La Bodega Taqueria is one of those places that we absolutely love to discover in Pittsburgh.
We did not know this one had opened up right on the heart of East Carson Street in South Side, and only stumbled upon it while driving to meet friends for drinks at Acacia a few blocks away.
In the brief seconds it took us to drive by, we knew where we had to end up for dinner after, and a short while later we made our way down the block for some delicious, delicious Mexican food.
As avid travelers, we've done our fair share of overnight stays in hostels and boutique hotels- from $3 hole-in-the-walls in central China to high-end lodge-esque accommodations dedicated to hikers in Patagonia. Whenever we need to travel economically, we look toward shared dorms and private rooms in order to meet our travel goals.
One thing that always bothered me about the Pittsburgh hotel scene is that our budget and boutique hotel offerings are much more limited compared to higher-priced chains.
Traveler's Rest is one boutique hotel that opened up in South Side near Station Square and it certainly fills a need!
I was invited to the hotel for an overnight stay and wanted to share a bit more about this hidden gem in the South Side.
Note: I was a guest of Traveler's Rest Hotel for this review and have since returned for a tour after the property was upgraded to take updated photos and see the changes first-hand. As always, all opinions are my own.
Kura Revolving Sushi Bar, a restaurant chain with over 50 US locations, now has a location in Pittsburgh's SouthSide Works. We had dinner at Kura recently and were delighted with the atmosphere and the variety of options available- from nigiri to maki to made-to-order hot dishes.
Eating here was an experience and just plain fun!
We always wondered what would go into the old movie theater space in South Side Works, and we have to admit an entertainment complex was not the first thing on our radar.
But when Columbus-based Pins Mechanical Co. announced they were opening a two-floor, 30,000-square-foot bar and gaming facility, complete with duckpin bowling, pinball, vintage arcade games, and more, we were intrigued.
We were fortunate enough to check this one out shortly after opening for a media event, and have to admit this one packs a punch (and then some)!
When we first visited Sly Fox Brewing, it was for their downtown Pittsburgh location just steps away from Point State Park.
To put it bluntly, we were not fans.
While the beer was true-to-form for their traditional styles, we just generally thought the space was small, cramped even when the patio was closed, and wasn't the kind of place we would make a dedicated trip downtown to enjoy. If you work nearby it is great for a quick round, but we just never found ourselves prioritizing a second visit.
Thankfully, Sly Fox Brewing has opened a second location in Pittsburgh, at the stunning Highline in South Side (close to Station Square right on the Great Allegheny Passage), and has quickly become one of our favorite spots for beer in Pittsburgh!
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!
Bonfire is a two-story restaurant concept in South Side by Chef Chris Bonfili, former chef of the now-closed Avenue B restaurant. While the South Side neighborhood may not have historically been on anyone's radar as a dining destination, restaurants like Bonfire are helping to slowly change that.
At Bonfire, you can dine in the more formal upstairs space with dishes like mussels, blistered shishito peppers, arctic char, and strip steak. Or, you can relax in the more casual space downstairs with options like flatbreads, mac and cheese, and sandwiches. Either way, the menus are a far cry from the bar food typical of this neighborhood.
Pittsburgh's South Side is often known as its bar crawl neighborhood, and you do not need to spend much time exploring this one to understand why that is- the bars are everywhere.
While this one is incredibly popular for college kids looking for a cheap drink and anyone in need of a night out with libations, there is actually quite a bit going on in the neighborhood beyond your typical bar. For us, while we visit this one for a periodic adult beverage ourselves, we often visit for other reasons, and wanted to highlight some of our favorite attractions, restaurants, and of course, bars in this neighborhood guide!
It is worth noting that the following is not a collection of every business in South Side. 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 business while exploring the South Side, do yourself a favor and go inside!
Sometimes when we try and find a new bar to hit in South Side, we go numb at the sheer number of choices. In many cases when visiting this neighborhood we often pick a reason for going out (deals, cocktails, draft list, etc.) and then limit our options down from there in order to make a choice.
On a recent night out we wanted to keep our tab low while having good beer and settled on The Library. Known for a cheap craft beer list and happy hour food specials, an affordable outing was exactly what we got!
Cilantro & Ajo is a casual Venezuelan restaurant located in South Side that features arepas and other delicious Venezuelan street food. We've had arepas from their food truck in the past, and they were so good that we knew we had to check out their brick and mortar location.