Your Day in Troy Hill: A 24-Hour Itinerary

This itinerary is designed for a perfect day exploring this iconic Pittsburgh neighborhood. It’s a walkable plan that combines iconic sights, local food, and unique experiences.

MORNING

LUNCH

AFTERNOON

EVENING

DINNER

LATE NIGHT

Morning: Rooftop Roasts

Did Someone Say Coffee?: A rooftop coffee shop? Say less. De Fer Coffee & Tea’s Troy Hill location is a staple in the community and a stop you simply can’t miss out on. Tucked away in a historic building, this spot offers a full house-made food menu, lots of seating, a rooftop deck, and vibes to spare. Couple that with the views of the city and good company, you might find yourself hanging out here for a few hours.

Lunch: Eat Like a Local

For lunch, we recommend stopping for a quick meal, as you’re going to be walking everywhere you go while exploring Troy Hill. Ron's Pizza Palace is a reliable, local go-to for wings and pizza. Don’t expect to pay much for your meal, but also don’t let the price point fool you – you’re getting so much bang for your buck that you’ll probably be taking home leftovers.

Afternoon: History & Hidden Art Houses

Discover Hidden Art: A must-visit for the neighborhood, book your trip (free, but advanced reservations required) to one of the Troy Hill Art Houses. While these homes may look normal from the outside, the insides have been renovated into a total structure art piece. From the incredible lighthouse-within-a-house of the Darkhouse Lighthouse, photography-inspired Kunzhaus and inspired use of everyday objects in La Hütte Royal, find the house that calls to you!

Meet the Murals: Murals adorn many of the main streets through town and there's historical buildings and markers aplenty. Make sure to peer in the windows of Gallery Closed, a permanently open art gallery you view entirely through the windows, with seasonal exhibits that sometimes spill out into neighboring windows and business.

Ancient Relics: Churches also dot the landscape of Troy Hill, but one in particular is a must-see for anyone interested in religion or history. St. Anthony's Chapel contains more than 5,000 relics of the Roman Catholic faith including the skulls of martyred saints, fragments of the cross that Jesus was crucified on, a piece of Mary's veil and bones from all 12 of Jesus' disciples.

Evening: Riverfront & Hilltop Views

Take the Stairs: Pittsburgh is known for its staircases. In fact, it has more publicly accessible stairs than anywhere else in the country. So it's appropriate that your Troy Hill itinerary includes Rialto Street, which features one of the steepest (and narrowest) roads in the city accompanied by nearly 500 feet of stairs to reach the heart of the Troy Hill neighborhood. Elsewhere in this neighborhood (look for dotted lines on Google Maps indicating them) you can find staircases connecting to side streets and all the way down to Pittsburgh's Northside, sometimes jutting between houses and other times ending in parks or right by a brewery. There's even a self-guided walking tour you can take that highlight eight staircases including Rialto.

Take the Trail: Troy Hill is also home to part of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, which is an expansive 33‐mile urban riverfront trail system along both sides of all three rivers in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Grab a bike through POGOH or bring your own, or just take a stroll along the riverfronts, especially once the weather starts getting nice and the sun starts shining through. Bonus points if you bring leftovers or something to sip on and break off from the trail to hang out for a bit

Did you know? Rialto Street is one of the steepest (and narrowest) roads in the city, measuring in at a 24% grade. Locals also refer to it as “Pig Hill,” which stems from the days when the street was used to drive pigs up from Washington’s Landing rail stations to slaughterhouses in Spring Garden.

Dinner: Farm-to-Table Treats

Located in the heart of Troy Hill, Scratch & Co. is more than just a restaurant; it’s a vital part of the Pittsburgh community. Scratch has all you expect from a fine dining restaurant but keeps the ambiance and service down-to-earth and inviting so that every visit is a memorable experience. Just don't fall in love with any one dish here. True to its name, Scratch is constantly changing up the menu to incorporate seasonal veg and locally sourced proteins to make every bite magic.

Late Night: Visit Pittsburgh’s Oldest Craft Brewery

Pittsburgh’s oldest craft brewery sits tucked away in Troy Hill, at the end of some city steps and ready to welcome you for a brew. Since 1986, Penn Brewery has been housed in the historic 19th-century E&O Brewery building, featuring a German bierhalle, cobblestone biergarten, and authentic lagering caves. Their hand-crafted brews have won 21 Great American Beer Festival® and World Beer Cup® medals. In addition to their beers, Penn offers both contemporary and traditional “Euro-Pittsburgh” fare including wurst, schnitzel, and pierogi, as well as flatbreads, salads, and sandwiches, in our full-service restaurant. Penn also offers private parties, catering, and brewery tours.