Says, “My favorite thing about Pittsburgh is how friendly the people are.” brooke barkerThe author and illustrator behind the delightful newsletter never nervous. “When we first went, a runner ran across the street to give us directions because he thought we looked confused.” Brooke and her husband, Boaz, relocated to Pittsburgh in 2019 and now visit the city with their young son and dog. Here, Brooke shares a magical park, her favorite bookstore, and a pierogi eatery…
our wonderful guide
where to eat
apteka
Pierogis are a big thing in Pittsburgh. apteka Cooks vegetarian Central and Eastern European cuisine. Go half an hour before they open and wait in line to get the first seat at a table. Order the fried pierogi. S&D Polish Deli This is a fun place to get pierogis if you’re in the Strip District. You can also get pierogis here pittsburgh pirates Play games, and eat them while you watch the pierogi mascots race each other between innings.
Penn Avenue Fish Company There are great fish sandwiches. The fun atmosphere feels more like a fish market than a restaurant – partly because it is also a fish market.
Papa’s Dog and Burgers
Papa’s Dog and Burgers Very cute and reasonably priced. It’s new, and I want to start a personal tradition where I get hashbrowns and, I don’t know, read the newspaper or something.
Brooke’s husband and child in Hidden Harbor
I love all tiki bars, but hidden port Particularly good. The menu has plenty of options for different dietary preferences, and you can have a drink at Burning Skulls. They hold classes about the history of tiki bars and pop-up nights where they make a drink that was famous in the 1970s.
Leona’s A local ice cream sandwich company featuring seasonal flavors in delicious combinations. (My favorite is black sesame ice cream with tahini cookies.) They also sell them at local grocery stores and many local bars.
where to hang
kids love it Duquesne InclineBut I take friends of any age. It’s a short but very scenic hike, and you’ll find a museum and lookout point at the top.
magic of freedom There is a wonderful little magic theatre. Magicians come from all over the world to perform. We take every friend who comes to town with us and for an hour and a half I’m always thinking, ‘This person could really be magic.’
I love August Wilson African American Cultural Center And Andy Warhol Museum. then there is Troy Hill Art House Where artists from all over the world are given an entire house to create anything they want. Sign up for free guided tours. I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to spoil it, but wear something you can crawl into!
Frick Park looks dreamy
With 644 acres, Frick Park It’s like a complete jungle in the middle of the city. As long as it’s not winter, it’s a beautiful, peaceful place to visit. (Pittsburgh winters can be extremely cold, gray, and full of nasty storms.) The park has wooden walkways, a playground, and lush lawn – bowling on the lawn there is on my Pittsburgh bucket list!
phipps
During bad weather, a perfect place to go Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. It is spacious and lush green and the best part is that it is indoors.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s falling water The house is a quick day trip outside of the city, and you should definitely visit. I never thought of myself as a huge architecture expert, but it completely changed the way I thought about the relationship between me and my surroundings.
where to shop
White Whale Bookstore
White Whale Bookstore One of my favorite places in Pittsburgh. The independent bookstore has a café and a bar, so you can sit and read or meet friends. They let me paint a mural in the kids’ section, so you can see it when you’re there.
salesman drunk There is a 24/7 shop staffed with vending machines filled with snacks from around the world.
Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse is a non-profit art supply store filled with donated materials, including thread, fabric, and any type of craft material you can imagine. You can buy doll hands, sort through boxes of buttons, and get the exact length of elastic you want. construction junction Similar, but for architectural salvage, old arcade games, and theater seats. It’s all there! (But I realized I might be more interested in a collection of random doors, scrap items, and 50 toilets than the average person.)
Love, Pittsburgh
The Strip used to be where restaurants picked up their wholesale supplies, but now it’s a neighborhood known for great shops and restaurants. For souvenirs, try steel citya Pittsburgh-based clothing brand, or Love, PittsburghFeaturing the work of 100 different local artists and makers.
where to stay
There are 90 neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, each with its own character and community. People say that each neighborhood is so loyal to its own pizza place that when there are citywide pizza rankings the national chains always win, because most of the votes are split 90 ways.
The TRYP Hotel is in a former vocational school.
Two neighborhoods to live in: Lawrenceville or Mexican War Streets. in lawrenceville, TRYP Pittsburgh Hotel Is a great place. If you rent VRBO In Mexican War Streets, you’re walking distance mattress factory (a contemporary art museum), shadowbane (a great vegetarian restaurant), and Happy Day Dessert Factory (Ice cream shop).
Editor’s Note: Joanna loved living here The Inn on Negley While visiting his cousin in the Shadyside neighborhood; And pittsburgh magazine Name Priory “Best Boutique Hotel” last year.
final tip
You will have the most fun if you rent a car. I wish it were easier to get around without a car, but we’re not there yet.
Thanks so much for sharing such fun thoughts, brooke! And Pittsburgh readers, what would you add?
PS More Cup of Joe city guides, and the weirdest part of trips.
(Top photo by Heng Yu/Stocksy. Individual photos courtesy of Brooke.)
