Johnny's Diner is a classic diner in the West End with a no-frills menu that includes breakfast and lunch staples from the griddle like pancakes, omelets, and sandwiches.
WestEnd
Better Maid Donut Review – Donuts Worth Getting Up Early For
To enjoy a creation from Better Maid Donut in Pittsburgh, you're going to have to set your alarm early. Very early.
This popular donut spot in Crafton Heights is known for its limited production and die-hard fans who will wait a half-hour or more for their devious creations. Put these two together and you'll quickly understand why this one often sells out within an hour of their ~6:30 am opening on weekdays and ~7:30 am opening on weekends.
- Note: hours as published on Google and may not be the most accurate- we've heard stories of them opening at 6:45 am lately but it can truly vary.
As someone who is averse to getting up early in almost all cases, I've been trying (and failing) to visit Better Maid Donut for the better part of the last two years- through no one's fault but my own.
It wasn't until a late-spring morning, where the sunrise woke me up well before 6 am, that I realized the stars were aligning to make my visit to Better Maid Donut happen.
Artifacts Pittsburgh – Fantasy Shopping in the West End
If you have an itch to do some fantasy shopping for one-of-a-kind items in Pittsburgh, look no further than Artifacts in the West End. Touted as a “museum with a price tag,” Artifacts is home to over 20,000 items ranging from Turkish rugs, European artwork, hand crafted tables, to stuffed lions and giraffe busts, human-sized griffon statues, and everything in between.
We couldn't make this up even if we tried.
We first learned about Artifacts during a quest to find a seating area that would compliment a Turkish rug and lamp that we bought while traveling in Istanbul. Naturally, stories of Artifacts' massive showroom of Turkish rugs and other unique items inspired us to visit in hopes of finding our dream accompaniment.
We didn't, and that is fine by us.