The view of the beautiful river may be different now, but advantages like the community’s affordable living, walkability and booming main street make Bellevue a notable and much-loved neighborhood.
Stats (from Niche)
- Population: 8,269
- Size: 1.12 sq. mi.
- Median Rent: $719
- Median Home Value: $115,300
Live. Worship. Shop. Those three words appear on the retro sign leading from Route 65 to Bellevue, the first suburb west of Downtown. It’s a neighborhood named for its beautiful view of the river. Once a wealthy area in the 1930s where doctors and lawyers inhabited elegant Victorian and Craftsman homes, it’s now a neighborhood with an up-and-coming vibe.
This walkable community is also known for its good public transportation.
The biggest change in recent years? Up until 2015, Bellevue was a “dry” town. When the borough officially ended its prohibition (more than eight decades after the nationwide ban on alcohol was lifted in 1933), it served as the tipping point for the revitalization of the business district.
Visitors and residents alike can spend all day browsing the main street, Lincoln Avenue, which is home to dozens of businesses — and plenty of places to grab a good bite.
Start your day with a coffee from the neighborhood café, Muddy Cup Coffee House, and walk just a block over to visit the famous Lincoln Bakery, a neighborhood sweets shop that’s been serving old-fashioned cakes and pastries since 1945. Further down Lincoln, you can find another dessert destination — Good L’oven Cookie Shop — which has pretty much any cookie you can dream up and lots of fast-casual breakfast and lunch options.
Lincoln Avenue Brewing is now open, which is great news for the neighborhood. And for a special occasion or dinner date, reserve a table at Revival on Lincoln, an American-style, fine dining restaurant located inside a mansion that once served as a funeral home. Its massive red exterior with white stately columns make it a must-visit destination in Bellevue.
Craving something more casual? Satisfy your taste buds at specialty spots like The Pitt Stop BBQ, Thai Tamarind or 202 Hometown Tacos.
For comfort food, visit Grille 565, a pub and restaurant offering classic bar food and great live entertainment or Joe’s Rusty Nail Restaurant, a traditional American joint with dinner specials straight from your mom’s recipe box. Dari-Villa Restaurant and the Bellevue Diner are also great spots for classic breakfast and brunch favorites.
The town has real charm, and continues to attract homebuyers who can find a gem at an affordable price. While some of the areas oldest homes were leveled in the 1970s, others were divided into apartments that retain original woodwork and fireplaces.
Even the Andrew Bayne Memorial Library is housed in an old Victorian home, built in 1875 by a prominent architect of Allegheny County, James Madison Balph.
More news and things to do in Bellevue
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