade – An Annual Craft Fair in Pittsburgh

Handmade Arcade is a free independent craft fair held at the David L. Lawrence Convention center every December.

If you're looking to pick up some unique presents, or just want to support independent artists from the region and the country, the Handmade Arcade is the place to be!

Note: Many of the artisans at Handmade Arcade sell their products online via Etsy storefronts. When applicable, we'll feature links to the stores directly within this article as well (may contain affiliate information).

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