Senza is a cozy and welcoming restaurant in Etna serving up seasonal, scratch-made dishes during regular dinner hours on the weekends as well as during Sunday brunch and ticketed dinner club events.
The dishes here are comforting, the flavor combinations are unique, and the hospitality is off the charts. The environment is so welcoming that a meal here feels like dining at your best friend's house- if that friend was a creative, talented chef, of course.
We've been fortunate enough to take a hot air balloon ride in Tanzania, and we always wondered what a flight in the Pittsburgh region would be like.
In 2024, we got to find out that Butler Ballooning opened up just north of the city to provide sunrise hot air balloon rides high above Butler County.
We were guests of Butler Ballooning to check out what a flight is like shortly after this one opened, and we have to admit, this one is quite the experience well worth getting up early for!
Is there anything better than having a beer outside on a gorgeous day? What about having a beer next to a waterfall on a gorgeous day? Well, at Cobblehaus at the Falls in Mercer, PA, you get just that with a gorgeous view of Springfield Falls!
So if you are looking for a different kind of brewery experience on the next nice day in southwest Pennsylvania, put this gem on your radar and make the trek about an hour north of the city to check them out!
Sharpsburg-based Love, Katie Distilling may not occupy the largest space by distillery standards, but it packs a punch with its beautiful decor, large spirits portfolio, and even larger cocktail menu.
This one is a love letter through and through, and not just in the name. As a woman and LGBT-owned business, Katie dedicates the space to her partner and opens it up to all those looking for a good space full of love!
So, with great anticipation, we visited the distillery to check out a spread of their cocktails.
What happens when you take mini golf and merge it with the popular backyard game cornhole? Well, you get Cornhole Golf, and you can play this new game at Mars-Bethel Golf Course in Mars, PA.
And, yes, there is a space theme involved for good measure, too. It wouldn't be Mars without that!
When it comes to enjoying music in Pittsburgh, there is no shortage of events going on from local performances, mega artists visiting on a global tour, and local festivals.
One festival stands out as being one of the very best in southwest Pennsylvania- the Millvale Music Festival.
This one, located in Millvale just outside of Pittsburgh, brings over 300 bands to more than two dozen stages all within a roughly one-mile radius over two packed days. Truly, you're never more than a few feet away from music at this one, and it is a whole lot of fun!
In mid-2024, The Brinery published that they are now no longer affiliated with the Bridge City Brinery and Smashery trucks. We have not updated this review to account for this change as of now.
If you are a fan of Pittsburgh food trucks the way we are, odds are good you are familiar with Bridge City Brinery and their spinoff burger concept, The Smashery.
These trucks have been taking the city by storm with some of the finest, massive sandwiches we have had the pleasure to eat, and we have been known to go out of our way to find them specifically when the craving for a good sandwich hits.
As it seems to be a trend of food trucks opening up brick-and-mortar restaurants, it should be no surprise that in early 2024, the team of this particular truck opened up a dedicated restaurant, The Brinery, in Sharpsburg!
Naturally, we had to make our way over as soon as possible after opening to give them a try.
Chengdu Gourmet is a much-lauded Chinese restaurant specializing in Szechuan cuisine, with two locations in Squirrel Hill and McKnight Road. With James Beard nominee Wei Zhu at the helm, you really can't go wrong with anything on the traditional Szechuan menu here. Just be sure to dine with lots of friends or family, as the portions are family style – the best way to experience the restaurant is to order lots of food and share.
Chengdu Gourmet has captured the hearts and stomachs of many a Pittsburgher over the past decade with their Squirrel Hill location. We are excited for the newer McKnight Road location as it makes shopping trips infinitely more enjoyable knowing that there is delicious Szechuan food waiting for us once we complete our errands.
Although we have been to the Squirrel Hill location before, we visited with just the two of us and it was hard to fully appreciate the restaurant. Fast forward to the McKnight Road location opening, where we've visited with friends and have a much greater appreciation and understanding of the delicious food that is being served here.
Della Terra in Zelienople is an Italian restaurant serving pizzas and pastas with equal prowess. One glance at the menu here and you'll likely want one of everything, which we highly encourage. From traditional and familiar Italian flavors to plates with a few twists, everything we tried was satisfying and delicious.
The delightful food was enhanced by excellent service and stunning mid-century decor.
The decor instantly caught our eye upon walking in the door. Several of the features from the building's history as a bank remain in place like the super tall ceilings and the bank vault door that leads from the dining room to the kitchen. But what I couldn't stop staring at the whole meal were the 1940s-style chandeliers – simply amazing!
Suffice it to say, Della Terra has quickly become a favorite of ours in our local Italian dining scene.
You may know about the family-friendly entertainment complex, Fun Fore All, in Cranberry.
This staple north of the city is home to a large assortment of fun activities be it mini golf, arcade games, bumper cars, rides for kids, and so much more.
But did you know that Fun Fore All gets into the holiday spirit by decorating the mini golf course with holiday lights? This one certainly makes for a different kind of winter experience if you can visit on a night with good weather!
We were invited by Fun Fore All to check out the Holiday Lights mini golf and have to admit we had a lot of fun here!