2012 City Guide

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 5

We have the BEST prices in Pit tsburgh for custom framing

[contents]

sign language Where did the signs on our cover come from? See for yourself.

The one-time D.L. Clark Company factory, the North Side location where Clark Bars and other candies were once made

Pittsburgh Brewing Company in Lawrenceville, once the home of Iron City Beer

Primanti Brothers location in the Strip District, where truckers and warehouse workers wanted sandwiches with the fries built in

The North Side’s Garden Theater, for many years the city’s last remaining porn palace, now the keystone of a neighborhood redevelopment effort

Islay’s, one of the last of a beloved local chain that gave us the Klondike bar, located in West View. (After this photo was taken, new owners announced plans to change the name … making this issue a collector’s item!)

DeLuca’s in the Strip District, the place for a Saturdaymorning breakfast — if you can get in

The H. J. Heinz sign, which, having once decked out the Heinz facility on the North Side, now gleams from the Heinz History Center in the Strip District

The Beehive, South Side’s counter-cultural hub, and the city’s most storied coffeehouse

Dee’s, the South Side bar whose neon sign means cheap beer, good pool tables, and a lot of secondhand smoke

{SIGN PHOTOS BY HEATHER MULL}

INING PAGE 11 Give us a call

412.586.4559 or check out our website www.framehouseonline.com 100 43rd Street, Unit 107 Pittsburgh PA 15201 At the Ice House in Lawrenceville 6 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

IGHTLIFE PAGE 25

ULTURE PAGE 41

HIS N’AT PAGE 53

M Spring Hill

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Garfield

East Libe rty

Bloomfield

Hill Troy

Mexican War Streets Allegheny West Shore North

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le cevil n e r Law

Polish Hill

side Shady

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S Oaklan d

Beechview

Point Breeze

Hill District

Uptown

Mount n o Washingt

Highland Park

South Sid e

Squirrel Hill

Greenfield

R Mount Oliver

Hazelwood

N [geographic key]

[intro]

sign posts

As you might guess from the cover and the following pages, we’re big fans of Pittsburgh signs — newer signs that tell you where you are, or the aging signs that tell you where this city has been.

But if you need more help finding the destinations on the pages that follow, hold onto this map. The graphic icons listed here will be used throughout the guide to point you in the right direction.

And if you’re a fan of signage too, your tour of Pittsburgh ought to begin Downtown.

In the shadows of its logo-bedecked skyline, you’ll find some of the city’s most venerable cultural institutions, along with a vibrant restaurant scene, unique retailers and even an occasional resident.

Nearby are Uptown and the Hill District, the city’s most celebrated African-American neighborhood. Long the victim of mid-century urban renewal efforts, this area is hoping to capitalize on the recent destruction of the longcontentious Civic Arena. Neighborhood leaders see a second chance for their community, and who

U = City: Downtown and Strip District Q = City: North of the Allegheny R = City: South of the Monongahela S = City: East of Downtown T = City: West End

knows? By the time next year’s City Guide comes out, it may finally have its own grocery store.

Peering down on all of it is Mount Washington — which is best reached by that most Pittsburghish of conveyances: the incline. A stroll along Grandview Avenue is required for visitors, though hold onto your wallet if you’re going to eat at one of the restaurants lining the ridge.

On the other side of that ridge are the city’s South Hills. Though long neglected by the hippermost, neighborhoods like Beechview may yet be experiencing a quiet resurgence. And a quiet resurgence may be the best kind — just ask residents of the South Side, which lies at the foot of Mount Washington. The “Flats” are struggling with an all-too-successful reinvention as the city’s bar district. By day, however, its East Carson Street business district has quirky retail and eateries that will attract the most sober-minded.

North of Downtown is the North Side, a label that actually encompasses several distinctive neighborhoods. Many visitors only see the newest, the prefabricated “North Shore” entertainment zone dominated by PNC Park and Heinz Field.

(You’ll also find, to the west of Heinz, the Carnegie Science Center and Rivers Casino.) But push further inward and you’ll discover historic,

M= N= O= P=

North suburbs South suburbs East suburbs West suburbs

walking-distance neighborhoods like Allegheny West and the Mexican War Streets.

Just east of Downtown, meanwhile, is the Strip District, where a celebrated open-air marketplace throngs with locals on Saturdays.

East of that is Lawrenceville, a sprawling workingclass neighborhood in transition, where industrial sheds are slowing coming down while boutique shops and hip bars are springing up. Nearby Bloomfield is billed as “Pittsburgh’s Little Italy,” but its mix of residents, bars and restaurants is actually more diverse than that. Polish Hill, too, is a more diversified neighborhood than its name suggests.

East Liberty is experiencing the joys and pangs of its own rebirth. Its Penn Circle business district is a not-quite-integrated mix of working-class businesses, bars and pricey restaurants, all presided over by a sprawling Presbyterian church and a nearby Target. Prosperous Shadyside, meanwhile, lies just across a set of railroad tracks … and a world away.

Oakland is the city’s university district, crowded with cultural icons and students at no less than three schools, all within an Ultimate Frisbee toss of each other. Next door is Squirrel Hill, where a prominent Jewish community shares space with old-money mansion-dwellers and students living off campus.

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!

S ee baby orangutans & elephants grow BIG in Born to be Wild.

C onquer a 25-foot rock wall at Highmark Sportworks®.

I nvestigate the wee world of the Miniature Railroad & Village®.

E xperiment with ice cream at the Kitchen Theater.

N avigate the stars at the Buhl Digital Planetarium & Observatory.

C ompete in a match with Air Hockeybot in roboworld™.

E xplore GUITAR, our new science-of-sound exhibition through Sept. 30. Visit CarnegieScienceCenter.org for details.

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{PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL}

Meat Up: Kevin Costa’s Crested Duck Charcuterie is adding new energy to Beechview’s business district. Long passed over for places with hipper reputations, the South Hills neighborhood is attracting new food ventures, and getting a second look from foodies.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 11

Tell the world

YOUR STORY

Cure {Photo BY heather mull}

[dining]

TABLEHOPPING

The dining guide below includes just some of the restaurants recommended by City Paper food critics. It won’t tell you about every good meal in town, but it does suggest the range of culinary choices PITTSBURGH OFFERS. check out our Website, www.pghcitypaper.com, for a directory to hundreds of other AREA restaurants. listings key

EntrÊe prices: J — Less than $10 K — Between $10 and $20 L — More than $20

Experience at:

AMERICAN

Ross Park Mall 0ITTSBURGH p

1947 Tavern. 5744 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. 412-363-1947. This Shadyside venue offers a sophisticated take on simple, satisfying food. It’s sandwiches, salads and mac-and-cheese, but the meat is roasted in house, and the pasta is local (and served with veggies, short rib or bacon). Thus does 1947 combine two foodie fashions — artisanal preparations and comfort food. KES

South Hills Village "ETHEL 0ARK p 7ALNUT 3TREET 3HADYSIDE p

314 Pasta & Prime. 314 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont. 412-828-7777. The offerings here are mostly assimilated Italian-American, from chicken Parmesan to spaghetti with meatballs, but the dishes are hardly dumbed down and the prices reflect that. Top-notch version of classics (fettucini Alfredo, beans

.OW /PEN 7ESTMORELAND -ALL 'REENSBURG p

12 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 MKTG41251_P-ROSSPArev4.indd 1

E — Alcohol Served F — BYOB

6/12/2012 4:33:47 PM

By state law, smoking is not permitted in restaurants.

and greens), prime steaks and family-style salads round out the menu. LEO Avenue B. 5501 Centre Ave., Shadyside.

412-683-3663. This intimate corner restaurant has only a brief, seasonal menu, but its offerings are all tantalizing, each combining several pedigreed ingredients.

Such selections include piquillo-pepper lasagna with a different filling in each layer; green-bean and sweet-potato tempura; and fresh pasta topped with beef short ribs, chard and crisped cipollini onions. LFS Bigelow Grille: Regional Cooking and Bar. Doubletree Hotel, One Bigelow Square, Downtown. 412-281-5013.

This upscale restaurant offers fine foods

with Steeltown flair, like “Pittsburgh rare” seared tuna (an innovation borrowed from steelworkers cooking meat on a blast furnace).

The menu is loaded with similar ingenious combinations and preparations. KEU Blue. Duncan Manor Plaza, McCandless.

412-369-9050. Blue may be located in a strip mall, but it makes up points with an urbane, lively, clublike interior and a sophisticated, contemporary menu that runs the gamut from the de rigueur (chicken satay) to the refreshing (gorgonzola hummus). And that’s just the appetizers. LEM see

such as duck prosciutto and bresaola; and little single-ingredient salads, from classic olives to tea-soaked prunes. LEU Eleven. 1150 Smallman St., Strip District.

412-201-5656. This multi-leveled venue (with balcony) perched on the edge of The Strip is noted for its innovative, contemporary American cuisine. Dishes are prepared with fresh, local ingredients and served in a classy modern space, to be complemented with an amazing wine selection. LEU The Grand Concourse. Station Square, South Side. 412-261-1717.

The high ceilings, marble columns and stained-glass windows of this former railway terminal are impressive, but the sophisticated yet uncomplicated shrimp, crab and other seafood dishes hold their own against the spectacular setting. Sundays feature a popular brunch, allowing you to sample even more of the top-shelf cuisine. LER

page 07 for phic geogra and ey k rgh pittsbup ma

Braddock’s American Brasserie. 107 Sixth St., Downtown. 412-992-2005.

Aiming for the theater crowd and the casual diner, the menu at this clubby venue ranges from hot sandwiches to steak and seafood dinners. Some of the creative offerings include a local twist: The mussels and frites “Strip District style” combines shellfish with kielbasa and beer, and the Pittsburgh Reuben sandwich incorporates a pierogie. KEU

Carmi’s. 917 Western Ave., North Side.

412-231-0100. A soul-food restaurant offers traditional home-style Southern cooking on the North Side. On offer: waffles and fried chicken; hearty chicken-and-dumpling soup; greens, studded with smoked meat; mashed potatoes spare ribs; and a stand-out, Cajun shrimp paired with creamy grits. KFQ Cure. 5336 Butler St., Lawrenceville.

412-252-2595. Charcuterie specialties are just part of the locally inspired menu at this rustic-chic Lawrenceville restaurant. A short menu offers seasonal specialties (wild onions in spring), often combined with pork, but vegetables get a spotlight in dishes such as risotto with local mushrooms. LFS

Hyeholde. 1516 Coraopolis Heights Road, Moon Township. 412-264-3116. Half cottage, half castle, Hyeholde is housed in a little fantasy building dating to the 1930s. The splendidly landscaped grounds host outdoor pig roasts, clambakes and picnics in the summer. Unusual meats — elk, ostrich — are combined with fresh, local ingredients in preparations that join classic and contemporary … and offer the exquisitely rare experience of eating art. LEP

Echo. 1740 Route 228, Cranberry. 724779-3246. The menu at this sophisticated restaurant offers a tour de force of modern American cuisine. It focuses on central ingredients and adds layers of flavor, sometimes in unexpected forms, such as a purée of tuna alongside grilled steak, or golden trout served on a bed of orzo with a fennel-cream sauce. But even a simpler dish, such as fettuccini Alfredo, is perfectly executed. LEM Elements Contemporary Cuisine.

444 Liberty Ave., Gateway Center, Downtown. 412-251-0168. Expect the de rigueur locally sourced creative American cuisine, but it’s a phenomenal charcuterie that sets this fine-dining establishment apart. It’s an impressive menu of locally produced cheeses; house-cured meats,

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Dinette. 5996 Penn Circle South, East Liberty. 412-362-0202. This refined Californiainspired pizzeria and wine bar offers a small menu mostly featuring gourmet thin-crust pizzas. The focus here is on fresh, local and sustainable. Inventive pizzas include toppings such as wilted greens, littleneck clams, goat cheese and Brussels sprouts. Guests at the wine-bar counter get a front-row seat for the pizza-making. KES Double Wide Grill. 2339 E. Carson St., South Side (412-390-1111) and 100 Adams Shoppes, Route 288, Mars (724-553-5212).

You may cringe at the “white trash” theme, or feel bemused by ordering sautéed shrimp and pineapple-saffron rice on a faux TVdinner tray. But there’s plenty of good vegan fare, beer and a fun filling-stationturned-restaurant ambience. KERM

IT’S COMING...

314 Pasta & Prime {Photo BY heather mull} Kaleidoscope Café. 108 43rd St., Lawrenceville. 412-683-4004. This intriguing menu refracts contemporary trends in sophisticated casual dining while still offering an atmosphere of off-thebeaten-path funkiness. While some dishes emphasize unusual juxtapositions of ingredients, such as a lobster-and-whitebean purée alongside fish, or fig in a “rustic marsala sauce,” other dishes are of the moment, with pistachio dust atop duck cannoli or deep-fried gnocchi. KFS

FALL 2012 For more information on Highmark Stadium, visit

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Legume Bistro. 214 N. Craig St., Oakland.

412-621-2700. The casual bistro offers carefully considered, Continentally inspired American cuisine, with a distinct emphasis on organic, locally grown and in-season ingredients. The menu is brief but the food is sure to surprise and intrigue: from creamy polenta with sweetbreads to fresh seafood and the finest cuts of meat, perfectly cooked. LFS continues on pg. 14 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 13

tablehopping, CONTINUED FROM PG. 13

Meat and Potatoes. 649 Penn Ave., Downtown. 412-325-7007. This restaurant combines several current trends, including revisiting staples of the American pantry, the gastro-pub and nose-to-tail cooking, all in the lively Downtown space. Expect everything from marrow bones to burgers, flatbreads and chicken pot pie, as well as pots of rhubarb jam and handcrafted cocktails. LEU Monterey Bay Fish Grotto. 1411 Grandview Ave., Mount Washington (412-481-4414) and 146 Mall Circle Drive, Monroeville (412-374-8530). Because fish lends itself to endless preparations and dressings, the menu here is copious (and that’s not including the daily specials).

The Mount Washington location, with its spectacular view of the city, is a popular venue for special occasions, out-of-towners and anyone who loves fish. KERO Nine on Nine. 900 Penn Ave., Downtown.

412-338-6463. This elegant restaurant and lounge offers a maturation of contemporary American cuisine, effortlessly shifting from refined Continental to Asian fusion to ingredient-focused invention.

Instead of showy creations, the kitchen produces dishes that instantly seem right, such as miso cod or thyme-roasted Amish chicken with asparagus flan. LEU

of Oakland, The Porch offers cuisine that is modern without being stark, homey without being heavy. Consider a pizza dressed with butternut squash, pork belly atop roasted pumpkin, or lasagne with house-made chive pasta. KES Root 174. 1113 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. 412-243-4348. The foundation of the menu is also a basic formula: fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. To this, add an adventurous selection of meat products, such as bone-marrow brûlée and smoked salmon sausage. Dishes have lengthy ingredient lists, but it all comes together in satisfying and surprising ways. LFS Salt of the Earth. 5523 Penn Ave., Garfield. 412-441-7258. Salt embodies a singular vision for not just eating, but fully experiencing food. The ever-changing but compact menu reflects chef Kevin Sousa’s hybrid style, combining cutting-edge techniques with traditional ingredients to create unique flavor and texture combinations. Salt erases distinctions — between fine and casual dining, between familiar and exotic ingredients, between your party and adjacent diners. LES Savoy. 2623 Penn Ave., Strip District.

412-281-0660. The Strip District now has a swanky spot for brunch and dinner. The artfully prepared cuisine suggests a cross between current fine-dining culture (locally sourced foods, sous vide meats), lounge favorites (sliders and fish tacos) and Southern comfort (chicken with black-eyed peas and greens, watermelon salad). LEU Six Penn. 146 Sixth Ave., Downtown.

412-566-7366. Open late for the Downtown theater crowd, this cheery restaurant satisfies theater buffs, families and young professionals alike. The seasonal menu offers lively updates on comfort food from lobster mac-n-cheese to braised short ribs. Gourmet burgers and pizzas make for quick meals. Linger for homemade desserts, or stop by after the show. KEU

A Taste of Dahntahn

{Photo BY heather mull}

NOLA on the Square. 24 Market Square, Downtown. 412-471-9100. Offering a boldly refined take on straight-up, traditional New Orleans food, NOLA’s menu is an invitation to kick back, relax and savor the flavors: cheesy griddle grits with a chunky tomato sauce and green beans; Creole tartiflette with camembert, mustard sauce and bacon; oyster stew; and catfish strips paired with spicy papaya. KEU Penn Avenue Fish Company. 308 Forbes Ave., Downtown. 412-562-1710.

This Downtown fish restaurant fills the gap between humble lunch counter and snooty steakhouse — modern, funky and moderately priced. Much of the restaurant’s menu is casual fare such as sandwiches (hardly ordinary), sushi and tacos, with a rotating selection of a half-dozen higher-end dishes. Try the shrimp and crab pizza. KFU The Porch. Schenley Plaza, Forbes Avenue and Schenley Drive, Oakland.

412-687-6724. An attractive wood-andstone structure set in the verdant heart 14 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

Sonoma Grille. 947 Penn Ave., Downtown. 412-697-1336. The menu here groups food and selected wines (mostly Californian, of course) under such oenophilic summaries as “jammy” and “muscular,” encouraging an entirely new approach to food selection. The restaurant’s offerings include tapas, hearty meat dishes with an array of international seasonings, and a mix-n-match, create-your-own section for mixed grill. KEU Spoon. 134 S. Highland Ave., East Liberty.

412-362-6001. A swanky restaurant offering American cuisine focusing on locally procured, sustainable ingredients and seasonal offerings. What stands out is the sensitivity with which each dish was conceived — from flavor, texture and the creation of fresh combinations. Thus, ancho chilies and pork are paired with new yet just-right blendings such as cilantro, lime and feta. LES A Taste of Dahntahn. 535 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 412-224-2240. Despite the jokey moniker, there’s nothing déclassé about this restaurant, which offers both a kitchsy and refined menu of American comfort food. Fried green “tuhmaytuhs” are Parmesan- and pankocrusted and topped with whipped cream cheese. Among the revamped entrees: a rich and distinctive London-broil meatloaf, feta-stuffed peppers and Tillamook cheddar-spinach ravioli. LEU

Union Pig and Chicken {Photo BY heather mull} Toast! Kitchen & Wine Bar. 5102 Baum Blvd., Bloomfield. 412-224-2579. In this intimate restaurant, the emphasis is on local, seasonal ingredients simply yet inventively prepared. Menu items change frequently and feature combinations both straightforward (shrimp and grits) and unexpected (add habañero cheddar and brown-sugar butter to that). Or try the chef’s tasting, a unique four-course dinner just for you. LES Union Pig and Chicken. 220 N. Highland Ave., East Liberty. 412-363-7675.

This lively family-style BBQ venue hews closely to tradition. The smoked meats (ribs, brisket, pork shoulder and chicken) are “dry” (with sauces at table), and the sides are well-prepared classics: mac-and-cheese, baked beans, collard greens and coleslaw.

Prices are higher than a roadside stand, but the quality is top-notch. KES Wild Rosemary. 1469 Bower Hill Road, Upper St. Clair. 412-221-1232. At this cozy, contemporary, candle-lit cottage, the Italian- and Mediterranean-inspired menu changes every two weeks to showcase the freshest in-season ingredients.

The menu offers fewer than 10 entrées, each matched with a small suite of carefully selected sides. Expect quality ingredients — dayboat scallops, Maytag cheese, lamb, steak — and exquisitely prepared meals. LFN The Wine Loft. 2773 Tunnel Blvd., SouthSide Works, South Side. 412-586-5335.

A well-curated wine list, cozy seating options and an expanded menu make this a convivial spot for socializing. Share a pizza — or try an entrée such as filet sliders, Hawaiian tuna tartare or pumpkin ravioli. Wines include unusual varietals alongside the more familiar chardonnays and shirazes. KER

ASIAN Aseoma. 2018 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill.

412-421-1920. This casual spot offers Korean tacos as well as dumplings, seafood cakes, and a selection of noodle- and rice-based entrees in a variety of Asian styles, from Chinese stir-fries to Thai-inspired curries.

The tacos feature marinated meat and a mixture of traditional Mexican fillings (cheese, pico de gallo) as well as Korean ones (kimchee, pickles). KFS Golden Pig. 3201 Millers Run Road, Cecil. 412-220-7170. This little jewel-box

of a diner offers authentic, home-style Korean cuisine, including in-house chili sauce and various kimchis. The brief menu includes traditional appetizers such as dumplings and gimbop (sushi-like rolls), as well as entrées ranging from bulgogi (beef stir-fry) to spicy marinated chicken and Korean pancakes. KFN Green Pepper. 2020 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-422-2277. At this family-run restaurant, diners will find authentic Korean recipes refreshingly not reconstituted for timid Americans — no egg rolls or Chinese-American stir-fries. Dumplings contain kimchi, and the soup is pumpkin.

Entrees include the more-familiar bulgogi (barbecued beef), as well as bibimbap, in which meat and veggies are mixed with rice. KES India Garden. 328 Atwood St., Oakland. 412-682-3000. Some Indian places barely last as long as Bollywood films, but this venue has been winning awards in City Paper readers’ polls for years. How? The food holds its own, of course. But the Garden also knows its college-driven market — offering ample lunch buffets, half-off dinner specials and late-night hours. JES

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The Mintt. 3033 Banksville Road, Banksville. 412-306-1831. This casual eatery successfully taps the multicultural cuisines of India’s eastern coast, with dishes such as gongura chicken and mutton biryani. Other regions are also represented with dosas, curries and tandoori specialties. For an appetizer, try Chicken 555, dressed with peanuts, curry leaves and a traditional pickle. KFR Nakama Japanese. 1611 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-381-6000. Pittsburghers are crazy about this sushi bar/steakhouse, and every weekend pretty people crowd inside to watch the knife-wielding chefs.

Presentation is key for customers and restaurant alike: The interior is smart, the chefs entertaining, and the food is good, if pricey. LER Nicky’s Thai Kitchen. 856 Western Ave., North Side. 412-321-8424. This restaurant offers outstanding Thai cuisine — from familiar options to chef’s specials that are truly special, such as gaprow lad kao (a Thai stir-fry) and salmon mango curry. The flavors here are best described as intense, yet without overwhelming the fresh ingredients. KFQ

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700 Arch Street Located on Pittsburgh’s Northside 412-323-7235 www.Aviary.org

continues on pg. 16 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 15

tablehopping, CONTINUED FROM PG. 15

Thank you City Paper readers for voting us

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Papaya {Photo BY heather mull} Papaya. 210 McHolme Drive, Robinson.

412-494-3366. Papaya offers a fairly typical Thai menu — from pad Thai to panang curry — augmented by sushi and a few generic Chinese dishes. The selection may have erred more on the side of reliability than excitement, but the presentations show that the kitchen is making an impression. KEP Plum Pan-Asian Kitchen. 5996 Penn Circle South, East Liberty. 412-363-7586. The swanky space incorporates a dining room, sushi bar and cocktail nook. The pan-Asian menu consists mostly of well-known — and elegantly presented — dishes such as lo mein, seafood hot pot, Thai curries and basil stir-fries. Entrées are reasonably priced, so splurge on a signature cocktail or house-made dessert. KES Pusadee’s Garden. 5321 Butler St., Lawrenceville. 412-781-8724. Traditional Thai sauces and curries from scratch are among the reasons to stop by this charming eatery, which boasts an outdoor patio.

Don’t miss the latke-like shrimp cakes, the classically prepared tom yum gai soup, perfectly prepared tilapia or the spicy duck noodles. KFS

Tamari. 3519 Butler St., Lawrenceville (412-325-3435) and 701 Warrendale Village Drive, Warrendale (724-933-3155).

The concept is original and simple: blending the salty, citrusy flavors of Asia with the bright, spicy flavors of Latin America. Although the execution is high-end, individual dishes are quite reasonably priced, with lots of small plates — everything from Peking duck quesadilla to chipotle tuna tartare with avocado and wasabi. KESM Taste of India. 4320 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. 412-681-7700. Yogi Berra groused about the restaurant nobody went to — because it was always too crowded. Taste of India is the opposite: Everyone goes there partly because you can always get a table. The atmosphere is almost surreally quiet, but the food is consistently good (try the paneer).

Portions are ample, prices reasonable. JES

Smiling Banana Leaf. 5901 Bryant St., Highland Park. 412-362-3200. At this absolute jewel-box of a restaurant, the menu emphasizes authentic Thai dishes rather than Thai-inflected Chinese food.

Grilled meat appetizers are beautifully seasoned, and the pad Thai offers a lively balance of ingredients. The assertively spicy pumpkin curry features a special variety of Thai gourd. JFS Soba/Umi. 5847-9 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. 412-362-5656/412-362-6198.

Here, the local Big Burrito group offers two different menus in the same building.

Soba offers pan-Asian fusion (from Korean barbeque to Thai corn chowder and Vietnamese hot-and-sour shrimp) in a minimalist yet elegant restaurant/ lounge. Umi’s Japanese menu, meanwhile, focuses on sushi and teriyaki; it’s a perennial finalist in City Paper’s “Best of Pittsburgh” issue. LES Sun Penang. 5829 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-421-7600. Sun Penang’s aesthetic is Asian — simple but not austere — and to peruse its menu is to explore the cuisines of Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The Pangan ikan is a house specialty, and the Malaysian kway teow (practically the country’s national dish) may be the best you ever have without a tourist visa. JES

Teppanyaki Kyoto {Photo BY heather mull} Teppanyaki Kyoto. 5808 Bryant St., Highland Park. 412-441-1610. This Japanese restaurant offers fare drawn from the menus of lunch counters, train stations and family kitchens. From salads containing burdock root and rice balls to cabbage pancakes and stir-fried noodles, this diner-style venue lets casual eaters expand beyond sushi. KES Yama. 538 Third St., Beaver. 724-774-5998.

This Japanese restaurant offers familiar favorites such as tempura, sushi and teriyaki, but takes an artistic approach to authentic

cuisine. Thus fried gyoza dumplings are garnished with a small tumbleweed of finely grated carrot, and an octopus salad is graced with cucumber matchsticks. KFP Yama Sushi. 515 Adams Shoppes, Rt. 228, Mars. 724-591-5688. This suburban eatery offers honest, straightforward Japanese cooking without hibachi theatrics or other culinary influences. Besides the wide sushi selection and tempura offerings, try squid salad or entrees incorporating udon, Japan’s buckwheat noodles. KFM

european Barcelona at Rivers Edge. 4616 Allegheny River Blvd., Verona. 412-793-1777.

A fantastic location and Mediterranean flavors make this venue high atop the Allegheny River a worthy stop. The menu is unambiguously Spanish (with a little bit of Portuguese and Italian thrown in), with traditional dishes, like paella, and Spanishaccented local classics, like lobster crab cakes with blood-orange buerre blanc and pico de gallo. LEO Bistro 19. 711 Washington Road, Mount Lebanon. 412-306-1919. Bistro 19 fits within the upper echelon of the region’s dining scene, while keeping its cozy neighborhood feel. It offers a broad range of surf and turf, pastas and poultry. Its inventive preparations, and the kitchen’s attention to detail, make even now-familiar items such as pot-stickers and flatbreads exciting. LEN Brasserie 33. 5863 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. 412-363-3090. The food is unpretentious but not dumbed down in this classic French brasserie. The appetizers offer a greatest-hits collection of French food, from escargot and charcuterie to rillettes of rabbit and Roquefort flan.

Entrees, including New York Strip steak, pork chops, coq au vin and duck, are generously proportioned, with tasty vegetable and potato sides. KES The Carlton. 500 Grant St., Downtown.

412-391-4152. A mainstay of Downtown dining for two decades, The Carlton delivers the hallmarks of fine dining in an atmosphere refreshingly free of attitude or affectation. The menu is neither stodgy nor cutting-edge; while dishes may verge on the decadent — risotto with lobster and brie? — the flavor and ingredient combinations offer a classic Continental cuisine with contemporary inflections. LEU The Chelsea Grille. 515 Allegheny Ave., Oakmont. 412-828-0570. The menu here covers mostly familiar ground, with red-sauce pasta, chops and an unusual predilection for Mornay sauce. But that’s not to say that dinner here is rote. From the fritto baguette to the rarebit-ish Chicken Wisconsin, the classics prove quite surprising. JEO Mallorca. 2228 E. Carson St., South Side.

412-488-1818. The ambience here is full of Old World charm, with just a touch of hipness bolstered by attentive service.

The fare is Spanish cuisine, and there’s no mistaking the restaurant’s signature dish: paella, featuring a bright red lobster tail.

In warm weather, enjoy the outdoor patio along lively Carson Street. KER Marisqueira. 225 Commercial Ave., Aspinwall. 412-696-1130. This fine-dining restaurant offers the bold flavors and confident preparations of classic Portuguese cuisine — from thick, meaty Iberian octopus tentacles, broiled with Portuguese bleu cheese, to sausage, flambéed en route continues on pg. 18

Page Dairy Mart {Photo BY heather mull}

SWEET SPOTS Cafes, coffeehouses and places for dessert 21st St. Coffee and Tea. 50 21st St., Strip District (412-281-0809) and 225 Fifth Ave., Downtown (412-281-2480).

Intelligentsia beans and a staff that may almost be too intelligent. They’ve upped the ante by installing a “Clover,” an elaborate French press. U

Brew on Broadway. 1557 Broadway Ave., Beechview. 412-563-6456. Brew is the younger sister of Cannon Coffee, and it too serves as a community touchstone.

The Commonplace Coffee beans, festive paint job and neighborly vibe make it a neighborhood bright spot. R

61C Café. 1839 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-521-6161. Along with the coffee, this neighborhood fixture boasts a nice tea selection and plenty of tasty baked goods. And it’s got an outdoor patio. S

Buena Vista Coffee. 1501 Buena Vista St., North Side. 412-224-2778.

This cozy joint is seemingly beloved by everyone who moves to the Mexican War Streets nowadays. The menu includes sandwiches and baked goods; on warm days, the parklet on the opposite corner is an ideal “to go” destination. Q

Beehive Coffeehouse and Dessertery. 1327 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-488-4483. Though recently downsized, this city’s original funky coffeehouse remains the gathering place for punks, freaks and intellectuals.

It also boasts fresh sandwiches and salads, beer and rich desserts. R Big Dog Coffee. 2717 Sarah St., South Side. 412-586-7306. Housed in a former bakery, Big Dog serves direct-trade coffee — along with whoopie pies and ho-ho cakes. In the morning, try a bowl of organic, hand-rolled oatmeal R Biddle’s Escape. 401 Biddle Ave., Regent Square, 412-247-1870. Nestled among lush trees, this coffee shop is truly an escape. Straightforward javahouse drinks, with decidedly atypical furnishings from the owner’s world travels. S Brighton Heights Java n’ Crème House. 3619 California Ave., Brighton Heights. 412-412-0734.

This vibrant hang-out offers plenty to eat and drink — try the freshfruit smoothies — with hints of West Coast flair. Q

Cannon Coffee. 802 Brookline Blvd., Brookline. 412-563-0202. A Pittsburgh-friendly cafe, hosting local artwork and musicians that offers fairtrade coffee — and some possibilities for what this often-overlooked business district can become. R Chocolate Celebrations / The Milkshake Factory. 1705 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-488-1808.

This quaint shop specializes in handmade chocolates and truffles made by chocolatier Edward Marc. If that doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, the ice cream and milkshakes will. R Commonplace Coffee. 5827 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill (412-422-0404) and 5467 Penn Ave., Garfield (412-661-3000).

Squirrel Hill residents in the know swear by the espresso at Commonplace, which recently purchased the former Voluto in Garfield. Some Voluto loyalists are taking it hard, but the Pie Friday specials should help ease the pain. S Crepes Parisiennes. 732 Filbert St., Shadyside. 412-683-2333. Somewhat

buried beneath street level, Crepes Parisiennes serves ethereally sweet and savory crepes. Free advice: Place your order before sitting down. S Dave & Andy’s Ice Cream. 207 Atwood St., Oakland. 412-681-9906.

This Oakland institution serves up rich, homemade ice cream in a variety of rotating flavors. Waffle cones contain a chocolate surprise. S Dozen Bakeshop. 3511 Butler St., Lawrenceville (412-683-2327) and 417 S. Craig St., Oakland (412-6821718). Notwithstanding an ownership change, and the cupcake craze hitting a plateau, Dozen still has a loyal fanbase, which it’s seeking to build on with made-to-order sandwiches at the Lawrenceville location. S Enrico Biscotti. 2022 Penn Ave., Strip District. 412-281-2602. You can smell the butter from a block away.

Big, crunchy, sweet biscotti made at a charming hole-in-the-wall bakery, which also offers wood-fired pizza, salads and other treats. U Enrico’s Tazza D’Oro. 1125 N. Highland Ave., Highland Park. 412-3623676. Highly trained baristas tend this neighborhood social hive. Try panini featuring local ingredients and a fresh pastry — and when it’s nice, sit outside. S Espresso a Mano. 3623 Butler St., Lawrenceville. 412-918-1864. An espresso bar in exposed-brick-and-timber, and meant for purists: You’ll find pastries and occasional music, but it’s really all about the beans here. S Gluuteny. 1923 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-521-4890. This is the only local continues on pg. 18 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 17

tablehopping, CONTINUED FROM PG. 17

to the table. Entrees include steak in a red-wine sauce, chicken cooked with Portuguese peppers, pork with clams and, of course, fish. LEM Mediterrano. 2193 Babcock Blvd., North Hills. 412-822-8888. This Greek estiatorio offers hearty, homestyle fresh fare in a casual, yet refined, setting. Salads, appetizers (many of them less-familiar) and casseroles are on offer as well as heartier fare like kalamarakia (octopus), roasted leg of lamb and stuffed tomatoes. LFM Paris 66 Bistro. 6018 Centre Ave., East Liberty. 412-404-8166. A charming venue brings Parisian-style café culture to Pittsburgh, offering less fussy, less expensive everyday fare such as crepes, salads and croques, those delectable French grilled sandwiches. With fresh flowers on every table, specials chalked on boards and French conversation bouncing off the open kitchen walls, Paris 66 epitomizes the everyday glamour of the French neighborhood bistro. KF S Park Bruges. 5801 Bryant St., Highland Park. 412-661-3334. This Belgian-style bistro offers more than moules (mussels), though those come highly recommended, in either a traditional cream-wine preparation or spicy Creole. Rather than frites, try variations on French-Canadian poutine, such as adding chipotle pulled pork. Steaks, tarte flambée flatbreads and even a burger round out this innovative menu. KES Point Brugge Café. 401 Hastings St., Point Breeze. 412-441-3334. This cozy neighborhood bistro reflects a concerted effort to translate the European neighborhood café — warm, welcoming, unpretentious yet delicious — to Pittsburgh.

Despite bits of Asian fusion, the selections are classic Low Country fare such as Belgian beef stewed with beer, and Italian influences in risotto, sausage and polenta. KES

italian Atria’s. Multiple locations. www.atrias. com. A local chain, Atria’s locations offer distinctly different atmospheres but the same quality steaks, chops and pasta menu.

Suburban spots are for quiet casual dining while the North Side location is pure sports pub. Regardless of the ambience, the sherry crab bisque and the pasta fra diablo are superb. kENQOMP

SWEET SPOTS, CONTINUED FROM PG. 17

bakery devoted solely to gluten-free baking. And while the consistency differs a bit from regular baked goods, the cookies and cupcakes stand on their own. S Jean-Marc Chatellier’s French Bakery. 213 North Ave., Millvale. 412821-8533. A high-end French bakery in Millvale? Mais oui! Chatellier is endorsed

by David Byrne … and for Pittsburgh couples, a J-M C croquembouche wedding cake is a mark of distinction. M Klavon’s. 2801 Penn Ave., Strip District. 412-434-0451. It’s like stepping back in time: Ice-cream treats — cones, sundaes, sodas — served in a perfectly preserved 1930s corner drugstore.

Get some penny candy to go. U La Gourmandine. 4605 Butler St., Lawrenceville. 412-682-2210. Who needs Paris when you can pick up crusty baguettes, croissants and assorted pastries in this charmant little storefront French bakery? S Lili Coffee Shop. 3138 Dobson St., Polish Hill. 412-682-3600. We’ve been predicting Polish Hill’s resurgence for years: Lili has become a community touchstone for artists and residents alike, with innovative baked goods (made off-site), good coffee, funky artwork and reading material. S waitresses who call you “hon.” The place you go to remember where you’re from. JES Caffe Davio. 2516 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-431-1119. By day, a tiny storefront diner, serving omelets and pancakes, and by evening, an authentic and delightful Italian restaurant. The menu — both prix fixe and a la carte — focuses on the authentic flavors of Sicily, such as pasta Norma and veal alla Palermitana, while occasionally invoking the short-order tradition, as with the hash of potatoes, peppers and onions. KFR

Big Jim’s. 201 Saline St., Greenfield.

412-421-0532. Pittsburgh has seen a massive expansion of high-end dining. This cozy eatery — with bar and separate dining area — isn’t part of that trend. It’s old-school Pittsburgh: good food in huge portions, with

Oh Yeah! Ice Cream and Coffee Co. 232 S. Highland Ave., Shadyside. 412-200-5574. With a rotating roster of locally made ice cream — including vegan options — and a blackboard full of mix-ins, you can go nuts. Or cherries. Or wasabi peas. S Page Dairy Mart. 4600 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-431-0600. This classic mid-century drive-up ice-cream place is minutes from the heart of South Side. It’s only open seasonally, which just makes the soft-serve taste that much better. R Perk Me Up. 4407 Butler St., Lawrenceville. 412-682-1520. With its cheery décor, wooden booths and welcoming staff, this is a respite from cooler-than-thou coffeeshops. S Prantl’s Bakery. 5525 Walnut St., Shadyside (412-621-2092) and 438 Market Square, Downtown (412471- 6861). Prantl’s is a neighborhood bakery people leave their own Cucina Bella. 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., Bridgeville. 412-257-5150. This casual eatery offers an unassuming menu of pizzas and pasta that are prepared with a commitment to fresh ingredients and an open-minded, thoughtful approach to flavor profiles. For instance, pizzas range from traditional tomato and cheese to arugula and prosciutto to the adventurous rosemary and pistachios, ricotta, sausage, and green olives. KFN Davio. 2100 Broadway Ave., Beechview.

412-531-7422. Davio is a cozy restaurant (down to the family photos) with friendly service. The menu is classic Italian — no wacky ingredients or preparations — but only a few entrées seem lifted from the Standard Italian Restaurant Repertoire.

Specialties are crab and veal. LFR Il Pizzaioli. 703 Washington Road, Mount Lebanon. 412-344-4123. This popular neighborhood café serves Neapolitan-style pasta and pizza, including the scandalously cheesy quattro formaggi pizza. The front room overlooks bustling Washington Avenue; in season, lucky diners can enjoy the rear garden courtyard. KEN

Bado’s Cucina. 3825 Washington Road, Peters Township. 724-942-3904.

The menu at this cozy venue is a focused exploration of authentic Italian cuisine: homemade pasta and sauces, pizza and, instead of full-on entrées, tapas-size portions of heartier fare such as lamb chops and spareribs. Almost everything is cooked in a 625-degree wood-fired oven in the open cucina. JFN Bella Frutteto. 2602 Brandt School Road, Wexford. 724-940-7777. Adjacent orchards are one of the attractions at this comfortable, clubby suburban restaurant.

The Italian-inspired menu features the fruits of these orchards in several apple-based dishes, including apple ravioli and apple bruschetta. Bella Frutteto combines an innovative but unfussy menu with friendly service and congenial seating. KEM

Mercurio’s Mulberry Creamery. 5523 Walnut St., Shadyside.

412-621-6220. This family-owned gelateria just reopened on Walnut Street, around the corner from its old location. And it’s still a lot more convenient than flying to Florence for sweet, delicious homemade gelato. S

Cucina Bella {Photo BY heather mull} CITY OVEN. Multiple locations. www. cityoven.com. A simple menu centered on the wood-fired oven offers top-notch pizza, panini and salads. Don’t miss the spice-rubbed oven-roasted chicken wings — meaty and flavorful, and far superior to the traditional deep-fried variety. The Wexford location is called Azzeria. JFRMp

neighborhoods for. The burntalmond torte is spoken of in adoring whispers. Office-workers head for the Downtown location just off Market Square. US Razzy Fresh. 1717 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill (412-521-3145); 3533 Forbes Ave., Oakland (412-586-5270); and 300 S. Craig St., Oakland (412-681-0515.)

You’re the boss at these self-serve frozenyogurt shops. S Sinful Sweets. 4415 Butler St., Lawrenceville. 412-235-7865. This relative newcomer offers handmade gourmet treats ranging from chocolatecovered pretzels to such exotic fare as maple-bacon sea-salt caramels, all in a brightly confectioned interior — plus, there’s Perry’s Ice Cream for the warm months. S Te Café. 2000 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-422-8888. A wide variety of teas — from traditional to spicy to soothing to caffeinated — and an intimate atmosphere. The college kids say it’s a great place to study. S Vanilla Pastry Studio. 6014 Centre Ave., East Liberty. 412-361-2306. Vanilla crafts all sorts of sweet delights, including cupcakes and “lollys,” fabulous desserts on a stick. Great for coffee and breakfast pastries, too. S sauce, and more distinctive specialties such as filet saltimbocca. KFQ Osteria 2350. 2350 Railroad St., Strip District (412-281-6595) and 100 Wood St., Downtown (412-586-7743). You won’t get better casual Italian cooking for your money than here. The menu has been pared to the essentials of Italian cuisine: antipasti, pizza, panini and pasta — and their preparations represent a unique marriage of Old-World recipes and local ingredients. Highlights include the parsnips antipasti and gnocchi. JEU Palazzo 1837 Ristorante. 1445 Washington Road, North Strabane.

724-223-1837. This restored mansion provides a charming setting for fine dining. The menu is primarily Italian, with traditional but thoughtfully considered dishes. The hearty, but refined, farfalle rustica pairs wild-boar sausage with wild mushrooms and a sherry sage cream sauce, while housemade crepes substitute for noodles in the crepe lasagna. LEN

Io. 300A Beverly Road, Mount Lebanon.

412-440-0414. The revamped Io’s (formerly Iovino’s) new simplified menu seems a near-perfect distillation of tasty, trendy and traditional. Some dishes are sophisticated classics, like pan-seared flounder with fresh tomato and asparagus. Others are everpopular workhorses like the BLT and fish tacos, or reinventions such as a Thai empanada or Pittsburgh’s own “city chicken”(skewered pork). KEN

Pino’s Contemporary Italian.

6738 Reynolds St., Point Breeze. 412361-1336. The menu at this Italian eatery spans from sandwiches that hearken back to its pizzeria days, through pastas of varying sophistication, to inventive, modern entrees. Some dishes pull out the stops, including seafood Newburg lasagna and veal with artichokes, peppers, olives and wild mushrooms over risotto.

But don’t forgo the flatbread pizzas, many with gourmet options like prosciutto and sweet-pea pesto. KES

Legends of the North Shore. 500 E. North Ave., North Side. 412-321-8000.

Despite its name, Legends is no sports bar: It’s a family-friendly restaurant with a local flavor. The menu is almostexclusively Italian: Offerings include classics such as gnocchi Bolognese and penne in vodka

Spadafora’s. 3932 Route 8, Allison Park.

412-486-1800. Though little more than an unassuming concrete-block box on the outside, inside this is a warm, welcoming family-run trattoria offering Southern Italian specialties as well as Italian-American fare.

Quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation continues on pg. 20

18 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 19

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and friendly service make this restaurant stand out. KEM

AL FRESCO. AL DENTE. ALL YUMMY.

Stagioni. 2104 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-586-4738. This cozy storefront restaurant offers a marriage of traditional ingredients and modern, sophisticated sensibilities. From inventive salads utilizing seasonal ingredients and house-made pastas to flavorful meat entrees and vegetarian plates, the fare exhibits a masterful combination of flavors and textures. KFR

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Ali Baba. 404 S. Craig St., Oakland.

412-682-2829. Service is quick at this Middle Eastern restaurant, designed to feed students and nearby museum-staff lunchers. It can get loud and close during busy times, but the atmosphere is always convivial. A wide-raging menu ensures that carnivores and herbivores alike leave satisfied. JES Amel’S. 435 McNeilly Road, Baldwin.

412-563-3466. This South Hills institution serves up a broad selection of Mediterranean favorites, from kabobs and pilafs to lemony salads, as well as staples of the American and Italian comfort cuisine. Amel’s atmosphere is lively with seating in the restaurant’s amusing and lavishly decorated warrens. KEN

225 Commercial Avenue I Aspinwall www.marisqueirabistro.com For reservations call 412-696-1130 20 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

Chicken Latino. 155 21st St., Strip District.

412-246-0974. This quick-serve chicken joint serves up Peruvian-style, wood-fired and deliciously seasoned rotisserie chicken.

Besides the bird, hamburgers and the occasional special (pork, ceviche), sides include such south-of-the-border staples as plantains, refried beans and fried yucca. JU

Leena’s Food. 121 Oakland Ave., 4/2/12 12:24 PM

Oakland. 412-682-1919. From gyros on whole-wheat pitas, the falafel sandwich — which strikes a balance between the lemony lettuce and tomatoes, and the moist, almostmeaty chickpea patties — to kibbee kabob, or fritters of minced lamb, Leena’s offerings have gained a well-deserved foundation in Oakland’s restaurant scene. JFS

mexican/ latin american

Outdoor Seating Available.

Casa Rasta. 2102 Broadway Ave., Beechview. 412-223-6106. This casual storefront taqueria combines the tropical, sometimes spicy flavors of Caribbean and Mexican cuisines in tacos, burritos and tortas. Thus, jerk chicken might be a wing appetizer, or taco filling. Also broaching both cultures: fruit salsa and citrus-marinated fried pork. JFR

Kous Kous Café. 665 Washington Road, Mount Lebanon. 412-563-5687.

This small Moroccan restaurant mostly eschews clichés like kebab and falafel, instead offering sophisticated preparations such as lamb osso bucco and salmon in sharmoula. Worthy starters include harira (meat and lentil soup), eggplant zaalouk (similar to ratatouille) and grilled sardines. KFN

Pastitsio. 3716 Butler St., Lawrenceville.

412-586-7656. This tiny storefront café boasts a Greek deli, complete with a steam table and a display cooler with salads. Its namesake baked-noodle casserole is a winner, but much of the menu changes daily according to what’s fresh. JS

Pittsburgh’s FINEST Portuguese Cuisine Serving Lunch and Dinner 7 Days a Week.

The Black Bean. 239 Atwood St., Oakland. 412-621-2326. Though geared more for take-out than dining in, this little storefront is a great bet for quick, inexpensive Cuban fare: combination of beans, pork and plantains; the island’s signature ham and pork pressed sandwich, among others; empanadas; gumbo; and mixed grill. JFS

Aji Picante. 1711 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-422-0220. There is no mistaking the Latin and Spanish themes on the menu of this Peruvian restaurant: Fried banana, guacamole, even paella are all on offer. Yet all the preparations are unique, from ceviche served with Andean fried corn kernels to a mildly Asian-influenced steak stir-fry.

Distinctly native flavors include potatoes, quinoa and white-bean cake. KFS Alma Pan-Latin Kitchen. 7600 Forbes Ave., Regent Square. 412-727-6320. This venue offers a vibrant spectrum of AfricanLatin American fusion cuisine, riffing on common elements (lime, legumes and chilies) while bringing out distinctive identities (the rich, stew-like meat dishes of Cuba against the simple, citrusy seafood of the Peruvian coast). Indulge your sweet tooth with a cake filled with dulce de leche. EKS

Leena’s Food {Photo BY heather mull} Green Forest. 655 Rodi Road, Penn Hills.

412-371-5560. Tucked into a nondescript office plaza is this churrascaria — a Brazilian all-youcan-eat restaurant. Servers pull barbequed meats right off the rotisserie grill and present them at your table, ready to carve off as much freshly cooked meat as you like. There are hot and cold buffets as well, but savvy diners load up on the juicy meats. KEO Mad Mex. Multiple locations. www. madmex.com. This local chain’s several lively, funkily decorated restaurants boast an inventive selection of Cal-Mex cuisines.

Mad Mex is a good stop for vegetarians, with dishes such as chick-pea chili and eggplant burrito. It’s not genuine Mexican by a long shot, but if there were a country with this food, it’d be great to vacation there. JESMONP Mendoza Express. 812 Mansfield Road, Green Tree. 412-429-8780. The décor is pure kitsch — sombreros on the walls, etc. — and the location is a bit obscure.

But the menu is ample, and the food is as authentic as you’ll find in Pittsburgh. (Try the rebozo, a scramble of chorizo, peppers and cheese.) JFN Mexico City. 11 Smithfield St. (412391-2591) and 411 Wood St., Downtown (412-246-2042). Mexico City presents gringo-friendly fare such as tostadas and continues on pg. 22

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Smoke Barbecue Taqueria. 225 E. Eighth Ave., Homestead. 412-205-3039.

This venue combines fantastically smoked meats on freshly made tortillas, dressed with updated traditional toppings. The simple menu consists of a few tacos and sides: The meat — pulled pork, chicken, brisket and ribs — is uniformly tender and flavorful, and the sides (beans, potato salad, apple-jalapeño coleslaw) are top-notch. JFO Verde. 5491 Penn Ave., Garfield. 412-4048487. The menu here isn’t straight Mexican, but presents some traditional items, including tableside-prepared guacamole and grilled corn-on-the-cob, with reconceived classics, invented, fusion-y dishes like tacos with roasted sweet potatoes, fried chickpeas and Mexican-style tzatziki. There is also an extensive tequila list and a patio for warm-weather dining. KES

pub grub

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Seviche. 930 Penn Ave., Downtown.

412-697-3120. This upscale Latin Americanstyle tapas restaurant specializes in citrus-cured fish, while also offering a small selection of Latin-inspired tapas and finger sandwiches. Still, the inventive dishes are superb — from yellowtail tuna, seared and served in a rich, ruby-colored malbec sauce, to Peruvian-style sashimi and a tostada filled with black beans and sweet blackened yellowtail. EKU

Bocktown Beer and Grill. 690 Chauvet Drive, The Pointe, North Fayette (412-788-2333) and 500 Beaver Valley Mall Blvd., Monaca (724-728-7200). Beer is the essence of Bocktown. Many of the dishes are less than $10, and designed to complement beer. The friendly staff creates a neighborhood atmosphere. JEP BRGR. 5997 Penn Circle South, East Liberty (412-362-2333) and 20111 Rt. 19, Cranberry Township (724-742-2333). This casual restaurant celebrates — and in many cases, imaginatively re-creates — America’s signature contribution to global cuisine.

BRGR keeps its patties to a reasonable size, which allows for a variety of gourmet toppings — plus room for excellent fried sides (French fries, onion rings, pickles), or milkshakes (traditional or spiked). JESM Burgatory. 932 Freeport Road, The Waterworks, Aspinwall. 412-781-1456.

Nestled in an off-the-path corner of The Waterworks strip mall, Burgatory is in the running for best burgers in town. It starts with its own blend of ground sirloin, chuck, brisket and short rib, and buttery buns — then piles on the toppings. (There are prefab combinations and checklists for custom orders.) Add shakes, fries — or perhaps an extra-ordinary salad. JEM Diamond Market. 430 Market St., Downtown. 412-325-2000. The tavernlike décor provides a comfortable, unpretentious setting for socializing, and the menu bridges retro and au courant in a now-familiar way, with grownup comfort food and big burgers on brioche buns with fancy toppings. Try the excellent mac-and-cheese, accented with bacon and truffle oil, or the donut-sized onion rings drizzled with balsamic vinegar. KEU

Fat heads. 1805 E. Carson St., South Side.

412-431-7433. This place seems to expand every few years, with reason: terrific beer selection, chicken wings and industrial-sized sandwiches. There’s outdoor eating on the “fatio,” but timing is everything: No matter how many tables they add, you may end up waiting for one. JER Fuel & Fuddle. 212 Oakland Ave., Oakland. 412-682-3473. The ambience conjures the nostalgia of Route 66 road trips.

Much of the reasonably priced fare is in the “goes well with beer” category, and the beer list includes a couple of house brews.

But there’s plenty that’s new: Pizza, baked in a wood-fired brick oven, comes with everything from Jamaican jerk chicken to hummus; entrees include glazed salmon and “truck-stop sirloin.” KES Poor Richard’s Wexford Alehouse. 10501 Perry Highway, Wexford. 724-935-9870. This bar and restaurant delivers top-notch pub grub, plus a well-curated beer menu. Among the offerings: the Buffalo, N.Y. classic sandwich, roast beef on weck, a Germanic roll with caraway seeds; and mac-andcheese, made with Buffalo hot sauce.

Well-prepared burgers, wings, fish and chips, and sandwiches round out the menu. KEM Tessaro’s. 4601 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield.

412-682-6809. This immensely popular Bloomfield institution, set in an old neighborhood corner bar, has built its reputation on enormous wood-fired hamburgers: choice meat, ground in house; fresh rolls; and a variety of toppings.

Regulars sit at the bar, and, on busy weekends, diners line up to get in. KES

BREAKFAST/QUICK BITES Coca Café. 3811 Butler St., Lawrenceville.

412-621-3171. This breakfast-and-lunch place is somehow hip but not pretentious.

Variety predominates: The omelets alone include smoked salmon, wild mushroom, roasted vegetable, sun-dried tomato pesto and four-cheese. (Coca also caters to vegans, with options like scrambled tofu in place of eggs.) All this in an atmosphere as agreeable as your own kitchen. JFS D’s Six Pax & Dogz. 1118 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. 412-241-4666.

This established venue is known for its revered pub fries and the classic wiener with kraut (plus plenty of beer to wash it down). But don’t miss the pizza, with a top-notch crust. D’s continues to raise the preparation of salty, cheesy, fatty comfort food to an art. JEO DeLuca’s. 2015 Penn Ave., Strip District.

412-566-2195. DeLuca’s doesn’t have the White House cachet of Pamela’s, but the portions are large and the quarters are close. On weekends, it’s one of Pittsburgh’s great gathering places. Try the “Super Bowl” omelet. JU Dormont Dogs. 2911 Glenmore Ave., Dormont. 412-343-0234. This is an actual hot-dog (and veggie-dog) restaurant, with an emphasis on top-quality frankfurters, local bakery buns and fresh, innovative toppings. Try the Texas Avenue Dog, topped with chili sauce, cheddar, sour cream and Fritos, or the Bruschetta Dog, with marinated tomatoes, pesto and parmesan. JN Dor-Stop. 1430 Potomac Ave., Dormont.

412-561-9320. This bustling, homey

family-run venue is everything a breakfastand-lunch diner ought to be. The food is made from scratch: Alongside standards (eggs, pancakes, and hot and cold sandwiches) are also distinctive options, including German potato pancakes, ham off the bone and a sandwich tantalizingly called a “meatloaf melt.” JN Over the Bar Bicycle Café. 2518 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-381-3698.

This two-wheel-themed café and bar offers a creative pub-grub menu (with many offerings named for bicycle parts).

The salads are more impressive than those you’ll find at most bars, and the menu features vegetarian and vegan options.

Try the battered zucchini planks wrapped around melty cheeses. JER Pamela’s. Multiple locations. www. pamelasdiner.com. There are so many reasons to recommend this popular local diner mini-chain: the cheery atmosphere; the old-fashioned breakfasts featuring raisin French toast, fried potatoes and cornedbeef hash; and light, crispy-edged pancakes so good that President Obama had them served at the White House. JSUNM The Quiet Storm Coffeehouse and Restaurant. 5430 Penn Ave., Friendship.

412-661-9355. Bike punks, young families and knowledge-workers can all use a cup of joe, lunch or some homemade pastry.

The Quiet Storm’s laid-back, familiar vibe welcomes all to chill. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunches cater to vegetarians and vegans. JFS

as well as salads and homemade soups.

Originality is a hallmark: “Green fries” are shoestrings tossed with pesto, artichoke hearts and bits of brie. FJM Waffles, INCaffeinated. 1224 Third Ave., New Brighton. 724-359-4841. The fresh-made waffles here are a marvelous foil for sweet and savory toppings. Sweet options include the Funky Monkey (chocolate chips, bananas, peanut butter and chocolate sauce). The Breakfast Magic has bacon, cheddar and green onions inside, topped with a fried egg and sour cream.

Or customize your waffles with a dizzying array of mix-ins. JP

Seeking Managers for Our Next Pittsburgh Cafe

“I love the neighborhood feeling of where I work.

It’s not just a restaurant where people eat and leave - it’s a gathering place. It’s upbeat and comforable, and I love being a part of that.”

OTHER Abay Ethiopian CuisinE. 130 S. Highland Ave. 412-661-9736. At Pittsburgh’s original Ethiopian restaurant, the cheerful down-to-earth atmosphere creates the perfect setting for a dining experience. The vegetarian items are just as robust and richly flavored as the meat dishes. KFS Kaya. 2000 Smallman St., Strip District.

412-261-6565. Kaya is a local culinary mainstay, offering inventive Caribbeaninspired contemporary cuisine. The menu, much of which is vegetarian, changes frequently. But it remains divided into tropas — tropical tapas — and entrees. KEU Royal Caribbean. 128 S. Highland Ave., East Liberty. 412-362-1861. This storefront Caribbean restaurant has a

Carrie, Assistant Manager Introduce yourself to a manager today or apply by sending an email to suzanne.veltri@covelli.com

Covelli Enterprises is the nation’s largest Franchisee of Panera Bread, LLC and operates more than 180 bakery-cafes in Ohio.

Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Florida

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Smoke Barbecue Taqueria {Photo BY heather mull} Spak Bros. 5107 Penn Ave., Garfield.

412-362-7725. A pizza, sub and snack joint with fare for all: vegetarians, vegans and carnivores. You’ll find vegan pizza with soy cheese, seitan wings, steak sandwiches, pierogies — much of it made from locally sourced ingredients. JS

mellow, welcoming dining room and an enticing menu which focuses on chicken and seafood, jerk and curry. Some flavors are spicy, but are generally well balanced by side dishes such as cool salads, and rice and beans. KFS

Station Street. 6290 Broad St., East Liberty. 412-365-2121. A long-standing neighborhood hot-dog joint re-opens with exotically dressed dogs, including: chili cheese (with curds), Hawaii (pineapple and bacon), kimchi, sweetbreads and “devil” (egg salad, Tabasco and potato chips). JFS

Tana Ethiopian Cuisine. 5929 Baum Blvd., East Liberty. 412-665-2770. The menu offers a variety of stewed meats, legumes and veggies, all rich with warm spices. Order the sampler platters for the best variety of flavors, and ask for a glass of tej, a honey-based wine that is the perfect accompaniment. KES

Stoke’s Grill. 4771 McKnight Road, Ross Township. 412-369-5380. There is an art to making a really good sandwich, and the technique has been mastered here. The lengthy menu spans traditional sandwiches but also burgers, quesadillas and wraps,

The Zenith. 86 S. 26th St., South Side.

412-481-4833. Funky antique décor you can buy and a massive, convivial Sunday brunch make this a vegan/vegetarian hotspot. For the tea snob, the multi-page list is not to be missed. FJR

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 25

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More bars appear in our Music Directory on Page 34

drinks all around

whatever drinking experience you’re looking for, you can find it somewhere in town

DRINKS WITH FRIENDS ALCHEMY ’N’ ALE. 5147 Butler St., Lawrenceville. 412-252-2156. This spot offers upscale takes on traditional Pittsburgh bar foods. The focus is on beer, both on the craft-heavy draft list and throughout the menu, where beers make several appearances as ingredients. S BAR MARCO. 2216 Penn Ave., Strip District.

412-471-1900. In the building that once held the late Firehouse Lounge and Embury, Bar Marco now serves simple but sophisticated snacks and small dishes, plus creative cocktails and a respectable wine list. U THE BLIND PIG TAVERN. 2210 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-586-5936. A Carson Street standout, the Blind Pig has a modern vibe with some throwback references to the speakeasy era of the ’20s — like the 18th Amendment, which is scribed on the wall behind the bar. Plenty of craft brews, mixed drinks and a tasty menu make it a good space to break the rules. R CAPPY’S CAFÉ. 5431 Walnut St., Shadyside. 412-621-1188. Despite changes in management, Cappy’s proves that the words “unpretentious” and “Walnut Street” can appear in the same sentence. You’ll find a decent menu and beer selection — and sometimes a certain city councilor on the next barstool. S D’S LOFT. 1118 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. 412-241-4666. The upstairs annex of the popular hot-dog-and-beer spot continues the craft-brew theme and adds the possibility of a cocktail. A neighborhood

gathering spot for the younger crowd, besides being a good place to wait for a table to open up downstairs. O ELBOW ROOM. 5533 Walnut St., Shadyside. 412-441-5222. This Shadyside fixture has relocated from Ellsworth to a wood-paneled second-floor spot looking out on Walnut. The convivial vibe is accented by weekend brunches and an extensive wine list. S HOUGH’S. 563 Greenfield Ave., Greenfield.

412-586-5944. It might be tempting to call any Greenfield bar a “neighborhood watering hole.” But Hough’s offers many reasons to make the journey and visit: plenty of room, numerous TVs for watching the big game — and a surprisingly extensive bottled-beer selection. S INDUSTRY PUBLIC HOUSE. 4305 Butler St., Lawrenceville. 412-683-1100. By day, it’s family-friendly and serves up “Burghers” and other eats; at night, Industry welcomes the bar crowd. Original, novel cocktails are the draw. S JAGGERBUSH BAR AND GRILLE. 133 S. 23rd St., South Side. 412-431-5244. A spacious neighborhood joint with a big menu and hopping trivia night. Lots of craft beers on tap, and fun drink specials to boot. R THE LIBRARY. 2302 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-381-0517. This bookish bar delivers an extensive menu of small plates and other fare, as well as signature drinks, beer and liquor. Its charming interior is bolstered by multiple televisions. R

MAP ROOM. 1126 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. 412-371-1955. Located at the coordinates for Regent Square, this clean, well-lighted place with a cartographic bent is one of those rare treasures: a cozy boozehole quiet enough to actually hold conversations with your companions. Excellent pub fare and, on tap, try the yummy beers by local East End Brewing. O MONTEREY PUB. 1211 Monterey St., North Side. 412-322-6535. Relax in a handcarved mahogany booth and admire this tastefully restored neighborhood bar, a secret treasure in the heart of the historic Mexican War Streets. Q

served with a knowing smirk here at this long-time favorite. The outdoor seating area is one of the city’s best, not a tacked-on afterthought but the bar’s public face. S LOCAL BAR + KITCHEN. 1515 E. Carson St., South Side, 412-431-1125. A lively spot for pints and pizza, bourbon and burgers, with a thoughtfully designed interior is several steps up from the sports-and-booze paraphernalia that too often doubles as décor. It boasts its rooftop deck is the largest in the neighborhood, with plenty of tables, its own bar and a view of East Carson Street. R

ROLAND’S IRON LANDING. 1904 Penn Ave., Strip District. 412-261-3401. You can take in the entertaining hustle and bustle MULLANEY’S HARP AND FIDDLE. of the Strip from your perch at Roland’s 2329 Penn Ave., Strip District. 412-642second-floor outdoor balcony. A 6622. Pittsburgh’s long-established menu focuses on seafood and Irish-style pub offers hearty Auld see 7 pizza, but we prefer to drink and Country food, live music and, page 0 r fo watch the parade below. U naturally, Guinness on tap. U phic a r g o ge d key an h rg SHARP EDGE BEER SHILOH GRILL. 123 Shiloh St., pittsbup ma EMPORIUM. 302 St. Clair St., Mt Washington. 412-431-4000.

Friendship. 412-661-3537. It likely Brought to you by the folks at won’t be cheap, but there’s a beer Harris Grill, the Shiloh is more than for you somewhere here: Specialties twice the size of its older sister, but with include Belgian beers and American the same offbeat vibe — and with a similar independents on tap. Once a quiet opportunity to imbibe al fresco. Located just neighborhood bar, the Sharp Edge seems off Grandview Avenue, the Shiloh is a sort of to expand every time you go. In fact, bridge between neighborhood folks and the it’s now spawned satellite locations in date-night set, offering them all such Harris various suburban locales, including a traditions as Bacon Night Tuesdays. R Downtown bistro. Find them at www.sharpedgebeer.com. SUNPM

RUST-BELT CHIC

THE ROWDY BUCK. 1323 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-431-2825.This new addition to the crowded South Side bar scene distinguishes itself with a lodge theme and summer-camp nostalgia: cozy wooden interior, specialty hot dogs and tater tots, and even s’mores! But it also features a lengthy, reasonably-priced list of craft beers, pre-Prohibition Era cocktails and whiskey, plus weekly events like Dirty Bingo. R

BRILLOBOX. 4104 Penn Ave., Bloomfield.

412-621-4900. Yeah, we listed them under music venues too, but even when the music stops, this is a required bit of local color for New York Times reporters who need a setting for their next story about Pittsburgh’s hip comeback. S KELLY’S LOUNGE. 6012 Penn Circle South, East Liberty. 412-363-6012. An

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Harris Grill {Photo BY john colombo} SMOKIN’ JOE’S. 2001 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-431-6757. The belt-powered fans and tin ceiling give this place a touch of class, but the real draw is the beer selection.

Dozens (literally!) of beers on tap, and hundreds (literally!) more in bottles. Wings and other fare are available too, but it’s the beer that packs ’em in — enough to make you claustrophobic sometimes. R

OUTDOOR DRINKING HARRIS GRILL. 5747 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. 412-362-5273. Beer and food are

old neighborhood bar transformed into a hipster neighborhood joint. The beer selection has been upscaled, classic cocktails abound and the menu isn’t your father’s bar food. And the service, in years past charmingly indifferent at best, has seen marked improvement of late. S NEW AMSTERDAM. 4421 Butler St., Lawrenceville. 412-904-2915. This hip gathering place packs ’em in for recurring DJ nights; on quieter weeknights, sample the menu and people-watch through the open garage doors. S

Water Pipes And Glass For All Your Smoking Needs Specializing in hand blown water & glass pipes and incense

1918 Murray Ave • SQUIRREL HILL 412-422-6361 or 561-665-0592

Student Discount with valid ID Public parking lot located behind building For Tobacco Use Only

continues on pg. 28 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 27

drinks all around, CONTINUED FROM PG. 27

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Jack Rose Bar PARK HOUSE. 403 E. Ohio St., North Side. 412-231-0551. While not as historic as the tin ceiling and other accoutrements might lead you to think, there’s plenty of local history here … not to mention smash-your-own peanuts, and a sizable selection of microbrews both in bottles and on tap. There’s also occasional live music, especially in the bluegrass idiom. Q ROUND CORNER CANTINA. 3720 Butler St., Lawrenceville. 412-904-2279. A former old-school corner bar now pairs modern semi-Mexican fare (brie quesadillas) with exotic cocktails (margaritas with hibiscus?).

The outdoor patio is one of the city’s best, and if the servers can seem overwhelmed, the time passes easily. U

GROOVE BACKSTAGE BAR. 655 Penn Ave., Downtown. 412-325-6769. This smokefree lounge is what you’d expect from the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s entry into the bar scene — sophisticated but a little pricier than you’d like. The Backstage offers live music before and after performances elsewhere in the Cultural District. U ELIXIR ULTRALOUNGE. 1500 E. Carson St., 412-481-1811. Comfortable couches, classy drink menus, and a somewhat more sophisticate clientele put this experience a notch above the masses clamoring outside.

Dancing sometimes happens too. R

Pistella Distributing 5514 Penn Avenue “East End” (412) 361-0915

10am-9pm Mon-Fri • 9am-9pm Saturday • 12pm-5pm Sunday 28 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

EXIT. 1630 Smallman St., Strip District. 412720-1396. Exit is geared toward the everyday club crowd: Top 40 is the main fare. For big nights, it’s combined with the adjoining Static to form the city’s largest club. U HAMBONE’S. 4207 Butler St., Lawrenceville.

412-681-4318. Cheap local beer, a lengthy

{Photo BY heather mull}

menu devoted to hearty bar food (emphasis on pork) and plenty of locals on barstools holding forth on grievances both large and petty. The space has begun hosting local music and DJ nights pretty regularly, adding another entry to Butler Street’s music venues. S LAVA LOUNGE. 2204 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-431-5282. A volcanolike interior gives this hot spot a theme-park feel, whether you’re clustered along the bar or tucked into the back room’s cozy craters. A new hotspot for local music, plus theme nights, DJs and karaoke. R REMEDY. 5121 Butler St., Lawrenceville.

412-781-6771. The multi-floored venue is an arty Lawrenceville favorite, whether for dinner, cocktails or the weekly dance parties on the upper floors. S STATIC. 1650 Smallman St., Strip District.

412-315-7330. Opened last year as the city’s first electronic-music-focused club, Static hosts local and national touring DJs every weekend, catering to a slightly more sophisticated dance-music crowd. U TIKI LOUNGE. 2003 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-381-8454. The drinks come with umbrellas and in tiki mugs at this kitschy tribute to lava-walled, tropical-themed havens of yore. Cozy up in a nook by a waterfall; hip-hop beats fly on weekends. R VILLA SOUTHSIDE. 1831 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-431-3535. This upscale bar has a sleek interior and swank bar.

It can be a little claustrophobic at times, but order a martini or glass of vino from Villa’s long drink menu and you’ll hardly remember it was crowded. R

Z:LOUNGE. 2108 E. Carson St., South Side.

412-431-1800. Small, funky and friendly, Z:Lounge feels like stumbling upon a secret.

But DJs spin everything from techno to ’80s hits, reggae to soul. R

DRINKING TO FORGET ARMAND’S BAR & LOUNGE. 4755 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. 412-681-3967. Quaintly known as “the place to drink on a Sunday in Bloomfield,” this tiny Liberty Avenue hole is a neighborhood institution. The fish sandwich is known far and wide. S CHIEF’S. 307 N. Craig St., Oakland.

412-683-2936. Old punks point out words they scratched into the red booths years before. Regulars line up outside before it opens. Best to go with a friend; if not for protection, then so people will believe the stories you come home with. S JACK ROSE BAR. 1121 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-431-3644. Dig some quarters out of the couch and you’re good to go for Jack’s, widely known as “Jack’s on Carson.” The drinks are cheap, the Pittsburghian crowd is friendly (if chaotic on weekends), and the back room offers pool and darts. R LE MARDI GRAS. 731 Copeland St., Shadyside. 412-683-0912. What’s not to love? The vague naughtiness of the compact bar’s speakeasy vibe; the jukebox packed with tunes, new and old; the mural of old New Orleans; and the stiffest drinks in town, mixed with fresh-squeezed orange juice. S

owners’ basement, the ambience here is cozy and rustic, with nods to local history.

There’s apple cider, of course, but cherry and other flavors too. You’ll have to buy by the growler, but it won’t be hard to finish. S CHURCH BREW WORKS. 3525 Liberty Ave., Lawrenceville. 412-688-8200. Set in a restored turn-of-the-century church, this restaurant and brewery features a rotating selection of seasonal handcrafted beers, an altar of beer-making gear and stained-glass windows of saints. Pizza from the wood-fired oven is always a good choice. S EAST END BREWING COMPANY. 6923 Susquehanna St., Homewood. 412-537-2337.

OK, it’s not a bar, but we couldn’t leave out the city’s most popular microbrewery. While it’s slated to move to new digs on nearby Frankstown Avenue later this year, for now the brewery sells growlers here and at its booth at the Pittsburgh Public Market in the Strip District. SU HOFBRAUHAUS PITTSBURGH. 2705 S. Water St., South Side. 412-224-2328.

This venue at the SouthSide Works development is large enough to stage Wagner’s Niebelungenlied. The beer is excellent and served in massive thick glass steins. If you’re not a fan of ersatz kultur, you can still enjoy the river views from adjoining biergarten, and the ’Haus seems to have a sense of humor about its Bavarian kitsch. R

POLLOCK’S CAFÉ. 4602 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. 412-682-1460. Behind the glass-block front that mutes the neon bar signs, this small, narrow local joint hosts full-time drinkers, local blowhards and a fresh smattering of hipsters. Plus wicked-cheap drinks. S

Best Place for a Martini Best Place to Network

®

Pittsburgh’s City Paper

140 6th St.• Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.225.0525 • www.olive-twist.com Pittsburgh’s premier martini bar is adjacent to the Heinz Hall, the Renaissance Hotel and a short walk across the Clemente Bridge from PNC park.

Olive or Twist is the perfect location for your next private party. In addition to our downstairs restaurant and bar, we also offer our 2nd floor lounge; where we can provide an elegant and stylish atmosphere for any event.

• • • •

Private Parties Holiday parties Corporate Functions Receptions Cocktail parties & mixers

SMOKE UP DEE’S CAFE. 1314 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-431-1314. Order a shot and a PBR at this South Side hangout and you’ll blend right in with the steady clientele of pool sharks and punks, hipsters and musicians.

Bonus: pool tables, a killer jukebox and absurdly cheap drinks. R DIRTY HARRY’S NEIGHBORHOOD BAR. Station Square, South Side. 412-594-7337.

This bar might struggle for an identity in a true neighborhood, but among Station Square’s themed joints, its lack of pretension is unique. There are drinks, pool … and smoking is permitted. R MURPHY’S TAP ROOM. 1106 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. 412-241-9462. Other Irish bars a little too Danny Boy for ya?

Booze, sports, pool and a little neighborly banter are all that matter at this cavernous Celtic watering hole. S SQUIRREL HILL CAFE. 5802 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-521-3327. Cram into an upright wooden booth with your buddies, and prepare to argue philosophy and video games in this smoky neighborhood institution known as the Squirrel Cage.

Bonus: cheap burgers and a great jukebox. S

DRINKING FROM THE SOURCE ARSENAL CIDER HOUSE AND WINE BAR. 300 39th St. Lawrenceville. 412-260-6968.

As befits a cider-making facility built in the

Open for Lunch Monday – Friday Dinner Tuesday – Saturday.

Late Night: Serving food until 11pm Friday – Saturday. www.nineonninepgh.com 412.338.6463 Squirrel Hill Cafe {Photo BY heather mull} PENN BREWERY. 800 Vinial St., North Side.

412-237-9402. This storied location — the granddaddy of Pittsburgh microbreweries — offers German-style beers and a cobblestone courtyard that is a perfect place to spend a summer evening. The brewed-on-site beer is the perfect accompaniment to both the pierogies and the frequent live music they dish out. Q ROCK BOTTOM BREWERY. 171 E. Bridge St., Homestead. 412-462-2739. A chain brewpub located amid the sprawl of the Waterfront Mall, Rock Bottom still keeps its surroundings in mind, with labels like “Uppity Jagoff.” N WIGLE WHISKEY. 2401 Smallman St., Strip District. 412-224-2827. Not a bar, per se, but this distillery — which has re-established the frontier-era whiskey-making trade in the city — has daily tastings in its new, modishly sparse digs. U continues on pg. 30

SERVING LUNCH & DINNER

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WATCHING THE GAME CARSON CITY SALOON. 1401 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-481-3203. This historic bank building has been converted into a still-sparkling-clean bar with plenty of TVs for sports viewing, and can pack in a loud crowd. Plus beer pong! R

HOTROCKS

FINNIGAN’S WAKE. 20 E. General Robinson St., North Side. 412-325-2601.

If you want more from your Irish pub than an Irish flag on the wall and a black-and-tan in your glass, Finnigan’s has Smithwick’s on tap and a selection of top-shelf Irish whiskey, including the tasty single-malt Connemara. Q MCFADDEN’S. 211 North Shore Drive, North Side. 412-322-3470. The name implies Irish Pub, but it’s a big sports bar (home to 30 TVs) and dance spot just a foul ball away from home plate at PNC Park. Q MULLEN’S BAR AND GRILLE/MULLEN’S ON CARSON. 200 Federal St., North Side.

2100 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-481-2110.

Located catty-corner from PNC Park, the bar and grille is a cavernous double-decker renowned for its skimpily attired staff. The action on game day often spills out onto the sidewalk. The South Side location also offers plenty of hang-out space, televisions and booze, and puts a unique spin on traditional bar fare with items like a deepfried Philly cheesesteak. QR

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Piper’s is nearly perfect for enjoying boxty and beer. R

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SILKY’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL. 1731 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-421-9222.

Somehow both cavernous and cozy, Silky’s attracts locals from all walks of life — proving that Pittsburgh’s taste for sports and draft beer transcends all barriers. Same vibe at the smaller — but very popular with the 20- and-30-something set — Silky’s outpost in Bloomfield (5135 Liberty Ave., 412-683-6141). S

AFTER FINALS BOOTLEGGER’S. 403 Semple St., Oakland.

412-682-3060. The college drinker’s bar you hoped for: smoky air, pool, darts and a wide variety of alcohol. Most people won’t be dancing — they’ll be too focused on their drinks, their conversation or their company. S FRANKIE & GEORGIE’S. 5832 Forward Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-421-0865. Stop by this laid-back, low-rent bar after bowling a game at nearby Forward Lanes. Formerly known as PD’s Pub, its surprisingly large second room — at this point, the only live-music venue in Squirrel Hill — holds a stage for karaoke, DJs and occasional local bands. S GARAGE DOOR SALOON. 223 Atwood St., Oakland. 412-621-4842. A few characteristics make this bar notable among campus bars: a stronger-than-average beer selection and, when weather permits, nearly full-length windows that open onto the street. S GENE’S PLACE. 3616 Louisa St., Oakland.

412-682-2158. This friendly neighborhood spot in student-heavy Oakland makes up for what it lacks in pretense with cirrhosisinducing specials. If you’re lucky, you’ll

happen in when Gene himself, a notable and much-loved eccentric, is slinging Old Germans from behind the bar. S HEMINGWAY’S CAFÉ. 3911 Forbes Ave., Oakland. 412-621-4100. Pitt students pack this Oakland bar, which sits quite literally in the center of campus, on most nights. Even during the summer, the young crowd turns out for the occasional jaw-dropping specials. S ST. JAMES PLACE TAVERN. 53 S 18th St., South Side. 412-431-3222. Tucked a few blocks away from the madness of East Carson Street, this watering hole is low-key and unpretentious, with dark wooden booths. Attracts a college crowd intermingled with locals, and has pool tables and plenty of TVs. R PANTHER HOLLOW INN. 4611 Forbes Ave., Oakland. 412-682-0588. PHI is a college bar directly between Pitt and CMU, complete with cheap beer and pizza. S PETER’S PUB. 116 Oakland Ave., Oakland. 412-681-7465. Maybe Oakland’s quintessential college bar — right down to the Viking horns they hand out for 21st birthdays. Peter’s isn’t as intimate as Hemingway’s, but it has plenty of drink specials, a decent bar-food menu and a dance floor upstairs, which frequently houses bands and DJs.S PITTSBURGH CAFÉ. 226 Meyran Ave., Oakland. 412-687-3330. One of Oakland’s finest beer lists can be found in this remodeled rowhouse. Popular with the college-student crowd, it has a rare outdoor patio. Inside are three floors packed with dancers on weekends, but a little lonely on (some) weeknights. S WILLIAM PENN TAVERN. 739 Bellefonte St., Shadyside. 412-621-1000. Its walls are covered with a hodgepodge of sports and Pittsburgh-related memorabilia and posters, and its menu is filled with a hodge-podge of barroom delicacies. S

AFTER WORK BRADDOCK’S STREETSIDE. 107 Sixth St., Downtown. 412-992-2005. A wine bar tucked in an alcove of the swank Renaissance Hotel lobby, Braddock’s avoids the generic-hotel-bar curse by nodding to local history. The drink menu focuses on regional beer and dozens of varieties of whiskey — a tribute to the cash crop that Western Pennsylvania farmers once used for currency. U GANDY DANCER SALOON. Station Square, South Side. 412-261-1717. The little brother of the fancy Grand Concourse restaurant next door, Gandy Dancer gives you Gilded Age barroom trappings without requiring you to be a tycoon. Try the raw bar, and the martini specials. R NICO’S RECOVERY ROOM. 178 Pearl St., Bloomfield. 412-681-9562. Tasty Greek bites, weekend karaoke and drink specials make this corner bar a popular check-in with both the locals and workers from the nearby hospitals. S OLIVE OR TWIST. 140 Sixth St., Downtown.

412-255-0525. After the cool kids get real jobs, they still need a place to hang after work. Well-dressed folks quaffing from the massive list of pseudo-tinis fill this narrow Downtown spot. It can get a little crowded at happy hour — all the better to see and be seen. U

PAPA J’S CENTRO. 212 Blvd. of the Allies, Downtown. 412-391-7272. Why not sample a bit of history along with that after-work beer? A former brothel rumored to be the site of multiple murders, the building dates to the mid-1800s and may have been an Underground Railroad stop. It’s a fullfledged restaurant, but all the ambiance you need can be found at its massive bar, carved from a single piece of oak. U TAVERN 245. 245 Fourth Ave., Downtown.

412-281-4345. This casual dining restaurant/ tavern brings some life to Downtown’s barren Fourth Avenue. Downstairs is a smokers’ lounge; upstairs is a bright, open barroom with a friendly staff and ample beer, wine and mixed-drink selections. U TONIC. 971 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 412-4560460. Tonic’s got a full menu, but the mixed drinks ought to be enough to draw you in.

Ample upstairs space is sometimes reserved for private parties. Plenty of traffic from the nearby convention center/hotel — a special treat when the Furries come to town. U

Weekdays are laid-back, with events on weekends, including monthly performances by gender-performance troupe Hot Metal Hardware. S CRUZE BAR. 1600 Smallman St., Strip District. 412-471-1400. This 6,000-square-foot club — featuring two bars, a dance floor and an outside deck — may be almost too large, at least on a night it’s not hopping.

But with nightly drink specials and a roster of DJs, including some from out-of-town, Cruze tries hard not to drop a beat. U

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DONNY’S. 1226 Herron Ave., Polish Hill.

Tucked behind Pittsburgh Brewing’s now-defunct complex, this is the city’s low-profile Leather Central. S IMAGES. 965 Liberty Ave., Downtown.

412-391-9990. This fixture on the gay scene was upgraded a couple years back.

It now features plasma TVs and a more sophisticated interior in addition to its regular roster of weekly karaoke, DJs and male-dancer nights. U

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Salon Ivy 5801 Video Lounge and Café {Photo BY john colombo}

QUEER 941 SALOON. 941 Liberty Ave., Downtown 412-281-5229. The 900 block of Liberty has long been a gay-bar nexus, so while the dancing and other action can be hit-or-miss, you’ve got options nearby. 941 is distinguished by its vaguely Western theme … and by House of Tilden, an upstairs after-hours members’ club where the action often heats up as other options close down. U 5801 VIDEO LOUNGE AND CAFÉ. 5801 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. 412-661-5600.

This popular LGBT spot is called a video bar, with TV screens everywhere playing videos from the likes of Lady Gaga or Rihanna.

But it remains a down-to-earth hang-out where you can grab a bite or toss some darts. A newly expanded deck beckons in nicer weather. S BLUE MOON. 5115 Butler St., Lawrenceville.

412-781-1119. This longstanding club has enjoyed newfound fame as the domain of RuPaul’s Drag Race champ Sharon Needles, and her drag-performance troupe, the Haus of Haunt. Especially on Saturday nights, the Blue Moon puts the “T” in the city’s LGBT scene. S CATTIVO. 146 44th St., Lawrenceville.

412-687-2157. Cattivo’s clientele is mostly women, but the bar prides itself on having a welcoming, neighborhood-bar vibe.

SPIN BARTINI AND ULTRALOUNGE. 5744 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. 412362-SPIN. Part of Ellsworth’s burgeoning mini-gayborhood, Spin has a bit of a see-and-be-seen vibe, yet is welcoming to anyone — gay, straight or in between.

Look for creative cocktails and eye candy on either side of the bar. S

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THERE ULTRA LOUNGE. 931 Liberty Ave., Downtown. This well-established club keeps things fresh with stripper contests, pageants, and other events. U

T&A BLUSH. 135 Ninth St., Downtown. 412-2817703. The mirrored stage at Blush features nationally known dancers and amateurs shakin’ what they got. The club opens early with lunch buffets and happy-hour specials. U CHEERLEADERS GENTLEMEN’S CLUB. 3100 Liberty Ave., Strip District. 412-2913110. Bright lights, platform shoes and dollar-bill rainstorms mark this Liberty Avenue strip club. A coat check and valet parking, along with a full menu, add class. U CRICKET LOUNGE. 280 Morewood Ave., Oakland. 412-683-9000. Pull up a seat at the catwalk in North Oakland’s low-key, all-nude strip club. Cricket doesn’t often get featured performers, as the city’s other clubs do, but the dancers are fun and friendly. S

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www.librarymusichall. com. The hall at the century-old Carnegie Library in Homestead now hosts shows by big indie bands, old rock acts and occasionally touring comedians as well. O Chatham Baroque. 412-687-1788 or www.chathambaroque.org. The four-piece group’s Pittsburgh Series concerts encompass a handful of performances of baroque music each year, and a residency at Shadyside’s Calvary Episcopal Church.

Club Café. 56-58 S. 12th St., South Side.

412-431-4950 or www.clubcafelive.com.

Once a vintage nightclub, now a destination for national indie bands and folks alike.

The sound is great, the setting intimate.

Monday nights feature Acousticafé, a notable open-mic event. R Diesel. 1601 E. Carson St., South Side.

412-431-8800 or www.dieselpgh.com.

Something old, something new: Diesel is a slick discotheque makeover of former rock venue Nick’s Fat City, now a destination for national indie acts and, in the wee hours, dirty dancing. R

Rise Against at Stage AE {Photo BY CAROLINE MOORE}

[nightlife]

BEAT REPORTING A breakdown of the city’s most note-able music venues and institutions

31st Street Pub. 3101 Penn Ave., Strip District. 412-391-8334 or www.31stpub. com. This bar is perched in the no-man’sland between the Strip and Lawrenceville.

National acts are peppered in between punk and metal bands. U 222 Ormsby. 222 Ormsby Ave., Mount Oliver. 222ormsby.tumblr.com. This Mount Oliver house doubles as a center for DIY punk rock and associated genres. It often hosts local shows, but has picked up some major touring acts, like Kevin Seconds, in the past. R

Series features up-and-coming indie acts, older art-rock and avant-garde artists, and occasional local showcases. The Warhol also hosts shows at the Carnegie Museum of Art, in Oakland. Q

one-stop for the discerning hipster.

Downstairs, the funky décor is matched with a garage-door front, open on warm days; upstairs, you can catch national indie acts, eclectic DJ nights and special events.

A weekly pub quiz packs the house. S

Andys at Fairmont Pittsburgh.

510 Market St., Downtown. 412-773-8884.

More than just a hotel bar, Andys hosts live jazz several nights a week, featuring combos of well-known local musicians. U

First Niagara Pavilion. 665 Route 18, Burgettstown. www.firstniagara pavilion.com. The longtime home of the biggest summer shows in town.

(Remember when it was called the Star Lake Amphitheatre?) This is the spot for Buffett and Tom Petty, in addition to Ozzfest and Warped Tour. P Garfield Artworks. 4931 Penn Ave., Garfield. 412-361-2262 or www.garfield artworks.com. It’s a gallery, but the real focus here is the music. The small, all-ages spot hosts an eclectic mix of indie shows, with a focus on the avant-garde; it’s the only place in town you can see a rock band, an ambient sound artist and a breakcore musician all in one night. S Gooski’s. 3117 Brereton Ave., Polish Hill. 412-681-1658. Wall-shaking bands on the weekends, a swell jukebox and side

AVA. 126 S. Highland Ave., East Liberty.

412-363-8277 or www.shadowlounge.net.

Once considered the kid sister of Shadow Lounge, this mellow bar is a hot weekly jazz spot, and DJs play a variety of musical genres from all around the world. S

Alia Musica. www.alia-musica. org. The brainchild of local composer Federico Garcia, this new-music group’s concerts take place every few months, and heavily feature Belvedere’s. 4016 Butler St., Pittsburgh composers; this year, the group Lawrenceville. 412-687-2555 or www. held its first festival, Hear/Now, featuring belvederesultradive.com. Billing international artists. itself as an “ultradive,” Belvie’s see 7 0 attracts a varied clientele Allegheny County Parks page for with friendly punk-rocker Concert Series. Hartwood hic ap r geog and management. You may stumble Acres (Indiana Township) and key rgh on a punk show in the spacious South Park. 412-350-2528 or pittsbu ap m back room, though dance nights www.alleghenycounty.us/ are becoming more popular: summer. The summer parks series Thursday night’s Neon ’80s night is has a little something for everyone — a fixture. S a symphony performance here, a local music showcase there (Aug. 19 at Hartwood), not Bloomfield Bridge Tavern. 4412 to mention the occasional critics’ darling. MN Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. 412-682-8611 or bloomfieldbridgetavern.com. Besides having Altar Bar. 1620 Penn Ave., Strip District. live, mostly local music each weekend, 412-206-9719 or www.thealtarbar.com. this venerable Bloomfield institution hosts This artfully converted former church is the Calliope singer-songwriter open stage now a three-level nightclub that features weekly, and Wednesday night is FUZZ!, the local and national acts. U city’s longest-running drum ’n’ bass night. S The Andy Warhol Museum. 117 Brillobox. 4104 Penn Ave., Bloomfield.

Sandusky St., North Side. 412-237-8300 or 412-621-4900 or www.brillobox.net. A www.warhol.org. The Warhol’s Sound

Chico’s Quintet at James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy {Photo BY CAROLINE MOORE} Calliope Center Stage Concerts.

6300 Fifth Ave., Shadyside. www.calliope house.org/Center Stage. Calliope is a longtime local folk-music presenter, hosting shows at venues around the city. Its newest spot is the club-like “Roots Cellar” at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, where touring folk notables and hand-picked locals fill the bills. S Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead.

510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. 412-368-5225 or

orders of fresh Polish food, washed down with an impressive selection of rock-bottompriced microbrews. Tattoos not required, but recommended. S Hard Rock Café. Station Square, South Side. 412-481-7625. A veritable global institution offering pub grub, alcoholic libations, souvenir T-shirts and live music. Oh, and walls of rock ’n’ roll memorabilia. Share your evening with Angus Young’s shorty pants. R continues on pg. 38

34 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

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beat reporting, CONTINUED FROM PG. 34

Howlers. 4509 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield.

412-682-0320 or www.howlerscoyotecafe. com. In the past few years, this spot became one of the best for local rock and city-fied country music. Gritty but hip, it’s got wide appeal for music lovers. S James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy. 422 Foreland St., North Side. 412-904-3335 or www.jamesstreet gastropub.com. In a former life it was known as the James Street Tavern; now its downstairs live-music “speakeasy” hosts jazz and soul shows four or five nights a week, with shows by well-known Pittsburgh names and up-and-comers alike. Q Little E’s Jazz Club. 949 Liberty Ave. (second floor), Downtown. 412-392-2217 or www.littleesjazz.com. Rise above typical bar-scene madness at this slick Downtown spot where the music is what matters. Live jazz and blues fill this aerie full of a very cool crowd either lolling on couches and booths or switching into their dancing shoes. U Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild.

1815 Metropolitan St., Manchester. 412-3221773 or www.mcgjazz. org. MCG’s annual jazz series brings major players from around the country — some established, some more contemporary — for two-show engagements that more often than not sell out. Q Moondog’s. 378 Freeport Road, Blawnox.

412-828-2040 or www.moondogs.us. It’s a little off the beaten path, and more than a little cramped. But blues lovers and bluegrass aficionados — and many of the nationally known musicians who play here — wouldn’t have it any other way. O Mr. Roboto Project. 5106 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. www.therobotoproject.org.

Long a hotbed for all-ages punk and hardcore shows, this cooperative venture was once based in Wilkinsburg. Now in a more comfortable and centrally located venue, it still has a DIY ethos and still features the annual ADD Fest, in which bands play 10-minute sets. S

Worn Colors at Mr. Roboto Project {Photo BY CAROLINE MOORE} midsummer benefit for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, the weekend-long blues festival always features a few big national names along with a slew of stellar locals at Hartwood Acres. M Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra. www.pittsburghjazzorchestra.com. With a proud jazz tradition that includes the likes of Earl “Fatha” Hines and Art Blakey, Pittsburgh takes its jazz seriously. This group, the resident orchestra at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, furthers that cause by performing music in a wide range of jazz styles. U

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. www.pittsburghsymphony.org. This is the music scene’s 800-pound/100-member gorilla. From its base at Heinz Hall, it attracts audiences — and conductors — from all over the world. Its highly successful “Pops” series has a broad appeal as well. U Rex Theatre. 1602 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-381-6811 or www.rextheatre. com. From its classic marquee — a Carson Street landmark — to its lounge-y decor, this South Side institution is a vibey spot to catch national acts of all stripes, from metal to surf rock, reggae to roots. R

Mr. Small’s Theatre. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. 412-821-4447 or www.mrsmalls. com. Visit this de-sanctified Catholic church — now one of the area’s premier live-music venues — to catch the almostfamous, rising local acts and intimate performances by the truly famous. The sprawling complex also includes recording studios and a skate park. M

Pittsburgh Banjo Club. Elks Lodge #339, 400 Cedar Ave., North Side. 412-3644739. The Banjo Club — it is what it sounds like — has performances throughout the year, but its rehearsals are worth checking out. A spectacle for old-timers and young hipsters alike, the Wednesday night meetings are open to the public. Q Pittsburgh Blues Festival. 412-460BLUE or www.pghblues.com. An annual 38 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

Smiling Moose. 1306 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-431-4668 or www.smilingmoose.com. Long a punk and metal bar, the Moose opened its upstairs a few years back and began hosting more diverse national-level shows there — some are even all-ages. R Stage AE. 400 North Shore Drive, North Side. 412-229-LIVE or www.facebook. com/stageae. In short order, Stage AE has filled a void for a mid-sized venue on the city’s “North Shore” newly hatched entertainment district. Depending on the show, you might find yourself in the big room, the more intimate “club” configuration or the 5,000-capacity outdoor stage. Q Thunderbird Café. 4023 Butler St., Lawrenceville. 412-682-1214 or www. thunderbirdcafe.net. Major promoters bring in indie-rock and jazz shows alongside the more typical blues acts; bar-goers on the first floor can watch the action on the mezzanine-level stage via closed-circuit TV. The balcony level makes the most of the small venue’s space and is a good spot for the slightly detached show-goer. S

Music On the Edge. www.music.pitt. edu/mote. An experimental music series sponsored by the Pitt music department and curated by faculty members there, MOtE delivers some of the finest “out there” touring musicians to hit town, joining them with its own orchestra.

NOLA on the Square. 24 Market Square, Downtown. 412-471-9100 or www.nolaon thesquare.com. A new addition to Market Square, NOLA is a New Orleans-themed bar and restaurant that features live local jazz and blues bands on a weekly basis. U

with local art, the lounge plays host to spoken-word, comedy and other cool performances, while being the city’s most consistent venue for hip-hop shows and DJ events. S

Truth and Rites at Thunderbird Café {Photo BY CAROLINE MOORE} Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble. www.pnme.org. Each year, the PNME presents a program of concerts bringing musicians from around the nation (and world) to play new works by contemporary composers — some local — at the City Theatre building. R

Rock Room. 1054 Herron Ave., Polish Hill. 412-683-4418. Around the corner from the legendary Gooski’s, this hangout offers similar attractions on a smaller scale: a cozy back room for underground bands, dive-bar grit and impossibly cheap drinks. S

Pittsburgh Renaissance & Baroque. www.rbsp.org. This group prides itself on bringing groups that play period music — medieval, baroque, Renaissance — to town for shows at Synod Hall and the Byham Theater.

Shadow Lounge. 5972 Baum Blvd., East Liberty. 412-363-8277 or www.shadow lounge.net. This pioneer of East Liberty’s renaissance includes a main stage and a sleek, low-key “blue room.” Decorated

VIA Audio/Visual Festival. www. via-pgh.com. After its first festival in the fall of 2010, VIA took off as a presenter of smaller electronic shows and DJ events.

The big festival, coming the first week of October this year, attracts cutting-edge electro artists from around the country WYEP Community Broadcast Studio. 67 Bedford Square, South Side.

412-381-9131 or www.wyep.org. WYEP, the city’s adult-alternative-format FM station, hosts a monthly “Third Thursdays” series of shows featuring local artists. The station also has annual events — like its Summer Music Festival at Oakland’s Schenley Plaza — in other locations. R

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{PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL}

Drawing Connections: Local illustrator Ed Piskor at the Toonseum comic-book museum. Behind him is an exhibit of work by the late Keith Haring, who studied art in Pittsburgh before becoming an art-world celebrity in the 1980s.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 41

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[culture]

FA AX RM ®

Pyrotopia {Photo BY heather mull}

CANVASSING THE CITY

OUR DIRECTORY OF PARADIGM-SHIFTING ARTS FESTIVALS AND EXHIBITION SPACES

2012 - 2013 Season

707 PENN GALLERY/709 PENN GALLERY. 707-9 Penn Ave., Downtown. 412-3257017/412-471-6070 or www.pgharts.org.

Contemporary paintings, prints, sculpture and photography by local (and sometimes international) artists in a wide range of styles are displayed in these adjacent storefront galleries managed by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Closed Mon.-Tue. U

for the famed Pittsburgh-born playwright, the center also boasts ongoing visual-arts shows reflecting the black experience, like a recent top-notch touring exhibition of work by Romare Bearden. Open Tue.-Sat. and for events. U

THE ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM. 117 Sandusky St., North Side. 412-237-8300 or www.warhol.org. Sure, there are plenty of celebrity silkscreens, Brillo boxes and other Warhol favorites … but this is no mausoleum. The Warhol features a broad spectrum of often politically engaged exhibits and happenings, many of which take up such Warholian themes as gender and the role of the artist in society. Closed Mon. Q

BORELLI-EDWARDS GALLERIES. 3583 Butler St., Lawrenceville. 412-687-2606 or www.begalleries.com. This gallery, on the first floor of a building housing live/work space for artists, features contemporary work in a sleek setting. Closed Sun.-Mon. S

ARTISTS IMAGE RESOURCE. 518 Foreland St., North Side. 412-321-8664 or www.artistsimageresource.org. AIR is as much a workshop as a gallery: Its AMERICAN JEWISH MUSEUM. 5738 low-cost screenprinting facilities and Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-521-8011 other printmaking gear are a x105 or www.jccpgh.org. This display valuable resource for postersee space at the Jewish Community 7 0 page and T-shirt-makers regionally.

Center features documentary, for The gallery space features interpretative and folk-art works geographic work by printmakers and a in all media, usually exploring key and diverse group of area artists Israel and the American-Jewish pittsburgh map experimenting in the medium. Q experience. Open daily. S

THE AUGUST WILSON CENTER FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE. 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 412-258-2700 or www.augustwilsoncenter.org. Named 42 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

BOXHEART GALLERY. 4523 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. 412-687-8858 or www.box heart.org. This ambitious storefront gallery displays fine art in all media, including juried shows of international work.

Closed Mon. S BREWHOUSE SPACE 101. 2100 Mary St., South Side. 412-381-7767. The hulking

MOST-WANTED FINE ART GALLERY. 5015 Penn Ave., Garfield. 412-328-4737 or www.most-wantedfineart.com.

This venue on the busy Penn Avenue Arts corridor hosts shows of diverse contemporary art — the gallery owner is known to use demolition-derby car parts in his work — and also poetry readings, live music and more. S

former Duquesne Brewery is now an artists’ co-op that hosts regular shows by local artists in its barebones but welcoming space. Open during events and by appointment. R CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. 412-622-3131 or www.cmoa.org. As the local art scene’s heavyweight, the MOA features a strong permanent collection with a special emphasis on modern and contemporary art. (Impressionism is well represented, but otherwise its historic collection can be spotty.) The museum’s quadrennial Carnegie International is the world’s second-oldest showcase of contemporary art, and Pittsburgh’s premier contribution to the global art scene. Closed Mon. S CHRISTINE FRECHARD GALLERY. 5871 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. 724-766-0104 or www.christinefrechardgallery.com. This commercial gallery spotlights emerging as well as established artists from America and abroad, and hosts a variety of activities, from live music to culturally themed language classes. Closed Sun.-Mon. S CONCEPT ART GALLERY. 1031 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. 412-242-9200 or www. conceptgallery.com. Elegant commercial showplace for paintings, drawings, sculpture and photography. Closed Mon., and closed Sun. in summer. S FE GALLERY. 4102 Butler St., Lawrenceville.

412-860-6028 or www.fegallery.org. A penchant for installations and other three-dimensional work distinguishes this ambitious if modestly sized storefront gallery in the Butler Street arts corridor.

Closed Mon.-Wed. S FRICK ART & HISTORICAL CENTER. 7227 Reynolds St., Point Breeze. 412-371-0600 or www.frickart.org. Along with its historic mansion and grounds, the Frick features a tiny but expertly curated museum, with a permanent collection of artwork and antiques. It also hosts temporary exhibits, sometimes featuring more modern work.

Admission to the art museum is usually free, though some exhibits may cost extra.

Closed Mon. S FUTURE TENANT. 819 Penn Ave., Downtown. www.futuretenant.org. This deliberately raw storefront space is run as a kind of art lab by folks associated with Carnegie Mellon University, and specializes in installation work. But it also hosts live performance, from karaoke to an annual fall festival of 10-minute plays.

Closed Mon.-Wed. U GALLERY 4. 206 S. Highland Ave., Shadyside. 412-363-5050 or www.the gallery4.us. A newer storefront gallery featuring funky, accessible work by local and national artists. Closed Sun.-Mon. S GALLERIE CHIZ. 5831 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. 412-441-6005 or www.gallerie chiz.com. A fixture on a street known for its galleries, Gallerie Chiz is a lively showcase for paintings, drawings, sculpture and jewelry, with a special focus on outsider art. Open Tue.-Sat., Sun. by appointment. S GALLERY ON 43RD ST. 187 43rd St., Lawrenceville. 412-683-6488 or www. galleryon43rdstreet.com. Probably because it’s in a rowhouse, walking through this gallery is like visiting the home of someone who loves work by regional artists — ranging from painting and photography

PITTSBURGH CENTER FOR THE ARTS. 6300 Fifth Ave., Shadyside. 412-361-0873 or www.pittsburgharts.org. Located in a brilliantly yellow mansion, the venerable PCA usually houses several small-scale exhibits at once, focusing on regional talent, as in its signature Pittsburgh Biennial. It often hosts shows by the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh and other area art collectives, though it shows artists from outside the area as well. Closed Mon. S

storefront gallery has a decidedly grassroots feel. It typically features work by younger local artists, one show in the front room and another in the back, where a stage regularly hosts literary readings and other live performance. An annual highlight is an audience-juried show whose winner gets a solo exhibition. Open Thu. and Sat. or by appointment. S

PITTSBURGH FILMMAKERS GALLERIES. 477 Melwood Ave., Oakland. 412-681-5449 or www.pghfilmmakers.org. The mediaarts group runs its own two-chambered gallery, which focuses on contemporary photography and video, often by local artists. Conceptual work and installations are also featured at the facility, which houses a screening room for foreign and indie films. Open Mon.-Fri. and during film screenings. S

MORGAN CONTEMPORARY GLASS GALLERY. 5833 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside.

412-441-5200 or www.morganglassgallery. com. Exhibits here feature a wide array of glass art from artists both local and international. The work ranges from abstract sculptural work to reimaginings of the familiar teapot. Closed Sun.-Mon. S

PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER. 5472 Penn Ave., Friendship. 412-365-2145 or www. pittsburghglasscenter.org. Not surprisingly, the focus here is on glass: Displays range from work by internationally acclaimed contemporary artists to award-winning work by local schools. The center also features glassblowing demonstrations,

Gallery 4 {Photo BY LISA CUNNINGHAM} to pottery and decorative art. The space is even decorated with rugs woven by the gallery’s owner. Open Tue.-Sat., Sun. by appointment. S GARFIELD ARTWORKS. 4931 Penn Ave., Garfield. 412-361-2262 or www.garfield artworks.com. Garfield Artworks was, by several years, in the vanguard of remaking its dog-eared stretch of Penn as an arts corridor, and it continues to exhibit contemporary work, most of it local. The gallery also hosts cutting-edge musical performances and other events. Open by appointment, or during events. S IRMA FREEMAN CENTER FOR IMAGINATION. 5006 Penn Ave., Garfield.

412-418-6208 or www.irmafreeman.org.

A mosaic of mirror-shards on the façade welcomes visitors to artist and educator Sheila Ali’s homage to her late grandmother, a prolific painter. The gallery and community center features Freeman’s vivid paintings; additional shows spotlight work in the outsider-art vein. Open for events. S

continues on pg. 44

MATTRESS FACTORY. 500 Sampsonia Way, North Side. 412-231-3169 or www.mattress.org. This internationally recognized museum is dedicated to contemporary installation art from artists from around the world. The Factory and a satellite facility around the corner, at 1414 Monterey St., feature a robust series of exhibits — as well as permanent works by artists such as James Turrell and Yayoi Kusama. Closed Mon. Q MENDELSON GALLERY. 5874 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. 412-361-8664 or www. mendelsongallery.net. After three decades in business, Steve Mendelson’s gallery is an Ellsworth Avenue landmark, but the owner/curator keeps it fresh with regular shows, typically featuring paintings and prints, and often highlighting local artists both established and emerging. Open Wed. through Sat. or by appointment. S MILLER GALLERY. Carnegie Mellon University, Oakland. 412-268-3618 or millergallery.cfa.cmu.edu. This venue on the CMU campus is known for its cutting-edge work — everything from shows by newly minted BFAs to international artists.

Installation pieces and pieces that engage directly with social issues — like Steelers fandom or the fate of abandoned big-box stores — are the norm. Closed Mon. S MODERNFORMATIONS GALLERY. 4919 Penn Ave., Garfield. 412-362-0274 or www. modernformations.com. This decade-old PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 43

canvassing the city, CONTINUED FROM PG. 43

Pittsburgh Center For the Arts {Photo BY renee rosensteel} classes and other events. Closed Sun. through summer (Sept. 4); closed Mon. during regular season. S

Have you been to The Westmoreland yet?

:H·UH ÀHUFH

221 North Main Street/ Greensburg PA 15601/wmuseumaa.org 44 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

PYROTOPIA. Pump House, Homestead. pyrotopia.net. Pittsburgh’s only “festival of the fire arts” launched this past spring, and based on its success, organizers have pledged to make it an annual event.

The festival celebrate such art forms as fire-spinning and -dancing along with more conventional fire-based techniques like glassblowing. N SILVER EYE CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY. 1015 E. Carson St., South Side. 412-4311810 or www.silvereye.org. Pittsburgh’s premier exhibition space for contemporary photography — though work of historical import is also sometimes shown. Shows exhibit work of both local and international acclaim. Closed Sun.-Mon. R THE SOCIETY FOR CONTEMPORARY CRAFT. 2100 Smallman St., Strip District.

412-261-7003 or www.contemporarycraft. org. Located at one end of a still-active set of loading docks for a fresh-produce terminal, this airy gallery is Pittsburgh’s main art spot between Downtown and Lawrenceville. Inventive work in ceramics, metal, fiber and more by national and international artists highlight the shows here. Closed Sun. U SPACE. 812 Liberty Ave., Downtown.

412-325-7723 or www.spacepittsburgh. org. This concrete-floored space is among the edgier Downtown venues maintained

by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Installation work is a favorite here, but works in all media, typically group shows by local artists, make up the provocative offerings. Closed Mon.-Tue. U THE TOONSEUM. 945 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 412-232-0199 or www. toonseum.org. Proprietor Joe Wos, a cartoonist himself, curates shows in this double-storefront museum of cartoon art, with themes ranging from cereal-box art to manga. There’s also a small but well-curated bookshop, and frequent cartoon-related events like author and artist appearances and film screenings. Closed Mon-Tue. U UNBLURRED. 4800-6000 Penn Ave., Bloomfield, Friendship and Garfield.

412-441-6147 x4 or www.pennavenuearts. org. The first Friday of each month brings a gallery crawl to a 12-block stretch of Penn Avenue that touches on three East End neighborhoods. The Penn Avenue Arts District, as it’s called, is a neighborhood revitalization effort that builds on the area’s part-time storefront galleries and slick professional venues — many of which appear in this list. S WOOD STREET GALLERIES. 601 Wood St., Downtown. 412-471-5605 or www. woodstreetgalleries.org. Yet another Cultural Trust gallery, this time located above the Wood Street “T” Station. WSG specializes in computer art and other electronic media, done by contemporary national and international artists. Closed Mon.-Tue. U

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 45

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Your guide to must-see museums and other cultural attractions

ALLEGHENY OBSERVATORY. 159 Riverview Ave., North Side. 412-321-2400 or www.pitt.edu/~aobsvtry. Reservations are required to visit this astronomical research facility inside the city’s Riverview Park.

Tours are available Thursday evenings May through August; Friday evenings April through October. Q

weather, biology and physics. The Center’s Omnimax Theater features large-format films, while a model-railroad display is a nostalgic favorite. Of special note are roboworld, the world’s largest permanent robot exhibit, and the interactive Highmark SportsWorks display. Q

CENTER FOR POSTNATURAL HISTORY. BAYERNHOF MUSEUM. 225 St. Charles 4913 Penn Ave., Garfield. www.postnatural.

Place, O’Hara Township. 412-782-4231 or org. This unique (and surprisingly slick) www.bayernhofmuseum.com. This was the storefront museum is dedicated to the home of Charles Brown III, an eccentric who effects of human tinkering with nature, delighted in creating a home with secret especially genetically engineered passages and rooms, as well as a landscaped organisms, from corn to salmon. Curator indoor pool. Tours may test your endurance, Richard Pell is a Carnegie Mellon art but are worth the effort; highlights instructor with an abiding interest in the include an eclectic collection of biological sciences; the hours are self-playing instruments like limited to Sunday afternoons see automatic banjos and violins. (and by appointment), but page 07 Open for tours all week, but there isn’t much else like it. S for advance registration required. M geographic d n a ey k CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF pittsburgh BOST BUILDING. 621-623 E. PITTSBURGH. 10 Children’s map Eighth Ave., Homestead. 412-464Way, North Side. 412-322-5058 or 4020 or www.riversofsteel.com. Once www.pittsburghkids.org. This family the union headquarters during the destination specializes in handsfamed 1892 Homestead Steel Strike, the on exhibits that young kids can climb on, Bost Building now houses the Steel Industry into or otherwise play with. Permanent Heritage Corporation, which seeks to attractions include an art studio and a preserve the legacy of Big Steel and replica machine shop. This summer has conducts community tours — including featured a traveling exhibit based on occasional visits to a now-defunct blast The Wizard of Oz. Open daily. Q furnace across the river. The building also features exhibits on Mon Valley industry FALLINGWATER. Rt. 381, Ohiopyle. and everyday life. Open weekdays. O 724-329-8501 or www.fallingwater.org.

Tours of Frank Lloyd Wright’s worldCARNEGIE MUSEUM OF NATURAL renowned house, built for the Kaufmann HISTORY. 412-622-3131 or www. family. Closed Wednesdays, and Januarycarnegiemnh.org. Housed in the same February. Call ahead for tour reservations. N building as the Museum of Art, this facility includes permanent exhibits on earth FORT PITT MUSEUM. 101 Commonwealth sciences, Native Americans and ancient Place, Point State Park, Downtown. 412Egypt. But the most popular attraction — 281-9284 or www.heinzhistorycenter.org. especially with kids — is its justly famed Operated by the Heinz History Center, this dinosaur exhibit, which depicts the fossils museum documents the history of the city’s in realistic settings. Closed Mondays. S famous “Point” and the role it played in the French and Indian War — all told through CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER. 1 Allegheny interactive displays and historic artifacts. The Ave., North Side. 412-237-3400 or www. adjoining Fort Pitt blockhouse is the city’s carnegiesciencecenter.org. Ongoing oldest remaining structure, having withexhibits include tours of the USS Requin stood two centuries of urban growth, blight submarine and hands-on exhibits about and intermittent flooding. Open daily. U

FRICK ART & HISTORICAL CENTER. 7227 Reynolds St., Point Breeze. 412-371-0600 or www.frickart.org. Formerly the home of steel baron Henry Clay Frick. Visitors can tour the Frick mansion and grounds — tour guides are knowledgeable, if highly sympathetic to the controversial Frick.

(Reservations recommended.) There is also free admission to a car and carriage museum, and a small-but-serious art gallery. Closed Mondays. S KENTUCK KNOB. 723 Kentuck Road, Chalk Hill. 724-329-1901 or www.kentuckknob. com. The other Frank Lloyd Wright house, a “deluxe Usonian” seven miles from Fallingwater. Closed Wednesdays. Call ahead for tour reservations. N MEADOWCROFT MUSEUM OF RURAL LIFE. 401 Meadowcroft Road, Avella. 724587-3412 or www.heinz historycenter.org.

This museum provides a look at the region’s early inhabitants, from pre-Columbian times to the 19th century. Its Meadowcroft Rockshelter is a still-functioning archaeological dig — said to be North America’s longest continual site of human habitation. Open Wednesday through Sunday between Memorial Day and Labor Day, weekends only in May and September-October. N NATIONAL AVIARY. Allegheny Commons West, North Side. 412-323-7235 or www. aviary.org. This facility is home to birds from around the world, with permanent exhibits and theatrical presentations. A favorite is “Penguin Point,” a 2,300-square-foot space that allows visitors to see penguins “fly” underwater; new this year is “Condor Court,” an interactive play space for kids.

Open daily. Q

PHOTO ANTIQUITIES. 531 E. Ohio St., North Side. 412-231-7881 or www.photoantiquities. org. This diminutive museum of early photography features a rotating display of Daguerreotypes, cameras and other artifacts. Civil War photos and archival images of Pittsburgh’s past are especially well represented. Closed Sunday and Tuesday Q

FIND A PLACE FOR YOUR TALENT

PITTSBURGH ZOO & PPG AQUARIUM. One Wild Place, Highland Park. 412-6653639 or www.pittsburghzoo.org. The zoo is home to 4,000 animals, including many endangered species. The habitats are naturalistic, and a highlight is a polar bear exhibit that allows visitors to see the bears underwater from a transparent tunnel. Open daily. S

We offer creative programs in the following areas:

SEN. JOHN HEINZ PITTSBURGH REGIONAL HISTORY CENTER. 1212 Smallman St., Strip District. 412-454-6000 or www.heinzhistorycenter.org. The History Center blends industrial history — exhibits tout Heinz ketchup and Pittsburgh’s once-great glass industry — with pop culture, French and Indian War memorabilia, and a bit of boosterism. An adjoining sports museum helps feed Pittsburgh’s sports addiction, while documenting local community sports and lesser-known athletes as well. Open daily. U ST. ANTHONY’S CHAPEL. 1700 Harpster St., Troy Hill. 412-323-9504 or www.saint anthonyschapel.org. This often-overlooked gem features 5,000 relics of Catholic saints, including complete skulls. A nearby gift shop/museum features the thrown-away crutches of those said to have been healed here. Open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons. Q

DESIGN MEDIA ARTS FASHION CULINARY Schedule an appointment to learn more about our programs.

Toll-Free: 800.275.2470

420 Boulevard of the Allies Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1301 Web: ArtInstitutes.edu/Pittsburgh See aiprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees, and other costs, median debt, federal salary data, alumni success, and other important info.

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Center for Postnatural History {Photo BY chris potter} NATIONALITY ROOMS. University of Pittsburgh, Oakland. 412-624-6000 or www.pitt.edu/~natrooms. Scattered around the lower floors of Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning, these 27 rooms are decorated in various ethnic motifs, helping to tell the story of Pittsburgh’s immigrant past and present. Tours available daily. S PHIPPS CONSERVATORY & BOTANICAL GARDEN. 1 Schenley Park, Oakland.

412-622-6914 or www.phipps.conservatory. org. This 14-room greenhouse — much of it built in the Victorian style — features exotic plants from around the world in themed rooms. The orchid collection alone is worth the price of admission, and an Indian rainforest exhibit is new. Long a champion of sustainability, Phipps’ recently opened Center for Sustainable Landscapes is a model of green building. Open daily. S

SAINT NICHOLAS CHURCH. 24 Maryland Ave., Millvale. 412-821-3438 or www.stnicholascroatian.com. This Croatian Catholic church is best known for the Depression-era murals painted by Maxo Vanka. These searing paintings — showing angels in gas masks, Christ being pierced by the bayonet of a modern soldier and the martyrdom of coal miners — are treated in a Mexican muralist style, expressing both faith and anger. M TRUNDLE MANOR. 7724 Juniata St., Swissvale. 412-916-5544 or www. trundlemanor.com. Trundle Manor is a self-conscious, and self-styled, offbeat shrine to roadside culture with a steampunk bent. On display are taxidermied animals, uncomfortable-looking medical devices and other oddball collectibles.

Reservations required. O

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ACTORS CIVIC THEATER. Father Ryan Arts Center, 420 Chartiers St., McKees Rocks.

412-771-3052 or www.actorscivictheater. com. In residence at the multipurpose Father Ryan Arts Center in McKees Rocks, this company generally presents established fare, including Agnes of God and Our Town. P AMISH MONKEYS. Gemini Theater, 7501 Penn Ave., Point Breeze. 412-243-5201 or www.amishmonkeys.com. Long-running improv sketch-comedy troupe, performing monthly and at special events. S

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APPLE HILL PLAYHOUSE. 275 Manor Road, Delmont. 724-468-5050 or www. applehillplayhouse.org. A communitybased theater staging time-tested work — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is coming in August — Apple Hill also produces family shows through its Johnny Appleseed Children’s Theater. O

ATTACK THEATRE. 2425 Liberty Ave., Strip District. 412-281-3305 or www. attacktheatre.com. This dance troupe is known for multidisciplinary works incorporating original live music and collaborations with other local arts organizations, in both conventional theaters and borrowed spaces.

AUGUST WILSON CENTER FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE. 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 412-258-2700 or www.augustwilsoncenter.org.

Downtown’s newest big arts venue opened in late 2009. Though named for the Pittsburgh-born Pulitzer-winning Fences playwright, the Center hosts more than plays. It presents everything from its own dance troupe to internationally known dance companies and spoken-word artists.

It also houses a permanent exhibit on African-American life in Pittsburgh. U

BAREBONES PRODUCTIONS. www.barebonesproductions.com.

Adventuresome and highly regarded theater company whose name says it all: edgy, stripped-down dramas, lately in residence at the venerable New Hazlett Theater.

BODIOGRAPHY CONTEMPORARY BALLET. 412-521-6094 or www. bodiographycbc.com. Established moderndance company performing original and repertory works, often performed at the Byham Theater Downtown.

BRICOLAGE. 937 Liberty Ave., Downtown.

412-381-6999 or www.bricolagepgh.org. A resourceful company known for new and original work. Its Midnight Radio series offers original and classic “radio” dramas, performed live and complete with sound effects produced live. U CITY THEATRE. 1300 Bingham St., South Side. 412-431-CITY or www. citytheatrecompany.org. City stages contemporary work, including regular world premieres by talents like Adam Rapp and Jeffrey Hatcher, in a converted church. Smaller shows run in an adjoining black-box space. R CONSERVATORY DANCE COMPANY. Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave., Oakland. 412-392-8000 or www.pittsburgh playhouse.com. Via Point Park University’s nationally recognized dance program, student dancers move to classics and newer work in modern, contemporary and more. S CONSERVATORY THEATRE COMPANY. Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave., Oakland. 412-392-8000 or www. pittsburghplayhouse.com. The student company of Point Park University, with its noted performing-arts program, stages professional-level productions of classics, contemporary work and the occasional world premiere. S

Screen stars

Standouts in the local movie scene THE ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM. 117 Sandusky St., North Side. 412-237-8300 or www.warhol.org. In addition to its permanent exhibits, the museum screens Warhol’s pioneering films and videos daily in its small auditorium, plus special showings of cult films, rarities, contemporary avant-garde work and art films. Q

through Tuesday: classics, cult films, new independents and kiddie flicks. N

host the popular annual Three Rivers Film Festival. Su

J-FILM. www.jfilmpgh.org. American and international films depicting Jewish themes and experiences are screened for more than two weeks each spring at several local theaters.

CARNEGIE MELLON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. Carnegie Mellon University, Oakland. www.cmu.edu/faces.

This annual spring event, held over a couple of weeks, screens contemporary foreign films on a chosen theme, usually related to human-rights issues like immigration and the struggle for democracy. S

MANOR THEATRE. 1729 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-422-7729 or www. cinemagic.com. This local institution is newly renovated, with bar/café and digital projection. It’s a four-screen neighborhood movie theater showing first-run, foreign and independent fare. S

PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL LESBIAN AND GAY FILM FESTIVAL. 412-422-6776 or www.pilgff.org. This quarter-century-old film festival screens domestic and international gay-themed movies at several local theaters during a 10-day stretch each October. The society also hosts special screenings throughout the year.

CINEMA IN THE PARK. 412-422-6426 or www.citiparks.net. During the summer, free family-oriented movies are screened outdoors at several city parks.

FILM KITCHEN. 412-681-5449 x231. A long-running monthly series for local and independent film and video, this event is held on the second Tuesday of each month at Pittsburgh’s Filmmakers’ Melwood Screening Room (see below).

Each event typically features short works by two or more artists. S HOLLYWOOD THEATER. 1449 Potomac Ave., Dormont. 412-563-0368. This rehabbed (and spacious) single-screen theater runs extensive programming Friday

OAKS THEATER. 310 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont. 412-828-6311 or www.theoakstheater.com. A 1950s-era single-screen neighborhood theater, with lots of charm; shows first-run films, plus the cult-film series Moonlit Matinees on weekends during the summer. o PITTSBURGH FILMMAKERS. 412-6815449 or www.pghfilmmakers.org. Begun in the ’70s as an artists’ co-op, Filmmakers has grown into not only a resource for local artists but also an accredited film school as well as the region’s main outlet for foreign-language and arthouse cinema.

Its three venues — Downtown’s Harris Theater (809 Liberty Ave.), Oakland’s Melwood Screening Room (477 Melwood Ave.) and Edgewood’s Regent Square Theater (1035 S. Braddock Ave.) — also

weekly night of improv-comedy games, though the series goes on hiatus during the summer. S

THREE RIVERS FILM FESTIVAL. 412-682-4111 or theaters.pittsburgharts. org. For two weeks each November, Pittsburgh Filmmakers offers the area’s largest showcase for independent and foreign-language films that have yet to screen in town, with a few restored classics mixed in. Most films screen at the group’s Harris, Regent Square and Melwood theaters.

DAVID SEDARIS

KNOTDANCE. 954-266-7770 or www. knotdance.com. Maddi Landy’s edgy “people-empowered movement” troupe, a favorite at big multi-genre events, is the only local company to regularly feature aerial work in its sets.

continues on pg. 50

SILK SCREEN FILM FESTIVAL. 724-969-2565 or www.silkscreenfestival. org. This two-week May festival offers contemporary films depicting Asian and Asian-American experiences; films screen at several area theaters.

AN EVENING WITH

GEMINI THEATER. 7501 Penn Ave., Point Breeze. 412-243-5201 or www. geminitheater.org. Community-based children’s theater company. S

CORNINGWORKS. 651-336-9219 or www.corningworks.org. Formerly of Dance Alloy, artistic director Beth Corning KUNTU REPERTORY THEATER. 4227 has established her own multidisciplinary Fifth Ave., Oakland. 412-624-7298 contemporary dance-theater company, or www.kuntu.org. This longwhose productions marry high running company, based at concept with frequent humor, see the University of Pittsburgh, typically at the New Hazlett. Q page 07 for specializes in works with a social conscience exploring DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY geographic and key the African-American TAMBURITZANS. Duquesne pittsburgh experience. S University, Uptown. 412-396-5185 map or www.duq.edu/tamburitzans.

Traditional Eastern European ethnic LITTLE LAKE THEATRE. 500 dance and music, in full costume, is Lakeside Drive, Canonsburg. 724the stock in trade of this venerable 745-6300 or www.littlelake.org. This touring troupe. well-regarded suburban theater produces challenging contemporary work as well EVOLVE PRODUCTIONS. 412-860-1628 as time-tested crowd-pleasers. It also or evolveproductions.blogspot.com. As its produces family shows through its name suggests, Evolve combines education Looking Glass Theatre. N with contemporary dance performance, offering student productions by “pre-proMCKEESPORT LITTLE THEATER. 1614 Coursin St., McKeesport. 412-673-1100 fessionals” alongside work by Continuum or www.mckeesportlittletheater.com.

Dance Theater, its professional company.

Community-based theater whose programming focuses on light, comic fare. N FRIDAY NITE IMPROVS. Studio Theater, Cathedral of Learning, Oakland. www. fnipgh.com. The audience both generates MICROSCOPIC OPERA COMPANY. the ideas and serves as performers in this www.microscopicopera.org. This company

RUSSIAN FILM SYMPOSIUM. www.rusfilm.pitt.edu. Now in its 13th year, this week-long examination of contemporary Russian cinema is copresented by the University of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Filmmakers each May. S

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BALD THEATRE CO. www.baldtheatre. org. This fledgling troupe’s early productions included the well-received Pittsburgh premiere of A New Brain, a musical by critically acclaimed Falsettos composer William Finn.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 49

curtain call, CONTINUED FROM PG. 49

PITTSBURGH PLAYWRIGHTS THEATRE CO. 937 Liberty Ave., Downtown. www. pghplaywrights.com. The brainchild of local playwright, producer and director Mark Clayton Southers specializes in local work both new and old, including a well-regarded annual offering of work by local hero August Wilson. Its Theater Festival in Black and White matches white playwrights with black directors and vice versa. U

focuses on short, fully staged contemporary chamber opera works by modern talents like Jake Heggie.

NEWMOVES CONTEMPORARY DANCE FESTIVAL. www.kelly-strayhorn. org. This multi-day festival, held in late spring at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, brings choreographers and dancers from around the city and the nation, and even from overseas. A related “emerging choreographers” program provides a glimpse of rising talent. S

PRIME STAGE THEATER. New Hazlett Theater, 6 Allegheny Square, North Side.

412-394-3356 or www.primestage.com.

Pittsburgh’s top theater company targeting a young-adult audience does full professional productions of textbook standards like Antigone as well as stage adaptations of high-school classics like The Great Gatsby. Q

NO NAME PLAYERS. www.noname players.org. The theater troupe run by actors Don DiGuilio and Tressa Glover stages challenging contemporary work by playwrights like David Lindsay-Abaire and Neil LaBute.

OPERA THEATER OF PITTSBURGH. 412-621-1499 or www.otsummerfest. org. Pittsburgh’s modern music-drama company (distinct from the Pittsburgh Opera) mixes fresh retellings — including children’s adaptations — of established work by Mozart and others with specially commissioned work. The group’s new, summer-only festival-style presentation launches in 2012. Performances at Fox Chapel’s Hillman Center for Performing Arts. M PILLOW PROJECT. 214 Lexington St., Point Breeze. 412-225-9269 or www. pillowproject.org. Performer and choreographer Pearlann Porter combines dance, visual art and music in innovative ways. Its more informal but still multimedia Second Saturdays series is staged in a renovated space above a used-construction-supplies outlet. S

Pitt Rep’s 2012 The Gammage Product {Photo BY HEATHER MULL} PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATER. Benedum Center, 719 Liberty Ave., Downtown.

412-281-0360 or www.pbt.org. Venerable company stages the classics alongside contemporary and even world-premiere work, and brings out the crowds — especially with its signature holidayseason production of The Nutcracker. U PITTSBURGH CIVIC LIGHT OPERA. Benedum Center, 719 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 412-456-6666 or www. pittsburghclo.org. Touring productions emphasize classics like the upcoming Annie, performed at the grand old Benedum Center. CLO Cabaret offers shows yearround in a more intimate setting. U PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST. 412456-6666 or www.pgharts.org. In the 1980s, this nonprofit spearheaded the

remake of Downtown’s Liberty-Penn corridor as a performing-arts destination.

Its real-estate holdings include numerous art venues. Working with groups like the Pittsburgh Dance Council, it also stages performances ranging from acrobatic troupes to nationally known comedians. Its periodic international showcases included this year’s Distinctively Dutch Festival. U PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S THEATER. 182 Allegheny Center Mall, North Side. www.pghkids.org.

The group hosts touring productions of popular shows and programs, and a slate of international troupes for its annual festival, held in May. Q PITTSBURGH IRISH & CLASSICAL THEATRE. 412-561-6000 or wwwpicttheatre. org. PICT consistently offers well-produced and challenging work from Shakespeare to Stoppard, including this year’s tribute to the decidedly not-Irish Anton Chekhov.

PITTSBURGH MUSICAL THEATER. 412-539-0900 or www.pittsburgh musicals.com. Broadway fare like Jesus Christ Superstar is the metiér of this group, which includes both a professional and a student company. Most shows are staged at the Byham. U

The NuTcracker December 7-30, 2012 Benedum Center Unwrap your Christmas gift early this year with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's VIP advance sale offer for The Nutcracker!

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50 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

PITTSBURGH OPERA. Benedum Center, 719 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 412-281-0912 or www.pittsburghopera.org. As befits one of the nation’s oldest opera companies, the focus is on the classics, but with contemporary work regularly mixed in, usually in the Benedum Center. U PITTSBURGH NEW WORKS FESTIVAL. 412-944-2639 or www.pittsburghnew works.org. This annual juried fall showcase for original one-act plays, matched with local talent for premiere productions, is a grab bag, but there are always some gems in the bunch.

PITTSBURGH PUBLIC THEATER. O’Reilly Theater, 621 Penn Ave., Downtown.

412-316-1600 or www.ppt.org. Pittsburgh’s most established professional theater company is housed in the O’Reilly Theater.

Artistic director Ted Pappas has a fondness for staging ancient Greek classics, but the Public focuses on contemporary work and American classics too. U PITTSBURGH SAVOYARDS. 412-734-8476 or www.pittsburghsavoyards.org. Named for London’s Savoy Theatre, this “semiprofessional” community-theater troupe celebrates the heritage of Gilbert & Sullivan — though you’ll also see work by Puccini and others.

QUANTUM THEATRE. 412-362-1713 or www.quantumtheatre.com. Under founder and artistic director Karla Boos, Quantum has made a career of staging adventuresome work in nontraditional spaces, from empty warehouses to the inside of an old public pool. The repertory includes re-imagined classics, avant-garde originals and world premieres.

RAGE OF THE STAGE PLAYERS. 724292-8427 or www.facebook.com/rageof thestage. Fairy tales, gothic literature and various nightmares are the source material for this grassroots troupe specializing in the macabre.

RED MASQUERS. Duquesne University, Uptown. 412-396-6215. The city’s oldest amateur theater company, based at Duquesne, stages a mix of classics and originals. U THE REP. Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave., Oakland. 412-621-4445 or www. pittsburghplayhouse.com. The professional theater company of Point Park University stages a well-produced blend of new and classic work, including world premieres. S SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKS. 412404-8531 or www.pittsburghshakespeare. com. This grassroots troupe annually mounts a free outdoor production of work by the Bard; this year’s September production is The Tempest.

SOUTH PARK THEATRE. Corrigan Drive at Brownsville Road, Bethel Park. 412831-8552 or www.southparktheatre.com.

Community-based company does everything from light musicals to Proof.

Children’s work is staged via the South Park Children’s Theatre. N STAYCEE PEARL DANCE PROJECT. www.staycee.com. This newer contemporary dance company recently made its mark with Octavia, an original work inspired by the life and writings of science-fiction author Octavia Butler.

STAGE 62. Andrew Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie. 412-429-6262 or www.stage62. com. Audience-pleasers like Sweeney Todd are staged by this community nonprofit theater group founded in 1962. N STAGE RIGHT PLAYERS. Boyd Community Center, Fox Chapel. 412-828-8566 or www. stagerightboyd.org. Community-theater group stages established plays, with new works by local playwrights sprinkled in. M STEEL CITY IMPROV THEATER. 808 Tripoli St., North Side. 412-322-8100 or www.steelcityimprov.com. Three nights a

week, Pittsburgh’s only venue specializing in improv comedy hosts a variety of troupes devoted to turning the barest of suggestions into laughs, including troupes that improvise entire stage musicals. Q THE SUMMER COMPANY. Uptown. www. facebook.com/TheSummerCompany. New and contemporary works season a diet of the classics (O’Neill, Shaw, Shakespeare) for this Duquesne University-based seasonal outlet for local theater pros. U TERRA NOVA THEATRE. www.terranova theatregroup.org. The company mixes wellregarded contemporary works like Lettice & Lovage with plays by local playwrights, and boosts the local scene with a reading series for unproduced plays.

THEATRE FACTORY. Cavitt Avenue and Third Street, Trafford. 412-374-9200 or www.thetheatrefactory.com. This semiprofessional company specializes in musicals; its current season features a stage production of Xanadu. O THROUGHLINE THEATRE CO. www. throughline.org. The company focuses on classics like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Othello, but also features contemporary work including the upcoming August: Osage County.

UMOJA AFRICAN ARTS COMPANY. 601 Wood St., Downtown. 412-471-1121 or www.umojacompany.org. Traditional drumming and dance are what this company, a favorite at local festivals, is best known for — along with an annual summer arts & crafts-and-performance weekend.

UNDERCROFT OPERA. 412-422-7919 or www.undercroftopera.org. This small outfit uses volunteer singers and musicians, but its productions have been critically lauded. Its summer 2012 offering is Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah.

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH REPERTORY THEATRE. Stephen Foster Memorial, Oakland. 412-624-PLAY or www. play.pitt.edu. The professional company run by Pitt’s respected drama department, cast with both students and pros, stages an imaginative mix of classic works and contemporary plays. S UNSEAM’D SHAKESPEARE CO. Oakland. 412-621-0244 or www.unseamd. com. In its 19th year under founder and artistic director Laura Smiley, the troupe continues to specialize in adventurous reimaginings of the Bard, from a crossgendered, three-actor Macbeth to comedies staged Elizabethan-style — unrehearsed, scrolls in hand. S

by the book

Local lecture series and literary events CARNEGIE LIBRARY SUNDAY POETRY & READING SERIES. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. 412-622-3114 or www.clpgh. org. Local poets have their say in this free monthly series, held in the Carnegie’s landmark main branch. S CITY OF ASYLUM/PITTSBURGH. Sampsonia Way, North Side. www. cityofasylumpittsburgh.org. This group, founded to shelter writers persecuted in their home countries, regularly presents readings by acclaimed international poets and authors. Most are free, as is September’s annual Jazz Poetry event, which combines the two disciplines in an outdoor spectacle. Q HEMINGWAY’S SUMMER POETRY SERIES. Weekly all summer, the longrunning series offers an array of Pittsburgh’s best poets in a fitting location — the back of Hemingway’s Forbes Avenue hangout near Pitt’s Oakland campus. Admission is free. S LITERARY EVENINGS. Carnegie Music Hall, 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland.

412-622-8866 or www.pittsbugh lectures.org. This series hosts names like The Perfect Storm author Sebastian Junger and Pulitzer-winning novelist Jeffrey Eugenides. Presenter Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures also runs Black, White & Red All Over, a popular series for children’s and young-adult authors. S MYSTERY LOVERS BOOKSHOP. 514 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont.

412-828-4877 or www.mysterylovers. com. Among indie bookstores, this nationally known specialist in detective fare lures authors to readings and signings, including best-selling names like Sue Grafton. O

PITTSBURGH CONTEMPORARY WRITERS SERIES. Frick Fine Arts Building, Oakland. 412-624-6508 or www.pghwritersseries.wordpress.com.

Nationally known poets and writers of fiction and nonfiction alike are showcased at this free University of Pittsburgh series, active spring and fall. S PITTSBURGH SPEAKERS SERIES. 412-392-4900 or www.pittsburgh speakersseries.org. Nobel laureates, Pulitzer-winners and other luminaries are common at this Robert Morris University-sponsored series: The new season opens in October with Bill Clinton.

But tickets are by subscription only. U THE NEW YINZER PRESENTS. ModernFormations Gallery, 412-3620274 or www.tnypresents.blogspot.com.

This once-upstart online literary mag is now virtually an institution itself, and its monthly series features local poetry and fiction talents, plus some visiting writers.

Admission is free if you contribute to the pot-luck meal. S STEEL CITY POETRY SLAM. 5972 Baum Blvd., East Liberty. 412-362-8277 or www.steelcityslam.tumblr.com.

Pittsburgh’s nationally competitive slam community gathers on the third Tuesday of every month, with competitors facing off for a panel of judges at the always-groovy Shadow Lounge. S WRITERS LIVE. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. 412-622-3114 or www.clpgh. org. Well-known local writers join emerging and established talent — from Nathaniel Philbrick to Stewart O’Nan — at this intimate series held at the Carnegie Library, co-sponsored by Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures. S PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 51

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{PHOTO BY HEATHER MULL}

Pigs Feat: Breen Masciotra, executive director of the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse, holds a basket of plastic pig heads salvaged from a now-defunct dollmaker.

The Center sells such material to artists and crafters looking for unusual, and recycled, materials.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 53

Liberty Ave., 412-344-7444). Worth a visit, even if you do have to cross a river to get there. Also worth a visit: Big Idea Bookstore in Bloomfield (412-687-4323), which features lefty texts and zines, recently added a café suitable for plotting the revolution, at 4812 Liberty Ave. Call ahead before visiting: Store hours, like the tactics of the Occupy movement, are subject to change. For the graphic-novel set, there’s Copacetic Comics Company (3138 Dobson St., Polish Hill, 412-251-5451), with its expertly selected catalogue of indie work. Oakland’s Phantom of the Attic (406 S. Craig St., 412-621-1210) offers more of the superhero fare, albeit with indie faves and collectibles.

FASHION

Angelica Dull prepares a display at Jupe. {Photo BY renee rosensteel}

[this n’at]

shopping around a survey of the local retail scene

Between the national chains occupying abandoned steel-mill sites, and independent retailers taking the shade of Downtown office buildings, Pittsburgh’s retail scene is surprisingly varied — and always subject to change. The list below offers just some of the unique retailers that contribute to the urban scene. Not every one-of-a-kind retailer is listed below … but if you visit these retailers, you’ll find plenty of other notable shops just a few steps away.

Records and Music In the ever-changing music business, there is at least one constant: Jerry’s Records (2136 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill, 412-421-4533) is still Pittsburgh’s definitive source for vinyl, as even Rolling Stone agrees. The only other local enterprise that rivals Jerry’s pedigree is just north of city limits: The Attic (513 Grant Ave., Millvale, 412-821-8484) is a family-run store with similarly exhaustive stock and helpful staff.

But there are plenty of other locations vying for recognition as well. Sound Cat Records, in Bloomfield (4526 Liberty Ave., 412-621-3256), has taken the reins from the legendary Paul’s CDs as Pittsburgh’s definitive source for new music. Under the ownership of Karl Hendricks, a Pittsburgh legend in his own right, Sound Cat is pursuing new and used vinyl along with CDs. Another music outlet with a long history is 720 Music, Clothing and Café (4405 Butler St., Lawrenceville, 412-904-4592).

As the name suggests, it isn’t just a music store. Run by an informal collective of local DJs, it also sells hip-hop threads, hosts Wednesday-night jazz jams, and features a café whose indulgences include Sunday International Brunches. And at 54 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

Mind Cure Records (3138 Dobson St., Polish Hill, 412-621-1715) you’ll find something — a new indie-rock LP, a used reggae album or an obscure punk 7-inch — you can’t live without.

And if you want to make music rather than just listen to it? Pittsburgh Guitars (1305 E. Carson St., South Side, 412-4310700) is the old-school choice, having been around for more than three decades. But in recent years, it’s gained some company in the “fretted instrument” niche: Backstage Guitars focuses on boutique items (4123 Butler St., Lawrenceville, 412-235-7765). Meanwhile, Acoustic Music Works (2142 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill, 412- 422-0710) is the destination for roots instruments like mandolins, ukuleles and banjos. Just outside of town in Blawnox is Pianos n’ Stuff (468 Freeport Road, 412-828- 1003). It’s more “stuff” than pianos: Drums, guitars and other equipment rule the roost.

Townsend boasts a homey interior and reasonable prices; Caliban boasts of rare editions and collectibles, a magazine stand for the McSweeney’s set, and a small (but expertly curated) music operation as a sideline, Desolation Row Records. Blocks away is the University of Pittsburgh Book Center (4000 Fifth Ave., 412-648-1455), which, along with the textbooks, offers plenty of fiction and non-fiction to interest lifelong learners.

Traditionally, Pittsburgh’s best-known fashion spot has been Shadyside, in part because of its Ellsworth Avenue boutiques. Those of us on a printjournalist salary content ourselves with its two famed vintage stores: Eons (5850 Ellsworth Ave., 412-361-3368) and Hey Betty! (5890 Ellsworth Ave., 412-363-0999).

Vintage fans will also want to stop at Regent Square’s Ambience (1039 S. Braddock, 412-243-5523), where proceeds benefit the Bethlehem Haven women’s shelter. Nearby Squirrel Hill’s Avalon Exchange (5858 Forbes Ave., 412-421-2911) is a longtime vintage purveyor; and Littles Shoes (5850 Forbes Ave., 412-5213539) is not just a family shoe store but the kind of local landmark Pittsburghers have a habit of clinging to.

But while upscale rents have turned much of Shadyside over to chains, there has been plenty of boutique action taking root in Lawrenceville. That’s thanks in no small part to Sugar Boutique (3703 Butler St., 412-681-5100), where the emphasis is on independent designers, and shoes-and-accessories purveyor Pavement (3629 Butler St., 412-621-6400).

Steps away is Pageboy Salon and Boutique (3613 Butler St., 412-224-2294), with upcycled clothing and accessories by local and international designers alike. These established vendors have recently been joined by Panello Boutique (3703 Butler

Books As with music, book-retailing is another area where survival means being nimble.

Pittsburgh’s newest upstart retailer, Awesome Books, started with a one-room shop perched along Garfield’s emerging arts district (5111 Penn Ave., 412-3621574). It has since added a similarly small — and just as well-chosen — collection to Downtown (929 Liberty Ave.), enabling office workers to blow their lunch money on Palahniuk novels instead. Readings with authors are held at both locations.

Still, the first stop for bibliophiles remains Oakland, whose Craig Street retail district boasts both Caliban Books (410 S. Craig St., 412- 681-9111) and Townsend Booksellers (4612 Henry St., 412-682-8030).

Mojo, bookstore cat extraordinaire, lords over the discerningly collected stock of used books at Awesome Books. {Photo BY renee rosensteel} City Books (1111 E. Carson St., South Side, 412-481-7555) is Pittsburgh’s quintessential used-book joint, with a spiral staircase to an airy second floor.

Eljay’s Used Books once perched nearby, but has relocated to Dormont (3233 W.

St., 412-621-2640), whose taste and commitment to reasonably-priced fashion have been imported from its sister shop in the South Side, Jupe Boutique (2306 E. Carson St., 412-432-7933).

Over on the Shadyside/East Liberty

border is Time Bomb Spot (200 S. Highland Ave., 412-661-2233) your place for oversized T-shirts, in-your-face graphics — and, of course, Wiz Khalifa “Black and Yellow” towels.

The South Side hosts its own roster of fashion boutiques, which hold their own against the incursion of bars. At one end of its business district is Luxx and Locks (1003 E. Carson St., 404-934-0971), with a smallbut-serious vintage collection along with hair-styling services. At the other end is the aforementioned Jupe, along with designerdenim purveyor Pittsburgh Jeans Company (2222 E. Carson St., 412-381-5326). A more patchouli-inflected take on fashion can be found in the heart of the district, at the Culture Shop at 1602 E. Carson (412-481-8284).

tangible influx of Spanish-speakers.

Brookline’s Las Palmas offers a carniceria (700 Brookline Blvd., Brookline, 412- 3885090) that is renowned, in large part because of its Saturday taco special. (Las Palmas also has an Oakland location with streetside taco service, at 326 Atwood St., 412-682-1115). Beechview’s Broadway Avenue business district has been enhanced by the Crested Duck Charcuterie (1603 Broadway Ave., 412-892-9983) and its ample selection of smoked meat and cheeses.

And where can vegans and vegetarians find their provender? There’s a Whole Foods in East Liberty, of course (5880 Centre Ave., 412-441-7960). But the old-school choice remains the venerable East End Food Co-Op (7516 Meade St., Point Breeze, 412-242-3598), with a great

MAKESHOP

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Even the cute is super-sized at Kawaii Gifts, in Shadyside. {Photo BY brian kaldorf} As for men? Shadyside offers designer merchandise at Moda (5401 Walnut St., 412-681-8640); and Squirrel Hill boasts The Garage at Charles Spiegel (5841 Forbes Ave., 412-421-9311). Downtown, meanwhile, caters to the white-collar office-tower set with high-end fashion purveyors like Kountz & Rider (One Oxford Center, 412-642-6600) and Heinz Healey’s (160 Fifth Ave., 412-281-5115).

SPECIALTY GROCERS A discussion of Pittsburgh’s foodie scene must begin — and could almost end — with a visit to the Strip District on Saturday morning. In addition to a variety of ethnic grocers, the Strip houses some of the city’s best-known institutions, like Wholey’s fish market (1711 Penn Ave., 412-391-3737 — trust us on this and try the sushi) and Parma Sausage (1734 Penn Ave., 412-3914238 — prepare to wait.) A must-stop is the Pittsburgh Public Market (Pittsburgh Produce Terminal, Smallman St. at 17th St.), a sort of Strip-within-the-Strip that features more than a score of local vendors, who together offer everything from organic pasta to handmade soaps —all under one roof.

The truly adventurous, meanwhile, may wish to visit Strip District Meats (2123 Penn Ave., 412-391-1762), where they can peruse a menu of exotic fare that includes alligator, antelope and cow brain.

But there is plenty to be found outside the Strip too. The city’s largest Indian grocer, for one, is located in Oakland: the spacious Bombay Food Market (4605 Centre Ave., 412-687-7100). The oft-overlooked South Hills, meanwhile, has been stepping up its own game, with the help of a

bulk-foods section, soup/salad bar and dining area.

BIKES AND SKATE SHOPS Despite the gradual expansion of bike lanes and “sharrows,” it might be too soon to call Pittsburgh “bike-friendly.” But there are plenty of places to go for twowheeled expertise. From the outside, South Side’s Thick Bikes (62 S. 15th St., 412-3903590), is easy to walk past — but inside, the sight of bikes hanging everywhere is hard for an enthusiastic bicyclist to walk away from. Responsive service makes it a favorite of City Paper readers. East Liberty, meanwhile, boasts two bike shops within walking distance: Trek (5957 Penn Circle South, 412362-TREK) has been joined by Performance Bicycle (6375 Penn Ave., 412-661-0729).

As for bike repair, every cyclist seems to agree that there’s nothing like Kraynick’s in Garfield (5003 Penn Ave., 412-361-0888).

Owner Jerry Kraynick is as knowledgeable as they come — and as much a part of the biking landscape as our breathtaking hills.

What if you don’t have the wherewithal to buy — or maintain — even a basic 10-speed? Check out FreeRide (freeridepgh.org), which refurbishes bikes for low-income customers — and holds bike-maintenance classes for anyone willing to learn.

As for you skaters? In last year’s “Best of Pittsburgh” polling, City Paper readers endorsed the South Side’s OneUp Skate Shop (1409 E. Carson St., 412-432-7007), though almost as popular is Plank Eye Board Shop in otherwise-sleepy Bellevue (11 Sheridan Ave., 412-499-3555). continues on pg. 56

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shopping around, CONTINUED FROM PG. 55

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720 Music serves up a delightful mix of sandwiches, beverages, clothing, vinyl and tasty tunes. Zack Curl spins records in the background. {Photo BY renee rosensteel}

JUST FOR FUN The whimsical toys, home furnishings and other bric-a-brac at Who New? Retro-Mod Décor (5156 Butler St., Lawrenceville, 412-781-0588) will astound you with the taste of previous generations — until you see a reminder of your own childhood home. Similar lost-childhood thrills can be obtained — along with any number of Star Wars action figures, at South Side’s Groovy (1304 E. Carson St., 412-381-8010). Just across the street is Slacker (1321 E. Carson St., 412-381-3911), whose edgy reading selection, posters, pagan-inflected jewelry and urban fashion remains a touchstone for the counterculture set.

S.W. Randall Toyes and Gifts has a handful of locations in the East End, all of which inspire nostalgia in adults while instilling avarice in children. The Downtown location (630 Smithfield St., 412-562-9252) houses dolls, trains and other collectibles on the upper floors. Hobbyists may also want to cross the city line for A.B. Charles & Son (1635 McFarland Road, Mount Lebanon, 412-561-3068), a hobbyist mecca housed in a former hardware store. Pittsburgh’s crafting scene relies heavily on two fairs: the traveling I Made It! Market events (imadeitmarket.com), and Handmade Arcade (www.handmadearcade.com) — which has grown large enough to require exhibition space in the city’s convention center.

In the meantime, drop by Lawrenceville’s Wildcard (4209 Butler St., 4122424-2651), which is chock full of handmade cards and craft items, many made by locals.

Nor is that your only Lawrenceville option for handmade cards and quirky gifts: Within

walking distance is Divertido (3701 Butler St., 412-687-3701), which offers a mélange of art books, handmade cards and toys.

And while Shadyside’s Walnut Street is mostly the preserve of high-end retail chains, you can find offbeat merchandise in between. Longtime fixture Shadyside Variety (5421 Walnut St., 412-681-1716) offers games, novelty items, toys — as close as Walnut will ever get to having a five-and-dime. Kards Unlimited (5522 Walnut St., 412-622-0500) houses calendars, novelty T-shirts and, yes, cards.

Kawaii Gifts (5413 Walnut St., 412-6872480) is sure to satisfy kids with a jones for Japanese culture.

Looking for something a bit more dignified than a Hello Kitty pencil set?

J.R. Weldin Co. (415 Wood St., 412-2810123) is a Downtown stationery store and landmark — the perfect place to buy that Administrative Assistant’s Day gift. The sensitive lefty on your gift list, meanwhile, will appreciate a present from Ten Thousand Villages (5824 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill, 412-421-2160), where the emphasis is on fair-trade items.

And for the environmentally conscious crafter on your gift list, we’ll suggest the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse (214 N. Lexington St., Point Breeze 412-473-0100), located at Construction Junction — itself a recycling venture for the home-improvement set. The center promotes conservation and creativity through classes, and by selling unusual cast-off items for use in art and crafts projects. Among the items recently advertised, for example: a stringless ukulele, a broken toy bouzouki, and 1960s-vintage issues of LIFE magazine.

Henry is looking for a loving family.

Pennsylvania battle: The Steelers confront state rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. {Photo BY heather mull}

[this n’at]

He is sweet-natured, energetic and gets along with kids.

ON THE BALL

(That’s Henry on the right.)

DESPITE THE OCCASIONAL HEARTACHE, LOCAL SPORTS FANS HAVE A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO

Here’s a pro tip: This may be the year to climb aboard the Pittsburgh Pirates bandwagon (www.pittsburgh.pirates. mlb.com).

As this issue went to press, they were flirting with a .500 season and actual respectability.

We’ve been disappointed before — for more than two decades running, actually — but with a roster of young talent, this may be your last chance to follow these guys before everyone else does.

Besides, there’s been heartache aplenty for fans of the city’s two other big teams: The Pittsburgh Steelers (www.steelers.com) and the Penguins (www.penguins.nhl.com) both suffered ignominious defeat in the playoffs this year … though hope springs anew with every offensive lineman the Steelers acquire in the draft. Even college sports has been a bit of a letdown. Over the past year, Pittsburgh’s collegiate standardbearer, the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, have known disappointment both on and off the field. Full schedules for football, basketball and other programs are at www.pittsburghpanthers.com, though you might suffer a little less keenly by following Robert Morris University (www.rmucolonials.com) and Duquesne University (www.goduquesne.com), where expectations remain more modest.

Can’t wait until fall for gridiron action? The city also hosts an indoorfootball franchise, the Pittsburgh Power (pittsburghpowerfootball.com), whose regular season lasts from March through July. The team, which plays at Consol Energy Center, has plenty in the way of sports nostalgia: Former Steelers receiving great Lynn Swann is an owner, and its new offensive coordinator is … one-time Steelers QB Mike Tomczak. There’s also the other football: The city’s pro-soccer team, the Riverhounds (www.riverhounds.com), plays from April to August, with tickets costing less than $10. (This summer looks to be the team’s last at Chartiers Valley High School: A 3,500-seat stadium at Station Square is slated for completion this fall.)

And as if to prove that rabid fandom knows no gender, Pittsburgh also has two women’s football teams: the Pittsburgh

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Passion (www.pittsburghpassion.com), who play in the South Side’s Cupples Stadium, and the Pittsburgh Force (pittsburghforce. net), whose new home this year is Munhall’s Campbell Athletic Fields. Both teams’ seasons run from April to June, and while they play in different leagues, the Passion has bragging rights: They beat the Force 66-0 earlier this year. In other grrl-powered action, Pittsburgh’s Steel City Derby Demons (www.steelcityderbydemons.com) are off to a strong start — 8-3 as of this writing — in roller derby. Catch them through October at Glenshaw’s Romp N’ Roll Skating Rink.

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Steel City Derby Demons {Photo BY heather mull} Racing fans can check out the Lernerville Speedway (www.lernerville. com), 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, for summer stock-car action … and the occasional school-bus race.

Of course, you could always get off the bleachers and take part in some fun and games yourself. Cyclists should check in at Bike Pittsburgh (www.bike-pgh.org) for information about local cycling routes, and news concerning bike advocacy. And the Aug. 5 Pedal Pittsburgh event promises to be one of the largest mass rides in the state, with seven miles of car-free cycling through the heart of the city. The Pittsburgh Sports League (www.pump.org) organizes league play in everything from Dek hockey to dodgeball, and Venture Outdoors (www. ventureoutdoors.org) offers any number of ways to get active. Excursions in and around the city include kayaking and rock-climbing … where the ups and downs may be gentler than those experienced watching the game on your TV.

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Is everything over the Internet?

No! PA Cyber offers hundreds of field trips, family social outings, tutoring, and arts and other enrichment classes at Educational Support Centers and Satellite Offices in Pittsburgh and around the state. At most of these locations, students can come in daily for academic reinforcement through the innovative Building Blocks program for early childhood, and the Clicks and Bricks program providing a safe, monitored learning environment for children in grades 5-12.

What is Building Blocks?

Building Blocks Learning Centers provide a flexible-attendance classroom environment with a state-certified elementary teacher for children enrolled in PA Cyber for age 5 Kindergarten. Building Blocks is a free supplemental education program providing reinforcement to Little Lincoln curriculum lessons in math, reading, social studies, science, art and music.

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Wiz Khalifa could just as easily be known for his hit “Blue and Silver.”

Pittsburgh’s official colors — and those of its sports teams — have been black and gold since an 1899 ordinance establishing the city’s colors. The city seal is borrowed from the coat of arms used by the English leader William Pitt, whom Pittsburgh is named after, and whose coat of arms featured a black shield with three gold coins. But according to the rules of heraldry, Pittsburgh’s colors probably should have been silver and blue — the colors in a checkerboard stripe across Pitt’s crest and the city seal alike.

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You’re never far from a bridge — or three — in Pittsburgh. {Photo BY heather mull}

[this n’at]

test your metal astound your friends with your knowledge of steel city trivia!

One of the things that sets Pittsburgh apart is … its desire to set itself apart. Pittsburghers take an almost inordinate pride in their own quirkiness, the things that make them unlike any other city. And we’re not just talking Super Bowl victories.

People around here have been known to wax lyrical about the freestanding toilets often found in local basements (more about which in a moment). So if you want to impress your friends with your own local cred, here are some factoids you can drop over the next round of locally sourced beer.

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“Pittsburghese” is real, though maybe not as real as you think.

Strongly associated with working-class whites, Pittsburghese is a variant of what linguists call the “Midland dialect” — the major symptom is a flattening of “ow” sounds into “ah” — infused with vocabulary handed down from early Scots-Irish settlers. Their legacy lives on in the “h” at the end of Pittsburgh — that’s how they roll in Scotland — and words like “yinz” (the Pittsburgh “y’all”) and “nebby” (a synonym for “nosey”) Also, the insult “jagoff”? It doesn’t mean what you think it means. It, too, is borrowed from Scotland, where “jag” means to poke or irritate.

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The “Pittsburgh crapper.” In a lot of older homes, you’ll find a distinctive amenity: a toilet — often standing alone, without attached sink — in the basement.

Popular local myth has it that facilities

were used by steelworkers who didn’t want to dirty up the whole house after work. But actually, such toilets were not uncommon for working-class homes in a lot of older cities: As cities began expanding water and sewer lines during the Industrial Revolution, the basement was the easiest place to retrofit the plumbing and tap into the system. One reason you still see the toilets in Pittsburgh homes is that housing stock here is still so old: More than half of it dates to before World War II.

worked in a South Side glasshouse — the glass industry was notorious for using child labor in those days — were killed.

But there’s never been a fatal accident on either of the two operating inclines, so don’t let that creaking sound alarm you.

Current events. Everyone knows this is the city of Three Rivers — the Monongahela, the Allegheny and the Ohio. Not everyone knows the story behind their names. “Monongahela” is a corruption of a Delaware Indian phrase that means “river of the sliding banks.”

The Ohio is named for an Iroquois word meaning “beautiful river.” Determining the source of the Allegheny’s name is trickier, though it most likely derives either from a Delaware phrase meaning “best river,” or to a people, the Allegewi Indians, said to have lived along it. (You may also hear of a “fourth river,” but don’t be fooled: It’s just a layer of porous, waterretaining stone that underlies much of the city, and that roughly follows the course of the Allegheny.)

Bragging rights. A list of innovations created in Pittsburgh, or by Pittsburgers, would include: aluminum beer cans with pull tabs (thanks, Alcoa and Iron City brewing!); the Ferris Wheel (good work, North Sider George Ferris!); Jehovah’s Witnesses (God bless you, North Side-born Charles Taze Russell!); the Mr. Yuk symbol (thanks, Children’s Hospital!); the polio vaccine (way to go, Jonas Salk!); and the weekend (huzzah to George Westinghouse, who first gave his factory workers Saturdays off in 1881).

The most famous advertising tagline in local history, “57 Varieties,” is a lie, and always was. Oh sure, Pittsburgher H.J. Heinz knew something about ketchup. (In fact, it turns out Heinz Ketchup is the best ketchup that can possibly exist: Back in 2004, New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell proved it, by using science.) But Heinz also knew about marketing. And back in the 1890s, he thought it would be effective to specify the number of products supposedly made in his North Side plant. He picked the number 57 not because it was accurate — even then, Heinz made more than 60 products — but because it sounded good … or, as one biographer put it, for “occult reasons.”

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Yes, visitors, inclines sometimes do crash, though this was back in the days — the late 19th and early 20th century — when there were a lot more of them.

Pittsburgh had more than a dozen inclines around the city at that time … and on April 6, 1909, the cables tore loose from the St. Clair Incline, which connected the South Side to neighborhoods in the hills above. Two teen-agers, both of whom

Speaking of Pittsburgh color schemes … during a two-minute warning someday, you may find yourself wondering about the Steelers logo, with its yellow, red and blue starburst-like symbols. Those are what geometry nerds call “hypocycloids,” and were borrowed from the steel industry, which you may have heard was kind of a big deal around here at one time. US Steel came up with the logo in 1930s, and it was later adopted by the American Iron and Steel Institute. According to the institute, each color represented a main ingredient in steelmaking: red for iron ore, yellow for coal that heated the iron, and blue for scrap metal added to the mix.

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A throne of one’s own: the Pittsburgh Crapper {Photo BY heather mull}

How many bridges does Pittsburgh have? The answer, according to a 2006 book by a University of Pittsburgh professor, is 446. Of course, we also lead the nation in under-maintained bridges, according to some reckonings. But on the bright side, fewer than one in three bridges is structurally deficient, so your odds are actually still pretty good!

Pittsburghers who are better than you. Favorite sons and daughters of Pittsburgh include: writer Gertrude Stein; composer Stephen Foster; artist Andy Warhol (duh); novelist Willa Cather; modern-dance pioneer Martha Graham; playwright August Wilson, author John Edgar Wideman; film actors Michael Keaton and Jeff Goldblum; Frank Gorsham, the guy who played The Riddler in the campy Batman TV series; jazz legends including Billy Eckstine, Billy Strayhorn, Art Blakey, Earl “Fatha” Hines; pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino, and more damn athletes than you can shake a Terrible Towel at. Granted, most of these famous people left Pittsburgh to make their mark … but try not to read too much into that, OK?

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 59

Get Out of

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There is no better time than the summer, to escape from the city and treat yourself to the outdoors. Whether you are a day tripper, looking for a weekend getaway or a full blown vacation, these pages will help liberate you from your life in the city.

Brainstorm vacation ideas with this advertiser-sponsored section.

Cool Off in the Laurel Highlands!

There’s no better way to beat the summer heat than hitting the water, and the Laurel Highlands offers a boatload of ways to do it. One of the most popular: rafting the Youghiogheny River through Ohiopyle State Park.

The Class III and IV rapids of the Lower Yough attract thrill-seekers from near and far, making it one of the busiest sections of whitewater east of the Mississippi. Prefer a milder ride? The Middle Yough is ideal if you’re boating with young children or looking to do some fishing along the way.

Head to one of the excellent outfitters in the town of Ohiopyle to rent gear or hook up with experienced guides.

The Youghiogheny isn’t the only Whitewater River in the Laurel Highlands.

Whitewater paddlers will find plenty of hydraulics since a massive release valve in the Quemahoning Dam near Hollsopple seriously upped the cachet of the north-flowing Stonycreek River. The Stonycreek flows 46 miles across the Allegheny Plateau in southern Cambria County and northern Somerset County through the Stonycreek Canyon which offers 15 rapids in four miles — the longest set of continuous rapids in the eastern United States! This river has such a loyal fan base that it was voted Pennsylvania

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Kayakers, canoers, swimmers, body surfers and tubing enthusiasts can also play for free in Whitewater Park — Pennsylvania’s first set of artificial rapids. Whether you are learning about whitewater or are an experienced paddler, this is a great place to enjoy nature and the park’s activities. Located in the Stonycreek River, Whitewater Park is located along PA Route 403, three miles south of Johnstown and four miles north of Davidsville.

Kids of all ages love nothing more than a visit to Idlewild and SoakZone.

Nestled within the foothills of the Laurel Highlands, just outside of Ligonier, you’ll find Idlewild & SoakZone, named “Best Kids Park in the World!”

by Amusement Today and “Best Park for Families” by the National Amusement Park Historical Association.

The NEW Wowabunga Family Wave Pool has a whopping 280,600 gallons of water, it beats being at the seashore! Get there early to claim a chaise lounge on the “beach” or rent a private cabana. Ahoy kiddies ages 6-12. Captain Kidd’s Adventure Galley is a friendly pirates ship with six waterslides and spray hoses. There’s even a special area just for toddlers at Little Squirts. An adorable children’s pool with colorful safe plastic pipes that gently quirt water.

In the Laurel Highlands, you don’t have to spend a cent to enjoy some waterslide action. Meadow Run, a small stream that feeds into the Lower Yough, is famous for its natural waterslides. Look for the parking lot off Route 381 about a hundred yards south of Ohiopyle, follow the path at the back of the lot, and hop in the water!

For the latest information on fun summer happenings or to sign up for the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau’s fantastic summer sweepstakes, go to www.laurelhighlands.org.

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Out of Town

Charm Yourself in Washington County Picture the Southwestern Pennsylvania countryside: beautiful scenery & unmistakable charm. Add historic covered bridges surrounded by hundreds of distinctive vendors. Mix in beer, brats and bands… and you have the perfect weekend excursion! The Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency proudly invites you to a fun-filled getaway the third weekend in September.

Beginning Friday, September 14 - Sunday, September 16, the Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfest in downtown Canonsburg will include activities for the entire family — amusement rides and games for the kiddos, two continuous stages of live entertainment, authentic German cuisine and beer, as well as a wide variety of ethnic and American foods, crafts, merchant vendors, and so much more! The Street Stage will feature a mix of musical genres from oldies to country to top 40 hits.

The Beer Garden Stage will entertain you with oompas and polkas all weekend long, so bring your lederhosen and dancing shoes!

The PA Bavarian Oktoberfest was named by aol.com as one of the Top Ten Oktoberfest Celebrations in the nation — with tens of thousands of visitors joining the festivities. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.canonchamber.com, call the Greater Canonsburg Chamber of Commerce at 724-745-1812, or become a Facebook fan of the Oktoberfest, Ad_Final 6/19/12 10:39 AM Page 1 www.facebook.com/canonsburgoktoberfest!

62 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

Meanwhile, on Saturday, September 15 & Sunday, September 16, the Washington and Greene Counties’ 42nd Annual Covered Bridge Festival will be celebrating the area’s rich heritage at ten separate covered bridge sites. Each location offers an array of activities including hand-made arts & crafts, home-style foods, historical re-enactments, crafting demonstrations and delightful entertainment. There will be around 400 vendors in all; admission and parking are free. The Covered Bridge Festival is a great way to enjoy the beginning of the Autumn season and, just like the bridges themselves, the festival keeps getting better with time. To receive a free brochure that describes the particulars of each festival site — as well as a complimentary 2012 Washington County Official Visitors Guide — please log on to www.VisitWashingtonCountyPA.com, download our mobile app, or call the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency at 1-866-927-4969.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 63

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Out of Town

Relax, Rewind, Refresh at Lake Erie Wine Country Experience Lake Erie Wine Country, formerly known as the Chautauqua Lake Erie Wine Trail, located on the southern shore of beautiful Lake Erie in both Pennsylvania and New York. Here you’ll step back in time as you explore the wineries, villages and beaches that are nestled among green rolling hills in the midst of 30,000 contiguous acres of luscious, fragrant grape vineyards.

Lake Erie Wine Country begins in the quaint village of North East, Pennsylvania and continues eastward for over 40 miles to the town of Silver Creek, New York. With only a handful of stop lights from beginning to end, your drive through Wine Country will transport you to bygone era, where people are friendly, and sleepy, old-world towns are calm and inviting.

Along the way you’ll enjoy visiting at any or all of our 23 wineries to sip, swirl and savor the true taste of our region. At our small, relaxed, boutique wineries, you are sometimes greeted by a friendly dog or cat and winemakers are often available to chat. Wineries are open seven days a week and most offer summer entertainment, classes, vineyard walks or winemaker's dinners throughout the year. Check the Events page at www.lakeeriewinecountry.org for a calendar of events. We also feature two major Wine Festivals: America's Grape Country Wine Festival which takes place August 13th-14th at the Chautauqua County Fairgrounds, 1089 Central Avenue, Dunkirk, NY 14048-3420. This year's festival features The Guess Who and Sean Patrick McGraw. Website: www.agcwinefestival.com.

Our Pennsylvania wineries will also participate in the 31st Annual Wine Country Harvest Festival in the town of North East, PA, September 28-30, 2012. This event is a chance for the region to showcase its grape-

growing industry, heritage and fine wines. Although it started as a small affair, Wine Fest has grown into one of the region's largest and most loved festivals. You will find 9 wineries in the wine tent (80 x 100 in size) this year, serving more than 40 varieties of wine. Dance to some of the region's best music and browse through the fine arts and crafts. You might even try your skill as a grape stomper – a festival tradition. For more information: www.nechamber.org/events/wine_fest/.

Refine your Taste Buds at the North East Wine Festival Escape to beautiful and historic North East, Pennsylvania! The town of North East is situated just east of Erie, PA on the shores of Lake Erie — only 2 ½ hours from downtown Pittsburgh, and well within a tank of gas for anyone from the Pittsburgh area. North East boasts 9 wineries which are open year-round for tours and tasting. Our wineries are part of Lake Erie Wine Country, which is located in the largest grape-growing region east of the Rockies. The Trail covers 45 miles from Silver Creek, NY to North East, PA. Take a day, a weekend or a week to explore North East and the surrounding area known as America’s Grape Country. The small hamlet of North East is surrounded by lush, green rolling hills, thousands of acres of concord grapes, and to the north, the shores of Lake Erie. Visitors can enjoy the gorgeous landscape and the calming waters, and as a bonus, view some of the most beautiful sunsets on earth.

North East offers unique gift and antique shops, a gourmet pet treats shop, a framing and art gallery, a teacher’s supply store, and some hobby stores.

We also have a coffee-shop and many family-owned restaurants for your enjoyment. We are also home to the LakeShore Railway Museum, the Lake Erie Speedway and many other unique businesses. And don’t forget great, big, beautiful Lake Erie. Stop at the beach and enjoy the water and sun, or charter a boat and go fishing or exploring.

Take a day trip to North East and experience a sweet slice of America. In September, a drive through the 1000’s of acres of concord grapes surrounding North East will delight your senses as the sweet aroma permeates the air. Celebrate the fruits of the harvest at our 31st Annual WineFest in Gravel Pit Park on Route 20 and in both Gibson and Heard Parks downtown, September 28th-30th. Crafters, food, family entertainment and free shuttle services between the parks and all of our wineries await your discovery. Call the NE Chamber at (814) 725-4262 or visit www.nechamber.org for a full schedule of activities.

Let Fallingwater Inspire your Summer! “...change the way you see the world.”

— Travel+Leisure Magazine

fallingwater.org 64 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

Fallingwater, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most widely acclaimed works, was designed in 1935 for the family of Pittsburgh department store owner Edgar J. Kaufmann. Dramatically sited over a waterfall in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands, the house was named one of “12 landmarks that will change the way you see the world” by Travel + Leisure.

Open daily for tours except Wednesday from mid-March through the end of November. Also open Friday, Saturday and Sunday in December and the week between Christmas and New Year’s. House and grounds tours, lecture series and interactive programs available. Reservations or advance ticket purchase is essential. www.fallingwater.org.

September 28, 29, 30

The Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail is now...

Wine Country Harvest Brunch Grape Stomping Wine Tasting Free Winery Tours Free Shuttle Buses Bed Races 5k Run Children’s Area

23 distinctive wineries between Erie County, PA and Silver Creek, NY on the shore of Lake Erie

North East, PA

Over 20 Bands Including: Norman Nardini Pittsburgh’s Uncrowned King of Rock n’ Roll!

Bruce Johnston Quartet Jazz Fusion Duke Sherman Band Rockin’ Blues Tennessee Backporch Rock/Country/Motown/Classics Elvis Aaron Presley Jr The Actual Son of Elvis Aaron Presley!

See Website www.nechamber.org for Wine Tent Hours Friday 9/28

Relax, Rewind, Refresh Enjoy award-winning wines as you explore the largest grape-growing region east of the Rockies!

Wine tasting, tours, gift shops, exciting festivals & special events all summer long!

Saturday 9/29 Sunday 9/30

Gravel Pit Park Gibson Park & Heard Park Gravel Pit Park Gibson Park & Heard Park All Parks

3 pm to 10 pm 3 pm to 9 pm 10 am to 10 pm 10 am to 9 pm Noon to 6 pm

Gravel Pit Craft Marketplace ONLY Advanced Sale Ticket $4 * At the Gate $6 * Children under 11 FREE Wine Tasting Wristband Includes Admission, Commemorative Wine Glass & Unlimited Wine Samples Advanced Sale Ticket $20 * At the Gate $25 See our website for more details: www.nechamber.org

See a full events schedule on our new website. www.lakeeriewinecountry.org 1-877-326-6561 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 65

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Out of Town

Save the Date for the Westmoreland Fair!

Welcome to Ashtabula County…

Our Lake Awaits!

Save the date for the 58th annual Trib Total Media Westmoreland Fair, August 17-25th. Westmoreland Fair is among the best county fairs in Pennsylvania. We have a strong agricultural history and all of our agriculture exhibits prove it. Come to the fair and enjoy a fun filled week of demo derbies, truck pulls, bull ride mania, concerts, rides, livestock, great food and more.

Visit Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio’s 1st Summer Resort! Where the nostalgia of an old-fashioned Summer resort meets the fun of a lakefront getaway! www.VistGenevaontheLake.com.

General admission is only $7 and includes parking, amusement ride and admission to all commercial, agricultural and judging exhibits. For directions and a full list of events log onto westmorelandfair.com.

Experience Hospitality in Dutchman County Are you burned out and crispy? Want to forget about life for a while? In just under two hours, you can leave it all behind. Check into the beautiful Carlisle Inn Sugarcreek; enjoy a delicious Amish Kitchen Cooking dinner at Dutch Valley Restaurant; shop at Dutch Valley Gifts and The Coop, and top off your visit by seeing the new musical, The Confession, on the stage at Carlisle Inn Sugarcreek. Of course, we recommend you bring a cooler to stock up at our Dutch Valley Market before heading home!

We promise to share our Dutchman Hospitality, making it just a little easier to face the world again. www.carlisleinns.com.

Take your family to Adventure Zone, Geneva-on-the-Lake’s family entertainment center. Go Carts, Adventure Golf, Merry Go Round, bumper boats, batting cages, The wall, The rock, giant Adventure Krawl, & arcade. www.AdventureZoneFun.com.

Old Firehouse Winery, the only winery with a working Ferris Wheel!

Nightly Summertime live entertainment, renowned festivals, we specialize in groups. www.OldFirehouseWinery.com.

The Lakehouse Inn Winery, Spa and Crosswinds Grill. Situated on the shores of Lake Erie, enjoy a glass of wine, dine in our newly expanded Crosswinds Grille or take in a spa service at our new day spa. www.thelakehouseinn.com.

18 th Annual Vintage Ohio Wine Festival, Kirtland, Ohio, August 3-4,2012. Colorful tents, rolling hills, picnic tables, and groves of tall oaks provide a tranquil setting for Vintage Ohio, the premier food and wine event of the year. Twenty-One wineries, 150 vintages, a meet the winemaker pavilion for connoisseurs, top-notch cooking demonstrations, wine education sessions, gourmet food trucks, 3 live music stages, Friday Fireworks and much more! Advance tickets available for $25 at www.OhioWines.org or 800-227-6972.

A True Getaway…

Escape to the rolling hills of Amish Country to relax at our comfortable inn, enjoy hearty portions of real Amish Kitchen Cooking, and shop in our unique gift shops. Plan your visit with us and catch our new live theater production of Beverly Lewis’ The Confession.

Only 90 Minutes from Pittsburgh — Located on Old Route 39 • Sugarcreek, OH 44681 www.dutchmanhospitality.com 66 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

Geneva-on-the-Lake LIGHTHOUSES

WINERIES

BEACHES

MUSEUMS

Ohio’s First Summer Resort & Mile Long entertainment strip!

Stay a night or stay a week!

COVERED BRIDGES GREENWAY TR.

Make your lodging reservations early before your favorite accommodation is full!

Summer’s Short... Make the Most of It!

VisitGenevaontheLake.com 800.862. 9948

Visit

Lakehouse Inn & Winery

@ Geneva-on-the-Lake Enjoy a bottle of our wine overlooking Lake Erie, dine in our newly renovated restaurant & visit the NEW Spa….

The Spa @ Lakehouse Inn Massages, facials, pedicures and more! Reservations recommended. thelakehouseinn.com 440.466.8668

Adventure Zone

Geneva-on-the-Lake’s Beautiful Family Entertainment Center

Go carts • Adventure Golf Bumper Boats • The Wall Merry Go Round Batting Cages • Arcade Childrens’ Area & more.

440.466.3555 AdventureZoneFun.com

Old Firehouse Winery at Geneva-on-the-Lake The Great Lakes Largest Lakefront Winery & Restaurant, including a Ferris Wheel!

Our Lake Awaits Visit us on the web at...

Live Entertainment nightly in summer.

www.VisitAshtabulaCounty.com

800.UNCORK-1 OldFirehouseWinery.com

Access this code with your smart phone to link to our website

Enter to Win

“The Great Grape Give-Away”

Vintage Ohio Wine Festival

A package for two at The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake” by logging onto our website or mailing this form to the address below: Name:

Address:

City:

Email:

August 3rd and 4th, Kirtland Ohio

18th annual event with 21 wineries. Use code

ACCVB12 on advance sale tickets to receive $10 off the gate ticket price of $30

State:

Phone:

Zip:

PCP712-2

Great Grape Give-Away Entry

Ashtabula County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1850 Austinburg Rd., Austinburg, OH 44010

Drawing will be held on Oct. 1, 2012 Yes please send me my FREE travel packet.

800.227.6972 VisitVintageOhio.com

800.3.DROP-IN Follow us on...

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 67

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Out of Town

Enjoy the Outdoors in Oswego County Visitors and residents alike cherish the unspoiled natural beauty of Oswego County, NY on the southeastern shore of Lake Ontario. A six-hour drive from Pittsburgh, the area is perfect for a weekend get-away.

Thousands of anglers fish for trophy salmon and trout on the legendary Salmon and Oswego rivers and Great Lake Ontario, while the inland waters of Oneida Lake contain some of the top bass fishing waters in the nation. In fact, Oswego County waters claim 10 world and state record fish!

Whether you’re looking for an expert Great Lakes charter, a guided river trip, or pier fishing with the family, there are plenty of places to land the fish of your dreams. You’ll find up-to-date conditions and a complete list of charters, guides and marinas at http://visitoswegocounty.com/ fishing-hunting/.

Thousands of acres of public lands offer a variety of outdoor activities such as swimming, hiking, and cycling. Two of the most scenic parks are Salmon River Falls, with a spectacular 110-foot drop, and Sandy Island Beach State Park on Lake Ontario.

Oswego County has a fascinating and colorful heritage. The area was first settled by the Iroquois and was the site of military campaigns during the French and Indian, Revolutionary, and War of 1812 periods. More than 20 museums and historic sites throughout the county are dedicated to preserving our military, maritime and agricultural heritage.

Friendly towns and villages bustle with family festivals, outdoor concerts,

taway Your Weekend Ge Awaits You!

VisitClearfieldCounty.org @#don’t be anti-social 68 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

farmers’ markets, unique restaurants, and quaint shops. Oswego’s Harborfest features four days of top national entertainment, topped off by spectacular fireworks, July 26-29.

A variety of affordable accommodations and plenty of spacious family campgrounds provide a relaxing place to rest. Park your RV at one of 4,000 campsites, pitch your tent along Great Lake Ontario — or settle in at a rustic fishing lodge, scenic riverfront hotel, or luxurious bed and breakfast.

Legendary fishing, exciting auto racing, sandy beaches, unique festivals, and spectacular sunsets make Oswego County an ideal vacation spot for families and outdoor lovers! To plan your Oswego County vacation, go to www.visitoswegocounty.com or call 1-800-248-4FUN.

AT OUTDOORS! E R G IT’S

Explore

Oswego County t

h

e m m u is S

r!

Fantastic fishing, all year round Beautiful sandy beaches Spectacular birding Intriguing museums & historic sites Thousands of campsites Affordable accommodations

For events & visitor information: 1-800-248-4FUN (4386)

WWW.VISITOSWEGOCOUNTY.COM

®NYSDED

Scan QR code with your smart phone to access our calendar of events!

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 69

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Out of Town

Escape to Clearfield County

Delve into Canaan Valley

Welcome to backwoods. backroads. backwaters of Clearfield County Pennsylvania. We hope you are looking for a place that will take you away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Our Backwoods have miles of untapped beauty to explore by foot, bike or ATV. You will never be completely alone during your journey with the host of wildlife, so don’t forget your camera.

Canaan Valley Resort State Park, a four season West Virginia destination, is located on over 6,000 acres in the Allegheny Mountains in eastern Tucker County – the highest mountain valley this side east of the Rocky Mountains. Accommodations at the resort include hotel lodging, cabin/cottage rentals, and campground sites.

The Backroads will lead you from town to town in search of the right ice cream parlor or quaint recreational park. You're sure to bump into a PGA rated golf course or two. The West Branch Susquehanna River invites you to bring your canoe/kayak for a weekend of solitude. You’ll definitely want to have your fishing rod along for the ride. Let us know how we can assist you on your backwoods. backroads. backwaters summer vacation. www.visitclearfieldcounty.org.

The resort offers various seasonal recreation activities including: 18 hole championship golf course, swimming pools, hiking/biking trails, and more.

The area receives an average 180” of natural snow. Winter activities include: skiing, snowboarding, tubing, ice skating, and airboarding.

Stay Busy in Beaver County Just minutes northwest of Pittsburgh in the rolling hills and river valleys of Western Pennsylvania sits Beaver County. With limitless events and activities, thousands travel every year to Beaver County for its culture, ethnic festivals, historic sites, museums and outdoor recreation.

A palate-pleasing meal can be enjoyed at any of Beaver County’s unique restaurants and eateries, while one-of-a-kind gifts are easy to find at Beaver County’s many local shops and boutiques. Tourists often extend their stay in Beaver County for the weekend, lodging in hotels or one of our quaint bed and breakfasts. Discover all that Beaver County has to offer at VisitBeaverCounty.com!

Conference/banquet facilities, gift shops, annual events, and various dining options are also available. Information: 800-622-4121 or visit www.canaanresort.com.

Swing into Chestnut Ridge Whether your group numbers two or two hundred, Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort & Conference Center in Blairsville, PA; has everything you need for a perfect getaway trip, all in one place. Two of Pennsylvania’s most picturesque golf courses offer challenging play in the beautiful foothills of the Laurel Highlands.

Great dining options are available at the on-site 37 Grille Restaurant and the Spike Bar. If you’re looking for something more soothing, an oasis of relaxation is waiting just inside the Spa & Salon at Chestnut Ridge. Just a short drive from Pittsburgh, come discover Chestnut Ridge.

Stay and Play Getaway Packages

DISCOVER

THE HIGHLANDS!

ADVENTURE PACKAGES START AT ONLY $124! *Per person, double occupancy

Great for groups of any size!

Package activities available include: canopy tours, rock climbing, canoeing or whitewater rafting, horseback riding, live variety theater shows, cavern tours, and more…

OUR ISM.C W

800.622.4121 CanaanGetaways.com

Featuring….

• 2 championship golf courses • 37 Grille and Spike Bar restaurants on site • Full service Spa & Salon • On site Hampton Inn & Suites

VT

For more information and pricing, or to make reservations, Call Amy at (724) 459-7191 ext. 111 OM

Or email at: Amy.Workman@chestnutridgeresort.com

800

- 22 5 - 5 9 8 2

132 Pine Ridge Rd. Blairsville, PA 15717 70 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012

Highland Environmental A Highway Subsidiary of Highland Environmental is now a part of the Kenan Advantage Group family of companies. Kenan Advantage Group is the largest in the tank truck industry, because we are the largest, we understand that tank truck drivers are an elite group of professionals. Highland Environmental is currently expanding in the Pennsylvania area. We are looking for applicants across the entire state but focusing within an hour of the Washington County, Butler County and Somerset Pennsylvania.

Highland Environmental offers steady LOCAL water truck positions, Great Benefits, Competitive Wages, Paid Holidays, Paid Vacation, New Equipment & so much MORE!

Wherever the Road may Guide You...

We Require: • 2 years of Recent, Verifiable Class A or Class B Driving Experience • Tank Endorsement (or the ability to obtain) • Safe Driving Record.

800-871-4581 Apply Online: www.thekag.com PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER + CITY GUIDE 2012 71

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