SquirrelHill

Took Took 98 Review – Thai Street Food in Squirrel Hill

Took Took 98 opened in the heart of Squirrel Hill on Murray Avenue in 2019. While this one brands itself as Thai street food, we have to admit that in having an impressively large menu this one has just a bit of everything.

So whether you like curry, noodles, rice dishes, or more, Took Took 98 will likely have something to satisfy your cravings.

As with most Thai restaurants, for our first visit we went for our staple order of pad see ew with tofu and red curry with shrimp, and rounded it out with stuffed wontons and a few flavored beverages as well!

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Kiin Lao & Thai Eatery Review – Visiting for Laotian Cuisine

Kiin Lao and Thai Eatery in Squirrel Hill is Pittsburgh's first Laotian restaurant, having recently been transformed by the owners from a purely Thai restaurant into one serving both Lao and Thai dishes. Whether you're looking for some classic Thai dishes or are wanting to expand your palate and try Laotian food, odds are you'll find something that strikes your fancy on the diverse menu at Kiin which includes starters, salads, and entrees.

Kiin Lao and Thai Eatery used to be Bangkok Balcony, a beloved Squirrel Hill restaurant that we enjoyed over the years and used to be our go-to Thai place when we lived in the neighborhood. So when we heard the Bangkok Balcony owners were transforming the restaurant into a Lao and Thai eatery we knew we had to check it out.

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The Vintage Grand Prix is One of Pittsburgh’s Premier Summer Events

The Vintage Grand Prix has a been a Pittsburgh summer staple since 1983, and is one of the largest classic car shows and races around. 

While the simplest way to enjoy this one is to head to Schenley Park on race weekend, there are actually multiple aspects of the Vintage Grand Prix worth talking about. To get the full experience you may have to plan for multiple days of exploring this one as the entire event lasts just about two weeks!

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Mineo’s Pizza Review – Adequate Pies in Squirrel Hill

Anyone who has spent some time in Pittsburgh knows of the raging debate between Mineo's and Aiello's pizza in Squirrel Hill. Both have die hard followings behind them, and are the kind of places you hear coming up in favorite pizza shop lists time and time again.

We ordered Mineo's with great excitement (after a very long gap since our last visit when we lived in Squirrel Hill), and we've got to say, we were really let down.

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Aiello’s Pizza Review – A Staple in Squirrel Hill

Aiello's is a popular pizza shop in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood that has a rather die-hard following behind it. Throw in a customer rivalry with neighboring pizza shop, Mineo's, and you have the makings of a great spot to visit.

We used to frequent Aiello's often when we lived in Squirrel Hill, and despite a fairly large gap in our visit history, I finally made it back in for a few slices!

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Independent Brewing Company Review – Go for Beer, Stay for the Food

Independent Brewing Company is making a name for itself in Pittsburgh's drinking scene for its unique beer selection.

But did you know this one also serves a full menu that could go toe-to-toe with most restaurants? After hearing about a menu overhaul in early 2018, we made our way out to this one to have them give us their best shot!

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Bull River Taco Review – Short Order Tacos in Pittsburgh

Bull River Taco is a popular short order taco join that first opened in the South Hills.  In 2017 they expanded to have their second location located right in the heart of Squirrel Hill, and their buzz continued to grow from there.

After many reader recommendations, we finally made it out to their Squirrel Hill location to see what they're all about.

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Taiwanese Bistro Cafe 33 Review – Holding Its Own in Squirrel Hill

We're slowly working our way through the plethora of Asian restaurants in Squirrel Hill, and on our most recent trip we found ourselves at Taiwanese Bistro Cafe 33.

This spot on Shady Ave. right next to Starbucks is housed in what used to be the neighborhood laundromat, and it serves up a huge menu that's a mix of Taiwanese food as well as Americanized Chinese food.

With stiff competition just steps away, we wanted to find out how this one stacks up.

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A Shopping and Eating Guide to Squirrel Hill

Squirrel Hill is one of those Pittsburgh neighborhoods you can't help but love. It is primarily residential with tons of gorgeous houses and has two business streets that are among the most vibrant in the entire city.

We lived in Squirrel Hill for many years and enjoyed visiting the shops and eating at the plethora of restaurants that call this neighborhood home. To share some of our favorite places to hit during a visit, this guide was born!

It is worth noting that the following is not a collection of every business in Squirrel Hill. 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 Squirrel Hill, do yourself a favor and go inside!

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Nu Bistro Review – A Unique Jewish Bistro in Squirrel Hill

Nu Bistro in Squirrel Hill is the kind of place you could easily walk right on by. A Jewish restaurant in a Jewish neighborhood? Sounds okay, but not very interesting for those who do not know better.

Sure, Nu Bistro is the kind of place where you can get classics like a Reuben and other Jewish delicacies (which are readily available throughout Squirrel Hill).

But it's also the kind of place that takes totally not Jewish foods, turns them into Jewish versions, and does such an awesome job of the transformation that it makes you think those foods were Jewish all along.

So before you visit Nu Bistro, be sure to take all expectations and throw them out the window.

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