East

Hemlock House Review – A Modern Take on Pub Fare

Hemlock House opened in a prime location on S. Braddock Street in Swissvale (near Regent Square) in 2023 and serves up an array of modern pub fare with some flavor twists that you're unlikely to find anywhere else.

We visited this one with eager anticipation shortly after they opened and discovered this one is quite the gem.

Although we did not get to try the full bar menu just yet as the liquor license was still a work in progress, this pub is worth a visit for the food alone!

Note: At the time of our visit, Hemlock House had popups from local producers Kingfly Spirits and Arboretum Trail Brewing. So, while perhaps not their own bar program outright, you could still get a great drink with a meal all the same!

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Taqueria el Pastorcito Review – Food Truck Turned Restaurant

Taqueria el Pastorcito came onto the Pittsburgh food truck scene serving up delicious tacos with their star item being their tacos al pastor. This style of pork is cooked on the traditional Mexican trompo, a vertical rotisserie like what is used to make gyros and shawarma, and is something you don't see all too often in the city.

We first visited this truck on one of its inaugural outings and fell in love with their food as they immediately transported us back to the many wonderful tacos in Mexico we were fortunate enough to sample when visiting.

Naturally, it should be no surprise that this food truck became an instant hit. In fact, in just about a year they went from only being a food truck to also opening a dedicated taqueria in New Kensington about 30 minutes east of downtown Pittsburgh.

We of course had to visit shortly after it opened to get more of their delicious taco creations. 

It was worth the drive.

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Zone28 Offers Indoor Fun for Kids and Adults Alike in Harmarville

Sometimes we just want to unleash our inner child. Thankfully there are a number of options to do so in the Pittsburgh metro region.

One such place is Zone28 in Harmarville- a 50,000-square-foot complex that has virtually everything you would want for indoor fun.

Whether you have a child or simply want to act like a kid yourself, this one is sure to please with their collection of arcade machines, VR machines, escape rooms, laser tag, bowling, an on-site restaurant, and for the adults, loaded bars to name a few.

We were fortunate enough to visit this one as part of a media event and share more about what you can expect in this one.

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Levity Brewing Review – Beer, Food, & Trail Access in Indiana, PA

There are a number of reasons to love Levity Brewing in Indiana, PA.

First off, they make stellar beer (really all that matters for a brewery). Second, you can round out your visit with food to make a meal out of it. Finally, and perhaps most interesting to us beyond the brews, is that they are located just steps off of the 10-mile Hoodlebug Trail and a short drive from the trailhead for the Ghost Town Trail in Black Lick.

So if you need reasons to make a day out of it when making the hour drive to the brewery, well, you've got some great options to consider!

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Brassero Grill Review – Loaded Burritos and Tacos in Braddock

We always love it when Pittsburgh food trucks turn into restaurants, and one of the first ones we remember opening a store (since founding this site, at least) was Brassero Grill. This one traded their wheels for a brick and mortar in Braddock in 2017, just a few doors down from Brew Gentlemen brewery, and since then hasn't looked back.

On a recent beer run to the brewery, we swung by the restaurant to pick up some of their delicious burritos to go. But it was the side of taquitos that really stole the show here!

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The West Penn Trail is a Challenge for Bikers, But Great for a Walk

The West Penn Trail is a 17-mile partially converted rail-trail that is located about an hour east of Pittsburgh and connects the boroughs of Saltsburg and Blairsville.

If you've read our biking in Pittsburgh guide, Saltsburg may sound familiar as this is also the terminus for the Westmoreland Heritage Trail where it intersects with the West Penn Trail (and, in fact, biking that trail to the end was the only reason we discovered the West Penn Trail at all).  

Naturally, only a few weeks later we loaded our bikes onto our car, drove out to Saltsburg, and tackled nearly all of this one. After finishing, we have to admit, we're not sure we'd do this one again- on our bikes at least.

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Kayaking to Sycamore Island from 10.7 Marina in Verona

We love getting out on the water whenever we can, and one of our preferred methods for doing so is in a kayak. 

There is no shortage of kayak options in the Pittsburgh area, and on a recent outing we took out rentals from 10.7 Marina in Verona to explore the Allegheny River a bit upstream from the city. This made for a great starting point as Verona is a short distance away from Sycamore Island- a green space we've been wanting to check out from years that is only accessible via boat.

So we boarded our kayaks and were off!

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The Ghost Town Trail May Be The Best Bike Trail in West PA

We've been on almost all of the bike trails in Pittsburgh, and have to admit, the Ghost Town Trail starting in Black Lick, PA (about an hour east of Pittsburgh) may be our favorite we've been to so far.

This trail covers 46 miles (~10 miles of which are on an extension trail) from Black Lick to Ebensburg. During our first visit, we hit up the first 25 miles of this route (turning around on the main trail in Nanty Glo) and saw so many beautiful sights.

As an added bonus, this trail was quite an easy ride!

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Exploring the Westmoreland Heritage Trail on Foot or Bike

The Westmoreland Heritage Trail is a popular hiking and biking trail that spans roughly 18 miles between Trafford and Saltsburg, PA. 

We had heard great things about this trail and made the ~45-minute drive out of the city to check it out and were not disappointed. While the trail is broken up into two segments, we made a day of it and hit both during our visit.

Note: As of our visit in 2020 the Westmoreland Heritage Trail is split into two sections, each roughly 9-miles in length. One runs between Delmont and Saltsburg and the second runs between Export and Trafford. Eventually, these trails are supposed to be connected via a 3-4 mile addition. This article will discuss the two sections independently.

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Going for a 10-Mile Ride on the Hoodlebug Trail Near Indiana, PA

While there are many bike trails in Pittsburgh worth exploring, one weekend we decided to go on a bit of a day trip east to Indiana, PA (roughly 60 miles from Pittsburgh) to check out a trail that is new to us.

This was the 10-mile Hoodlebug Trail which runs from Indiana to Black Lick, PA. With a relatively well-maintained path and an abundance of things to see (plus a few breweries nearby we enjoyed after), we certainly had a fun day out!

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