Every year, we like to take a little time to think about what we’re especially grateful for – at least, in the Pittsburgh food world. It’s the nature of our job that we get to eat really good food every day, and try new (and old!) restaurants all the time.
In the last year or so, we’ve loved sharing a sliver of Pittsburgh food news, and meeting chefs, writers and photographers who are doing such interesting work – and creating so many delicious dishes.
So, in the spirit of the holiday, we wanted to share the Pittsburgh favorites that we’re most thankful for this year.
Bread & Salt: Rick Easton’s Bloomfield bakery and pizza shop has gotten some much-deserved attention this year (hello, New York Times), but we have to give credit where credit is due. We love going to the shop early, right before the pizzas of the day are set out, and having our choice of their amazing pies. And their toast with fresh-made ricotta? Easily one of the best bites in the Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Ice Cream Company: We first tried Pittsburgh Ice Cream Company’s Landlocked Vanilla this summer, and from our first bite, we were hooked. It’s made with Wigle Whiskey’s Landlocked Spiced Pennsylvania honey spirit, and their own house-made vanilla extract, and it’s the purest vanilla ice cream we’ve ever had. No matter how hard we try, we can never walk by their stall at the Pittsburgh Public Market without stopping for a taste or two or ten. And we’re okay with that.
Cookespeak Podcast: Speaking of the Pittsburgh Public Market, every Sunday, local chef and author Tom Totin hosts the Cookspeak podcast there, chatting with Pittsburgh chefs, bloggers, authors and restaurant owners about what’s happening in their corner of the culinary world. We love listening in each week to hear these conversations, which always have the intimacy of two old friends chatting.
412 Food Rescue: The ultimate do-gooder of the year award goes to Leah Lizarondo and Gisele Fetterman for creating 412 Food Rescue, an organization that works with food retailers, restaurants, chefs, and grocery stores to rescue food that’s un-sellable, but still good to eat, and puts it in the hands of people who need it. It’s a remarkable organization, and it’s grown by leaps and bounds this year – and we couldn’t be more proud that it’s in our town.
The Thin Man Sandwich: No matter how many truly delicious new sandwiches they put on the menu at The Thin Man Sandwich Shop, in our mind, the original will always be the best. Made with their own house-made chicken liver mousse (which, pro tip: You can buy by deli containers of it to take home), and topped with local bacon, lettuce and a red wine vinaigrette, it’s a classic. And classics never go out of style.
Picklesburgh: This summer, the very first Picklesburgh was held on the Rachel Carson Bridge, and we couldn’t have had more fun. We spent the day sharing our pickling tips with other Pittsburgh canners, and eating our way up and down the bridge, sampling bites from Meat & Potatoes, Braddock’s and more. We’re already looking forward to next year.
The Strip District: We’ll admit it – our favorite neighborhood in the city is the Strip District. We’ve been spending Saturdays on the Strip for as long as we can remember, and we always eat something truly spectacular. Our Friday go-to spot is Wholey’s for fish sandwiches at lunch, and when the weather is nice, nothing is better than sitting outside of Casa Reyna’s and eating street tacos. From Enrico Biscotti to the new Smallman Galley, the Strip District is a mix of old school and new school… and just the essence of Pittsburgh to us.
But most of all, we’re grateful to you, our readers. Thank you for all of the comments, shares, likes, page views, and newsletter signups – we really love working on this site, and we’re happy that you seem to love it, too.
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