Rosilynne Culgan
Published June 1, 2018
Updated 1:45 p.m.
With the amount of restaurant openings this summer, why even own a kitchen?
New this month: Comfort food at Smallman Galley, Portuguese treats in Bloomfield, and Caribbean dishes in Beechview. On the horizon: More than a dozen new bars and restaurants. You’re gonna want to get out your stretchiest pants.
Here’s what’s new for this month (and what you might have missed last month).
Hello
Joey’s and Home at Smallman Galley, Strip District
Two new dining concepts are open at restaurant incubator Smallman Galley as of today. Joey Hilty, owner of The Vandal, will debut “Joey’s,” a modern European cafe concept featuring simple, ingredient-driven dishes. Phill Milton, sous chef at fl.2, will also introduce a menu of comfort dishes at the aptly named “Home.” Find their menus online here.
Btw, while you’re there, pair your meal with one of Smallman Galley’s new cocktails, inspired by the flavors of childhood, like Mountain Dew Code Red, Froot Loops, and pizza rolls.
Big Easy Dog Daze & Cafe, Lawrenceville
It’s a cafe for humans, and dogs are welcome. Expect a menu of Cuban foods and pastries, along with coffee drinks.
Azorean Cafe, Bloomfield
Come for stews, seafood casseroles, and Azorean pastries at this Portuguese cafe. Don’t miss “queijada,” a pastry with custard — “they’re made from a secret recipe that has been in my village for 100 years,” the owner told Good Food Pittsburgh.
Musa Caribbean / Cajun Fare, Beechview
The name says it all: Caribbean and Cajun delicacies take center stage here. Expect everything from chipotle shrimp to seafood gumbo to pineapple coconut ice cream. Also check out the spacious deck for outside dining.
Voodoo Brewery at the Airport, Moon Township
For all your airport beer needs, Voodoo opened a taproom in Concourse C, joining fellow local brewery Penn Brewery at the airport.
See you soon
Lorelei, East Liberty
Look for an “early summer” opening for Lorelei in the former Livermore spot in East Liberty, a new bar from the owners of Independent Brewing Company and Hidden Harbor. As Pittsburgh Magazine reports, Lorelei is named not for Lorelai Gilmore but for “the mythical siren that sits atop a mystical rock that juts into the Rhine river in Germany.” Yes, really.
Molinaro Ristorante, Downtown
Seafood restaurant Poros is being turned into Molinaro Ristorante with a “high-end Italian approach,” per the Business Times. It’s set to open in early June in one of the most prominent locations in the city, between Market Square and PPG Place.
Pie for Breakfast, Oakland
The building’s “coming soon” sign has tantalized Oakland passersby for years. But it’s finally happening. Though there’s not an exact date set, training is already happening. Pie for Breakfast describes itself like this: “We offer more than pies and breakfast. We are like if a European coffee shop had a baby with a truck stop.”
TBSP, Mt. Oliver
Four bakers in residence will sell baked goods at the TBSP storefront in Mt. Oliver Borough, a culinary incubator. The opening date has been pushed back to June or July, so stay tuned for sweet treats. TBSP’s inaugural cohort of bakers in residence features a sweet-and-savory expert, a sourdough artisan and a pretzel pro.
See you soon-ish
- An Insomnia Cookies location in the South Side. After being delayed a year, it’s expected to open in June or July, and it will join a recently opened Oakland location.
- Choppin’ Block, a casual lunchtime BBQ concept in the Strip District.
- Walter’s Barbecue in Lawrenceville replacing what used to be an autobody shop — “a spin on a beer garden, with barbecue.”
- A Rascal Flatts Restaurant in Station Square. If you like that kind of thing.
- Another Richard DeShantz restaurant, Fish Nor Fowl, slated to open soon in the former Salt of the Earth spot.
- Fig & Ash, a “farm-to-flame restaurant,” coming to Deutschtown in the fall.
- Leo. a public house, for beer, wine and sandwiches, opening in the North Side in the next few months, from the team behind Lola Bistro.
- Two Sisters Vietnamese Kitchen in East Liberty, a low-key BYOB spot with pho, rice bowls and Vietnamese-style vermicelli dishes. Look for it in late summer.
- Vegan ice cream in Sharpsburg and Sub Zero Ice Cream in Upper St. Clair.
- A permanent location for Spork Pitt in Bloomfield.
- A Penn Brewery taproom is coming to Downtown, but it’s still pretty far into the future.
- East End Brewing pub conversion in Larimer, with charcuterie and other delicacies from Morcilla’s Justin Severino.
- A Cinderlands brewpub in the former Spaghetti Warehouse building in the Strip District, where construction is already underway.
- A new, TBA concept from the Big Burrito group in the Waterworks plaza.
- Siempre Algo (translation: “always something”) with a seasonal contemporary American menu on East Ohio Street in the North Side.
- A Mexican-Italian fusion in the Strip District in partnership with Edgar Alvarez, of Edgar’s Best Tacos.
- Bridges and Bourbon, a concept with small plates from chef David Racicot, in the former Seviche space Downtown.
Farewell
Peter’s Pub, Oakland
Pittsburgh bid a sad farewell to Peter’s Pub, the quintessential college bar, an Oakland staple for four decades. The bar will be turned into a third Mario’s Saloon location, expected to open in late August. Miss you already, Peter’s.
Mancini’s, Downtown
Farewell to the Downtown Mancini’s Bakery location, which has been a fixture in Market Square for nearly a decade, the Post-Gazette reports. But don’t worry, carb lovers: The bakery still has Strip District and McKees Rocks locations. Neighboring Prantl’s will take over the space
Correction: The spelling of Lorelei has been corrected. Photo COURTESY OF MUSA CARIBBEAN / CAJUN FARE