Scrapple, Taylor Ham, and so forth are from down east in Pennsylvania Dutch country and Filthydelphia.
There is plenty to eat here that is wonderful, but not a lot that I consider unique to the area. If you order a steak or chicken salad, you’ll get a tossed salad with steak or broiled chicken breast thinly sliced on top. Quite likely some french fries too. There is a restaurant in Aliquippa that claims to be the birthplace of this, but I don’t find their claim all that convincing. The dish seems to have appeared everywhere at once in the region. Primanti sandwiches are something you either love or hate. I hate them. They are a sandwich with a handful of french fries and and some vinegar slaw shoved in them. No matter what it started off to be, it becomes a vinegar slaw sandwich as far as I am concerned. They were originally sold from Primanti’s place in the strip as truck driver food. They caught on on with hipsters big time back in the 90’s. Now Primantis is a regional chain, but all of them offer authentically disgusting Primanti sandwiches.
I’ve been exploring Pittsburgh over the last year more intensely thanI have previously (it helps to have a guide in the city.) There are lots of things to do in and around town.
Like others have mentioned, Pittsburgh is a collection of semi-isolated neighborhoods connected by crowded highways. You need to know the timing to get around successfully- like when to go surface streets and avoid the Parkway, what streets will egt you to your destination without major delays, that sort of thing.
If you want recommendations for things to do while here, just ask and let us know what type of thing- restaurants, museums, cultural events… There are a lot of good ones here.
It’s been a while since PittDope. I remember meeting Guinastasia, samclem and Siege, along with few others, like** isosleepy**. Any chance on a second one?
Make it in the summer so I can motorcycle to it and I’m game…though the prospect of my presence might be enough all by itself to cause the proposal to be tabled indefinitely.
Capicola with a fried egg. My Primanti sammich of choice.
Born and spent my youth in Squirrel Hill. Nothing much to add. Oh. . . out in Guinastasia’s area is an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet that should be avoided.
One thing I’d like to add. Nobody here ever, ever actually calls the place “Da Burgh.” Some drone at an advertising company or in a spin group came up with that. You hear it in advertising and out of the mouths of sportscasters, but never from a normal resident of the area. For that matter, it is less common for people in the area to identify themselves as being from Pittsburgh than it is for us to identify ourselves by neighborhood or borough. I’ve lived in Shadyside, Brentwood, Bridgeville, and Carrick in Allegheny County and in Aliquippa, Rochester, and Eastvale in Beaver County. The only time I would have ever said “I’m from Pittsburgh” is when I was talking to someone to whom I didn’t want to bother explaining where any of those places were.
There are a couple Isaly’s in the region that still operate under that name. Those places are basically just an homage to the chain though, as it is effectively defunct. There was a place just down the road in New Brighton called Bricker’s that had formerly been an Isaly’s. They kept the ambiance and the menu, but not the name. They closed a year or two ago.
There was a deli “upstreet” called Rhodas. It was a block or two up the hill from the exit off of the highway.
Pretty fucking tasty deli as I recall… I think they went under a long time ago? They were more or less across the street from Jerry’s Records, which opened a year before I married the Ex from Squirrel Hill. Just gobsmackingly amazing vinyl joint. Named by Rolling Stone as one of the best record stores in the country.
Her parents were a half block off of Murray Avenue on Northumberland. Where’d you grow up ?
Scrapple is Lancaster – 250 miles east. First week here you and I are meeting at the one existing Isaly’s I know for a fried chipped ham and cheese sandwich.
We also like Pirohi (Perogis most places), Halushki and halupki (boy – I forget the translation/spelling)
Make it a Saturday or Sunday and I’m in. And not being a native, I cross all three rivers and FIVE bridges to get there.
I love Eat 'N Park. They have the best chicken noodle soup.
Oh and kayaker, what is this sushi place, just so I know which one to avoid?
If you’re willing to go out to Greensburg, there’s this great Italian place, Carbone’s. It’s out in the sticks, but it’s worth it.
Since they opened the branch in - I believe - Florida I walk past and just yell “heretic” at the door.
Now Pepi’s ------ that’s a PITTSBURGH sandwich show.
Although I really prefer “Don’s Under the Bridge”. It’s this little hole between Woods Run and Manchester just off from Western Pen. Safest place in Pittsburgh to eat - there are always at least 2 cops and/or prison guards eating there at any moment. Everything is ala carte so you can get whatever you want exactly as you want it. Last decorated during the Eisenhower administration, its got a great hometown touch.
Even if the cook drinks Coors.
Speaking of which, avoid Iron City beer ---- assuming they still make it. Deer piss would be a better choice.
Last time I was really in town there (my aunt lives in Bethel Park, so often when we go, as is the custom of the country, we don’t cross any bridges) we ate lunch in the Southside at Cupka’s Cafe, where I had a really good turkey Rachel - I don’t know how the rest of the food was, but I DO know that a) my uncle, who used to live on the street right behind there, says that was the last Southside bar to have a door. As in it used to have batwing saloon doors and a potbelly stove, and that’s it. And b) there was some sort of gambling going on! It was totally Deadwood up in there! There was a ton of crumpled money on the table, and every so often a guy would come out of a door and shout numbers. A cop came in and totally didn’t care, either. The Pittsburghers with us thought it was hilarious that I was shocked by it.
(Also, wow, our waitress had this amazing Yinzer accent. I’d never heard one that thick live. My aunt couldn’t even hear it, though. She doesn’t have a strong accent but has lived there her whole life.)
I’m definitely up for it! I don’t have a work schedule as I’m still on leave from my back surgery, so it doesn’t matter when/where.
I seem to be in the minority here, but I hate Primanti Bros with a passion. I’ve tried to like them, and have eaten about 6-8 times at their Downtown, Oakland, Harmarville, and their stadium locations, and every time I thought it was garbage. I’ve only tried their steak sandwiches (their signature item), but they were awful. Mediocre ground steak shaped into a patty and cooked until tough as shoe leather, with greasy, soggy fries and watery cole slaw on top. No mushrooms or onion available. Bleh.
Some other regional foods: Klondyke ice cream bars originated in Isalys, a Pittsburgh chain that has long since gone, as did “chip chopped” ham (sliced paper thin). Back in the day, displaced Pittsburghers would have Klondyke bars shipped as far away as Texas. When Isalys closed, Klondyke went national and are now available everywhere.
I don’t think Pierogi were invented here, but they sure are popular. There is a church in New Kensington/Arnold (St. Vladamir?) that takes orders periodically, and you can go pick them up when they’re ready.
Is glompki (pigs in a blanket) considered a Pittsburgh dish? Not sure on the spelling, that’s what my polish grandmother called it. What about Halushki (cabbage and noodles)? Both are very popular in Pittsburgh, although more commonly found on a family dinner table than a restaurant.
There are also a number of Greek Orthodox churches that have food/music festivals every year, including a nice one in Oakmont. Not strictly Pittsburgh but worth noting for their awesome food.
If you are travelling by the turnpike, Giuseppe’s is just off the Beaver Falls exit. They have excellent Italian food, fully the equal of Carbone’s which I also like very much.
Primanti’s cap and cheese with extra cheese is the best. I have a fondness for the idea of Eat n Park, but the actual food there is really mediocre, to be honest.
Burgatory is just the best burger you’re ever going to have, although I think the Waterworks location is noticeably the best.
For the OP, Pittsburgh is awesome. The people are friendly. The medical care available is world class. The suburban school districts can be good, depending on where you are, but the city school district is terrible. There is an autism center for excellence at the University of Pittsburgh, and a pretty good outpatient treatment facility for autism on the South Side.
Crime in Pittsburgh is really low. There are lots of communities in the area that have really been beaten down economically for a long while, and are pretty sad.
If you want to avoid tobacco chewing and rednecks, though, don’t stray too far beyond the metro Pittsburgh area. As James Carville once said, Pennsylvania is “Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with Alabama in between.” There’s really no reason you’d want to go somewhere like Butler.
The chiefest difference between urban Pennsylvanians and people from places like Butler, Clarion, Indiana, or any of the other mid-sized towns is that some of the urban dwellers have an inflated notion of themselves as cosmopolitan urban sophisticates. I motorcycle all over the state and I’d say Carville had his head up his ass.
Sure, there’s some pretentious urbanites and some hipsters in Pittsburgh, but really not as many as there are in a lot of urban environments. Most of us are pretty average suburban folks.
The city of Pittsburgh has around 300,000 residents. Allegheny County has about 1.2 million.
