September 28, 2022 - Pittsburgh City Paper

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Editor-In-Chief LISA CUNNINGHAM

Director of Advertising RACHEL WINNER

Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD

News Editor JAMIE WIGGAN

A&E Editor AMANDA WALTZ

News Reporter JORDANA ROSENFELD

Art Director LUCY CHEN

Photographer/Videographer

JARED WICKERHAM

Graphic Designer JEFF SCHRECKENGOST

Digital Editorial Coordinator

HANNAH KINNEY-KOBRE

Senior Account Executive OWEN GABBEY

Sales Representative MARIA STILLITANO Marketing & Events Coordinator

HANNAH MORAN-FUNWELA

Digital Sales Coordinator EMILY RADAMIS Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH Featured Contributors

REGE BEHE, NATALIE BENCIVENGA, MIKE CANTON, LYNN CULLEN, TERENEH IDIA, JORDAN SNOWDEN

Interns ALICE CROW, MATTHEW MONROY

Photo Intern PATRICK CAVANAGH

Getting spotted on the street by this year’s Best Lifestyle Influencer has become a badge of honor in the Steel City. With an Instagram feed documenting the region’s most interesting people and streetwear, he’s helping prove the city deserves its little spot in the galaxy. And that’s just one of the hundreds of out-of-this-world Best of Pittsburgh winners in this year’s poll, which highlights your favorite people, places, restaurants, bars, shops, and more.

From the hundreds of thousands of nominees you initially submitted to the winners in this issue, everyone in this year’s space-themed Best of Pittsburgh was decided by you. It’s the one issue a year we give all control over to our readers, and our staff is always just as excited as you are to see who ends up on top.

GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2022 by Eagle Media Corp. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Pittsburgh City Paper are those of the author and not necessarily of Eagle Media Corp. LETTER POLICY: Letters, or e-mails must be signed and include town and daytime phone number for confirmation. We may edit for length and clarity. DISTRIBUTION: Pittsburgh City Paper is published weekly by Eagle Media Corp. and is available free of charge at select distribution locations. One copy per reader; copies of past issues may be purchased for $3.00 each, payable in advance to Pittsburgh City Paper.

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COVER DESIGN: LUCY CHEN

Sure, there are also lots of repeats. Pittsburghers know what they like. (Seriously, is anyone ever going to beat photographer Dave DiCello?) But within this issue, you’ll also discover plenty more folks who help make Pittsburgh a little less dreary. Inspiring businesses like this year’s winner for Best Nonprofit, which works to feed people in need. The winner for Best Yoga Studio, who is making the industry more inclusive to all body types. The Best Black-owned Salon, whose owner helps build her clients’ confidence. And don’t worry — we’ve included silly categories to keep you entertained, too. Like the Best Person to Represent Pittsburgh to Aliens. (OK, confession: We don’t always agree with the winners, but this guy? He’s one of our all-time favorites, too.)

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pghcitypaper.com PGHCITYPAPER PITTSBURGHCITYPAPER SEPT. 28-OCT. 5, 2022 VOLUME 31 + ISSUE 39 CELEBRATING 30 YEARS SERVING PITTSBURGH SINCE NOV. 6, 1991
National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529 Publisher EAGLE MEDIA CORP. PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER’S 2022 BEST Of PittSbuRgH Culture and Nightlife >> >> > 06 Food and Drink >>>> > >> > 18 Goods and Services >>> >> > 30 People and Places >>>>>>> 38
3PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022 THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS! BACARDI • TOTAL PEACE & WELLNESS • NIUM INC • ORGANIC REMEDIES • EASY STREET PROMOTIONS • AUDACY COMMONWEALTH PRESS • YA JAGGOFF • PITTSBURGH YOUNG PROFESSIONALS • PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY BROADCASTING SHENDEROVICH, SHENDEROVICH & FISHMAN, P.C. • MCKEES ROCKS CDC • CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER • MOONSHOT MUSEUM A FULL NIGHT OF LIVE ENTERTAINMENT! ROXIAN THEATRE 7-10PM For more information and tickets: pghcitypaper.com VIP Admission: $50 • General Admission: $30SOLD OUT BAG POLICY: To reduce staff contact with guest belongings, Roxian Theatre has implemented the following bag policy: Any clear bag, or a bag 6.5x4.5 or smaller is allowed. (Open bar for first hour & early access) JIM DONOVAN AND THE SUN KING WARRIORS SIERRA SELLERS DANCE PARTY WITH DJ SELECTA THURSDAY 9.29 EMCEED BY DRAGLOCALQUEEN PRINCESS JAFAR VIP HOUR FEATURING WEIRD PAUL LIVE MUSIC BY 21+ EVENT CELEBRATING THE BEST OF PITTSBURGH SPACE-THEMED SIGNATURE DRINK, PRESENTED

BEHIND THE SCENES

What went into this year’s Best of Pittsburgh issue

Here are the facts: From the nominees in the first round to the top 10 finalists in the voting round to the top three winners you’ll find in this issue, everyone in this year’s Best of Pittsburgh was decided by Pittsburgh City Paper readers.

What sets City Paper’s poll apart from others? Besides the obnoxiously large number of categories (yeah, we know — we keep trying to edit them down, but every year, we hear from readers who tell us we’ve missed some important ones), the Best of Pittsburgh is 100% determined by reader input. We use SecondStreet, an online voting platform, which automatically tabulates the results. No, City Paper staff members aren’t allowed to vote. And no, despite rumors which have existed since the poll first launched 30 years ago, no one can win a category by buying an ad. (But yes, winners are notified before this issue hits the stands and our sales team does sell them ads, which help support our local journalism throughout the rest of the year.)

What we do, though, is factcheck your noms. And we don’t just check them for spelling errors or to make sure you actually nominated Pittsburgh folks. We spend months checking each entry and eliminate any nomination we find to have posted anything racist,

sexist, homophobic, Islamaphobic, transphobic, or harmful to others. We also listen to your feedback and adjust the categories before the poll starts every year based on your recommendations. Did we miss a category you’d like to see next year? Spot one you’d rather we delete? Reach out and let us know. This is your poll, after all, and we aim to have each year’s poll better than the last.

Why the space theme? Well, besides making this issue look cool as hell, there are spacethemed events happening all over the city this year. For one, Pittsburgh is home to the Allegheny Observatory in Riverview Park and a planetarium at the Carnegie Science Center, where yinzers can dream of life in another galaxy. The Science Center also just launched a new exhibit, Sun, Earth Universe, focusing on the solar system, the universe, and “the big questions NASA is trying to answer about each.” In November, the Center will also debut its Mars: The Next Giant Leap exhibit, which explores the possibilities of traveling to and living on the Red Planet. But mostly, we were inspired by the Moonshot Museum, Pennsylvania’s first-ever space museum, opening soon in the North Side. We can’t wait to see if it ends up on next year’s winners’ list.

Now onto the winners!

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5PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER’S
6 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM CULTURE NIGHTLIFE BEST Of PittSbuRgH Best Bartender Best Comedy Troupe Best Event Planner Best Electronic Group fEaturiNg AND
READERS’ POLL

Best of CultuRe & niGhTliFe

JOEMYGOSH & JAXA FROOT

BEST COMEDY TROUPE

JOEMYGOSH of the sketch comedy duo JoeMyGosh and Jaxa Froot says they will perform anywhere that has them. That extends outside of Pittsburgh, where they have done shows in Boston and San Francisco, and in Columbus, Ohio.

The pair say that since they started doing sketch comedy three years ago, they’ve performed in clubs, bars and restaurants, theaters, and other venues, as well as doing private gigs. Many past shows have taken place at Blue Moon, a popular LGBTQ bar in Lawrenceville.

be here in this moment, it just feels like very surreal and very, like, hon oring, you know?”

The win caps a journey that started in West Virginia when the two met in high school and began performing theater together. They relocated to Pittsburgh, where they continued to perform.

“[JoeMyGosh] had been doing drag for a couple years, I think, at that point,” says Jaxa Froot, “and they needed help with one of their numbers. And after just perform ing together doing a drag event, we decided to try to get into comedy and start writing stuff together.”

Their combination of raucous humor and drag has earned the best friends the title of Best Comedy Troupe in this year’s Best of Pittsburgh readers’ poll.

“The biggest thing for us is to just make people laugh,” JoeMyGosh tells Pittsburgh City Paper in a phone interview. “And honestly, it’s such an honor for us to be nominated at all. And then for us to have won is just really, really cool because being able to make Pittsburgh laugh has been like our goal the entire time that we started doing sketch comedy, and to

They perform as different charac ters, including playing the directors of a Pokémon cruise line, sex phone line operators, and more. Many sketches were filmed and can be found on their YouTube channel.

They have another Pittsburgh show in December at Mr. Smalls Theatre, where they will join Steel Kitty Productions for a “femmes and thems” show featuring lesbian, femme, and nonbinary performers.

In terms of their style, JoeMyGosh puts it simply, saying, “I think people can expect a really stupid time.”

youtube.com/c/JoeJaxa PHOTO:
7PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022
RAYNI SHIRING

JIM DONOVAN AND THE SUN KING WARRIORS

sunkingwarriors.com

2nd: Buffalo Rose

3rd: The Shiners

COOP DE VILLE

BEST BAR (EAST)

KELLY’S BAR & LOUNGE

6012 Penn Ave., East Liberty. kellysbarlounge.com

2nd: Spirit

3rd: Thunderbird Café & Music Hall

BEST BAR (NORTH)

JERGEL’S RHYTHM GRILLE

285 Northgate Drive, Warrendale. jergels.com

2nd: Federal Galley

3rd: Max’s Allegheny Tavern

BEST BAR (SOUTH)

MINDFUL BREWING COMPANY

3759 Library Road, South Hills. mindfulbrewing.com

2nd: Rugger’s Pub

3rd: Jack’s Bar

BEST BAR (WEST)

RILEY’S POUR HOUSE

215 E. Main St., Carnegie. rileyspourhouse.com

2nd: The Parkway Theater & Film Lounge

3rd: Rockefeller’s Grille

BEST BAR TO DAY DRINK

SOUTHERN TIER

BREWERY PITTSBURGH

316 N. Shore Drive, North Side. stbcbeer.com

2nd: Trace Brewing

3rd: Coop De Ville

BEST Of PittSbuRgH

LARA BORASSO

BEST BARTENDER

LARA BORASSO DOESN’T HAVE a signature cocktail; she’s not that kind of bartender.

“I’m a volume girl,” she tells Pittsburgh City Paper on a recent Saturday night at Rugger’s Pub, the South Side dive where she’s tended bar for the last nine years and managed for the last six. “I’d rather spend five minutes making 20 things than five minutes making one thing.”

AT RUGGER’S PUB

Rugger’s is the official home of Forge, Pittsburgh’s rugby club, but Borasso isn’t a player. She likes it at Rugger’s, she says, because everyone is chill. Despite the bar’s focus on rugby, Borasso says not

all of Rugger’s patrons are athletes, and everyone is welcome.

Borasso has been a bartender for 15 years and also won Best Bartender in 2019. She got into bartending after realiz ing it was easier and more lucrative than the barista job she had been working.

She works quickly and efficiently, rarely having to ask customers to repeat their orders or remind her what they’re drinking when it’s time for a refill. Fingers flying through Rugger’s aging point-of-sale system, Borasso says she likes to challenge herself to brain games while she works, like trying to match patrons to their open bar tab without asking their name.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Borasso

says her style behind the bar has been shaped by the Steel City. She rinses off the top of every can of beer before opening it all the way and handing it to a customer. This is muscle memory, she says, from when she tended bar at a place that stored their beverages in a musty Pittsburgh basement.

She’ll probably take that habit with her to Key West, Florida, where she and her fiance plan to move at the end of the year. Both visual artists, they hope to find a more robust fine art market down south.

It’s certain that customers of Rugger’s, where Borasso turned bartending into a fine art, will miss her when she heads for sunnier climates.

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
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BEST AMERICANA ARTIST/GROUP
BEST OF CULTURE & NIGHTLIFE CONTINUES ON PG. 10
• 40 S. 22nd St., South Side. ruggerspub.com BEST BAR (DOWNTOWN & STRIP DISTRICT)
2305 Smallman St., Strip District. coopdevillepgh.com 2nd: Con Alma Downtown 3rd: The Warren Bar & Burrow
9PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022 Hemp CBD & THC That WORKS! 4213 BUTLER STREET • PITTSBURGH, PA 15201 WWW.TOTALPEACEANDWELLNESSCBD.COM • Total Peace and Wellness Takes Pride In Being Your “Premier CBD Store”. • High-Quality Hemp-Derived CBD & THC for Wellness. • No Medical Marijuana Card Needed. Thank You For Nominating Total Peace and Wellness one of The Best Places To Buy CBD Products!

BEST BAR TO DRINK ALONE

JACK’S BAR

1117 E. Carson St., South Side. instagram.com/jacksbarpgh

2nd: Gooski’s

3rd: Blue Moon

BEST BAR TO PREGAME SOUTHERN TIER BREWERY PITTSBURGH

316 N. Shore Drive, North Side. stbcbeer.com

2nd: Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar

3rd: Tequila Cowboy

BEST BARTENDER

LARA BORASSO at Rugger’s Pub

40 S. 22nd St., South Side. ruggerspub.com

2nd: Chris Miller at Hidden Harbor

3rd: Derek Blankenship at The Smiling Moose

BEST BLUES ARTIST/GROUP BILLY PRICE

billyprice.com

2nd: The Fabulous Booze Brothers

3rd: Miss Freddye

BEST BOUNCER LAMONT MOORER at Mr. Smalls Theatre and Gooskis

instagram.com/batmetal

2nd: Big Pete at Smiling Moose

3rd: Thomas Ross at P-Town Bar

BEST CHARITY FUNDRAISER MARIO LEMIEUX FOUNDATION 6.6K

mariolemieux.org

2nd: Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh’s Wags, Whiskers & Wings End of Summer Pawty

3rd: Women Who Rock

BEST CLASSICAL ENSEMBLE PITTSBURGH

SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA

pittsburghsymphony.org

The Grammy Award-winning Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2021, has come out on top in this brand new category. Whether you’re a fan of classics from the likes of Strauss and Mozart, concerts pairing live scores over screenings of movies like Star Wars, or the PNC Pops, featuring upbeat productions like The Doo Wop Project, the PSO has some thing for everyone as it attracts new and younger audiences.

2nd: River City Brass Band

3rd: Cello Fury

BEST CLUB

SPIRIT

242 51st St., Lawrenceville. spiritpgh.com

2nd: Belvedere’s Ultra-Dive

3rd: Tequila Cowboy

BEST CLUB DJ SELECTA

instagram.com/selecta720

2nd: DJ Solo Dolo

BEST CAMP FOR KIDS ZOO CAMP AT PITTSBURGH ZOO & PPG AQUARIUM

7370 Baker St., Highland Park. pittsburghzoo.org

2nd: Girls Rock! Pittsburgh

3rd: Jewish Community Center

Greater Pittsburgh

BEST CARTOONIST ROB ROGERS robrogers.com

2nd: Marcel Walker

3rd: Randy Bish

3rd: T.J. Harris

BEST COMEDIAN JIM KRENN

jimkrenn.com

2nd: Bill Crawford

3rd: Chrissy Costa

BEST COMEDY TROUPE JOEMYGOSH AND JAXA FROOT

youtube.com/c/JoeJaxa

2nd: Knights of the Arcade

3rd: Nebby Neighbors

10 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM membership@jccpgh.org 412-697-3522JCCPGH.ORG It’s all here HAPPY. HEALTHY. Thank you for voting SteelMillRising: HighwayTraveler 1st place for Best Local Album of the Year! LYNNCULLENLIVE every Monday thru Thursday at 10 a.m. at pghcitypaper.com
BEST OF CULTURE & NIGHTLIFE, CONTINUED FROM PG. 8 CONTINUES ON PG. 12
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11PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022 www.smoothieking.com 1025 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017 11199 Perry Hwy, Wexford, PA 15090BLENDING GOODNESS TO FUEL YOUR GREATNESS FIRST PLACE AGAIN! THANK YOU FOR VOTING

BEST

CHRISTIAN BECK

facebook.com/ChristianBeckBand

2nd: Buckwild

3rd: Justin Fabus

BEST COVER ARTIST/GROUP DANCING QUEEN

facebook.com/DancingQueenBand

2nd: Totally 80s

3rd: Gary Prisby

BEST

PITTSBURGH

BALLET THEATRE

2nd:

BEST

STUDIO G DANCE CENTER

995

2nd:

BEST

VENUS IN FURS

MONTIA ROBINSON OF M. ROBINSON GROUP

BEST EVENT PLANNER

MONTIA ROBINSON knows event planning is all about the details. Whether it be festoons, balloons, lighting, or getting just the right shade of table linens, she tries to perfectly capture her clients’ visions for their events.

Voted this year’s Best Event Planner, Robinson, owner of M. Robinson Group, organizes events that range from corpo rate parties to baby showers.

feel like?” Along with her team of plan ners, Robinson then builds an event plan with details like a budget and vendor list. When it’s time for the actual event, Robinson makes sure everything runs smoothly.

“We really want to be immersed in the vision of what that person wants to see when they walk in the room,” Robinson says.

BEST

M. Robinson Group

2nd:

“I am obsessed with that first look,” Robinson says. “I like to know that I am in some way helping by taking those details off their hands.”

When meeting with a client, Robinson asks them creative questions: “What song best describes this theme?” Or “what movie do you want the event to

Robinson has worked in the planning business for over 10 years and has been around events even longer. As a child, she would accompany her mother, who was an artist, to festivals around Pittsburgh.

“This is not just a wake up and start putting ribbon on,” says Robinson. “My whole life has been immersed in the art and culture of event planning.”

Robinson says she also shares her skills with the community. Her company works with several programs, including Bedford Connect and Allegheny Dwellings, to teach residents in marginalized communities how to organize events. She also makes an effort to work with nonprofit groups such as When She Thrives, which holds an event focused on empowering local female writers.

Moving forward, Robinson hopes to grow her business to encompass larger events while continuing to make her clients’ lives easier.

“Life is hard,” she says. “Partying shouldn’t be.”

PHOTO: RAYNI SHIRING
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COUNTRY ARTIST/GROUP
CONTINUED FROM PG. 10
• BEST Of PittSbuRgH
mrobinsongroup.com
DANCE STUDIO
Greensburg Pike, Forest Hills and 1454 Lincoln Highway, North Versailles. studiogdancecenter.com
Bell School of Irish Dance 3rd: Abby Lee Dance Company
ELECTRONIC ARTIST/GROUP
venusinfursrocks.com 2nd: The Gay She’s 3rd: Ky Vöss
EVENT PLANNER MONTIA ROBINSON of
mrobinsongroup.com
Shayla Hawkins 3rd: Lito Corpuz
DANCE COMPANY
pbt.org
Attack Theatre 3rd: Point Park University Conservatory Dance Company CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

BEST

CHRIS PREKSTA

chrispreksta.com

2nd: Alistair McQueen

3rd: Max Cianci

BEST GALLERY FOR LOCAL ARTISTS

REDFISHBOWL

4327 Butler St., Lawrenceville. redfishbowl.com

2nd: Baron Batch Art Gallery

3rd: BOOM Concepts

BEST HAUNTED ATTRACTION HUNDRED ACRES MANOR

1 Hundred Acres Drive, Bethel Park. hundredacresmanor.com

2nd: The Scarehouse

3rd: Kennywood Phantom Fall Festival

BEST INDEPENDENT MOVIE THEATER

ROW HOUSE CINEMA

4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. rowhousecinema.com

2nd: Manor Theatre

3rd: Dependable Drive In Theater

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s BATTLE OF THE BOOKS carnegielibrary.org/battleofthebooks

2nd: Abolition Is Everything at White Whale Bookstore

3rd: Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures’ Ten Evenings Series

Steel Mill Rising is the ultimate nofrills Pittsburgh bar band. With a little country and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll, the band’s April 2021 release, Highway Traveler, features 10 songs that would fit in on any local jukebox. Sing along to the title track as you’re swiggin’ down an Iron City.

13PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022
FILMMAKER
BEST LITERARY EVENT
CONTINUES ON PG. 14
BEST LEGACY ARTIST/GROUP THE CLARKS clarksonline.com 2nd: Anti-Flag 3rd: Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers BEST LGBTQ BAR 5801 VIDEO LOUNGE & CAFÉ 5801 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. 5801pgh.com 2nd: Blue Moon 3rd: P Town Bar 2nd: No Gloryholes in Heaven by God Hates Unicorns 3rd: Smile, You’re Alive! by Benji. BEST JAZZ ARTIST/GROUP PHAT MAN DEE phatmandeemusic.com 2nd: Big Blitz 3rd: Kenny Blake CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM BEST LOCAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR HIGHWAY TRAVELER by Steel Mill Rising facebook.com/SteelMillRising BEST METAL ARTIST/GROUP LADY BEAST facebook.com/ladybeastofficial 2nd: Greywalker 3rd: Windchimes BEST MUSIC FEST MILLVALE MUSIC FEST millvalemusic.org 2nd: Deutschtown Music Festival 3rd: Three Rivers Arts Festival listen now at wyep.org Thanks Readers for Voting WYEP the Best Radio Station in Pittsburgh

BEST NEW BAR CON ALMA

DOWNTOWN

613 Penn Ave., Downtown. conalmapgh.com/downtown

2nd: The Getaway Bar & Grill

3rd: Ceasars Ale House and Eatery

BEST PHOTOGRAPHER (CREATIVE) DAVE DICELLO davedicello.com

2nd: Dustin McGrew

3rd: JP Diroll

BEST PHOTOGRAPHER (WEDDING) RACHEL ROWLAND rachelrowland.com

2nd: Wild Native 3rd: Taylor Ollason Photography

BEST PICK-UP BAR BELVEDERE’S ULTRA-DIVE

4016 Butler St., Lawrenceville. belvederesultradive.com

2nd: Spirit 3rd: Blue Moon

BEST PLACE FOR A DATE NIGHT PHIPPS CONSERVATORY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS

1 Schenley Park, Oakland. phipps.conservatory.org

2nd: Pusadee’s Garden

3rd: Coop De Ville

BEST PLACE TO CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY

KENNYWOOD

4800 Kennywood Blvd., West Mifflin. kennywood.com

2nd: Arsenal Bowl

3rd: DiAnoia’s Eatery

BEST PLACE TO CELEBRATE YOUR DIVORCE

LUMBERJAXES

AXE THROWING

Multiple locations. lumberjaxes.com

2nd: Club Erotica

3rd: Belvedere’s Ultra-Dive

BEST PLACE TO DANCE

BELVEDERE’S ULTRA-DIVE

4016 Butler St., Lawrenceville. belvederesultradive.com

2nd: Tequila Cowboy

3rd: Spirit

BEST PLACE TO FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN

KENNYWOOD

4800 Kennywood Blvd., West Mifflin. kennywood.com

2nd: Carnegie Science Center

3rd: Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium

BEST PLACE TO KARAOKE

BOB’S GARAGE

1372 Freeport Road, Blawnox. instagram.com/pghbobsgarage

2nd: COBRA

3rd: Jekyll and Hyde

BEST PLACE TO SEE

LOCAL BAND

MR. SMALLS THEATRE

400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. mrsmalls.com

2nd: Jergel’s Rhythm Grille

3rd: Thunderbird Café & Music Hall

PHOTO: CP PHOTO: PAM SMITH
BEST MUSIC VENUE (CITY) BEST OF CULTURE & NIGHTLIFE, CONTINUED FROM PG. 13
CP
LUCY CHEN
A

2nd:

BEST

RACHEL ANN BOVIER

2nd:

15PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022 BEST PLACE TO TAKE ALIEN VISITORS MOUNT WASHINGTON OVERLOOK visitpittsburgh.com/neighborhoods/mt-washington
Randyland 3rd: South Side on a Friday night
POET
facebook.com/Rachel.Ann.Bovier
Joe Szalinski 3rd: vanessa german BEST POP ARTIST/GROUP MEETING OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE meetingofimportantpeople.com 2nd: Katie Simone 3rd: Donora BEST PUNK ARTIST/GROUP FUCK YEAH, DINOSAURS! dinopunks.com 2nd: Bastard Bearded Irishmen 3rd: The Cheats BEST RAP/HIP-HOP ARTIST/GROUP BENJI. facebook.com/AvatarBenji 2nd: Miss Money 3rd: Tjuan Benafactor CONTINUES ON PG. 16 BEST R&B ARTIST/GROUP THE BILL HENRY BAND billhenryband.com 2nd: The Commonheart 3rd: Sierra Sellers BEST RADIO DJ KELLY 100.7 STAR FM facebook.com/kelonair 2nd: Mikey & Big Bob 3rd: Randy Baumann BEST RADIO STATION 91.3 FM WYEP wyep.org 2nd: 102.5 WDVE 3rd: 96.1 KISS FM BEST ROCK ARTIST/GROUP THE CLARKS clarksonline.com 2nd: Weird Paul Rock Band 3rd: Byron Nash BEST SPORTS ANNOUNCER MIKE LANGE en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Lange 2nd: Bob Pompeani and Andrew Fillipponi 3rd: Bill Hilgrove BEST SPORTS BAR PRIMANTI’S Multiple locations. primantibros.com 2nd: Bigham Tavern 3rd: Rugger’s Pub BEST STREET ARTIST BARON BATCH baronbatch.com 2nd: Mook 3rd: Jeremy Raymer BEST STREET FESTIVAL THREE RIVERS ARTS FESTIVAL traf.trustarts.org 2nd: Picklesburgh 3rd: Little Italy Days BEST STRIP CLUB CHEERLEADERS 3100 Liberty Ave., Strip District. cheerleaderspittsburgh.com 2nd: True Diamonds 3rd: Real Luck Café BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT & BEST FOOD TRUCK! FOR VOTING US Thank You 660 WASHINGTON RD. Thank you for voting us B E S T P O D C A S T PITTSBURGH!

BEST

PITTSBURGH

PUBLIC THEATER

ppt.org

2nd: City Theatre Company

3rd: Stage 62

BEST THEATER PRODUCTION

PITTSBURGH CLO’S

THE WIZARD OF OZ at Heinz Field

pittsburghclo.org

2nd: The Nutcracker by Carnegie Performing Arts Center

3rd: City Theatre’s An Untitled New Play by Justin Timberlake

BEST TRIVIA NIGHT

5801 VIDEO

LOUNGE AND CAFÉ

5801 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. 5801pgh.com

2nd: Bigham Tavern

3rd: Radical Trivia at Trace Brewing

BEST UNSIGNED MUSIC ARTIST

WEIRD PAUL

weirdpaul.com

2nd: Matthew Kamenicky

3rd: Letizia Collini

BEST VISUAL ARTIST

BOB FREYER

bfreyerart.com

2nd: Baron Batch

3rd: James Wodarek

BEST WORLD OR INTERNATIONAL MUSIC ARTIST/GROUP

THE TAMBURITZANS

thetamburitzans.org

2nd: Ishtar

3rd: Gavas Beat

BEST WRESTLER OR WRESTLING TAG TEAM

KURT ANGLE

kurtanglebrand.com

2nd: Lee Moriarty

3rd: Ziggy Haim

BEST WRITER

DAMON YOUNG

damonjyoung.com

2nd: Sean Collier

3rd: Tony Norman

VENUS IN FURS

BEST ELECTRONIC ARTIST/GROUP

WHEN

ASKED WHAT MAKES Venus in Furs stand out from other electronic groups in Pittsburgh, the duo’s founder and front man Michael T. Nolan answers humbly: “Nothing. We are all great and work hard.”

However, there must be something that makes the rock-infused band dis tinctive because readers choose Venus in Furs as 2022’s Best Electronic Artist/ Group.

“It was quite a bit of a surprise,” says Nolan. “I’m glad someone is listening.”

During the early 1990s, while Nolan was still in college, he and his friend Michael Routh thought it would be a good idea to try their hand at electronic music. So, Nolan bought a drum machine, sampler, and a Casio CZ101 keyboard, and

Venus in Furs was born. Once the duo started booking gigs, John Routh, Michael Routh’s brother, took over for live shows.

Nolan describes Venus in Furs’ sound as “dance music with guitars” and points to the group’s top Spotify track — their namesake “Venus in Furs” — to get a feel for their dark, glitchy energy. But it may be better to catch a Venus in Furs’ live show. According to the duo, their unique per formances are a “next-level experience when the lights go up and the dancing girls go-go on.”

Yes, you read that correctly. Venus in Furs hires dancers, often scantily clad in leather and lace, to take their live sets to the next level. An example of this can be

seen in the music video for the group’s cover of “Relax,” the original controver sial hit by Liverpool legends Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Their version highlights vocals from Alicia Lynn and powerful guitar solos from featured player Jason Sichi, as well as the work of Suz Pisano, one of this year’s top three winners in the Best Fashion Designer category, who zhuzhed up the go-go dancers in an exciting nod to prominent disco fashion designer Roy Halston.

But Nolan recommends Pittsburghers take in everything the Steel City’s elec tronic music scene has to offer.

“There is quite a lot of great local music out there,” he says. “People are creating all around you. Don’t be afraid to listen to it.”

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM MIchael T. Nolan of Venus in Furs
16 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM
THEATER COMPANY
CONTINUED FROM PG. 15
BEST Of PittSbuRgH
venusinfursrocks.com
17PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022 RELIEF FOR YINZ! Dispensary Locations including McKnight Road & Bethel Park Order Online & Curbside Delivery Voted #1 Best Medical Marijuana Dispensary
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER’S READERS’ POLL
18 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM FOOD DRINK BEST Of PittSbuRgH Best African Food Best Bar Snacks Best Cocktail List Best Bubble Tea fEaturiNg

BEST Of fOoD & dRiNk

KILIMANJARO FLAVOUR

BEST AFRICAN FOOD

AS A LITTLE GIRL growing up in Tanzania, Africa, Grace Mbowe would cook for imaginary diners. As she got older, she started to cook professionally as a means to support her family while doing what she loves. After moving to America, she stayed on the same path.

“Cooking is my passion,” Mbowe says.

In 2019, Mbowe started Kilimanjaro Flavour, a beloved and successful food truck that sells East African food throughout Pittsburgh.

The blue-and green-truck, adorned with pictures of animals like lions and giraffes, has visited Bellevue, Downtown, Ross Township, and many more local neighborhoods. A message pasted around the truck says, “If You Can’t Make It To Kilimanjaro, Climb It Here!”

Food sold in the truck includes entrees such as Wakanda Braised Beef, Coconut Shrimp, and Chicken on a Stick, as well as desserts like Sweet Plantains and Coconut Puf Pufs. In order to successfully sell authentic African food, Mbowe says she had to acclimate to American tastes, such

as a penchant for condiments that didn’t exist back home. One solution she found was embracing coconut flavoring.

“As I grew up with my grandpar ents, we had a coconut plantation in our house,” she says. “Surrounding the homes, there were a lot of coconuts, and my grandmother used to cook everything using coconuts, even if it’s a chicken stew, beef stew.”

Running the truck proves to be difficult work. It’s not uncommon for Mbowe to wake up at 4 a.m., and she often works alone.

“This is something that I love. I pray so that I won’t give up and keep on going because I’ve already given people something good,” Mbowe says. “If I quit, I will be disappointing so many people who have been behind my business.”

Mbowe prides herself on running a successful business that provides a unique style of food.

“People have been honest and they appreciate the work that I put into this type of work,” Mbowe says, adding, “I’m so proud of coming up with the creativity of twisting our actual food back home and making sure everyone here enjoys.”

19PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022
CP PHOTOS: PAT CAVANAGH

BEST AFRICAN FOOD KILIMANJARO FLAVOUR

facebook.com/Kilimanjo.kitchen

2nd: Tana Ethiopian Cuisine

3rd: African Eats Cuisine

BEST ALCOHOL-FREE SPIRITS SHORTY’S PINS X PINTS

353 N. Shore Drive, North Side. shortysx.com

2nd: Hidden Harbor

3rd: Grand Concourse

BEST ASIAN FUSION RESTAURANT

BAE BAE’S KITCHEN

951 Liberty Ave., Downtown. baebaes.kitchen

2nd: JJ Poke Bowl & Taiwanese Bubble Tea

3rd: The Slippery Mermaid

BEST

OAKMONT BAKERY

1 Sweet St., Oakmont. oakmontbakery.com

2nd: La Gourmandine

3rd: Jean-Marc Chatellier’s French Bakery

BEST BAR SNACKS

FAT HEAD’S SALOON

1805 E. Carson St., South Side. fatheads.com

2nd: Dive Bar and Grille

3rd: Bigham Tavern

BEST

WALTER’S BBQ

SOUTHERN KITCHEN

4501 Butler St., Lawrenceville. walterspgh.com

2nd: Showcase Barbeque

3rd: Off the Rails Barbeque

BEST

MANCINI’S BAKERY

1717 Penn Ave., Strip District and 601 Woodward Ave., McKees Rocks. mancinisbakery.com

2nd: BreadWorks Bakery

3rd: Oakmont Bakery

BEST BREWERY

GRIST HOUSE

CRAFT BREWERY

10 Sherman St., Millvale. gristhouse.com

2nd: Voodoo Brewing Co.

3rd: Hitchhiker Brewing Co.

BEST BAR SNACKS

KELSEY

BENIGNI, bar manager at Fat Head’s Saloon, has a lot of fun at her workplace.

“When I’m not working, I love to hang out here, or my friends like to come and hang out and get nachos or something while I’m working,” Benigni says. “It’s fun. Food and drink is just a fun way to social ize, I think.”

While many know Fat Head’s Saloon for its large sandwiches and brewed beers, folks also love its bar snacks such as its wings, nachos, and flatbreads.

Fat Head’s Saloon, located in the South Side, has been around since 1992. In addition to wings, which can be ordered house-smoked or fried with sauces like smoky BBQ, garlic parm, and “Black and Yellow,” the bar has an extensive

“Munchies’’ menu category. Options include a giant pretzel, Buffalo cauli flower, fish and chips, chicken tenders, the “Frickles” fried pickles, flatbreads in chicken Choke Dip and Buffalo Chicken varieties, pierogis prepared either sautéed or deep-fried, the spicy “Arrogant Onion Rings,” and more.

Benigni became the bar manager last summer after rising through the ranks over seven years. In that time, she’s gotten to know repeat customers.

“We have a lot of regular customers that like to come in, so it’s always fun to see them coming in and having an oppor tunity to enjoy themselves and hang out with their friends and get something good to eat, too,” Benigni says.

While the sandwiches and “head wiches” remain incredibly popular, according to Benigni, many customers start the night out with some munchies.

“A lot of times, our guests will come to the bar, grab a drink, and start with wings or munchies before diving into the rest of the menu,” she says.

She loves the munchies herself and has a top choice.

“My favorite would probably be the three cheese corn dip,” Benigni says.

“It’s just really good. It’s a great one for if you’re just hanging out and having a couple drinks and you don’t want a whole sandwich or anything, but you just want something to munch on.”

CP PHOTO: PAT CAVANAGH
20 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM
BEST OF FOOD & DRINK
• BEST Of PittSbuRgH FAT HEAD’S SALOON
// INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM 1805 E. Carson St., South Side. fatheads.com
BAKERY
BBQ
and Drafthouse
BREAD

BEST BRUNCH

PAMELA’S DINER

Multiple locations. pamelasdiner.com

2nd: Grand Concourse

3rd: Square Cafe

BEST BUBBLE TEA

JJ POKE BOWL & TAIWANESE BUBBLE TEA

110 Atwood St., Oakland. jjpoke.com

2nd: Fuku Tea

3rd: Banh Mi & Ti

BEST BURGER BURGATORY

Multiple locations. burgatorybar.com

2nd: Tessaro’s American Bar & Hardwood Grill

3rd: Moonlit Burgers

BEST CANDY STORE

GRANDPA JOE’S

CANDY SHOP

Multiple locations. grandpajoescandyshop.com

2nd: The Milkshake Factory

3rd: Betsy Ann Chocolates

BEST CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT

KAYA

2000 Smallman St., Strip District. kaya.menu

2nd: 2 Sisters 2 Sons

3rd: Leon’s Caribbean Food

BEST CATERER

PASTA TOO

5260 Library Road, Bethel Park. pastatoorestaurant.com

2nd: The Cooked Goose Catering Company

3rd: DiAnoia’s Eatery

BEST CHEF

DAVE ANOIA

at DiAnoia’s Eatery

2549 Penn Ave., Strip District. dianoiaseatery.com

2nd: Matt Christie at Streets on Carson

3rd: Bill Fuller at Big Burrito

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT SESAME INN

Multiple locations. sesameinn.com

2nd: Chengdu Gourmet

3rd: Everyday Noodles

BEST COCKTAIL

BRIDGES & BOURBON

930 Penn Ave., Strip District. bridgesandbourbonpgh.com

2nd: Hidden Harbor

3rd: Maggie’s Farm Rum Distillery

BEST COFFEE SHOP

BLACK FORGE COFFEE HOUSE

1206 Arlington Ave., Allentown and 701 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. blackforgecoffee.com

2nd: Carnegie Coffee Company

3rd: BeanThru

BEST

WIGLE WHISKEY DISTILLERY

2401 Smallman St., Strip District. wiglewhiskey.com

2nd: Bridges & Bourbon

3rd: Hidden Harbor

LIVING WITH

MACARONI

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
21PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022
HIV? You Are The Key To Your Health AIDSFreePittsburgh.org
LIST
CRAFT COCKTAILS
CONTINUES ON PG. 22 BEST CSA 412 FOOD RESCUE 412foodrescue.org 2nd: Who Cooks For You Farm 3rd: Harvie BEST DELI PENNSYLVANIA
CO. 2010 Penn Ave., Strip District. pennmac.com 2nd: Carson Street Deli & Craft Beer Bar 3rd: Labriola’s Italian Market BEST DESSERT MENU OAKMONT BAKERY 1 Sweet St., Oakmont. oakmontbakery.com 2nd: Page’s 3rd: The Butterwood Bake Consortium
assemblepgh.org 4824 Penn Ave 412-661-6111 STEAM STEAM PROGRAMS PROGRAMS F R E E A F T E R S C H O O L D A Y C A M P S S A T U R D A Y C R A F T E R N O O N S B I R T H D A Y P A R T I E S Y O U T H M A K E R N I G H T A N D M O R E ! FOR FKIDS OR KIDS Find out more: B u i l d i n g c o n f i d e n c e t h r o u g h m a k i n g

BEST DINER

PAMELA’S DINER

Multiple locations. pamelasdiner.com

2nd: Ritter’s Diner

3rd: Kelly O’s Diner

BEST DISTILLERY

WIGLE WHISKEY

DISTILLERY

2401 Smallman St., Strip District. wiglewhiskey.com

2nd: Maggie’s Farm Rum Distillery

3rd: McLaughlin Distillery

BEST DONUTS

OAKMONT BAKERY

1 Sweet St., Oakmont. oakmontbakery.com

2nd: Duck Donuts

3rd: Valkyrie Doughnuts

BEST FOOD TRUCK

TOTOPO FOOD TRUCK

facebook.com/totopoonwheels

2nd: HibachiLou412

3rd: Blue Sparrow

BEST FRIED CHICKEN

COOP DE VILLE

2305 Smallman St., Strip District. coopdevillepgh.com

2nd: Bird On The Run

3rd: CHiKN

BEST DOG-FRIENDLY

GRIST HOUSE

CRAFT BREWERY

10 Sherman St., Millvale. gristhouse.com

From hops to sours, it’s clear why this Millvale brewery with a huge variety of beers on tap is a repeat winner of Best Brewery. It also has become a popular spot for dog owners and large groups alike thanks to its generous outdoor seating. Grab a brew, and a bite from a visiting food truck, and hang outside at one of the picnic tables.

2nd: Double Wide Grill

3rd: Southern Tier Brewery Pittsburgh

BEST FRIES

POTATO PATCH

4800 Kennywood Blvd., West Mifflin. kennywood.com

2nd: Primanti Bros.

3rd: Point Brugge Cafe

BEST GLUTEN-FREE MENU

CONDADO TACOS

Multiple locations. condadotacos.com

2nd: Onion Maiden

3rd: Square Cafe

BEST GREEK RESTAURANT

MIKE & TONY’S GYROS

Multiple locations. mikeandtonysgyros.com

2nd: Pitaland

3rd: Amel’s Restaurant

BEST HAPPY HOUR MAD MEX

Multiple locations. madmex.com

2nd: Primanti Bros.

3rd: Mike & Tony’s Gyros

BEST HOAGIE

TRIANGLE BAR & GRILL

2122 Monongahela Ave., Swissvale. trianglebarswissvale.com

2nd: Peppi’s

3rd: Uncle Sam’s Submarines

BEST HOT DOG

D’S SIX PAX AND DOGZ

1118 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. ds6pax.com

2nd: Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe

3rd: Franktuary

BEST ICE CREAM

MILLIE’S HOMEMADE

ICE CREAM

Multiple locations. millieshomemade.com

2nd: Page’s

3rd: Leona’s Ice Cream

BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT

TAJ MAHAL

7795 McKnight Road, North Hills. tajmahalinc.com

2nd: People’s Indian Restaurant

3rd: Udipi Cafe

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT DIANOIA’S EATERY

2549 Penn Ave., Strip District. dianoiaseatery.com

2nd: Alla Famiglia

3rd: Pasta Too

BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT

NAKAMA

Multiple locations. instagram.com/nakama_pgh

2nd: Umami

3rd: Ichiban Hibachi & Sushi Bar

BEST JUICE THE PITTSBURGH

JUICE COMPANY

3418 Penn Ave., Lawrenceville. pittsburghjuicecompany.com

2nd: Live Fresh Cold Pressed

3rd: East End Food Co-op

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
22 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM 703 SOUTH NEGLEY AVENUE • PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA 15232 FIRST PLACE WINNER BEST BED & BREAKFAST
BEST OF FOOD & DRINK, CONTINUED FROM PG. 21
CONTINUES ON PG. 26
RESTAURANT
Juice + Smoothie Bar
23PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022 Whether you’re looking to save, spend, borrow, learn, or grow financially, we’re here for you. We’re proud to be recognized as Pittsburgh’s Best Credit Union. 22ENP5560 ThankYou Pittsburgh! Pittsburgh! FOR VOTING EAT’N PARK ‘BEST OF PITTSBURGH’ BEST KID-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT / BEST PLACE TO EAT CHEAP
STORYTELLING OCT. 7-9 AUGUST WILSON AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER 412-456-6666 | PBT.ORG IN MOTION THANK YOU PITTSBURGH FOR RECOGNIZING WE ALWAYS HAVE YOUR BACK! - from the Partners & Team at Shenderovich Shenderovich & Fishman Congrats tothe winners!
25PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022

BEST

BAE BAE’S KITCHEN

951 Liberty Ave., Downtown. baebaes.kitchen

2nd: Soju

3rd: Green Pepper

BEST LATIN

GAUCHO PARRILLA

ARGENTINA

146 Sixth St., Downtown. eatgaucho.com

2nd: Cilantro & Ajo

3rd: Mi Empanada

BEST

TOTOPO COCINA & CANTINA

660 Washington Road, Mount Lebanon. totopomex.com

2nd: Condado Tacos

3rd: El Campesino

BEST

SALEM’S MARKET & GRILL

2923 Penn Ave., Strip District. salemsmarketgrill.com

2nd: Aladdin’s Eatery

3rd: Pitaland

BEST

THE MILKSHAKE FACTORY

Multiple locations. themilkshakefactory.com

2nd: Burgatory

3rd: Page’s

BEST

TAQUERÍA EL PASTORCITO

facebook.com/taqueriaelpastorcitopgh

2nd: Stuntpig

3rd: Bridge City Brinery

BRIDGES & BOURBON

BEST COCKTAIL LIST

ALTHOUG

H a Pittsburgh native, Scott Shaffer spent his formative professional years immersed in the flavors and aromas of Chicago’s acclaimed food scene during a time when Pittsburgh had no culinary culture worth speaking of.

But he moved back in 2016 with the hope of bringing a little taste of the Windy City to the Steel City, where he saw new signs of promise.

and chefs and mixologists coming in and pushing to try to better the overall scale.”

Shaffer’s contribution to that emerg ing scene has been running the bar at Bridges & Bourbon, a Cultural District bar and eatery voted by Pittsburgh City Paper readers as the best cocktail outlet in town.

The drinks menu at Bridges & Bourbon includes an extensive and ever-rotating curation of cocktails split between new takes on old classics and in-house cre ations supplied by the chemically-curious bar staff. The team can help you pair any of these with the restaurant’s selective but satisfying food list.

While taste is paramount, the bar staff places equal emphasis on presentation, meaning libations are sometimes served

out of colorful bird-shaped glasses or paired with smoke-emitting tree stump props, for example.

But the impressive pyrotechnics shouldn’t scare away the uninitiated, says Schaffer, who notes the bar always stocks a sample of wines and local beers to ensure there’s something on hand for everyone. Aside from mixing the best drinks in town, bartenders at Bridges & Bourbon also work hard to help guests taste their way through the menu in accord with their distinctive palette.

“What we’re trying to do,” says Shaffer, “is give you a really nice experience with a high-quality product, but make it approachable where you feel like you want to sit here for hours.”

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
“I felt like [Pittsburgh] was evolving,” he says. “And there was a demand for something we’d like to do, and so you have more independent restaurateurs
26 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM BEST KID-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT EAT’N PARK Multiple locations. eatnpark.com 2nd: Mad Mex 3rd: Over The Bar Bicycle Cafe
• CONTINUED FROM PG. 22 BEST Of PittSbuRgH
930 Penn Ave., Strip District. bridgesandbourbonpgh.com
KOREAN FOOD
RESTAURANT
MEXICAN RESTAURANT
MIDDLE-EASTERN RESTAURANT
MILKSHAKE
NEW FOOD TRUCK

BEST NEW RESTAURANT MOONLIT BURGERS

1426 Potomac Ave., Dormont. moonlitburgers.com

Only in Pittsburgh would a burger joint win the title of Best New Restaurant. But, believe us, Moonlit Burgers is worthy. The Dormont restaurant spe cializes in smashburgers, the trendy American fast-food sensation that involves smashing a hamburger onto a hot grill as it cooks, resulting in a thin patty with crispy edges. Pair one up with Moonlit’s smash fries.

2nd: Gi-Jin

3rd: Rear End Gastropub & Garage

BEST OUTDOOR DINING

PUSADEE’S GARDEN

5319 Butler St., Lawrenceville. pusadeesgarden.com

2nd: Over The Bar at North Park Boathouse

3rd: Redfin Blues

BEST PIEROGIES

PIEROGIES PLUS

342 Island Ave., McKees Rocks. pierogiesplus.com

2nd: APTEKA

3rd: Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church

BEST PIZZA

FIORI’S PIZZARIA

103 Capital Ave., Dormont and 3801 Washington Road, McMurray. fiorispizzaria.com

2nd: Mineo’s Pizza House

3rd: Iron Born Pizza

BEST PLACE TO DRINK CHEAP

LEFTY’S

2021 Penn Ave., Strip District. facebook.com/leftys.bar.14

2nd: Dee’s Cafe

3rd: William Penn Tavern

BEST PLACE TO DRINK FANCY

BRIDGES & BOURBON

930 Penn Ave., Strip District. bridgesandbourbonpgh.com

2nd: Butcher and the Rye

3rd: Con Alma

BEST PLACE TO DRINK OUTSIDE

NARCISI WINERY

4578 Gibsonia Road, Gibsonia. narcisiwinery.com

2nd: Grist House Craft Brewery

3rd: Southern Tier Brewery Pittsburgh

BEST PLACE TO EAT CHEAP

EAT’N PARK

27PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022 CONTINUES ON PG. 28
Multiple locations. eatnpark.com 2nd: Noodlehead 3rd: Big Jim’s in the Run BEST PLACE TO EAT FANCY PUSADEE’S GARDEN 5319 Butler St., Lawrenceville. pusadeesgarden.com 2nd: Monterey Bay Fish Grotto 3rd: Grand Concourse BEST POKE BOWL JJ POKE BOWL & TAIWANESE BUBBLE TEA 110 Atwood St., Oakland. jjpoke.com 2nd: Sushi Fuku 3rd: Kahuna BEST RESTAURANT (DOWNTOWN & STRIP DISTRICT) DIANOIA’S EATERY 2549 Penn Ave., Strip District. dianoiaseatery.com 2nd: Gaucho Parrilla Argentina 3rd: Salem’s Market & Grill CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM CP PHOTO: RYAN DETO Orders taken from Oct 31 – Nov. 10th, 2022! This year be sure to order your FARM FRESH TURKEY from Pittsburgh’s BEST BUTCHER SHOP! THANK FORYINZ ALL SUPPORT!YOUR 2520 East Carson St PittsburGH, PA 15203 THE BEST in Pgh! Thank you for voting us

BEST RESTAURANT (EAST)

NOODLEHEAD

242 S. Highland Ave., Shadyside. noodleheadpgh.com

2nd: Tessaro’s Restaurant

3rd: Casbah

BEST RESTAURANT (NORTH)

NICKY’S THAI KITCHEN

Multiple locations. nickysthaikitchen.com

2nd: Fig & Ash

3rd: Off The Hook

BEST RESTAURANT (SOUTH)

PASTA TOO

5260 Library Road, Bethel Park. pastatoorestaurant.com

2nd: Dish Osteria

3rd: Totopo Cocina & Cantina

BEST RESTAURANT (WEST)

MIKE & TONY’S GYROS

5980 University Blvd., Moon. mikeandtonysgyros.com/moon

2nd: Pizzeria Davide

3rd: Central Diner & Grille

BEST RESTAURANT BEER LIST INDUSTRY PUBLIC

HOUSE

4305 Butler St., Lawrenceville. industrypgh.com

2nd: D’s Six Pax and Dogz

3rd: The Urban Tap

BEST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT LEMONT RESTAURANT

1114 Grandview Ave., Mt. Washington. lemontpittsburgh.com

2nd: Pusadee’s Garden

3rd: Monterey Bay Fish Grotto

BEST ROOFTOP BAR

IL TETTO - Sienna Mercato

942 Penn Ave., Downtown. siennamercato.com

2nd: Biergarten at Hotel Monaco

3rd: Over Eden

BEST Of PittSbuRgH

BOWL AND TAIWANESE BUBBLE TEA

BEST BUBBLE TEA

JENNY LIN has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to bubble tea. She and her husband use to run a shop fea turing bubble tea, also known as boba, in Taiwan for many years before they moved to the United States.

“Late one night, I wanted to satisfy my craving for boba milk tea I grew up with in Taiwan,” Lin says. “However, what I got in hand did not satisfy me. I felt things could be done better. So, it struck me that Pittsburgh was missing great boba tea.”

She says the idea of serving bubble tea was always a part of JJ Poke Bowl and Taiwanese Bubble Tea’s menu plan, even a year before opening.

More commonly known as JJ Poke, the restaurant is a partnership between

Lin and Joe Wu and their spouses, hence the name “JJ.” They opened in Oakland in August 2019 just before the craze around boba started slowly making its way to the Steel City.

Their tea is customizable, with mul tiple options from base to flavor, as well as a broad collection of toppings including egg custard. And, in a world where bubble tea prices can break your wallet, the cost of boba at JJ Poke is sure to please.

Manager Jackson Chen says that the original Taiwanese bubble tea flavor is definitely their most popular, and for good reason. It’s the original flavor that started the bubble tea craze.

“If you are someone who prefers richness and savoriness in a drink, I definitely would go with this one,” Chen says. Though if you are lactose intolerant or just need something lighter, try the JJ Honey with black tea.

If you find yourself in need of lunch or dinner, add a poke bowl (JJ Poke is also Pittsburgh City Paper ’s readers’ choice for Best Poke Winner) to your order of bubble tea.

“We want to set the benchmark for what boba should be,” Chen says. “No compromises, the best tea, the best ingredients, and the best business prac tices to create the best cup of boba tea you have ever had, every single time you stop in.”

CP PHOTO: PAT CAVANAGH CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
28 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM
JJ POKE
CONTINUED FROM PG. 27 110 Atwood St. Oakland. jjpoke.com

MONTEREY BAY

FISH GROTTO

1411 Grandview Ave., Mt. Washington. montereybayfishgrotto.com

2nd: Luke Wholey’s Wild Alaskan Grille

3rd: Off The Hook

BEST SMOOTHIES

SMOOTHIE KING

1025 Washington Pike, Bridgeville and 11199 Perry Highway, Wexford. smoothieking.com

2nd (tie): East End Food Co-op

2nd (tie): Tropical Smoothie Cafe

BEST

CARMI SOUL FOOD

RESTAURANT

1825 E. Carson St., South Side. carmirestaurant.com

2nd: Grandma

3rd:

PARRILLA

ARGENTINA

BEST

CONDADO TACOS

TEA

1937 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. dobrateapgh.com

2nd: The Steeping

3rd: Allegheny

NICKY’S THAI KITCHEN

locations. nickysthaikitchen.com

2nd: Pusadee’s

3rd: Noodlehead

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
29PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022 BEST SEAFOOD
SOUL FOOD
B’s
Wings & A Prayer BEST TEA SHOP DOBRÁ
PITTSBURGH
Leaf
Coffee & Tea Exchange BEST THAI RESTAURANT
Multiple
Garden
BEST VEGETARIAN MENU APTEKA 4606 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. aptekapgh.com 2nd: Onion Maiden 3rd: Mad Mex BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT TRAM’S KITCHEN 4050 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. tinyurl.com/TramsKitchen 2nd: Two Sisters Vietnamese Restaurant 3rd: Banh Mi & Ti BEST WINE LIST NARCISI WINERY 4578 Gibsonia Road, Gibsonia. narcisiwinery.com 2nd: Allegheny Wine Mixer 3rd: Mary’s Vine BEST WINGS BIG SHOT BOB’S HOUSE OF WINGS Multiple locations. bigshotbobs.com 2nd: Bigham Tavern 3rd: Sidelines Bar & Grill BEST VEGAN MENU APTEKA 4606 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. aptekapgh.com 2nd: Onion Maiden 3rd: Aladdin’s Eatery
CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM BEST STEAK GAUCHO
146 Sixth St., Downtown. eatgaucho.com 2nd: Tessaro’s American Bar and Hardwood Grill 3rd: Napa Prime Chophouse & Cigar Bar BEST SUSHI NAKAMA Multiple locations. instagram.com/nakama_pgh 2nd: The Slippery Mermaid Sushi Bar 3rd: Little Tokyo Restaurant
TACO
Multiple locations. condadotacos.com 2nd: Las Palmas Tacos 3rd: täkō
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER’S POLL
30 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM GOODS SERVICES Best Black-Owned Salon Best Antique Shop Best Psychic/ Tarot Reader fEaturiNg BEST Of PittSbuRgH
READERS’

ARTS & CRAFTS: BOTANICA & OCCULT SHOP

those interested in everything from creating an ancestral altar to spend ing an evening with a trance medium.

In addition to its spiritual services, the shop provides a wide range of items used in pagan and folk magic practices, including incense, tarot and oracle decks, crystals, and much more. Epps says they specialize in products for those who practice African Traditional Religions, or ATR for short. As an ATR practitioner, Epps says these kinds of resources can be difficult to find in

“We wanted to create a space that could fill that gap,” says Epps. “For all three of us, our personal practices are very important to us for many reasons. By opening the shop, we have a space where we can fulfill our own needs but also be of service to others.”

While the shop attracts longtime practitioners, Epps feels honored that newcomers visit Arts & Crafts for

“So many people come in and tell us that they love the energy in our shop and they thank us for being there,” says Epps. “That always makes us feel really good and is confirmation that all of our hard work and effort was worth it.”

CP PHOTO:
31SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022
• seRvicEs
JARED WICKERHAM

BEST ADULT STORE

ADULT MART

Multiple locations. adultmart.com

2nd: Sassy Sensations

3rd: exxxiteme

BEST ALTERATIONS SHOP/TAILOR

ALTERATIONS EXPRESS

Multiple locations. alterations-express.com

2nd: Topaz Thimble

3rd: Old Flame Mending

BEST ANTIQUE SHOP

THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY HUB

1404 Lincoln Highway, North Versailles. thelincolnhighwayhub.antiquetrail.com

2nd: Miller’s Crossing Fleatique

3rd: Wexford General Store Antiques

BEST ATTORNEY

SHENDEROVICH, SHENDEROVICH & FISHMAN

429 Fourth Ave., Downtown. ssf-lawfirm.com

2nd: Blaine Jones Law

3rd: Joseph Horowitz

BEST AUTOMOTIVE SHOP WALTER’S AUTOMOTIVE

5775 Baum Blvd., Bloomfield and 5446 Penn Ave., East Liberty. tinyurl.com/WaltersAuto

2nd: McNeilly Automotive Service

3rd: Baum Boulevard Automotive

BEST Of PittSbuRgH

SALON S.C.

BEST BLACK-OWNED SALON

BEST BARBER SHOP

HOUSE OF HANDSOME Barbershop and Boutique

2906 W. Liberty Ave., Dormont. houseofhandsome.com

2nd: Mister Grooming & Goods

3rd: ManKind Pgh

BEST BED AND BREAKFAST

THE INN ON NEGLEY

703 S. Negley Ave., Shadyside. innonnegley.com

2nd: The Inn on the Mexican War Streets

3rd: Brownsville Road House: Bed & Breakfast

BEST

DUFFY’S BEER & MUCH MORE

294 Curry Hollow Road, Pleasant Hills. duffysbeer.com

Liberty Beer

Bellevue Beer

BEST BICYCLE REPAIR SHOP

KRAYNICK’S BIKE SHOP

5003 Penn Ave., Garfield. kraynicksbikeshop.weebly.com

Thick Bikes

Kindred Cycles

BEST BICYCLE RETAIL STORE BICYCLE HEAVEN

1800 Preble Ave., North Side. bicycleheaven.org

Thick Bikes

PRO BIKE+RUN

BEST BIPOC-OWNED BUSINESS

LAS PALMAS

326 Atwood St., Oakland. tinyurl.com/LasPalmasPgh

2nd: Fudge Farm

3rd: Tal & Bert

BEST BLACK-OWNED BARBER SHOP

THE NATURAL CHOICE

109-111 Meyran Ave., Oakland. naturalchoicehair.com

WHILE

OTHER BUSINESSES were closing their doors during the pandemic, Shanna Cochran, owner of this year’s Best Blackowned Salon, chose to do the opposite. As a result, her hair studio Salon S.C. debuted in December 2020, becoming a thriving, multicultural salon offering an extensive level of education and experience in a wide variety of services.

“This was a scary time to start a business,” Cochran tells Pittsburgh City Paper . But, she says, they have “grown immensely.”

“We have partnered with foster and kinship programs as a resource for families in need,” she says, “and we also expanded our reach in working with health care professionals to assist women suffering from hair loss.”

Hair loss is one of the multitudes of areas Salon S.C. specializes in, and they accept insurance for qualifying clients. Cochran was certified as a hair loss spe cialist in 2021, allowing her to work with dermatologists and oncologists, and to fit clients for hair loss systems and/or units.

Among the salon’s other special ties are coloring, braiding, natural hair styling, and more. Plus, the stylists at the Braddock business also provide standard services like haircuts, extensions, blow outs, and children’s hair care.

“Salon S.C. goes above and beyond to ensure our stylists are not only experts in their specialty, but we continue to invest in our learning and development in hair care,” says Cochran. “We at Salon S.C. are simply confident in what we do.”

Knowing one’s hair is in the hands of experts is comforting enough, but a step inside the salon creates even more ease. Relaxing and intimate, Cochran says Salon S.C. is sure to welcome every guest with a very friendly, calm, and laid-back atmosphere.

2nd: JP’s Barbershop

3rd: Hair On Bedford Square

BEST BLACK-OWNED HAIR SALON

SALON S.C.

704 Braddock Ave., Braddock. salonsc412.com

2nd: Twisted Color Lounge

3rd: Loc ‘N Loaded

BEST BODY-PIERCING SHOP

HOT ROD PIERCING CO.

95 S. 16th St., South Side. hotrodpiercingcompany.com

2nd: Pittsburgh Tattoo Company

3rd: South Side Tattoo & Body Piercing

BEST BOOKSTORE

WHITE WHALE BOOKSTORE

“We would like to send a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all of our clients for voting,” Cochran says, “and a humble welcome aboard to the new clients willing to join us on this healthy hair journey.”

4754 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. whitewhalebookstore.com

2nd: City of Asylum Bookstore at Alphabet City

3rd: Mystery Lovers Bookshop

704 Braddock Ave., Braddock. salonsc412.com CP PHOTO: PAT CAVANAGH
32 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM
BEER DISTRIBUTOR
BEST OF GOODS & SERVICES

BEST BUTCHER SHOP STRIP DISTRICT MEATS

2123 Penn Ave., Strip District. stripdistrictmeats.com

2nd: Tom Friday’s Market

3rd: Salem Market & Grill

BEST CHILDREN’S STORE S.W. RANDALL TOYES & GIFTES

630 Smithfield St., Downtown. swrandalltoys.com

2nd: Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop

3rd: Castle Toys and Games

BEST CIGAR SHOP/BAR LEAF AND BEAN

Multiple locations. leafandbean.com

2nd: Old Allegheny Smoke Shop

3rd: Cioppino Restaurant & Cigar Bar

BEST CLOTHING STORE

THRIFTIQUE

125 51st St., Lawrenceville. facebook.com/thriftiquepgh

2nd: Three Rivers Vintage

3rd: Vintage 416

BEST CORNER STORE SQUIRREL HILL MARKET

2329 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. squirrelhillmarket.com

2nd: Groceria Merante

3rd: Tom Friday’s Market

BEST CREDIT UNION CLEARVIEW FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

Multiple locations. clearviewfcu.org

2nd: PSECU

3rd: Hill District Federal CU

BEST DAY SPA

ONYX + AURA

431 Beaver St., Sewickley. onyxandaura.com

2nd: Swoon Aesthetic Spa

3rd: Magnolia Studio

BEST DRY CLEANER

RUBY’S CLEANERS

300 Mt. Lebanon Blvd., Mt. Lebanon. drycleanerpittsburgh.com

2nd: Owl Cleaners

3rd: Chuong’s Cleaners

BEST E-RETAILER

ZURI BEADS

zuribeads.com

2nd: Sleepy Hollow Handmade

3rd: Maude’s Paperwing Gallery

BEST FARMERS

MARKET VENDOR

FREEDOM FARMS

freedomfarmspa.com

2nd: Mediterra Bakehouse

3rd: Who Cooks For You Farm

BEST FITNESS CENTER

ASCEND PITTSBURGH

2141 Mary St., South Side. ascendclimbing.com

BEST COWORKING SPACE

EMERALD CITY

213 Smithfield St., Downtown. emeraldcitypgh.com

Prioritizing Black entrepreneurship and Black professionals is the main goal of Emerald City, a coworking space in Downtown Pittsburgh launched in 2021 by Samantha Black and Khamil Bailey. The 12,000-square-foot space features gorgeous, bold architectural details, sound-resistant phone booths, and an assortment of services including curated programming and multiple memberships for those seeking an affordable spot to work without distraction.

2nd: The Maverick Pgh

3rd: Fulton Commons

2nd: Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh

3rd: Iron City Boulders

BEST FLORIST

THE FARMER’S DAUGHTER FLOWERS

502 E. Ohio St., North Side. thefarmersdaughterflowers.com

2nd: Dormont

3rd:

BEST FURNITURE STORE CONSTRUCTION

JUNCTION

214 N. Lexington St., Point Breeze. cjreuse.org

2nd: Levin Furniture

3rd (tie):

Haute

3rd (tie): Pittsburgh

Mattress

33PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022
CONTINUES ON PG. 34
Florist
Z Florist
and
Hot
Hot Inc
Furniture Company

We’ve all had the experience of going to an antique store that feels exactly like your grand mother’s basement: stuffy, overcrowded, and requiring real fortitude to sort the gold from the garbage. Sorting through grandma’s basement may have its own appeal, but sometimes you simply don’t want to work hard, especially when par ticipating in America’s top form of rec reation: shopping.

1404

Enter The Lincoln Highway Hub, an antique mall so meticulously curated and organized that you’re able to actu ally appreciate the huge variety of items it has to offer. Owners Sue and Tony Bazzo have been dealing antiques for nearly 30 years in various shows and antique shops. Their son and one of the Hub’s managers, Nicholas Bazzo, tells Pittsburgh City Paper that “one day they decided they wanted to open their own local mall, and the rest is history.”

The Hub features over 125 dealers, spread out over an 18,000-square-foot space. When it comes to the kinds of things you might find, the selection is so wide-ranging as to be unpredictable.

“Whether it’s celebrity-signed mem orabilia, pieces of local history, props from famous Pittsburgh films, or a band of taxidermied frogs playing instru ments, we never really know just what is going to come across the counter,” Bazzo says.

If you’ve never shopped for antiques before, he has a few words of advice: “Do your research! Knowledge is often just as valuable as the items we sell, and you’ll never know what kind of treasures you will happen across just waiting to have their secrets uncovered by a discerning eye. It also gives you an appreciation of the item’s unique place in history. Also, make sure you allocate plenty of time to browse!”

On a recent trip to the store, I scored a vintage black lace top and a piece of uranium glass — a slightly radioactive kind of glass popular in the early 20th century, which is tinted green by the addition of uranium and glows neon under a UV light. But my favorite find? An animatronic gorilla that gyrates violently to the “Macarena,” which, when shown to others, elicits reactions ranging from “horrifying” all the way to “epic.”

It’s true what they say: one person’s trash really is another’s treasure. •

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
34 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM BEST OF GOODS & SERVICES, CONTINUED FROM PG. 33
BEST Of PittSbuRgH THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY HUB BEST ANTIQUE SHOP
Lincoln Highway, North Versailles. thelincolnhighwayhub.antiquetrail.com We welcome you to visit the Sanctuary and experience love, peace, and friendship with our rescued farm animals. www.hopehavenfarm.orgwww.springspa.org 814-442-4594 • 1711 Springs Rd., Springs, PA 15562 We regret due to experience, only service dogs are allowed during Festival days. Celebration of our heritage in Amish Country • Over 100 working artisans • Pennsylvania Dutch Food • Hayrides • Music All Day 9 AM – 5 PM

SOERGEL ORCHARDS

2573 Brandt School Road, Wexford. soergels.com

2nd: Janoski’s Farm and Greenhouse

3rd: Shadyside Nursery

BEST GIFT SHOP

WILDCARD

4209 Butler St., Lawrenceville. wildcardpgh.com

2nd: Kards Unlimited

3rd: Hocus Pocus

BEST GUIDED TOUR

HOPE HAVEN FARM

SANCTUARY

2506 Wexford Bayne Road, Sewickley. hopehavenfarm.org

2nd: Doors Open Pittsburgh

3rd: The Frick Pittsburgh

BEST INTERNATIONAL GROCERY STORE PENNSYLVANIA

MACARONI CO.

2010 Penn Ave., Strip District. pennmac.com

2nd: Labriola’s Italian Market

3rd: Salem’s Market & Grill

BEST JEWELRY STORE HENNE JEWELERS

5501 Walnut St., Shadyside. hennejewelers.com

2nd: Songbird Artistry

3rd: Orr’s Jewelers

BEST HAIR SALON

DENHAM & CO. SALON

100 Fifth Ave., Downtown. denhamandco.com

2nd: Be Studio

3rd: Uncommon Loft

BEST HEAD SHOP

HIPPIE & FRENCH

5122 Butler St., Lawrenceville. hippieandfrench.com

2nd: Curated Flame

3rd: Keepin’ It Glassy

BEST HEALTH ADVOCACY GROUP

PLANNED PARENTHOOD

- Pittsburgh Family Planning Health Center

933 Liberty Ave., Downtown. plannedparenthood.org

2nd: Central Outreach Wellness Center

3rd: Metro Community Health Center

BEST

HIPPIE & FRENCH

5122 Butler St., Lawrenceville. hippieandfrench.com

2nd: Well Oiled

3rd: Murray Avenue Apothecary

BEST LGBTQ-OWNED BUSINESS LEONA’S ICE CREAM

PRESS

35PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022 BEST GARDEN SHOP/NURSERY
CONTINUES ON PG. 36
HOLISTIC MEDICINE SHOP
Multiple locations. 2nd: Pigeon Bagels 3rd: Square Cafe BEST LOCAL T-SHIRT COMPANY COMMONWEALTH
691 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon. 2nd: Steel City Brand 3rd: Yinzer Store BEST MANI/PEDI EMBELLISHED 411 Mill St., Coraopolis. 2nd: Elliven Spa 3rd: Nails On Point BEST MASSAGE THERAPIST NIKKI REMIC Pittsburgh Center for Complementary Health and Healing 1124 S. Braddock Ave., Edgewood. pghhealthandhealing.com 2nd: Kim Yerman at Elliven Spa 3rd: Dawn Szabo at Evolve CP PHOTO: LISA CUNNINGHAM Explore cannabis as a support for what ails you. Become a medical cannabis patient. We provide low-cost certifications and expert assistance, over the phone. www.herbalcarerx.com • 215-554-4044 • HELP@HERBALCARERX.COM $125 - New Cannabis Card Certification $75 Card Recertification $75 - New Certification for Veterans/SSI/Disability 6 weeks for $32 VISIT WWW.PGHCITYPAPERSTORE.COM WORKING FROM HOME? GET CITY PAPER DELIVERED TO YOUR MAILBOX

BEST MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY ORGANIC REMEDIES

5001 Library Road, Bethel Park and 7402 McKnight Road, North Hills. organicremediespa.com

2nd: Ethos Dispensary

3rd: Sunnyside Medical Cannabis Dispensary

BEST MUSIC RECORDING STUDIO MR. SMALLS

Recording and Mastering

922 W. North Ave., North Side. mrsmallsrecording.com

2nd: Spaceship Studio PGH

3rd: ID Labs

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD GROCER

EAST END FOOD CO-OP

7516 Meade St., Larimer. eastendfood.coop

2nd: Labriola’s Italian Market

3rd: Tom Friday’s Market

BEST PERSONAL TRAINER OJ MACKLIN at OJ Macklin Fitness

ojmacklinfitness.com

2nd: Ryan Harris at Fitness Factory

3rd: Chris “Steel” Edmunds

BEST PET DAYCARE THE DOG STOP

Multiple locations. thedogstop.com

2nd: Camp Bow Wow

3rd: Pittsburgh Paws Pet Resort

BEST PET GROOMER THE DOG STOP

Multiple locations. thedogstop.com

2nd: The AuStella Pet Parlor

3rd: Candelore’s Barking Beauties

BEST PET STORE PETAGOGY

5880 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. petagogy.com

2nd: Asgard Raw Dog & Cat Food

3rd (tie): Healthy Pet Products

3rd (tie): Lawrenceville Pet Supply

3rd (tie): Salty Paws Pittsburgh

BEST PLACE FOR A KID’S BIRTHDAY PARTY PITTSBURGH ZOO & PPG AQUARIUM

7370 Baker St., Highland Park. pittsburghzoo.org

2nd: Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

3rd: Urban Air Adventure Park

BEST PLACE TO ADOPT A PET HUMANE ANIMAL RESCUE

1101 Western Ave., North Side and 6926 Hamilton Ave., Homewood. humaneanimalrescue.org

2nd: Animal Friends

3rd: Trash Cat Rescue

BEST PLACE TO

HIPPIE & FRENCH

5122 Butler St., Lawrenceville. hippieandfrench.com

2nd: Curated Flame

3rd: Total Peace And Wellness

BEST PLACE TO BUY

PHANTOM OF THE ATTIC COMICS

411 S. Craig St., Oakland and 3766 William Penn Highway, Monroeville. phantom-attic.com

2nd: Eide’s Entertainment

3rd: New Dimension Comics

BEST PLACE

I MADE IT! MARKET

imadeitmarket.com

2nd: Handmade Arcade

3rd: love, Pittsburgh

BEST

TO

N STUFF MUSIC

468 Freeport Road, Blawnox. nstuffmusic.com

2nd: Volkwein’s Music

3rd (tie): Brighton Music Center

3rd (tie): Pittsburgh Guitars

BEST

PGH PRINT SHIP

595 Butler St., Etna. pghprintship.com

2nd: Signs N’At

3rd: Copies at Carson

CP PHOTO: KAYCEE ORWIG
36 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM
BEST OF GOODS & SERVICES, CONTINUED FROM PG. 35
BUY CBD PRODUCTS
COMICS
TO BUY LOCALLY MADE CRAFTS
PLACE
BUY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
PRINTMAKER/ POSTER DESIGNER

ARTS & CRAFTS:

BOTANICA OCCULT SHOP

4901 Penn Ave., Garfield. artsncraftspgh.com

2nd: Smellis Ellis

3rd: Indigo Baloch at Maude’s Paperwing Gallery

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT

SARA LEITERA

tinyurl.com/SaraLeitera

2nd: Pamela Simmons

3rd: Corey Kelly

JERRY’S RECORDS

2136 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. jerrysrecords.com

2nd: Attic Record Store Inc

3rd: Preserving Record Shop

BEST SHOE STORE

LITTLE’S SHOES

5850 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. littlesshoes.com

2nd: Wagner Shoes

3rd: The SōL Collective

BEST SKATEBOARD/ SKATE SHOP SWITCH & SIGNAL

SKATEPARK

7518 Dickson St., Swissvale. switchandsignalskatepark.com

2nd: OneUp Skate Shop

3rd: Wicked Skatewear

BEST TATTOO PARLOR

ICE 9 STUDIO

2520 E. Carson St., South Side. facebook.com/Ice9TattooStudio

2nd (tie): Pittsburgh Tattoo Company

2nd (tie): Sanctuary Pittsburgh

BEST THRIFT SHOP

THRIFTIQUE

125 51st St., Lawrenceville. facebook.com/thriftiquepgh

2nd: St. Vincent de Paul Society - Thrift Store

3rd: Pittsburgh Center For Creative Reuse

BEST VAPE SHOP

STEEL CITY VAPORS

4023 William Penn Highway, Monroeville and 4136 Library Road, Castle Shannon. steel-city-vapors.myshopify.com

2nd: Cool Vapes

3rd (tie): Swirling Wind Vapors

3rd (tie): Vapor Galleria Vape & CBD Shop

BEST WEDDING SHOP

BRIDAL BEGINNING

450 Cochran Road, Mt. Lebanon. bridalbeginning.com

2nd: Blanc de Blanc Bridal Boutique

3rd: Luxe Redux Bridal Boutique

BEST WEDDING VENUE PHIPPS Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

1 Schenley Drive, Oakland. phipps.conservatory.org

2nd: Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

3rd: Heinz Memorial Chapel

BEST WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS SONGBIRD ARTISTRY

4316 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. songbirdartistry.com

2nd (tie): Pittsburgh Honey

2nd (tie): The Refillery

WELCOME YOGA

allbodieswelcomeyoga.com

If you’ve resisted trying yoga because you’re self conscious about your body, look no further. Emily Anderson, a selfproclaimed “fat white woman,” is the brainchild of All Bodies Welcome Yoga, which offers on-demand videos, group classes, and private instruction. Her practice comes from the desire to recon nect people with their bodies and “build resiliency in a fatphobic, abelist world.”

2nd: Yoga Flow Pittsburgh

3rd: The Om Lounge

BEST YOGA STUDIO ALL BODIES CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM BEST RECORD STORE
37PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022 BEST PSYCHIC/TAROT READER
PITTSBURGH
38 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM Best Tiktok Account Best Dressed Best Lifestyle Influencer fEaturiNg PEOPLE PLACES BEST Of PittSbuRgH AND
CITY PAPER’S READERS’ POLL

BEST Of pEopLe & PlaCes CHANCELOR HUMPHREY

BEST LIFESTYLE INFLUENCER

SINCE 2016, there hasn’t been a year that’s gone by where Chancelor Humphrey’s name hasn’t made an appearance on Pittsburgh City Paper’s Best of Pittsburgh list.

Some might know Humphrey simply as Keep Pittsburgh Dope. His popular Instagram account of the same name boasts over 38,0000 fol lowers and snagged him the winning spot for Best Local Instagram Account in 2016 and 2018.

His crisp and bright photos of Pittsburghers Pittsburghing around Pittsburgh showcase a stylish side of the city that those from outside the area might not expect to see in a former steel mill town. Instead of a sea of camo and work boots, the influence of Pittsburgh’s industrious past shows itself in a unique way, one that Humphrey expertly captures with his camera.

“We’re known for blue-collar, hard work, and I think that really comes through in the street style here,” he said in a 2016 interview with City Paper. “There’s definitely an attitude with our style.”

And Humphrey himself is no exception. In between his photographs

featuring a wide variety of people and fashions, the photographer includes selfies of himself posing in everything from bright pink swimming goggles to a black denim ensemble, topped with a Pittsburgh Pirates hat.

keeppghdope.com

Beyond Instagram, others might know Humphrey as a former on-air radio host at 100.7 Star and WAMO, or as one-half of the duo behind Creatives Drink, the free, local net working event that aims to connect Pittsburgh residents and businesses through alcohol and fun in eccentric locations.

Whatever the case, it’s clear Humphrey, who was a 2021 Pittsburgh Magazine 40 Under 40 honoree, is defi nitely helping keep Pittsburgh dope.

“I want to leave a legacy, an imprint,” Humphrey told Pittsburgh Magazine last year. “I want to be the Black dude from Pittsburgh who is bigger than Mr. Rogers.”

May Humphrey, 2022’s Best Lifestyle Influencer, continue to influ ence both Pittsburgh residents, and Pittsburgh perception, on (and off) the internet for years to come. •

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
39PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022

PRINCESS JAFAR

Princess Jafar tells Pittsburgh City Paper she likes to celebrate herself every day, “loudly and proudly.” And it shows. From her eccentric outfits to her creative performances and oft bizarre musical recordings, the 6’6” drag queen knows how to make an entrance … and keep audiences’ attention. See her fierceness for yourself in person as she hosts this year’s Best of Pittsburgh party.

TIKI

2003

2nd:

3rd:

HERITAGE

2nd:

THE BURGH

discovertheburgh.com

2nd:

2nd:

3rd:

BEST Of PittSbuRgH

@COOKING_COMEDY_CHAOS

BEST TIK TOK ACCOUNT

“WHAT’S

UP BUTTERCUP?”

This is how Desarae Legros starts each video on her TikTok account @cooking_ comedy_chaos. With close to 200,000 fol lowers, Legros’ account is a treasure trove of fun cooking videos, but her journey wasn’t always smooth.

“It was a fluke accident,” Legros says. Back in December 2021, Legros joined TikTok after her husband bought her a molecular gastronomy kit, but her first couple of videos were “pure chaos,” she tells Pittsburgh City Paper.

At the time, Legros was struggling with self-acceptance. She had broken her ankle in 2020 and, despite multiple sur geries, her doctor said it would never fully heal. Now disabled, her 20-year career in restaurants came to an end. Starting her TikTok account and embracing who she

was allowed Legros to grow a dedicated fanbase and a community full of laughter and philanthropy.

She has multiple signature sayings and mannerisms that make her stand out from other cooking-related social media accounts, including occasional appear ances from one of her most notable quirks, Linda.

“I have this alter ego that I’ve blamed everything on for the last 15 years of my life. Her name is Linda,” Legros says. “So anytime anything goes wrong in the kitchen, it’s definitely Linda’s fault. I am a top-tier chef and Linda’s just a trainwreck. So, we meet in the middle.”

Legros can also be spotted wearing a unicorn headband or declaring a recipe “certified unicorn” when she finds it

magical. Ultimately, she says her goal is to inspire people to get back in the kitchen, laugh at their mistakes, and bond through cooking.

Despite her success, Legros does not take money from the TikTok creator fund. Instead, she believes in giving back to her community because of her history of growing up poor and in the foster care system. Legros is now involved in charity organizations such as Lasagna Love and has put together events like a recent barbecue cookoff that raised $1,765 for Monessen Middle School students.

From all of this, Legros hopes to someday start a nonprofit cooking school for youth in the foster care system and have her own cooking show on Comedy Central where, she says, she’d be able to continue to spread her love of laughter and cooking.

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM tiktok.com/@cooking_comedy_chaos CP
40 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM
PEOPLE & PLACESBEST OF PEOPLE & PLACES
• BEST BAR BATHROOM
LOUNGE
E. Carson St., South Side. ordertikiloungepgh.com
Brillobox
Blue Moon BEST BIKE TRAIL THREE RIVERS
TRAIL friendsoftheriverfront.org/three-rivers-heritage-trail
Montour Trail 3rd: Millvale Riverfront Park BEST BLOG DISCOVER
Burgh Brides 3rd: Made in PGH BEST BUSKER SAXOPHONE GUY AT PENGUINS GAMES nhl.com/penguins
Trombone Guy on Murray Avenue
Pittsburgh Steel-Man
PHOTO: TERENEH IDIA

BEST

POOL

DORMONT POOL

1801 Dormont Ave., Dormont.

boro dormont.pa.us/dormont-pool

2nd: North Park Swimming Pool

3rd: Settlers Cabin Park Wave Pool

BEST DRAG PERFORMER PRINCESS JAFAR

facebook.com/theprincessjafar

2nd: Lola LeCroix

3rd: Dixie Surewood

BEST

HEATHER ABRAHAM

facebook.com/KDKAHeather

2nd: Weird Paul

3rd: Nix Muse @werewolfstyleguide

BEST HUMANITARIAN GISELE FETTERMAN

twitter.com/giselefetterman

2nd: Phat Man Dee

3rd: Ciora Thomas

BEST INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT

OAKMONT BAKERY

instagram.com/oakmontbakery

2nd: @stufftodoinpittsburgh

3rd: @weirdpaulp

BEST JAGOFF

PITTSBURGH DAD

pghdad.com

BEST

KEISEL

2nd: Wendy Bell

3rd: Mark Madden

BEST LIFESTYLE INFLUENCER CHANCELOR HUMPHREY

instagram.com/keeppittsburghdope

BEST

PIRATES

KIYA TOMLIN

WEIRD PAUL

BEST PERSON TO

RICK SEBAK

facebook.com/ricksebakwqed

2nd:

3rd: Mikey

CP PHOTO: RAYNI
41PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022
CITY
DRESSED
CONTINUES ON PG. 42
REPRESENT PITTSBURGH TO ALIENS
Pittsburgh Dad
and Big Bob
2nd: Dr. Stacy Lane 3rd (tie): Hautemess Tom (@hautemesstom) 3rd (tie): Kelly (@explore_pittsburgh) BEST NONPROFIT 412 FOOD RESCUE 412foodrescue.org 2nd: Animal Friends 3rd: Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
FACIAL HAIR BRETT
brettkeisel.com 2nd: John Fetterman 3rd: Weird Paul Petroskey
FAILURE TO LAUNCH PITTSBURGH
mlb.com/pirates 2nd: Mount Washington Zip Line 3rd: Sharon Needles’ Career BEST FASHION DESIGNER
388 Butler St., Etna. kiyatomlin.us 2nd: Kelsy Black (@thats_sew_kelsy) 3rd: Suz Pisano BEST HAIR
weirdpaul.com 2nd: Trisha Pittman 3rd: Spaz BEST HANGOUT FOR TEENS CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH Multiple locations. carnegielibrary.org 2nd: Brookline Teen Outreach 3rd: Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania
SHIRING CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

BEST PLACE TO DITCH A SCOOTER A CHARGING STATION

move-pgh.com/what-are-mobility-hubs

2nd: Next to the median on Boulevard of the Allies

3rd: Middle of the street in the North Side

BEST PUBLIC TRANSIT ROUTE MONONGAHELA INCLINE

8 Grandview Ave., Mount Washington. monongahelaincline.com

2nd: The Red Line

3rd: P1 East Busway

BEST PLACE TO HAVE SEX IN PUBLIC

THE CATHEDRAL OF LEARNING

4200 Fifth Ave., Oakland. tour.pitt.edu/tour/cathedral-learning

2nd: Schenley Park

3rd: West End Overlook Park

BEST PLACE TO TAKE RECYCLING

CONSTRUCTION

JUNCTION

214 N. Lexington St., Point Breeze. cjreuse.org

2nd: The Curb on Scheduled Recycling Nights

3rd: Pittsburgh Center For Creative Reuse

BEST PODCAST

THE YAJAGOFF! PODCAST yajagoff.com

2nd: Making A Martini

3rd: City Cast Pittsburgh

BEST POLITICIAN TO SEND TO SPACE

DR. OZ tinyurl.com/DrOzPA

2nd: Doug Mastriano

3rd: John Fetterman

Maybe it’s the phallic tower, maybe it’s because the location is so central to horny students away from home for the first time. Either way, we’re not endorsing you drop your drawers at the University of Pittsburgh’s tallest building, but this isn’t the first time the Cathedral of Learning has been named the readers’ choice for the Best Place to Have Sex in Public. Nearly 20 years ago, we featured dozens of couples making out in front of the building on our cover when it won the same category in 2005.

BEST SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION

1HOOD MEDIA

1hood.org

2nd: SisTers PGH

3rd: City of Asylum

BEST THIRST TRAP WEIRD PAUL

weirdpaul.com

2nd: Hautemess Tom

3rd: CC Daniels

BEST TIKTOK ACCOUNT COOKING COMEDY CHAOS

tiktok.com/@cooking_comedy_chaos

2nd: @weirdpaulp

3rd: @oakmontbakery

BEST TINY FREE LIBRARY COMMUNITY LIBRARY OF CASTLE SHANNON’S

LITTLE FREE LIBRARY

3310 McRoberts Road, Castle Shannon. castleshannonlibrary.org

2nd: Neighborhood boxes in Mt. Lebanon

3rd: Livy’s Library at The Black Cat Market

BEST TROLL MARK MADDEN

twitter.com/markmaddenx

2nd: The guy who hands out free passes to strip clubs at Penguins games

3rd: The duct cleaners in all of the neighborhood FB groups

BEST SELFIE MIRROR

RANDYLAND

1501 Arch St., North Side. facebook.com/randylandpgh

2nd: Brillobox

3rd: Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel

BEST STARGAZING SPOT OBSERVATORY HILL

North Side. observatoryhill.net

2nd: Mount Washington

3rd: West End Overlook Park

BEST TV PERSONALITY RICK SEBAK

wqed.org/ricksebak

2nd: Bob Pompeani

3rd: Heather Abraham

42 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM
BEST OF PEOPLE & PLACES, CONTINUED FROM PG. 41 CONTINUES ON PG. 44
43PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022

WEIRD PAUL

twitch.tv/weird_paul

2nd:

3rd:

JOEY BAG OF

twitter.com/joeybagovdonuts

2nd:

3rd:

MOUNT WASHINGTON

2nd:

OHIOPYLE

ohiopyle.org

2nd:

3rd:

PITTSBURGH DAD

pghdad.com

2nd:

3rd:

BEST

PITTSBURGH DAD

youtube.com/user/pittsburghdad

2nd: Weird

3rd: Oakmont

AS THE HOST OF KDKA’S morning talk show, Pittsburgh Today Live,

Heather Abraham is always in the spotlight, which means her outfits are up for public scrutiny. Luckily, viewers approve, selecting the on-air personal ity as the Best Dressed in town.

“I have always been enamored by Audrey Hepburn’s classic style,” she tells Pittsburgh City Paper. “While I like some prints, I tend to go for solids and a more classic look.”

One might think her wardrobe is huge, considering her occupation, but Abraham says she tries to buy things that will last or can be reused. “In the fall and spring, I like to go through what doesn’t fit anymore and donate those items,” she says.

As for what she chooses to wear, she

says it’s “all about what makes me feel comfortable and confident.”

Off-air, she says she’s “all about that mom life: chasing after kids, cooking dinner, going to practices. I try to be as comfortable as possible!” And at KDKA, where she’s worked since 2010, she credits a partnership with Macy’s and Simon. “The stylists, by the way, are free to use and have helped me tremen dously in finding what works best for my body type.”

The outfit she chose for City Paper’s photoshoot has her in a fire leather skirt, a beautifully colored blouse, and a chic sky-blue mani. “This is an outfit chosen between me and the Macy’s stylist at

Ross Park Mall, Kim Macek,” she shares. “I really love separates and, when I saw the skirt, I knew I wanted it. We searched for a fun top that was neutral but added a little contrast. As for the nails, getting routine manicures is relatively new for me. I love Perfect 10 and the owner, Heather. Getting my nails done somehow oddly makes me feel like my life is not in utter chaos!”

Appreciating her own body has been a journey, she tells City Paper, but says she’s “here for it now” and encourages others to focus on their self confidence.

“As someone once said to me, ‘Isn’t it amazing all that our bodies allow us to do? Run, swim, walk, play, hug.’ So love yourself,” Abraham says, “and your style and natural beauty will shine.”

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM CP
44 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM
• BEST Of PittSbuRgH HEATHER ABRAHAM BEST DRESSED BY TERENEH IDIA // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM facebook.com/KDKAHeather BEST TWITCH ACCOUNT
@SteelCityImprovTheater
@Mizz_Ladasha BEST TWITTER ACCOUNT
DONUTS
@OddPittsburgh
@weirdpaul CONTINUED FROM PG. 42 BEST VIEW OF THE CITY
visitpittsburgh.com/neighborhoods/ mt-washington
Fort Pitt Tunnel 3rd: West End Overlook BEST WEEKEND GETAWAY
Erie
Laurel Highlands BEST YINZER
Rick Sebak
Billy Gardell
YOUTUBE ACCOUNT
Paul
Bakery
PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM
45PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022

Game with Skip cards

Clear,

February

Dudes

Like “sus” or “bet”

Copying, in the kitchen

Band that infamously stipulated “no brown M&Ms”

its riders

Software developer’s target audience

Most in pain

Mil. title

store bread

Davidson

Meet Cute

Scottish dances

heroine

bricks

gueuze

Stirred (up)

46 WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM CONGRATS Best of Pittsburgh MCKEES ROCKS WINNERS Mancini's Bakery Black Forge Coffee Best Bread Best Coffee Best Perogies Perogies Plus Best Bar (WEST) Runners up Parkway Theater & Film Lounge Best Music Venue (Suburbs) Runners up Roxian Theatre www.mckeesrocks.com WHY I’M LATE
QUIGLEY // BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS ACROSS 1. Very pale 4. Biblical queen’s home 9. Reliever’s stat 14. Letters on a Crest box 15. Serve some more wine 16. Spanish plain 17. Squalid hope? 19. Music scout’s dept. at a label 20. Back of the book listing 21. Coastal flyer 23. Coloration 24. It comes after 11 25. College head’s tumbler? 29. “Get back here, you scoundrel!” 30. Figures out 31. Smaller grommet 32. Choral works 34. Olaf Scholz’s nat. 35. November event for the Black Is King singer? 38. Grass to grow on 39. Some urinals 40. Big name in travel guides 43. Surf without comment 44. Safety’s point value 47. Get some wild felines from a store? 49. See 8-Down 50. Decorative globe 9.
10.
11.
in
12.
13.
18.
22. Sandwich
25.
of
26.
27. Great Expectations
28. Some
30. Ingredient of some milk 32. Red wine 33. Do a deep clean 51.
52.
as windshields in
53.
55. Cafeteria item leans a bit? 59. Dude in Devonshire 60. Craze of the moment 61. Long tail? 62. Made some stitching 63. ___ Theory (postulate in sports wherein a team gets better after their star player is sidelined) 64. [Just a couple examples will do]: Abbr. DOWN 1. Going up to one’s ankles 2. Songs in (Alicia Keys album) 3. ___ the Relentless (What We Do In The Shadows vampire) 4. Underground riverway 5. “Explain it to me” 6. Prefix with Pen 7. Long way around town? 8. With 49-Across, alias of electronic musician Richard D. James 35. It’s a gut punch 36. Besmirches 37. Fluid from a well 38. Drink similar to a lambic or a
40. They’re dropped when one’s angry 41.
42. Day light 44. Feeling of regret 45. Set of pegs in cricket 46. “Almost done” 48. “Dunno” 49. Big Sri Lankan export 52. Dumb putz, for short 54. Squeeze (out) 56. Unpolished 57. Black bird with a smoothed bill 58. Yang’s companion

MARKET PLACE

FINANCIAL

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HELP WANTED TECHNOLOGY

Philips RS North Ameri ca LLC (formerly Respi ronics, Inc.) is accepting resumes for the position of Senior Software Engineer in Pittsburgh, PA (Ref. #URKN). Build Enterprise applications with keen focus on per formance, resilience, and quality. Telecommuting permitted. Mail resume to Philips North America LLC, Legal Department, Barbara Bickford, 222 Jacobs Street, Third Floor, Cambridge, MA 02141. Resume must include Ref. #URKN, full name, email address & mailing address. No phone calls. Must be legally authorized to work in U.S. without sponsorship. EOE.

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STUDY

SMOKERS WANTED

The University of Pittsburgh’s Alcohol & Smoking Research Lab is looking for people to participate in a research project. You must:

• Currently smoke cigarettes

• Be 18-49 years old, in good health, and speak fluent English

• Be right handed, willing to not smoke before two sessions, and to fill out ques tionnaires

Earn up to $260 for par ticipating in this study.

For more information, call (412) 407-5029

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-21-9241

In re petition of Sean Anthony Jones for change of name to Ari Bey. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 31st day of October, 2022 at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

FINANCIAL

Struggling With Your Private Student Loan Payment? New relief programs can reduce your payments. Learn your options. Good credit not necessary. Call the Helpline 888-670-5631 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Eastern) (AAN CAN)

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-22-9755

In re petition of Nancy Kristina Graves for change of name to Nancy Kristina Holton.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 7th day of October, 2022, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

SERVICES

AT&T TV - The Best of Live & On-Demand On All Your Favorite Screens. CHOICE Package, $84.99/mo for 12months. Stream on 20 de vices at once in your home. HBO Max FREE for 1 yr (w/ CHOICE Package or higher.) Call for more details today! (some restrictions apply) Call IVS 1-877-350-1003

NAME CHANGE

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-22-009208

In re petition of Alexis Kimberlyn Dupee for change of name to Alexis Kimberlyn Kohlbeck.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 18th day of October, 2022, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

LEGAL

Need Help with Family Law?

Can’t Afford a $5000 Retainer?

Low Cost Legal Services- Pay As You Go- As low as $750-$1500Get Legal Help Now! Call 1-844-821-8249 Mon-Fri 7am to 4pm PCT (AAN CAN) https://www.familycourtdirect. com/?network=1

DENTAL INSURANCE

DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 350 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-855-385-3879 www.dental50plus.com/ citypaper #6258

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47PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 5, 2022
MASSAGE
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ADVERTISEMENT, CALL 412-685-9009 ext. 106
Voted Pittsburgh’s Best Thai Restuarant for 11th year in a row! Visit our Website for Hours, Menus and Online Take Out Ordering! NickysThaiKitchen.com Thank you for voting us Best Thai Restaurant and Best Restaurant, North!
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