Uncorked is a wine bar and restaurant featuring live jazz, located in the main business district of Sharpsburg. With prohibition-style cocktails, a full food menu, plentiful wine options, and live music, this intimate spot is a great addition to the neighborhood. Although the noise level on our visit made it somewhat difficult to have conversations with our table, we appreciated the cocktails, homemade pasta, and small plates.
North
The Maridon Museum in Butler Showcases East Asian Art
The Maridon Museum is a bit of a surprising find in Butler, as it focuses on stunning art from East Asia- particularly China and Japan (amongst others).
You may ask, “why is Butler of all places home to such a stellar collection?” and the answer is because local resident Mary Hulton Phillips began collecting Asian antiquities, all without actually traveling to Asia, and the collection became so vast that a museum was born in 2004 (a few years before her death in 2009).
Now, guests can visit the Maridon Museum to learn about Mary Hulton Phillips and see her stunning collection located just a block or so off of Main Street- for a very modest entry price as well!
Wei Lai Dim Sum Review – Go For a Feast
There are precious few places to get Cantonese dim sum in Pittsburgh, so we were thrilled when Wei Lai Dim Sum opened in Ross Township. With its friendly service and wide variety of dim sum dishes at an affordable price, this spot is one we will gladly return to again and again.
We are not generally fans of McKnight Road or strip malls in general, but we can get behind the recent trend of excellent Asian restaurants opening in these types of areas. Wei Lai is one such place in McIntyre Square, a shopping area in flux with several empty storefronts. Their bright orange sign beckons you to come in for dim sum, and we did just that.
Senza Review – An Inventive Dining Experience in Etna
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.
Butler Ballooning Takes Flight North of Pittsburgh
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!
Cobblehaus at the Falls Brings Beer to Springfield Falls
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!
Love, Katie Distilling Brings Spirits to Sharpsburg
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.
Cornhole Golf at Mars-Bethel Golf Course is a Unique Game
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!
The Millvale Music Festival Fills the Borough With Sound
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!
The Brinery Review – Massive Sandwiches and More
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.