Category Archives: Food & Drink

Esther’s Sweet Shop

Esther’s Sweet Shop is housed in a 3 story building on Brownsville Road in Carrick.* It’s been a fixture in the neighborhood for as long as I can remember. As kids, we sold Esther’s truffles, eggs, hard candy, gummies and assortments for the marching band and sports clubs.

It is good stuff. (Better than some other name-brand candies you find at drug stores and other fundraising campaigns. ) The ladies that work behind the counter are the nicest people in the world, and if you’re lucky, you may be able to peek at their chocolate-making operation in the back.

So if you’re considering a fundraiser, or just need pounds of chocolate or hard candies whatever reason – check out Esther’s. Their website is pretty awesome – now you can even buy their candy online:

http://www.esthershomemadecandy.com/

* “Where’s Carrick?!,” you may ask. It’s a city neighborhood that lies beyond South Side, Arlington and Mt. Oliver, of course! (For you PAT bus riders, the 51C’ll take you right there. ) Here’s a map!
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BUY A GOOD FRIEND A GOOD BEER

is the tag line for the East End Brewing Company (http://eastendbrewing.com/) – you may have seen their beers at some local drinking establishments around Pittsburgh. I was a fan of the Big Hop before I knew that it was made by a brewer that hearts PGH
Currently they have 3 year-round beers:
Big Hop IPA
Black Strap Stout
East End Witte

eastendlogo

The East End Brewing Company is located in an tiny unassuming warehouse in Homewood next to the busway. Visit the website http://eastendbrewing.com/ for updates on Brewery Open Houses. Scott Smith, the brewmaster, is a super nice guy and has opened the place up on occasion for beer lovers to come in for a visit

There are 2 other great reasons to visit http://eastendbrewing.com/ and drink their beer.
1. Sustainability – they are committed to being an enviromentally sustainable business!!

2. Pouring List
East End Brewing Co. beers can be found at lots of great little neighborhood bars around Pittsburgh.
check out the pouring list http://eastendbrewing.com/pouring.htm and see if there is a bar in your neighborhood or a new neighborhood to visit.

Pitaland

So, let’s just admit it. A lot of our East End friends don’t know how to cross rivers (and vice versa.) But let’s not forget about the Pittsburgh neighborhoods beyond tunnels and bridges. One of them being the lovely Brookline, in Southern Pittsburgh (just across the Liberty Tubes.) Brookline in itself is awesome. Think plenty of shade trees along a wide boulevard filled with quaint family owned businesses.

One of the many reasons to visit Brookline is Pitaland, the Middle-Eastern grocery store, a Lebanese-born, Pittsburgh-made family business.

I stop buy to stock up on staples like hummus, baba ghannouj and (of course!) pitas, but you can also buy everything from baklawa to syrian cheese. They produce about 4,000 pita pockets a day!

Wanna read more about the store and get some recipes before you explore? Check out this PG article.

The store Pitaland is located at 620 Brookline Boulevard. Store hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. Phone: 412 531-5040.

scratch and sniff the pita:

pita

The Shadow Lounge

Just a few years ago, before Whole Foods, East Liberty was not a destination for many people. Now Highland Avenue’s activity expands beyond shadyside and the Shadow Lounge sits in the middle of this new found nighborhood at the corner of Highland and Baum Blvd.

I am so glad Pittsburgh has Justin Strong who opened the Shadow Lounge 5 years ago to provide a coffee shop and performance space because there was no other place for performers.

The Shadow Lounge hosts a whole range of music and performances. By far the best late night place in Pittsburgh (I was there on a Saturday last winter to hear the house band and we didn’t leave til 4 am because they were so good)

In the past year they have expanded to add the Blue Room with a projection TV. Soon they will have a liqour liscense.

Check out the website to see what is happening.
http://www.shadowlounge.net/

Hot Dogma

Hot Dogma is a reason to go downtown for lunch. Located in the basement of Trinity Cathedral – Hot Dogma serves up hot dogs, salads, fruit shakes, and more.
Another reason to love Hot Dogma is that they have free wireless internet.
The entrance to the place is on Oliver Ave – across from what used to be Lazarus.
Visit their website for more info: Hot Dogma – www.hotdogmapgh.com

Check out this article about Hot Dogma from the Post Gazette –
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04302/402845.stm

hotgodmasign