A Morning of Food and Caffeine in Pittsburgh's Strip District
Pittsburgh’s Strip District is a magical place. In the early 19th century, it was home to many mills and factories as its proximity to the Allegheny River made it an ideal location for shipping and storage. Many wholesalers set up shop in the area which drove restaurants and grocers to open to feed the large working crowds. Today, those old warehouses have been turned into apartments, shops and amazing restaurants.
When I first visited Pittsburgh on a family trip in 2009 we spent an afternoon in The Strip and I fell in love. We stopped at the Pittsburgh Popcorn Factory and Peace, Love & Little Donuts. We strolled through shops and numerous bakeries. 10 years later and I still love The Strip but I’ve done a much better job exploring it. Here are some of my must-do things whenever I have out of town visitors in Pittsburgh.
Price Key:
$ - I leave spending less than $10
$$ - I leave spending more than $10
Breakfast
There are three places that I’d be happy to take any guests: Pamela’s, DeLuca’s or Cafe Raymond. The first two are legitimate Pittsburgh institutions and the third simply has wonderful food.
Pamela’s P&G Diner
Price: $$ CASH ONLY
http://www.pamelasdiner.com
There are multiple locations throughout the city and suburbs but my favorite is The Strip location. Pamela’s has been serving up delicious crepe-style pancakes since 1979. My personal favorite are filled with bananas, chocolate chips and whipped cream. They have a varied menu filled with skillets, omelets, pancakes, french toast, sandwiches and burgers. Do NOT miss out on the lyonnaise potatoes! The walls are filled with countless photos of family, friends, guests and strangers. It truly has an old-school diner feel. Be prepared for a long wait if you arrive after 9am! Fun fact: President Obama is a fan of Pamela’s pancakes!
Deluca’s Diner
Price: $$ CASH ONLY
https://www.delucastripdistrict.com
Deluca’s in another old school gem of Pittsburgh. It has been serving hungry Pittsburghers since 1950 and is a classic, cramped, greasy spoon with huge portions. My go-to is The Californian Omelette which is stuffed with chipotle pesto chicken, asiago cheese, tomato, avocado, red peppers and spinach. It is MASSIVE so definitely share unless you are incredibly hungry. Deluca’s offers a wide variety of pancakes, french toast, crepes, omelettes, and breakfast burritos. Fun fact: it has been featured on Food Network’s Man v. Food.
Cafe Raymond
Price: $$
The newest of the breakfast spots on this post is Cafe Raymond. Owned and operated by a Pittsburgh chef with training in Paris, France, this gem of a restaurant features many delicious breakfast and lunch options. Blueberry ricotta pancakes are a cult favorite but I’ll admit that I’ve never had them. I can’t seem to pass up the croissant sandwiches; the BLT with hickory smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo and the Ham & Gruyere which is served warmed with lettuce and tomato. The restaurant has two floors and some outdoor seating! Fun fact: Chef Ray worked in Baltimore for 10 years and his bread was served numerous times during the Clinton and Bush administrations.
Croissant BLT!
Coffee
The Strip is a wonderful place for coffee! There are numerous shops which sell freshly roasted beans and also prepare speciality drinks you can enjoy as you stroll Penn Avenue. My go-to drink of choice tends to be black iced coffee, black hot coffee, nitro cold brew, or an Americano but I have friends who prefer sweeter drinks that also love these locations.
La Prima Espresso
Price: $
https://laprima.com
This is a small shop with a few standing tables on the inside accompanied by tables and chairs on the sidewalk. The menu is small (don’t come here expecting Starbucks-style options) but the coffee is amazing! You cannot go wrong with an Americano because the balance of flavors in their espresso is perfect. This is a favorite with retired Italian men who spend their mornings talking and sipping espresso with friends.
De Fer Coffee & Tea
Price: $
Truly one of my favorite places to stop for coffee (and even breakfast) De Fer specializes in coffee and tea. They believe in fair trade practices and work hard to create a sense of community with their products. De Fer is so much more than a coffee shop -- they even have beer, wine and cocktails and host monthly community events. Their nitro cold brew can’t be missed!
Allegheny Coffee and Tea Exchange
Price: $
https://www.alleghenycoffee.com
Come here if you want to browse through dozens of barrels of freshly roasted beans and sip a delicious drink while doing so. I visit for the nitro cold brews (they have SIX rotating taps) but friends come here for seasonal lattes.
Bakeries
While you can definitely find cookies and cupcakes in The Strip, people come here for bread, croissants and biscotti.
Enrico Biscotti
Price: $
The Enrico Biscotti storefront on Penn Ave takes you right into a dimly lit bakeries filled with glass containers overflowing with biscotti. There are flavors ranging from macadamia nut drizzled with white chocolate to cranberry pistachio to chocolate almond. They have wonderful croissants on weekends, too! Enrico Biscotti also has a cafe behind the storefront that offers brick oven pizza and sandwiches.
Colangelo’s
Price: $
No website
A small bakery specializing in Italian goods such as mele (a small flaky pastry filled with fruit compote or even chocolate) and bread, Colangelo’s is attached to La Prima Espresso. They have a full menu with salads, soups and sandwiches but I always stop by for a ham and cheese croissant to go with my Americano from next door.
Food to Take Home
There is no shortage of food in The Strip so as you walk and eat and drink and get full, don’t forget to grab some bites to take home. Here are the two places my family loves to visit when they come in from Michigan!
Peace, Love and Little Donuts
Price: $
https://www.peaceloveandlittledonuts.com
The Strip location expanded into a larger space in the past couple of years and it was a great move! Peace, Love and Little Donuts began in 2008 and has grown to multiple locations across Pittsburgh and 11 STATES! They have Groovy, Far Out and Funkadelic donuts which range from simple glazed to my personal favorite Birthday Cake!
Pittsburgh Popcorn
Price: $
Pittsburgh Popcorn has staple flavors such as Wisconsin Cheddar, Caramel, Movie Theatre Butter and my favorite Reese’s Cup. Each location also has four weekly specials ranging from Chocolate Waffle Cone to Sour Cream and Onion. They offer various size bags and metal tins to take home (or munch as you stroll around).
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All products and businesses mentioned are linked in the text because if I’ve a good experience, I’d like you to have it as well!
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