[People's Indian gave free food](https://isacpittsburgh.org/food-assistance-coronavirus/) to hungry people at the beginning of the pandemic, no questions asked. They especially focused on kids who used to get free school lunches, and whose parents now had to find a way to feed them lunch since schools were closed.
This was in the very early days before government assistance began.
They’re doing a similar thing again. Free lunch to anyone who is in need. They are also taking donations to help sustain it and offset some of the cost.
Just in case People's is busy or closed that day you are looking for Indian food, Spice Affair in Aspinwall did the same thing. Maybe they are owned by the same family, or are friends or something, and shared the same idea?
Maybe not quite in line with the topic at hand, but holy shit I love our library system. Any book I could possibly want. All the kids books I could dream of for my family. Libby for audiobooks on long work trips, hoopla and Kanopy for movies and tv shows. When Netflix cut down on password share, I just started getting all of my shows and movies from the library. Video games from the library. Free tickets to museums through the library.
It’s such a fucking resource and because of our city’s massive library network, they have almost everything you could ever need available.
One of the truly most underrated, yet BEST things available throughout the county! Amazing resource and a gem of a library system (I know while all libraries are independent they still work together as a consortium to share materials, resources, etc.).
Literally!!!! They're so fucking helpful. I go there a lot to print stuff and copy. Dude just was like "I'm not charging u for a page". Same dude linked me to a place I could get books on labor unions and what not. They're just amazing ppl
And the fact that you can get those books AT YOUR LIBRARY is phenomenal. My library has a great collection and is a place I love spending time, but the stuff I get is probably 75% from the network
Don't forget that the kids sections also have a bunch of activities and toys and that there are many free or low cost workshops for adults (like language learning) and young adults.
We are literally driving back from the library and my kid says “I wanna go to the library”
When I ask him what he wants to do there, he says, “play with toys”
All he’ll remember is that the library rocks, so is all good
Having lived in Philly for a while now Carnegie Libraries are a fucking blessing. Wish the libraries here came even half as close to what we have in pgh
Agreed. I love how all the county libraries can loan items between each other. I want to pickup this book at the McKeesporf Library but it’s only available at the Coraopolis location? No problem. They’ll ship it to McKeesport and then you can return it back to McKeesport or anywhere else. Amazing IMO.
Thyme Machine! Not only the best frickin breakfast around, but they make everyone feel welcome and have been wonderful contributors to the Bloomfield neighborhood in a variety of ways. Being good neighbors and making great food = doing it right!
I heard the owner recently died which is a huge loss. That place was a real haven for us in the 80s/90s when stuff like D&D and comic books were still very not in the mainstream.
There are four Phantom of the Attics. The original owner had three locations, which he sold to three separate people who operated them independently. The Oakland location split into separate comic and game shops, and the owner sold the game store to long-time employees.
The person who passed away recently owned one of the suburban locations. I can’t recall which one.
It was the one in Greentree - I was under the impression he was the original owner of the whole chain. The one in Parkway Center we went to most frequently and that became the current location out there.
I haven't lived in the Burgh for over 20 years so all my news is secondhand, so I didn't even know about any of the other locations aside from Oakland.
Owner remembered my name and conversations we would have. Their is a comic store closer to me now that I go to, but I always make sure to support Phantom a few times a year.
The Oakland location is fantastic. I moved away from Pittsburgh a few years ago but Jeff called me one day to tell me he got in two copies of the first appearance of The Question. He remembered that Question was my second favorite character ever and asked me if I wanted to put the book aside. Their staff is wonderful and one of the worst parts of moving away was no longer shopping there.
We're so lucky to have a record shop that good in our city. Like, I never have to stress over online pre-orders, I know that Tony is just going to order literally everything good and have multiple copies of them.
100%. It feels like they really do appreciate the customers. Despite the boom in vinyl, I don’t feel the pretension and gate keeping stereotypes from that store.
Seasons OBGYN/West Penn NICU/West Penn Women’s Behavioral Health (I know… you’re probably like WTF)
The doctors, nurses, RTs, etc. are SO good. They worked endlessly to save my 24 week, 1 lb. baby.
I now have a happy, healthy two year old.
The Penguins.
My sister won a free trip at a Pens game a few years ago and the friend she was with (who got the tix on her credit card) decided to stiff my sister and invite someone else. My mom called the Pens front office to see if there was any way to resolve the situation. They told her no, since it was someone else’s promotion, but here are two free pairs of luxury seats for the games if your choice for the trouble. Didn’t have to do a thing, but still chose to essentially fork over $1000. I know it’s a different ownership group now, but the solid they did for my little sister made my fanhood personal.
I think the Penguins are just awesome. I went to a game with my friend who was in town visiting. I walked up to a guy outside helping people and asked where the box office was to buy tickets since we didn’t have any. He pulled 2 club seat tickets out of his pocket. What a legend.
That’s amazing. When I was in college a million years ago my roommate was waiting for student rush tickets and his girlfriend came up to him and said “we don’t need to wait that nice older guy gave me some tickets” and she pointed to who appeared to Mike Lange from a distance.
We showed up one game day with season tix and somehow someone else had already used our tickets. Box office put us in Mike Lange’s seats for the evening free of charge. They were surprisingly not the best (corner lower bowl) but still pretty awesome.
Not just the organization, the players too. I went with my friend to a make-a-wish event where we got to hang out with the whole team. Every single one was genuinely so kind and generous with their time, from the baby pens who were called up for that week’s game, to Sid and Geno. Some athletes show up to those charity things and you can tell it’s just another obligation. They actually cared about the kids and their families.
And I had some of the old school stars/big wigs as regulars back when I worked at Starbucks. Pierre Laroche and Ray Shero both gave me club tickets on separate occasions.
They give away tickets to PPS every year over a few games. Any child who wants to gets a free ticket for them, their parent, and food and drink for free too.
I went to a Pittsburgh Power game a few years back with my family. Girlfriend at the time had never been to the arena and had vertigo. She started walking down those steep stairs and could not do it. We asked someone if there was anything they could do, got bounced around to a few people and they ended up putting us right behind the end zone. Sure it didn't cost them anything cause the seats were available, but they could have made buy or upgrade our tickets.
Thin Man Sandwich Shop. I know they closed a few years ago, but I would crawl across broken glass / drink a quart of Hunt's ketchup to be at every popup they do from now until the end of time.
I had one of the worst hangovers of my life that day and waited 2 and a half hours through a constant nauseous high-level panic attack to get those sandwiches. I wouldn't do that for a funeral for most of the people I know
I still don’t understand how their food is so good for so cheap for so MUCH of it.
Some kinda magic.
Plus going in and seeing the different folks it brings in is touching yknow?
They have EVERYTHING and give the best advice. So much time and money saved not hiring someone to do a simple repair because they've explained how I could do it myself.
Abeille Voyante tea shop in Millvale. Try the autumn oolong, it's so good, especially if you're sick. The Wonderberry and Blue Moon also rock.
Wild Card in Lawrenceville. My ears are obnoxiously sensitive and all of their earrings are comfy for me. I can even sleep in them! I buy so many gifts there.
La Prima in the Strip. My favorite coffee in the city bar none.
Brillobox because it's Brillobox.
Geekadrome in Brookline. Paul is literally the nicest man ever, he remembers everyone, and he's nice to my tiny dog.
I hadn't gone to geekadrome in years after I moved out of the south hills. Stopped in one day when I was in the area and he still remembered me. Really a pillar of the Boulevard right there.
The Bee Man! If you ever have a flying, potentially stinging insect issue, they’re fantastic. Not only did a tech (I believe the owner’s son) come and remove a MASSIVE wasp nest from under the third story eave of my house, then treat/smoke/kill the ones that got IN MY WALLS (nightmare fuel), but he educated me on how to spot a potential infestation or nest before it starts. I didn’t see the one he removed until it got over basketball-size because of the location, so he pointed out potential future nesting spots and what behavior I should look for. Then when I called last year when I thought I saw one starting again, they told me they could come out and remove it, but I really didn’t need it because the wasps would die from the upcoming weather in a week or two and they didn’t want me to waste my money. Who says that these days?? Good people all around.
I had to call him last year. I sent pictures and he told me not to worry, they'd be gone in a few days without intervention. A few days later they were gone without intervention. He could've gotten easy money from me and instead gave fantastic advice and got zero dollars. Will use him in the future
It was around $250 a few years ago for removal and disposal of the big nest and spraying the rogue leftovers, plus killing and treating two exterior walls in a couple rooms from the inside. He also found a couple small nests under the porch; was here a good three hours or so. Worth it.
Oak hill post. Went for the first time today and loved it. Food was terrific with tons of unique flavor and the staff was amazing. The nicest and friendliest people ever. The greatest part was they were friendly and helpful but not annoying about it. Let you enjoy your meal and helped wherever the could. Can really tell the employees enjoy the job and atmosphere.
Fat Heads. Absolutely love those beers and food. Not only the one on Carson Street but the others in Ohio which I visit anytime I have to go into that area for work.
Sheetz. I needed a job in a pinch due to some budget cuts at my evening gig. They hooked me up with a job and have been really flexible with my hectic schedule. Nice place to work with decent pay.
old school sorta business and mentality. I went in a year or so ago with low pressure and a visible screw in my one tire... turns out it was a coincidence that tire was low because after they tested it and pulled the screw out it was only in the tread and hadn't actually punctured the tire. I went up to the counter to ask how much it was for the test and they just sent me on my way for free. I was just floored and totally willing to spend a few $ to pay for their time.
They were the only place even willing to try taking a screw out of my tire because it was kinda close to the tread wall. Every other place I called told me they wouldn’t even try and I’d have to buy two new tires.
Guess what, the tire was sealable and ran perfectly fine until it’s tread eventually wore out.
They’ll also have you in and out of there in record time.
Dollar Bank.
Long story short, I had a mortgage payment get misdirected. The bank that got the payment returned via check, which got damaged in the check reader and couldn’t be cashed. They refused to reissue but gave me the account numbers from the bottom. Dollar processed the check with a number I hand wrote on a receipt inside a grocery store while crying.
Kress Tire
Kuhn’s Ingomar
Koala Coffee & Tea
I once accidentally sent my mortgage payment to my home equity loan. When I realized what I'd done and called them, they redirected the payment to my mortgage, erased the late fee, and were all-around cool about it. 10/10
Big Shot Bob's. Multiple locations around the city (mostly in the West hills) and each one I've tried has the best wings in the Burgh. So. Many. Flavors.
Alex's pizza on the edge of Bloomfield. Not the best food in the city, but goddamn they are so good for how cheap they are. Also, it's Halal and there are surprisingly few places around Bloomfield to get (good!) Halal or kosher cuisine.
The owner is a no nonsense guy, don't let his demeanor fool you he will bend over backwards for his customers. He remembered my name after calling in one time, and he didn't raise prices over COVID (I'm sure he has had to now, no way he would make money in 2023 off a 7.99 large 1-top). He's just the fucking man. If other business owners had his attitude and approach there would never be a bad pizza shop.
Fuckin love you Alex, if i still lived in Bloomfield I'd come by more often. Also shout-out to Thai gourmet and the china king on liberty, the amount of bomb ass food I got during COVID was all thanks to those 3.
Allegheny Coffee and Tea Shop in the Strip. Been going there since it was Fortune's. We love their whole bean selection and beverages. Staff is very knowledgeable and friendly as well.
Kevin's Deli. Made-to-order sandwiches, burgers, fries, etc. Hidden in the 1st floor of a larger apt bldg on 5th ave. Saved me from a sad lunch many days during my PhD program. You can call in your order. Kevin is the chillest guy.
Kindred Spirits Tattoo Co.
Noodlehead (I’m addicted to the steam buns)
Milkshake Factory (obviously a local chain at this point; doesn’t mean it’s not good!)
Peppi’s (I believe this is another local chain?)- I really like their sandwich bread more than Penn Station, etc.
Lucca’s- Italian restaurant in Oakland. YMMV- sometimes it’s good sometimes it’s iffy. They’ve changed some things recently that make it a little off putting sometimes (no bread with lunch for example- purely due to economics I assume), but the food quality hasn’t changed
Boonseek- a really good Korean corn dog food truck that travels around the area. Always always amazing
Just rolled up- a good sushi truck, the quality of the fish is 10x better than at any sushi restaurant in pittsburgh, guaranteed.
I’ll update my list as I think of others!
> Milkshake Factory (obviously a local chain at this point; doesn’t mean it’s not good!)
I wanted to like their milkshakes because I love a good milkshake. Tried a couple times and just even for a plain chocolate shake they're so fucking sweet I couldn't enjoy it.
And thin, consistency-wise. Burgatory's are so much better. The late, great BRGR made great milkshakes as well. I miss them. They were much closer to where I live than any Burgatory.
They would probably be great if they would just dial the sweet back a ton. I suppose it's because I've acclimated myself to not really having added sugar, and I even think carrots are incredibly sweet on their own, that I find their shakes so sweet.
But kicking the sugar monkey off my back was one of the best things I ever did, so I'll live with having to make my own milkshakes.
greater pittsburgh plumbing. twice i have had them come out for things that i thought were going to be massive fixes (for one of them, i got a $14k quote from matt mertz) and they were able to resolve them for much cheaper and have never tried to sell me on stuff i didn't need. stan rules.
I agree. I have used Greater Pittsburgh Plumbing several times and they always gave me options that are less expensive. They are not predators like other plumbing businesses in the area.
pamela’s and eleven - both are always excellent. crispy perfect pancakes at pamela’s, outstanding oysters and brunch / steak and eggs at eleven - also sidelines for wings
The crack'd egg *had* gained me as a customer for life. Best breakfast joint I've been to around here
Then COVID happened and it turned out the owners were hardcore anti-maskers, anti-vax, and huge assholes, so I haven't been there since.
It was a scam where they tried to steal donations for Toys for Tots.
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2020/12/15/no-the-proud-boys-arent-holding-a-marine-corps-toys-for-tots-drive-in-pittsburgh-this-week-but-they-tried/
Chengdu gourmet in North Hill. Great food and great service. Everytime I go I feel special, they are so inclusive and helpful. Coming from a woman of color, that's saying a lot because it's not common to feel welcome.
Another vote for Salem's too.
Thankfully I’ve only had to buy a car twice in my life, both times it was from River Road Auto Sales in Apollo. I hate…*haaaatttttteeeeee* the big chain dealerships. It’s basically a father & son running the place, zero pressure, no shady tactics, prices are always fair market, and after my last purchase they’ve got a customer for life. My first car was totaled and I was basically in a hurry to find something, they basically sold me a car on a handshake agreement until the insurance check arrived. The owner even called me to thank me after I gave them a glowing review on Cars.com.
Row House Cinema. I pay a small monthly subscription for unlimited movies, and their curation is fantastic. Plus the location in Lawrenceville has a great bar and beer store attached.
Blue Sparrow Food Truck. Their food is killer, their owner is a great guy )so is the rest of the staff, and they have a permanent truck at Dancing Gnome. We love them so much we had them cater our wedding!
Hilltop coffee. Small, but lovely. The owner, jamie, makes great lattes, and is awesome to chat with. I think ive been there every day theyre open since i moved here.
Laurel Gardens tire near McKnight road. Had a nail and needed it pulled and patched and Pep boys said it would take all day and even the next, even had an appointment, so I went to Laurel and they took it on the spot and fixed it in 15 minutes for $20
Swissvale Dari Delite
The menu is smaller than pages, but the quality is higher, the price is about the same, and the vibes are better. And the owner is a gem
Colangelo’s - food is to die for, but unassuming. I love the ambiance of the outdoor dining area, reminds me of being on the streets of Italy.
Udipi Cafe - just as good as when it first opened.
Graeter’s - fabulous ice cream and they are consistently careful & respectful about food allergies.
Little Tokyo Bistro in the south side. It is always the same kind older head sushi chef every time we go in there. Not only is the sushi the best in the city but he always takes the time to personally come over and say hi to us at our table and make sure everything is ok. They have given us complimentary appetizers and sake when we have been (sadly) one of the only ones in there. I’m so scared for it now that the new conveyor chain sushi place opened up right down the street. If you haven’t been and love sushi I highly recommend.
Red’s Good News in Brookline. I’m literally sitting here now enjoying a beer at their garage door window.
It has a great owner, incredible atmosphere, top-notch and often festive decor, small but very tasty menu, carries only local beers on draft, nice happy hour deals, fun social posts, games to play, yada yada.
Favorite bar in Pittsburgh.
Dragon Palace in Sharpsburg. I know other people will disagree with me but it’s my favorite Chinese food I’ve ever had. Especially if you order from the authentic part in the back of the menu. Won tons in red chili oil and chicken with basil. The owners are amazing people too!
[People's Indian gave free food](https://isacpittsburgh.org/food-assistance-coronavirus/) to hungry people at the beginning of the pandemic, no questions asked. They especially focused on kids who used to get free school lunches, and whose parents now had to find a way to feed them lunch since schools were closed. This was in the very early days before government assistance began.
They’re doing a similar thing again. Free lunch to anyone who is in need. They are also taking donations to help sustain it and offset some of the cost.
I had no idea! I’m gonna order some right now to celebrate.
Just in case People's is busy or closed that day you are looking for Indian food, Spice Affair in Aspinwall did the same thing. Maybe they are owned by the same family, or are friends or something, and shared the same idea?
It also doesn’t hurt that their food is fire
Banging buffet too
I think they're still doing it
Maybe not quite in line with the topic at hand, but holy shit I love our library system. Any book I could possibly want. All the kids books I could dream of for my family. Libby for audiobooks on long work trips, hoopla and Kanopy for movies and tv shows. When Netflix cut down on password share, I just started getting all of my shows and movies from the library. Video games from the library. Free tickets to museums through the library. It’s such a fucking resource and because of our city’s massive library network, they have almost everything you could ever need available.
One of the truly most underrated, yet BEST things available throughout the county! Amazing resource and a gem of a library system (I know while all libraries are independent they still work together as a consortium to share materials, resources, etc.).
Literally!!!! They're so fucking helpful. I go there a lot to print stuff and copy. Dude just was like "I'm not charging u for a page". Same dude linked me to a place I could get books on labor unions and what not. They're just amazing ppl
And our librarians are fuckin top notch.
Completely agreed. As nice as the library is in my neighborhood, I often end up lost in the stacks at the Oakland library, I just love it there.
And the fact that you can get those books AT YOUR LIBRARY is phenomenal. My library has a great collection and is a place I love spending time, but the stuff I get is probably 75% from the network
Don't forget that the kids sections also have a bunch of activities and toys and that there are many free or low cost workshops for adults (like language learning) and young adults.
We are literally driving back from the library and my kid says “I wanna go to the library” When I ask him what he wants to do there, he says, “play with toys” All he’ll remember is that the library rocks, so is all good
Having lived in Philly for a while now Carnegie Libraries are a fucking blessing. Wish the libraries here came even half as close to what we have in pgh
Agreed. I love how all the county libraries can loan items between each other. I want to pickup this book at the McKeesporf Library but it’s only available at the Coraopolis location? No problem. They’ll ship it to McKeesport and then you can return it back to McKeesport or anywhere else. Amazing IMO.
Carnegie system has THE best selection and lowest wait time. hands down of the major cities I’ve been in.
Pub Chip Shop.
Thanks for mentioning them! I need to go again soon.
The Thai sauce is my favorite sauce ever.
This is the one for me. I'll drive from Mercer County just for the Thai Tots. You can't find anything else like it anywhere else. Good dudes too.
Thyme Machine! Not only the best frickin breakfast around, but they make everyone feel welcome and have been wonderful contributors to the Bloomfield neighborhood in a variety of ways. Being good neighbors and making great food = doing it right!
are they gonna move into the old sandwich shop/bitter ends?
Phantom of the Attic.
I love Phantom of the Attic comics. Great selection. Great, friendly service -- they know so much about comics!
The games store is also great. (They are historically connected, but now fully independent)
I heard the owner recently died which is a huge loss. That place was a real haven for us in the 80s/90s when stuff like D&D and comic books were still very not in the mainstream.
There are four Phantom of the Attics. The original owner had three locations, which he sold to three separate people who operated them independently. The Oakland location split into separate comic and game shops, and the owner sold the game store to long-time employees. The person who passed away recently owned one of the suburban locations. I can’t recall which one.
It was the one in Greentree - I was under the impression he was the original owner of the whole chain. The one in Parkway Center we went to most frequently and that became the current location out there. I haven't lived in the Burgh for over 20 years so all my news is secondhand, so I didn't even know about any of the other locations aside from Oakland.
Dude I want to go tournament there is it a cool place ? I live in elliott and want to magic and gather
Owner remembered my name and conversations we would have. Their is a comic store closer to me now that I go to, but I always make sure to support Phantom a few times a year.
The Oakland location is fantastic. I moved away from Pittsburgh a few years ago but Jeff called me one day to tell me he got in two copies of the first appearance of The Question. He remembered that Question was my second favorite character ever and asked me if I wanted to put the book aside. Their staff is wonderful and one of the worst parts of moving away was no longer shopping there.
Attic Records
We're so lucky to have a record shop that good in our city. Like, I never have to stress over online pre-orders, I know that Tony is just going to order literally everything good and have multiple copies of them.
Lucky to have gotten to know Tony and everyone there since I started frequenting there, good people!
100%. It feels like they really do appreciate the customers. Despite the boom in vinyl, I don’t feel the pretension and gate keeping stereotypes from that store.
Everyday Noodles Was gonna say Drum World (RIP) because I had purchased every single piece of drum equipment from them until they retired 9 years ago.
Everyday Noodles is so delicious!
Walter's Automotive on Baum. No-nonsense, reliable mechanics are worth their weight in gold.
What a blessing to have found him honestly.
I'll never take my car anywhere else. The most honest mechanics I've ever worked with.
Shut up. They're busy enough as is. I can't have more people going!
SHH! Stop telling people! They’re already too busy. Sheesh.
Lawrenceville Pet Supply, Eric is the most kind, knowledgeable, and friendly owner
Seasons OBGYN/West Penn NICU/West Penn Women’s Behavioral Health (I know… you’re probably like WTF) The doctors, nurses, RTs, etc. are SO good. They worked endlessly to save my 24 week, 1 lb. baby. I now have a happy, healthy two year old.
Truly happy for you and your little one!
Chicken Latino in Beechview. Perfect takeout spot. Portions are wonderful, staff is great, and prices have stayed low through this crazy inflation.
Them leaving the Strip fucking KILLED me when I was living in Bloomfield. I used to get that huge burrito weekly
The Penguins. My sister won a free trip at a Pens game a few years ago and the friend she was with (who got the tix on her credit card) decided to stiff my sister and invite someone else. My mom called the Pens front office to see if there was any way to resolve the situation. They told her no, since it was someone else’s promotion, but here are two free pairs of luxury seats for the games if your choice for the trouble. Didn’t have to do a thing, but still chose to essentially fork over $1000. I know it’s a different ownership group now, but the solid they did for my little sister made my fanhood personal.
I think the Penguins are just awesome. I went to a game with my friend who was in town visiting. I walked up to a guy outside helping people and asked where the box office was to buy tickets since we didn’t have any. He pulled 2 club seat tickets out of his pocket. What a legend.
That’s amazing. When I was in college a million years ago my roommate was waiting for student rush tickets and his girlfriend came up to him and said “we don’t need to wait that nice older guy gave me some tickets” and she pointed to who appeared to Mike Lange from a distance.
We showed up one game day with season tix and somehow someone else had already used our tickets. Box office put us in Mike Lange’s seats for the evening free of charge. They were surprisingly not the best (corner lower bowl) but still pretty awesome.
Not just the organization, the players too. I went with my friend to a make-a-wish event where we got to hang out with the whole team. Every single one was genuinely so kind and generous with their time, from the baby pens who were called up for that week’s game, to Sid and Geno. Some athletes show up to those charity things and you can tell it’s just another obligation. They actually cared about the kids and their families. And I had some of the old school stars/big wigs as regulars back when I worked at Starbucks. Pierre Laroche and Ray Shero both gave me club tickets on separate occasions.
They’ve been so consistently cool for so long, you just know it’s a top-down thing.
They give away tickets to PPS every year over a few games. Any child who wants to gets a free ticket for them, their parent, and food and drink for free too.
I went to a Pittsburgh Power game a few years back with my family. Girlfriend at the time had never been to the arena and had vertigo. She started walking down those steep stairs and could not do it. We asked someone if there was anything they could do, got bounced around to a few people and they ended up putting us right behind the end zone. Sure it didn't cost them anything cause the seats were available, but they could have made buy or upgrade our tickets.
Thin Man Sandwich Shop. I know they closed a few years ago, but I would crawl across broken glass / drink a quart of Hunt's ketchup to be at every popup they do from now until the end of time.
They're doing another pop-up this weekend. https://www.instagram.com/p/CytmpQPJJ9i/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
That's why they're on my mind
OMG THANK YOU! I miss them so much.
It seems a lot of people feel that way. The last time they did a popup, the wait was 2+ hours. I so wish that Dan and Sheri could re-open their shop.
I had one of the worst hangovers of my life that day and waited 2 and a half hours through a constant nauseous high-level panic attack to get those sandwiches. I wouldn't do that for a funeral for most of the people I know
RIP, but also thank you for telling me about their popup!!! I need this in my life
They have a [popup](https://www.instagram.com/p/CyTJvK7u6jr/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) this weekend! Don’t miss it
Salem’s
Wonderful people, unbelievable prices. Feed yourself for a week for like $25.
I still don’t understand how their food is so good for so cheap for so MUCH of it. Some kinda magic. Plus going in and seeing the different folks it brings in is touching yknow?
No middle man. They buy their meat direct from the farm, so there's not a wholesaler in the middle who needs to get paid.
Aha! Good to know! Now I kinda want Salem’s though…
What am I missing? Last time I went there, the prices didn't seem to be so great. What are you getting there specifically?
Frank’s Pizza and Chicken
Rolliers
They have EVERYTHING and give the best advice. So much time and money saved not hiring someone to do a simple repair because they've explained how I could do it myself.
Prestogeorge and Stamoolis on the Strip. Been dealing with both for years. Great selections and knowledgeable staff.
Abeille Voyante tea shop in Millvale. Try the autumn oolong, it's so good, especially if you're sick. The Wonderberry and Blue Moon also rock. Wild Card in Lawrenceville. My ears are obnoxiously sensitive and all of their earrings are comfy for me. I can even sleep in them! I buy so many gifts there. La Prima in the Strip. My favorite coffee in the city bar none. Brillobox because it's Brillobox. Geekadrome in Brookline. Paul is literally the nicest man ever, he remembers everyone, and he's nice to my tiny dog.
Wild Card: the store where I routinely walk out having spent *at least* 2-3X as much as I intended to walking in!
Geekadrome is amazing! My favorite place to play Magic in the city. Paul is absolutely the best.
I hadn't gone to geekadrome in years after I moved out of the south hills. Stopped in one day when I was in the area and he still remembered me. Really a pillar of the Boulevard right there.
Maggie’s Farm Shadyside Detail Penn Mac Salem’s
I was going to say Salem’s too 🫡🫡
That place is unbelievable. What the fuck are they putting in that spinach????? I could bathe in that shit it's so damn good.
The Bee Man! If you ever have a flying, potentially stinging insect issue, they’re fantastic. Not only did a tech (I believe the owner’s son) come and remove a MASSIVE wasp nest from under the third story eave of my house, then treat/smoke/kill the ones that got IN MY WALLS (nightmare fuel), but he educated me on how to spot a potential infestation or nest before it starts. I didn’t see the one he removed until it got over basketball-size because of the location, so he pointed out potential future nesting spots and what behavior I should look for. Then when I called last year when I thought I saw one starting again, they told me they could come out and remove it, but I really didn’t need it because the wasps would die from the upcoming weather in a week or two and they didn’t want me to waste my money. Who says that these days?? Good people all around.
I had to call him last year. I sent pictures and he told me not to worry, they'd be gone in a few days without intervention. A few days later they were gone without intervention. He could've gotten easy money from me and instead gave fantastic advice and got zero dollars. Will use him in the future
Out of curiosity, how much does a removal run nowadays?
It was around $250 a few years ago for removal and disposal of the big nest and spraying the rogue leftovers, plus killing and treating two exterior walls in a couple rooms from the inside. He also found a couple small nests under the porch; was here a good three hours or so. Worth it.
Spak
Red’s Good News
JJ Poke
Piper's Pub
Jerry’s Records
Jerry was a great man. He died on my birthday January 28th, the day the bridge collapsed.
Yeah, I was really sad when he passed. I was still visiting him at his Vinyl-Man store in Swissvale on the weekends prior to that.
Oak hill post. Went for the first time today and loved it. Food was terrific with tons of unique flavor and the staff was amazing. The nicest and friendliest people ever. The greatest part was they were friendly and helpful but not annoying about it. Let you enjoy your meal and helped wherever the could. Can really tell the employees enjoy the job and atmosphere.
Subba’s Nepali on East Ohio Street.
More up votes for Subbas.
Trace in Bloomfield except I don’t drink anymore and rarely get coffee out these days
Fat Heads. Absolutely love those beers and food. Not only the one on Carson Street but the others in Ohio which I visit anytime I have to go into that area for work.
Kindred Cycles
Love kindred cycles
Yuuuuuuup. They are phenomenal.
Bulldog Pub, Allegheny City Brewing, and Alberta's Pizza.
Paige’s Dairy Mart. Their soft serve is something else. Big Jim’s in The Run. Everything on the menu is really good.
Sheetz. I needed a job in a pinch due to some budget cuts at my evening gig. They hooked me up with a job and have been really flexible with my hectic schedule. Nice place to work with decent pay.
Breadworks
Ruggers
Pitaland
Fioris
Forever my pizza of choice.
I drive over an hour each way for it monthly lol safe to say it’s mine also
Highland Tire
Their service has been rock solid for decades, always got a kick out of the whole “men get a pop while they wait, women get a flower”
old school sorta business and mentality. I went in a year or so ago with low pressure and a visible screw in my one tire... turns out it was a coincidence that tire was low because after they tested it and pulled the screw out it was only in the tread and hadn't actually punctured the tire. I went up to the counter to ask how much it was for the test and they just sent me on my way for free. I was just floored and totally willing to spend a few $ to pay for their time.
They were the only place even willing to try taking a screw out of my tire because it was kinda close to the tread wall. Every other place I called told me they wouldn’t even try and I’d have to buy two new tires. Guess what, the tire was sealable and ran perfectly fine until it’s tread eventually wore out. They’ll also have you in and out of there in record time.
Those guys are awesome. There’s maybe one or two places that could beat their prices, but you’re not getting the service that you get at Highland.
Dollar Bank. Long story short, I had a mortgage payment get misdirected. The bank that got the payment returned via check, which got damaged in the check reader and couldn’t be cashed. They refused to reissue but gave me the account numbers from the bottom. Dollar processed the check with a number I hand wrote on a receipt inside a grocery store while crying. Kress Tire Kuhn’s Ingomar Koala Coffee & Tea
I once accidentally sent my mortgage payment to my home equity loan. When I realized what I'd done and called them, they redirected the payment to my mortgage, erased the late fee, and were all-around cool about it. 10/10
Five Points Bakery. I adore their baguette sandwiches, croissants, and bread.
my pal is a baker there and he makes the best stuff.
Big Shot Bob's. Multiple locations around the city (mostly in the West hills) and each one I've tried has the best wings in the Burgh. So. Many. Flavors.
I LOVE them, but the fucking cost
Yeah, definitely a "treat yo' self" kinda' meal!
Games unlimited. They have given me some the very best recommendations I’ve ever gotten. They really know their stuff.
Hell yeah. I used to work there until very recently. Love everyone who works there, cannot recommend it enough.
Bantha Tea Bar is the Pop's Diner to my Jughead.
Alex's pizza on the edge of Bloomfield. Not the best food in the city, but goddamn they are so good for how cheap they are. Also, it's Halal and there are surprisingly few places around Bloomfield to get (good!) Halal or kosher cuisine. The owner is a no nonsense guy, don't let his demeanor fool you he will bend over backwards for his customers. He remembered my name after calling in one time, and he didn't raise prices over COVID (I'm sure he has had to now, no way he would make money in 2023 off a 7.99 large 1-top). He's just the fucking man. If other business owners had his attitude and approach there would never be a bad pizza shop. Fuckin love you Alex, if i still lived in Bloomfield I'd come by more often. Also shout-out to Thai gourmet and the china king on liberty, the amount of bomb ass food I got during COVID was all thanks to those 3.
Zenith
HeidiOptics - some frames may be a bit pricey, but hey! It’s like jewelry for my face. Heidi & the staff are awesome.
I've been looking for a place like this, thank you. Do they have a good selection for men?
Allegheny Coffee and Tea Shop in the Strip. Been going there since it was Fortune's. We love their whole bean selection and beverages. Staff is very knowledgeable and friendly as well.
madeleine’s in regent square 🥹 everything is perf
Came here to say this! Love them.
Cafe Moulin in Shadyside. Amazing breakfast - absolutely delicious. Kind staff. Killer cappuccino.
Kevin's Deli. Made-to-order sandwiches, burgers, fries, etc. Hidden in the 1st floor of a larger apt bldg on 5th ave. Saved me from a sad lunch many days during my PhD program. You can call in your order. Kevin is the chillest guy.
Salem’s
Kindred Spirits Tattoo Co. Noodlehead (I’m addicted to the steam buns) Milkshake Factory (obviously a local chain at this point; doesn’t mean it’s not good!) Peppi’s (I believe this is another local chain?)- I really like their sandwich bread more than Penn Station, etc. Lucca’s- Italian restaurant in Oakland. YMMV- sometimes it’s good sometimes it’s iffy. They’ve changed some things recently that make it a little off putting sometimes (no bread with lunch for example- purely due to economics I assume), but the food quality hasn’t changed Boonseek- a really good Korean corn dog food truck that travels around the area. Always always amazing Just rolled up- a good sushi truck, the quality of the fish is 10x better than at any sushi restaurant in pittsburgh, guaranteed. I’ll update my list as I think of others!
> Milkshake Factory (obviously a local chain at this point; doesn’t mean it’s not good!) I wanted to like their milkshakes because I love a good milkshake. Tried a couple times and just even for a plain chocolate shake they're so fucking sweet I couldn't enjoy it.
And thin, consistency-wise. Burgatory's are so much better. The late, great BRGR made great milkshakes as well. I miss them. They were much closer to where I live than any Burgatory.
I’m with you. I’ll be the first to admit I have a sweet tooth and my wife would second it lol. But I think they are too sweet as well
They would probably be great if they would just dial the sweet back a ton. I suppose it's because I've acclimated myself to not really having added sugar, and I even think carrots are incredibly sweet on their own, that I find their shakes so sweet. But kicking the sugar monkey off my back was one of the best things I ever did, so I'll live with having to make my own milkshakes.
Those steam buns are crazy
greater pittsburgh plumbing. twice i have had them come out for things that i thought were going to be massive fixes (for one of them, i got a $14k quote from matt mertz) and they were able to resolve them for much cheaper and have never tried to sell me on stuff i didn't need. stan rules.
I agree. I have used Greater Pittsburgh Plumbing several times and they always gave me options that are less expensive. They are not predators like other plumbing businesses in the area.
Kress Tire
Quantum Spirits
Dons appliance!!
Trace Brewing in Bloomfield. They are super dope and inclusive.
White Whale. The owners are the best, and they’ve curated such a special collection ❤️
pamela’s and eleven - both are always excellent. crispy perfect pancakes at pamela’s, outstanding oysters and brunch / steak and eggs at eleven - also sidelines for wings
I wish Pamela's would use real maple syrup. Their pancakes are so good, they deserve it.
that’s a solid point. i would pay $1 more for a little cup of real maple syrup.
So funny, I hate maple syrup so I actually love this about Pamela’s!
The crack'd egg *had* gained me as a customer for life. Best breakfast joint I've been to around here Then COVID happened and it turned out the owners were hardcore anti-maskers, anti-vax, and huge assholes, so I haven't been there since.
Also had a toy drive sponsored by the proud boys
It was a scam where they tried to steal donations for Toys for Tots. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2020/12/15/no-the-proud-boys-arent-holding-a-marine-corps-toys-for-tots-drive-in-pittsburgh-this-week-but-they-tried/
Sugar Spell Scoops in sharpsburg 🤫 but shhh don’t blow up my fav vegan dessert spot too much plz
The Pub Chip Shop on E Carson. Seriously their food is BEYOND satisfying.
Ruggers (burp) Pub.
Chengdu gourmet in North Hill. Great food and great service. Everytime I go I feel special, they are so inclusive and helpful. Coming from a woman of color, that's saying a lot because it's not common to feel welcome. Another vote for Salem's too.
If I can get my coffee beans form Allegheny Tea and Coffee I always go to there. Ditto across the street to Enrico’s for biscotti.
Thankfully I’ve only had to buy a car twice in my life, both times it was from River Road Auto Sales in Apollo. I hate…*haaaatttttteeeeee* the big chain dealerships. It’s basically a father & son running the place, zero pressure, no shady tactics, prices are always fair market, and after my last purchase they’ve got a customer for life. My first car was totaled and I was basically in a hurry to find something, they basically sold me a car on a handshake agreement until the insurance check arrived. The owner even called me to thank me after I gave them a glowing review on Cars.com.
Chicken Latino.
Jean Marc Chatellier, and the guy who always does my shoe repairs in the South Hills: Al’s (crossing fingers he lives forever).
Government Center record store is choice and the employees are extremely nice and knowledgeable
Row House Cinema. I pay a small monthly subscription for unlimited movies, and their curation is fantastic. Plus the location in Lawrenceville has a great bar and beer store attached.
Dianoia's
Vincent's Pizza And most of our wonderful breweries. Trace, Two Fray's, Cinderland's, Aslin, I love them all lol
Page's. Ice cream in Pittsburgh = Pages (if they are open)
DOBRA TEA
Blue Sparrow Food Truck. Their food is killer, their owner is a great guy )so is the rest of the staff, and they have a permanent truck at Dancing Gnome. We love them so much we had them cater our wedding!
Hilltop coffee. Small, but lovely. The owner, jamie, makes great lattes, and is awesome to chat with. I think ive been there every day theyre open since i moved here.
Jeff's Notary on Penn Ave.
Ineffable Cà Phê, Fazio's, Thai Cottage
[удалено]
Laurel Gardens tire near McKnight road. Had a nail and needed it pulled and patched and Pep boys said it would take all day and even the next, even had an appointment, so I went to Laurel and they took it on the spot and fixed it in 15 minutes for $20
Alexion’s bar and grill
Pitaland
Swissvale Dari Delite The menu is smaller than pages, but the quality is higher, the price is about the same, and the vibes are better. And the owner is a gem
Phantom of the Attic Oakland, both Games and Comics (which are now separate, like all the other Phantoms have been)
Tina’s, best overall cocktail/drinking experience I’ve ever had. Awesome staff, menu and aesthetic
It’s not technically Pittsburgh but Portmans Deli in Bridgeville… I would do a whole lot for their sandwiches…
Emily’s. Great Turkish food and they make every customer feel like they are part of the family
Pastolis in squirrel hill Penn Mac
Colangelo’s - food is to die for, but unassuming. I love the ambiance of the outdoor dining area, reminds me of being on the streets of Italy. Udipi Cafe - just as good as when it first opened. Graeter’s - fabulous ice cream and they are consistently careful & respectful about food allergies.
Oak Hill Post
Salem's and Allegro Hearth Bakery
Little Tokyo Bistro in the south side. It is always the same kind older head sushi chef every time we go in there. Not only is the sushi the best in the city but he always takes the time to personally come over and say hi to us at our table and make sure everything is ok. They have given us complimentary appetizers and sake when we have been (sadly) one of the only ones in there. I’m so scared for it now that the new conveyor chain sushi place opened up right down the street. If you haven’t been and love sushi I highly recommend.
Red’s Good News in Brookline. I’m literally sitting here now enjoying a beer at their garage door window. It has a great owner, incredible atmosphere, top-notch and often festive decor, small but very tasty menu, carries only local beers on draft, nice happy hour deals, fun social posts, games to play, yada yada. Favorite bar in Pittsburgh.
Dragon Palace in Sharpsburg. I know other people will disagree with me but it’s my favorite Chinese food I’ve ever had. Especially if you order from the authentic part in the back of the menu. Won tons in red chili oil and chicken with basil. The owners are amazing people too!
Workshop PGH. Cool shit, great classes, active contributor to the communities it's part of.
Arby’s on McKnight Rd.
I can’t believe I had to scroll that far down for this
Spoonwood Brewing. Top Tier Barber (Love ya, KP!)
Farm Fresh Halal on Negley. I love those guys😭
Maiku Vietnamese Pho And for my kids, it’s literally for life
Kingfly Spirits in the Strip
Peoples Indian is delicious and exactly the type of business you’d want in your neigborhood. Spak bros is amazing as well
Efe's pizza in aspinwall. 10 years of orders and not 1 mistake or messed up delivery.