Why Pittsburgh is primed to surprise

If you haven’t been to Pittsburgh before or it’s been a while since you visited, it’s time to take another look. The erstwhile industrial town is now on the cutting edge, where a new generation of tech, robotics and medicine professionals have helped redefine the area.

Pittsburgh’s unique cultural experiences  reflect the region’s longstanding embrace of innovation. One thing never changes here – a sense of warmth and friendliness, which you will find from the moment you exit the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Here are some of our favorite ways Pittsburgh is serving up the cool and unexpected for young travelers.

Restaurants

Pittsburgh remains known for the signature sandwiches at Primanti Brothers, laden with French fries and coleslaw, but there are other amazing places featuring international flavors and down-home cooking.

In the Strip District, Novo Asian Food Hall offers everything from Taiwanese to Vietnamese to Korean food, with great drinks at Novo Bar. In the mood for shrimp or fish? Roland’s Seafood Grill is a Strip District institution increasingly drawing visitors to enjoy signature dishes like mussel pots and lobster mac and cheese.

In Bloomfield, the city’s best pies are at Spak Brothers Pizza – you won’t believe this pizza is gluten free. Fantastic Thai food and fun cocktails await at Pusadee’s Garden in Lawrenceville, which features outdoor seating and vegetarian and vegan options. Eastern European restaurant Apteka, features an all-vegan menu and has been named one of the nation’s top 50 restaurants by the New York Times. Apteka elevates traditional ethnic fare like pierogies, which Pittsburgh has adopted as a trademark dish, and the borscht is a standout. It is located across from St. Mary Catholic Cemetery.

For breakfast any time of day, sample the outstanding omelets at Ritter’s Diner, but be advised – this family-owned favorite only takes cash. Or satisfy a sweet or savory craving with crepes at Cafe Moulin.

Nearby Nordic seafood restaurant FET-FISK opened in March 2024 after running a series of hugely successful citywide pop-ups since 2019. Sample the fresh ricotta curds and red velvet beet cake.

In Lawrenceville, Umami Izakaya is a Japanese pub with great drink and appetizer deals during happy hour and perfect sake and spirit flights to pair with ramen or rice bowls.

A center for the arts

From its famous pop art native son, Andy Warhol, to the very latest in avant-garde concepts, Pittsburgh embraces the unexpected.

The Andy Warhol Museum is a must-see. Watch the short film Fifteen Minutes Eternal, which tells the artist’s life story, then use the Bloomberg Connects app to take an interactive tour of the museum. Contemporary art museum Mattress Factory is a great follow-up. You can experience entirely different styles at this place named for its original purpose — warehousing mattresses for manufacturer Stearns and Foster.

For music, visit free banjo night at the Allegheny Elks Lodge or catch a show at Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall.

The Pittsburgh Banjo Club sponsors the Elks Lodge sessions on Wednesdays from 8 to 11 p.m. – while entry is free, food and drink are cash only. Meanwhile, Lawrenceville’s Thunderbird is known for featuring up-and-comers and established acts like Grammy-winning bass guitar virtuoso Victor Wooten, and every seat in the house is surprisingly close to the stage. The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls provides an amazing aesthetic experience, housed in a 200-year-old former Catholic church. The Millvale club welcomes an eclectic array of indie bands, and drinks and entry prices are quite reasonable.

Love classical, jazz or piano music? After performances, members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra sometimes hop across the street to jazz bar con alma for impromptu jams.

For anyone looking for free entertainment plus a bite to eat, the no-charge Allegheny County Summer Concert Series at Hartwood Acres invites a rotating lineup of local food trucks.

Reinvented neighborhoods

The hallmarks of Pittsburgh’s historic charm are all around, but the city has reinvented formerly industrial neighborhoods  into more modern spaces that are worth visiting.

Sitting northeast of downtown and featuring loads of riverfront real estate, Lawrenceville is a throwback to the Steel City past that has adopted a more boho feel. Trendy bars like New Amsterdam and Allegheny Wine Mixer dot Butler Street, and visitors can catch lively drag shows at Blue Moon. Art galleries and antique boutiques make fun daytime destinations.

South Side Flats, sitting south of the Monongahela, has seen a boom in housing and nightlife, plus an influx of standout ethnic restaurants. Locals love walking and biking on Three Rivers Heritage Trail. Big Dog Coffee has the best joe in the area, and Birmingham Bridge Tavern boasts excellent wings.

Shadyside, smack in the center of the city, has evolved from a mostly residential area to a more commercial location close to the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and Chatham University. It used to be known as Pittsburgh’s Greenwich Village, but the vibe has become more mainstream and less counterculture. It also claims the commonwealth’s only wooden street – Roslyn Place, a cul-de-sac off Ellsworth Avenue. Shadyside plays host to fun weekend shopping and music popups, too.

A few miles from downtown, Bloomfield (aka Pittsburgh’s Little Italy) has experienced a glow-up. It once sat amid the city’s early glass and steel mills and provided a home to many Sicilian immigrants. Now, many of those old buildings have been rebuilt. Liberty Avenue has loads of restaurants featuring authentic dishes from around the world, and the walkable neighborhood features a fun coffee/vinyl shop in Long Play Café, also called Rosie’s Records.

Friendship, a neighborhood often included with nearby East Liberty and once known mostly for its Victorian homes, has undergone a renaissance in the past 15 years. It has become more walkable and attracted emerging businesses like Duolingo, which established its headquarters there in 2016. May’s Friendship Flowers & Folk Festival is a don’t-miss.

Regent Square is another walkable place on the East Side. Situated near Frick Park and housing charming shops and restaurants, the neighborhood’s Irish roots shine (it also puts on unique annual events such as Run Around the Square.) Recent addition Stay Gold, an independent bookshop, is a new favorite with a distinctive pink storefront you can’t miss. Nearby 3 Rivers Outdoor Co. sells outdoor gear and hosts high-energy outdoor- and running-themed events.

A championship-caliber sports experience

Pittsburgh’s civic pride is always on full display, and its sports teams have given it a lot to be excited about. From the excellent fan experience at its world-class venues to the infectious energy of fans in its sports bars, it’s easy to get swept up when you visit the City of Champions.

The six-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers play at Acrisure Stadium (formerly known as Heinz Field) on the Allegheny River. Right next door, the Pittsburgh Pirates host games at PNC Park, where you can catch a perfect view of the downtown skyline. The Pittsburgh Penguins, winners of five Stanley Cups, compete at PPG Paints Arena, located downtown. The major sports venues are steps away from the Platinum LEED-Certified David L. Lawrence Convention Center or a short walk over one of the Three Sisters Bridges, a trio of self-anchored suspension bridges spanning the Allegheny River.

With both the Steelers and Pirates stadiums residing there, the North Shore is the place to find sports fans during the season). Grab a drink at Southern Tier Brewing Company, which also has regular concerts and bingo nights, or go duckpin bowling at Shorty's Pins & Pints.

Incredible outdoor experiences

Pittsburgh’s natural spaces are a great attraction for young, active travelers. City parks, the confluence of rivers, and wooded surroundings reflect the growth of the city. Allegheny Landing is a riverfront sculpture park and one of the city’s most-photographed locations. Boating on the city’s famed three rivers is a  treat – take the Gateway Clipper or, for a special occasion, charter a tiki boat from Cruisin’ Tikis Pittsburgh.

Schenley Park, located between Oakland and Squirrel Hill, includes 456 acres often occupied by students from Pittsburgh’s major universities. nearby Duquesne University and University of Pittsburgh. It has a golf course, beautiful overlook and,  offers swimming in the summer and ice skating during the winter months. Across the Monongahela River, 257-acre Emerald View Park is a rehabbed space that includes sports fields, picnic areas and playgrounds. Frick Park, bordering the other side of Squirrel Hill, is the area’s largest park at 644 acres and has a wonderful place to see birds at Clayton Hill. Watch for cultural events such as Shakespeare in the Park.

An event for every taste

A packed event calendar, from annual events to weekly markets, means there’s always something exciting to do right around the corner in Pittsburgh. April’s free Art All Night has showcased the city’s best artists, musicians and films for nearly three decades. May’s Millvale Music Festival has more than 300 acts across almost 30 stages, including some spoken word and comedians.

Summer brings more fun. Mattress Factory’s annual Garden Party, a June fundraiser, includes several stages of musical performers and food from more than a dozen local restaurants. The Three Rivers Arts Festival features 10 days of free exhibitions in the cultural district. The Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival, held in nearby Newton over six weekends each summer, features sword swallowers, jugglers and, of course, turkey legs. A four-day celebration of all things pickle in July, Picklesburgh offers attendees music and pickle-themed gifts in addition to pickle gelato, pickle pizza and pickle eating contests.

Late summer’s 10-day motor sports festival, the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, includes a vintage car race. Another free event, September’s Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, highlights world-renowned performers, including Maysa and Chris Coles’ Nine Lives Project featuring Sean Jones.

As summer turns to Fall, look for two of Pittsburgh’s most entertaining festivals. Barrel & Flow supports the opportunity and artistry of the black community, and has been named by USA Today as America’s favorite brew fest two years in a row. And the Pittsburgh Irish Festival celebrates the rich Irish history and traditions in the city, featuring everything from musical acts to authors to Irish family tree tracing.

From May to September, hit up weekly farmer’s markets in Squirrel Hill, East End, North Side and Carrick. During the holidays, the Peoples Gas Holiday Market welcomes local vendors and food sellers to downtown Pittsburgh. Between shopping for stocking stuffers and posing with Santa, get in a few spins around the ice skating rink. And don’t forget local churches that hold bazaars and festivals throughout the city every time of year – “yinz” will get a great taste of the friendly culture that makes Pittsburgh so appealing.