Why Local?

In Pittsburgh, food is more than just a way to satisfy hunger. It is an experience meant to be savored and enjoyed. It is a ritual, and a much beloved one. We shop with our children, our grandparents and our neighbors. We buy; we socialize; we catch up on the local news. In Pittsburgh we love our families, our gardens and our food.

Pittsburgh has an abundance of locally grown food. The next best thing to having your own garden is getting fresh food from somebody else's. There are lots of reasons to buy local, but quality tops the list. There's just no comparison. You can see the quality by looking at it. You can squeeze it, smell it and select it yourself. Every single pepper, tomato and onion is selected by you. Buying local is a whole lot healthier too. Food loses nutrient quality over time, so food that has been on the road, shrink-wrapped, processed and stored in a warehouse is far less nutritious than locally grown food that travels from the local market that day, to your table that evening. Thousands of miles versus a couple of hours—the math just makes sense and the food tastes a whole lot better.

Local food is in season. The strawberries are redder, the apples shinier. Those vibrant hues belong to fruit and vegetables that grew here and they taste as good as they look, bursting with flavor And that's as fresh as it gets.

Buying local is a social event. You see your best friend in the next aisle and she saves your place in line while you load up on items from the "buy one get one free" basket. Your favorite person at the corner deli gives you generous "samples" of salami and cheese before you even buy anything. You share it with your children, who will probably bring their children to the same place to shop one day with their children. This daily love affair with food is what Pittsburgh is all about.

Come to Pittsburgh's bountiful gardens. You'll find everything you need to fill your table and feed your family!