MountWashington

La Tavola Review – Authentic Italian on Mount Washington

Tucked away off of Grandview Avenue on Mount Washington is an unassuming Sicilian restaurant we have been visiting for years- La Tavola.

This restaurant is not a high-end, modern dining experience by any stretch, but simply offers a robust menu of classics, served in monster portions, in a friendly and welcoming ambiance.

Throw on a pizza shop tucked away with a side entrance, one of the best corkage fee policies in the city (just $5 per 750ml bottle as they don't sell alcohol- so BYOW), and hearty food that makes you feel like it came from your Italian grandparents, and you can see why return again and again.

As it had been a while since our first review, we thought this one was due for an update and we revisited with friends (plus several bottles of wine) in early 2022.

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The Summit Review – Mount Washington’s Neighborhood Cocktail Bar

Cocktail bars have a weird way of chasing us whenever we move to a new Pittsburgh neighborhood. When we left Squirrel Hill to move to Mount Washington, Hidden Harbor opened up one block away from our former apartment. When we left Mount Washington, the same happened with an old bar there turning into The Summit.

While we lament the fact that we could've lived just one block away from either of these wonderful cocktail bars, we have returned time and time again to enjoy their stellar creations all the same.

In this one, we wanted to share a bit more about what you can expect from The Summit as it is truly the premier cocktail bar on top of Mount Washington!

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A 5-Mile Walking Tour of Pittsburgh to See 17 Highlights

Note: The Clemente Bridge is currently closed for rehabilitation. Those who take this walk will need to cross on the Warhol Bridge one block to the east.

When we visit cities around the world as travelers, one of the first things we do is figure out a grand walking tour in order to get a feel for the city. We generally take anywhere from a half-day or full-day to do these self-guided city tours and really love checking things out on foot.

Until now, we had never put together one of these guides for Pittsburgh as our 90 neighborhoods often make it difficult to get around and see them all. Still, the neighborhoods in and around the central business district in downtown Pittsburgh have quite a lot to see and many of these spots are on the radar of those visiting Pittsburgh for the first time as well as long-time residents.

So in this one, we wanted to share what we consider to be the ultimate walking tour of downtown Pittsburgh! This walking tour covers five miles in the North Side, downtown Pittsburgh, Mount Washington, and Station Square and has 17 unique highlights worth checking out. 

So put your walking shoes on and get to exploring this beautiful city!

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Party on the Mount Celebrates Mount Washington’s Businesses

If you're like us, odds are good you love Mount Washington. Between a number of good restaurants, the iconic inclines, and of course, the stellar views, it should be no surprise why it is such a well-loved neighborhood (and as former residents, especially so for us).

For those who can't get enough of this Pittsburgh neighborhood, be sure to snag tickets to the annual Party on the Mount that takes place each September! 

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Coughlin’s Law Review – A Gastropub With A View

Coughlin's Law opened in Mount Washington in 2018 and has quickly grown to be one of the neighborhood's most popular hangout spots.

Armed with a large bar, ample seating, an outdoor patio with a partial city view, and a wonderful happy hour, this particular spot's popularity should be a surprise to no one.

We were invited out as guests of Coughlin's Law to check out the space and their rather robust food menu, and share our thoughts in this full review!

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Bigham Tavern Review – A Hidden Gem on Mount Washington

Bigham Tavern is one of those places that you may never come across when exploring Mount Washington unless you are expressly looking for it.

We would know- we lived on Mount Washington for two years and had no idea that Bigham street had a gastropub, and we lived just a few blocks away.

It wasn't until we published our neighborhood guide that we got a lot of feedback that we missed this hidden gem, and we made a return trip to the neighborhood to check it out.

We really were missing out.

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La Tavola Pizza – A Hidden Shop Behind a Top Restaurant

La Tavola on Mount Washington is an acclaimed Italian/Sicilian restaurant that offers family cooked meals in a slow dining ambiance that we consider to be one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh.

But while the restaurant may have a die hard following in local circles, their pizza shop located around the back of the restaurant is lesser known.

In this one, we take a trip back to one of our favorite spots solely to give their pizza menu a try!

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Altius Pittsburgh Review – Fine Dining With a View

Altius on Grandview Ave in Mt Washington is a relative newcomer to the fine dining scene in Pittsburgh set among establishments such as Le Mont and Monterey Bay Fish Grotto.

With all of these restaurants, you're understandably paying a premium for the Pittsburgh city views, so we recently dined at Altius to see if the food and experience was worth the cost.

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An Attraction & Eating Guide to Mount Washington

Mount Washington holds a special place in the hearts of many Pittsburghers as it is home to what is often considered to be the billion dollar view of the city.  For us, we have many fond memories of Mount Washington as it was also the neighborhood we called home for many years.

Although we may not live there anymore, we find ourselves visiting this neighborhood quite often to take in its many parks, good selection of restaurants, and to photograph the iconic viewpoint. To share all of the wonderful things to experience on Mount Washington, including the viewpoints and beyond, this neighborhood guide was born!

It is worth noting that the following is not a collection of every business on Mount Washington.  This article only features businesses that we personally visit when we explore the neighborhood.  As such, it should only be taken as a starting point and is certainly not a list of every establishment. 

If you see an interesting store while walking around Mount Washington, do yourself a favor and go inside!

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