El Colibri Serves Up Mexico City-Style Street Food, Welcoming All to Penn Ave’s Creative Corridor

On Penn Ave, there's a bright, new eatery well worth visiting for scrumptious Mexico City-style street food and seven flavors of agua fresca, a refreshing drink they make daily using natural ingredients.

Although El Colibri has been delighting the Pittsburgh community since 2022 — cooking out of a ghost kitchen in Oakland and selling their goods at farmers markets — their brick-and-mortar in Garfield has been open since June. (You can still find them at the Bloomfield farmers market on Saturdays, and in Squirrel Hill on Sundays.)

As you approach the fast-casual restaurant, you'll be greeted by turquoise patio tables and a hummingbird mural (“el colibrí" translates to "the hummingbird"). Inside, the compact space is light and airy, with fun music playing overhead. On the walls, there's colorful, cartoon-inspired art by Pedro Ibarra, one of the owners alongside his wife Jeimy Ibarra and mother-in-law Rocio Ruiz. (On one hanging, Snoopy proudly displays a Mexico futbol jersey.) Rocio has displayed his work at other neighboring spots like Two Frays Brewery, just down the street.

A Welcoming Homebase

What began as a farmers market stand has evolved into a bustling business that draws in hungry folks from near and far. The Mexican street food menu focuses on gluten-free and vegan offerings, and the owners are so happy to have a permanent space. Jeimy says that the vibes, culture and laughter shared at the markets over the past few years needed to find a home, plus her agua fresca beverages that loyal customers have come to love were harder to make in the ghost kitchen. (We ordered the guava strawberry during our visit and can confirm it was sensational!)

While Jeimy and her mother Rocio hail from Mexico City, Pedro was born in the Oaxaca region but has also lived in the thriving capital. When moving into this new space, they knew they wanted to keep the menu street-food based. "It's what you'd find when you step outside your door in Mexico City," Jeimy explains.

You won’t find rice and beans on the menu (in lieu of items you can mostly pick up with your hands), and chicken and beef are the only meats. It's traditional food that a parent or grandparent would serve you, Jeimy says, not something like steak you realistically wouldn’t eat every day. Eventually they’ll add specials, while staying true to their roots.

Credit |
Corinne Whiting
Credit |
Corinne Whiting

Authentic Options

Before we dove into our lunch, a frequent customer passed the table and dropped some (unsolicited) thoughts along the way. This is the most delicious, legit Mexican food around, he promised, adding that he hails from the south side of Chicago (so he would know). His words made us smile, and after diving into a beef-stuffed gordita, served on handmade corn masa dough (grilled), topped with lettuce and cheese, we had to agree he was onto something.

At El Colibri, everything on the menu is gluten-free. In addition to gorditas, you can find huaraches, tacos and quesa birrias. The number one question they receive is about the protein choice of nopales (or chopped prickly pear cactus paddles, mixed with tomatoes, onion and cilantro). Jeimy likens this ingredient to green beans and says they can be added to most anything you want (your gordita, sopes or taco, for example).

Credit |
Corinne Whiting
Credit |
Corinne Whiting

Other protein choices on their menu include the birria, “beef braised in a bold, aromatic chili sauce until it falls apart,” chicken tinga or vegan options like soy chorizo, potatoes and oyster mushrooms. They’ve tirelessly tested vegan cheeses to find tasty options that naturally melt, and they have a vegan alternative for eggs. Trust us when we say the elote, or street corn, is not to be missed. (A vegan version is available for this must-try dish as well.)

The culinary team here tries to accommodate customers in other ways, too; for example, diabetic customers can currently order a no-sugar watermelon agua fresca. (Of course Mexican Coke and Sprite are on the beverage menu in addition to these fresh delights.) Jeimy has been inspired to make their menu so inclusive after watching a vegetarian family member struggle to find items she could eat at other restaurants. She says their recipes are simple and quick, promising it'll take around six minutes to get your food. Believe us when we say we’ll be back again soon.

Credit |
Corinne Whiting
Credit |
Corinne Whiting

A Bustling Penn Ave Corridor

El Colibri brings yet more culture and flavor to this part of town, as another women-owned business to open in the Penn Avenue Arts & Commercial District. In fact, on the first Friday of every month, you can experience the richness of this creative corridor during Unblurred, Pittsburgh’s longest-running monthly arts fest that takes place from the 4800 to 5500 blocks of Penn Ave. During these gatherings the local community comes together to enjoy gallery exhibits, live performances and more.

If you want to spend a whole afternoon along this strip, don’t forget to check out El Collibri’s neighbors, like boutique Polly and Esther and Third Space Bakery, a friendly co-op and teaching kitchen at the corner of S Aiken and Penn. Then there’s The Open Road, a non-alcoholic bottle shop, and The Soft Spot, self-described as “a sapphic sober space for Pittsburgh's queer community” (where all are welcome). Note: There’s currently road construction in this part of the neighborhood, but you can easily park on nearby side streets.

Just a few blocks down, you’ll find more spaces in which to find culture and community, like bright and cheery Workshop PGH Fiber Studio at 5131 Penn Ave, where you can sign up for laidback yet educational classes on topics ranging from sewing and crocheting to tufting. (At Workshop PGH’s two other locations you’ll find workshops tackling subjects like woodworking, watercoloring, natural and bundle dyeing with plants and flowers and more.)

Nearby, grab a pizza or (vegan!) calzone from Spak Brothers, perhaps to be enjoyed next door at Two Frays, where a dog-friendly courtyard proves a prime gathering spot in any season. If you’re still around in the evening, grab a (lactose-free) ice cream sandwich from Leona’s, a pint at Mary’s or find some music at the Mr. Roboto Project when scheduled events are going on.

Corinne W

Author

Corinne W

Freelance Writer & Editor

Corinne is happy to be back closer to home (D.C.) after 11 years in the glorious Pacific Northwest. Though she cherishes global adventures, she also lives for discovering local gems, from the best spots for coffee, conversation and soul-nourishing music, to water activities and trails on which to walk a loveable little husky. You can follow her on Instagram at @travelcorx