Be Our Neighbor

With an iconic skyline where three rivers meet, Pittsburgh boasts big-city offerings with small-city charm.

Upon arrival, cross the must-do items off your Pittsburgh bucket list:

But the best way to discover Pittsburgh? Open a map, pick a neighborhood and explore.

Pittsburgh’s vibrant personality takes center stage in its 90 unique neighborhoods, often separated by hills, bridges and rivers. How many wonders we have packed into our city becomes apparent when you dive into each community and see what makes it special.

Let’s experience a few together:

Polish Hill + Lawrenceville

Venture to Polish Hill for breakfast from Kaibur Coffee & Cafe before admiring the neighborhood’s historic Immaculate Heart of Mary Church from multiple vantage points.

Note the edgy charm of Polish Hill’s dive bars before heading to Lawrenceville, sprawled along the Allegheny River and bursting with restaurants, cocktail bars, cafés and galleries. Jumpstart your day at Espresso a Mano or have a drink at The Abbey on Butler Street, a funeral home-turned-popular restaurant.

Espresso A Mano. Photo Courtesy: @holygroundhog on Insta

Enjoy Lawrenceville nightlife at Spirit or Thunderbird Café & Music Hall, and admire local art at Redfishbowl. Catch a flick at Row House Cinema and indulge your inner child at Kickback Pinball Café. Wander into any Butler Street business that catches your eye, and you’re guaranteed a good time.

If you’re here on the first Friday of the month, it’s essential to experience Unblurred: First Fridays on Penn Avenue, a lively monthly art crawl in Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood. Refuel with a pizza from Spak Brothers while you explore.

Bloomfield + East Liberty + Homewood

Stroll over to Bloomfield and dine at vegan Apteka, voted a top-50 restaurant by the New York Times, or drink a brew from beloved Trace Brewing. Speaking of beer: Pittsburgh is home to more than 50 craft breweries.

Just down the street, see a performance at Kelly Strayhorn Theater on Penn Avenue, named after famed dancer and Hollywood movie legend Gene Kelly, born and raised in East Liberty, and Homewood-born jazz composer Billy Strayhorn. Speaking of Homewood, visit the Afro-American Music Institute. Get a coffee at Everyday Café or KLVN Coffee Lab in nearby Larimer before checking out the neighborhood’s murals curated in The Homewood Experience Art Walk. End the night with a beer at East End Brewing Company or a cocktail/ mocktail on tap from Goodlander Cocktail Brewery, both in Larimer.

Drag brunch at Trace Brewing

Oakland + The Hill

Oakland is home to five universities, the main Carnegie Library branch and the lush Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Shop and dine in nearby Shadyside and Squirrel Hill, or swing through the neighborhood known for putting Pittsburgh on the jazz map: the Hill District. While most Pittsburgh jazz clubs are a relic (though Con Alma in Downtown and Shadyside keep it going), the Hill District is one of Pittsburgh’s most historic neighborhoods and home to famous playwright August Wilson’s house.

Allentown + Northside

If atop Mt. Washington for fine dining on Grandview Avenue, hop next door to Allentown, a working-class neighborhood now home to a bustling main street. Cravings for fine steak and seafood will be satisfied at Alla Famiglia. Down the slope is the South Side, full of quirky vintage stores, ice cream factories and no shortage of bars — more than 80 stretch down Carson Street.

On Pittsburgh’s Northside, immerse yourself in the greenery of Allegheny Commons, Pittsburgh’s oldest park and home to gorgeous Lake Elizabeth. The park borders the Mexican War Streets neighborhood, named after people and places of the Mexican-American war and full of charming architecture and small businesses (even a bookstore) sprinkled throughout.

Pittsburgh Parks

If you need a break from the urban landscape, wander one of the 165 city parks, from small neighborhood parklets to acres of woods. Frick Park is the largest at 644 acres, with 16 trails and a number of babbling streams. While not quite a park, Lawrenceville’s Allegheny Cemetery, our oldest and largest burial ground, is a popular walking spot (and you’ll gasp not at ghosts but at historical graves). For a quintessential outdoor Pittsburgh adventure, climb one of the hundreds of city staircases.

Downtown Pittsburgh

A Pittsburgh visit wouldn’t be complete without touring Downtown. Market Square offers unique skyscraper views from the ground with no shortage of shops and restaurants. Explore our Cultural District, home to a dozen art galleries, 50 dining establishments and world-class theaters like the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts and Heinz Hall, home to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Street Festivals? Beer festivals? Food festivals? Music festivals? We’ve got plenty of those, too, as well as farmers’ markets, artist markets, night markets, vintage markets and more.

What makes Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh are the people who breathe life into experiences worth visiting.

To experience Pittsburgh is to sit at the (cookie) table with us.

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Taylor Fowler

Author

Taylor Fowler

Writing & Public Relations

Taylor Fowler is an independent writer and publicist. A Pittsburgh native, Taylor’s pastime is exploring the ‘Burgh and acquainting with the humans behind the local art and culture scenes. Her feature writing appears in Very Local Pittsburgh and other publications. Founder of her own public relations business, she is passionate about amplifying the work of changemaking creative leaders through impactful storytelling. After business hours, you will likely find her exploring a new neighborhood, strolling an art crawl or enjoying live music. Connect with her at taylorfowler.com.

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