StripDistrict

Soluna Review – Coffee in the Morning, Mezcal in the Evening

In early 2023, the Honduran coffee shop, Cafetano, rebranded as Soluna Coffee & Mezcal Bar. The coffee shop portion of the restaurant operates similarly to the former concept plus the addition of night time libations and food in the backroom Mezcal bar. We visited the coffee shop when it was Cafetano and revisited Soluna for the mezcal bar shortly after opening.

When we found out the Honduran coffee shop Soluna (formerly Cafetano) was opening in the former Gaucho space in the Strip District, we weren't entirely sure what to think of it. This had nothing to do with the coffee shop itself (we will never say no to more amazing coffee in Pittsburgh), but rather the use of the space outright.

By Strip District standards, Gaucho had one of the larger building footprints in the neighborhood and, when it comes to coffee shops, we're not used to seeing any of that size anywhere in the city. So hearing that a coffee shop was moving into this particular space was a bit of a surprise.

Thankfully, their wonderful coffee shop offered a hard reminder how much good space in coffee shops is sorely needed, and when this one rebranded as Soluna in 2023 to also incorporate a late-night mezcal bar in the back, we saw the perfect utilization of this space all around.

So whether you visit Soluna for their delicious coffee and small plates during the day, or for a Mezcal cocktail and more unique food in the evening, you really have several reasons to visit this gem in the Strip District!

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Cadence At The Strip Review – Modern Food and Speakeasy Vibe

Cadence Cellars in the Strip District is a restaurant and bar with a speakeasy theme offering up classics like steaks and pork chops served alongside Prohibition-era cocktails. With its basement location and good execution of both food and drink, Cadence is a great spot to check out if you're in the neighborhood.

In the Strip District, we tend to think about drinking and dining options as an “either/or” situation – most spots either excel only at food or only at drinks. However, Cadence is a rare spot where both of these are in balance, making it equally great as a brunch stop while you're shopping or a place to start a night out on the town.

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Cioppino Review – Seafood and Chophouse in the Strip District

Cioppino Restaurant & Cigar Bar has been a staple in the Strip District for well over a decade with its seafood and chophouse-focused menu and prized cigar bar tucked away in a back room.

We were able to visit this one to check out the seasonal summer menu as guests of the restaurant for a media night, and have to admit we can see the allure of this gem on Railroad Street!

Note: Many of the appetizers we sampled were served family-style for the event. As such, our photos may not be representative of true portion size.

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Wigle Whiskey Review – A Pittsburgh Staple You Must Try

Wigle Spirits

I remember when Wigle Whiskey opened their doors in Pittsburgh.  I was so excited that the craft spirits scene was taking off, and eager to get my hands on any of the (limited) concoctions that the distillery was producing.

It is unfortunate to have to admit this, but at the time their namesake whiskeys were not to my liking. I have never been fond of white rye and wheat whiskeys and usually prefer my grain spirits to be aged for several years to get the flavors from the large oak barrels.  In being a new distillery, their aging program simply did not exist at the time, so I knew I would have to wait longer for the styles I enjoy.

Although I wasn't fond of the whiskey when Wigle launched, I found myself oddly attached to the Ginever Gin they also produced- another spirit I never really got into the habit of drinking. Soon after I was consuming every cocktail in the city with this delicious spirit and couldn't get enough.

That was in 2012 when Wigle was founded. Fast-forward to the present day, and all that has changed.

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Andy’s Sushi Bar Review – A Must Stop Inside Wholey’s

Wholey's in the Strip District is a feast for the senses in every corner of the store. Whether you're in the seafood section, meat department, or simply checking out the produce this one certainly has a lot to look over. Naturally, we walk through this one just about every time we are in the neighborhood.

But one of our favorite parts of Wholey's is the very first thing you see when walking in- Andy's Sushi Bar.

This staple sushi bar not only serves up some of the finest sushi in Pittsburgh, but is manned by one of the nicest guys you'll meet. So while you'll be visiting this one because of its sushi, you'll be returning, in part, because of Andy himself.

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Colombino Review – Coffee, Cacao, and Arepas in the Strip

When walking around the Strip District in early 2021, we noticed some changes in front of Reyna's grocery store. Their short-order taco stand was replaced by a Colombina arepa stand. As we are just as crazy about arepas as we are tacos, it didn't take long for us to place an order.

But, as it turns out, Colombino is not just an arepa stand, but rather a coffee and cacao bar that also serves arepas. 

This one is truly the best of all worlds, and in the span of 36 hours, we visited this one twice. It is that good.

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Coop de Ville Review – Fried Chicken Sandwiches in the Strip

Coop de Ville is one of the newest concepts from the Richard DeShantz restaurant group and it's serving up fried chicken and other Southern classics. What's unique about this spot in the Strip District is that it's also an entertainment venue offering duckpin bowling, arcade games, a champagne vending machine, and more.

We recently ordered takeout and have to admit we were not overly enthused about the food, although we should note that we were one of the first orders of the day during opening week.

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Luke Wholey’s Alaskan Grille Review – Higher-End Seafood in the Strip

If there is any staple restaurant for higher-end seafood in the Strip District, it is most certainly Luke Wholey's Alaskan Grille. While this one is known for its entree-style seafood dishes, the menu is also complete with sushi, sandwiches, and more which gives a number of options for any guest.

Naturally, we tried a bit of them all when visiting. 

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