Corduroy Orange

Hi there,

I’ve been accepted into Pitt’s MFA program, which I am very psyched about, and I’m headed that way for a visit.

Is there much of a foodie scene in Pittsburgh? What kinds of things should I try to check out while I’m there?

Thanks in advance!

Emily

Beyond a doubt, there is a great foodie scene here! Much of it is centered on the Strip District, which borders on Downtown and is centered on Penn Avenue and Smallman Street. Here, you’ll find all kinds of specialty and ethnic shops. The variety of wares available and the numbers of people who flock to it are proof of how much this city likes its food.

My favorites include Pennsylvania Macaroni Company, where you’ll find just about the best cheese counter anywhere. People stack up ten deep on Saturday mornings waiting for their turn to buy one of the multiple-hundred cheeses available. You’ll also find a good selection of deli meat and olives.

If olives are something you’re interested in, though, I’d go next door to Stamooli Bros., where there’s also a great selection of olives, but they’re more clearly marked. Here you’ll also find a wide selection of bulk foods and spices in bulk quantities.

For smaller quantities of spices, I’d go down the street to Penzey’s, where you can find out all kinds of information about the spices you’re buying, including the village of origin in many cases; plus, there are many spices you’ve probably neveer heard of for sale there. Every product is available to smell and taste from a sample jar next to the canisters on the shelves.

I know you like chocolate, so be sure to check out Mon Aimee Chocolat. They’ve got a huge selection of fine and international chocolates, and what’s rumoured to be the best cup of hot chocolate in Pittsburgh. I’ve never tasted it, but my sources tell me when you see the cup, you’re initially disappointed by its diminutive size, but once you taste its richness, you realize that’s the perfect portion.

There are several vendors who stand outside selling their wares in the Strip. My favorites are the eggroll cart and the Asian place with the mung bean patties. They’re on opposite sides of the street on the same block.

There used to be at least a couple of good produce stands in the Strip, but ever since Bill’s Produce closed, your retail selections basically consist of Penn Mac (the place with the cheese counter also has a good selection of produce in the back of the store, near the cash registers) and Stan’s, which I boycott on principle because they shrinkwrap everything on styrofoam trays and it’s ridiculously wasteful.

Reyna Foods is a Mexican food store that makes their own tortillas on site. Best tortillas available in these parts, beyond a doubt; and likely a contender for the best above the Rio Grande—especially if you’re shipping others in from out of state. Fresher is better, and it shows.

No visit to Pittsburgh is ever complete without a visit to Primanti Bros. Sandwiches, where every sandwich comes with coleslaw and fries on the sandwich. It’s really not fine dining, but it sure is tasty and Primanti is a Strip District staple.
If you are interested in fine dining, avoid the restaurants on Mount Washington. They’ve got a fantastic view of the city’s skyline, but really, that’s all you’re paying for. In the Strip District, Lidia’s is a good bet. They make everything from scratch and everything is likely to be very tasty. In the summer, they make an effort to bring in as much local produce as they can. The only shortcoming (if you can even call it such) is that it is part of a small chain of restaurants owned by Lidia Bastianich, who has a show on PBS and is in cahoots with Mario Batali in NYC… so it’s not really a good representation of Pittsburgh fare, but it’s quality fare nonetheless.

Another good Italian place near the Strip is Il Piccolo Forno, on Butler Street in Lawrenceville (which, as all of these places I’m listing, is a neighborhood, not a different township). This restaurant also makes its own pasta. It’s a smaller place with an intimate feel. The pizza oven is part of a small open kitchen; the rest of the food is sent up via dumbwaiter. My only recommendation would be to get a seat away from the door, especially if the weather is intemperate. Last time I was there, I nearly froze every time someone entered or exited.

Further away is Point Brugge Cafe, in the Point Breeze neighborhood. I’ve only eaten there a couple of times, but both have been memorable meals. They have a Belgian take on things (such as serving your frites with mayonnaise). The staff is very helpful, and their deck is a great place for a summer meal (not that that bit of info is going to help you on this visit, but once you move here, you’ll be glad to know about that).

In Shadyside, there’s the Harris Grill, which has excellent food. Tuesday is Bacon Night—free baskets of bacon on the bar all night long. The upstairs is non-smoking, so if you do happen to be out that way, you might want to request a table up there. The Bourbon Roast Pork is my go-to, but there’s also a great selection of sandwiches and meatless meals.

Also in Shadyside is CoCo’s Cupcakes, which has cupcakes. They’re not the only cupcake game in town, though: Dozen Cupcakes in Squirrel Hill has good wares, too. If you like a sweet frosting, go with Dozen; if you prefer a milder frosting, Coco’s is your best bet.

As for groceries, there’s the obligatory Whole Foods and a new Trader Joe’s, but the East End Food Co-Op in East Liberty has a great selection of bulk goods and organic produce. Members get a 2% discount all the time and 10% off once a month on Member Appreciation Day. Membership is a great deal, too: you give them $100 to hold on to for you; if you move away or opt to terminate your membership, that money is refundable in full.

During the summer, it’s easy to find orchards where you can get the freshest fruit from the place where it’s grown. I often go to Soergel’s in Wexford, but if you keep driving past Soergel’s on Brandt School Road, you’ll find Kaelin’s Farm Market. Of course, Pittsburgh is surrounded by agricultural land, so if you take any of the old highways (pre-interstate) away from the city, you’re pretty much certain to find someplace that grows and sells their own wares.

This is just a small sampling of what’s available here. There’s lots more that I know about, haven’t checked out yet, or don’t know about. Like I said before, this is a city that loves its food—which isn’t to say that every meal you find here is going to be the best you’ve ever had, but there are lots of great meals to be found if you do only a little bit of investigation. I hope you enjoy your visit to Pittsburgh. It’s a great place and I’d recommend it to everyone.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 8th, 2007 at 8:03 pm and is filed under Advice Column, Restaurant Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.