5 Reasons to Love Living in Mount Washington

Many Pittsburgh residents dream of living in Mount Washington. This neighborhood is one of the best spots in the city for great views of the skyline, access to tourist experiences like riding on the Inclines, and, of course, great restaurants and amenities.

We were really fortunate to live in Mount Washington as renters for several years and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. Although we have since moved to the North Side, we often dream about potentially one day returning.

So in this one, we thought we'd focus on what the neighborhood is like for those considering moving there, where we share some of the reasons we love Mount Washington as a place to live, and also share some other important details to keep in mind before moving in.

Please Note: The area that most call Mount Washington typically also includes the city neighborhood of Duquesne Heights near the Duquesne Incline to the west in addition to the city neighborhood of Mount Washington. For the purpose of this article, we're calling both “Mount Washington” as the same logic applies to both neighborhoods on the hilltop. 

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Otaru Review – Fine Japanese Dining With a View

It is not often that a new restaurant opens on Grandview Avenue on Mount Washington, but when one does, it comes with a bang.

Otaru opened on Mount Washington in 2024 and hit the ground running with a premium Japanese menu, a respectable cocktail and sake program, and, of course, a view worthy of the name of the street the restaurant resides on.

So snag a reservation, save your pennies, and get ready for a splurge with many delicious options to choose from here!

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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

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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