A new year means it’s time to dust off your restaurants “to-be-tried” list and add a few more while you’re at it. These new restaurants and bars have a little something for everyone.
Restaurants
Tacosburgh
3239 West Liberty Ave., Dormont
Opened in December, Tacosburgh calls itself “Southern Mexican fusion,” offering smoked meats, rotisserie chicken, tacos, burgers, tortas and more. Come for the food, stay for the vibe — bar seating and Instagram-worthy paintings (hello, Mister Rogers) adorn the walls.
EYV
424 East Ohio St., North Side
Don’t worry, carnivores — while EYV’s main focus is to get you to “Eat Your Veggies,” you’ll still be able to occasionally find meat and seafood on the menu at this vegetable-forward (but not exclusively vegetarian or vegan) restaurant. The menu features snacks, small and large plates, and even offers a menu for young diners, all sourced from Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio farms when possible.
Sultry F&B
1721 E Carson St., South Side
Brian Forrester and Melissa Barth worked together at the El Lugar and Provison PGH restaurant concepts in Federal Galley in 2019. After their experience, they decided to forge ahead and create their own. With Sultry F&B on the South Side, the couple aims to offer great food in an approachable atmosphere, with comfort food menu items such as pork and pierogies, fried chicken and loaded fries.
Shorty’s Tap x Taco
244 West Bridge St., Homestead
Food and entertainment are both on the menu at Shorty’s Tap x Taco in the Waterfront, a sister location to Pins x Pints on the North Shore. Chow down on Mexican dishes like tacos, quesadillas and burritos while you get competitive on the old-school dartboard lane, pinball machines, shuffleboard tables and more.
No Names Pub
4717 Butler St., Lawrenceville
Music, sports and 25-plus drafts are on tap at No Names Pub in Lawrenceville. Located across from Allegheny Cemetery in the former North Park Lounge location, the pub hosts karaoke, disco brunches and live music, while offering brunch and dinner featuring classics like chicken and waffles, pierogies and wings.
Viet Nom Nom
1715 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill
Viet Nom Nom, which opened in Squirrel Hill earlier this month, wants to introduce customers to Vietnamese cuisine. For $17, build a meal that consists of a carb, a protein and some vegetables (think of it like a Vietnamese Chipotle), and then take your food to-go or sit at one of the indoor tables.
Bars & breweries
Aslin Beer Company
1801 Smallman St., Strip District
Good brews — both alcoholic and caffeinated — can now be found in the Strip District Terminal Building. In December, craft brewery Aslin Beer Co. opened a taproom alongside a 12,000-square-foot production facility, cafe, second-floor mezzanine and outdoor patio in the new development. Try an IPA or a sour, grab an espresso or fuel a Strip District stroll with breakfast, lunch and dinner options.
Big Sewickley Creek Brewery
2030 Big Sewickley Creek Road, Sewickley
Drinking a craft beer alongside a babbling brook sounds like a summer bucket list item — check it off your list this year at Big Sewickley Creek Brewery. The nano brewery, located in Sewickley, features an indoor and outdoor taproom, is dog-friendly and will offer food trucks and music on-site on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Bona Fide Beer Company
155 21st St., Strip District
Opened by two industry veterans, Bona Fide Beer Co. was started as “an ode to friendship and enjoying a good beer in good company.” The Strip District brewery opened in November and also operates as a bar offering cocktails, whiskey and a select wine menu.
Lolev Beer
5247 Butler St., Lawrenceville
Another brewery that made its way to Pittsburgh in December, Lolev Beer’s rotating taps can be found in the building that most recently housed Elevate Fusion Fitness in Lawrenceville. Hungry? The brewery also offers a calendar of food trucks, even during the winter — the trucks are able to pull inside so everyone stays warm.
East End Brewing Company (coming soon)
651 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon
East End Brewing Co. announced this week that its new Mt. Lebanon Taproom will open in early March. Plans for what owner Scott Smith calls the “big, bright, beautiful storefront” include bar, booth and table seating and dog-friendly sidewalk seating. Beyond brews, the taproom will also serve Pennsylvania-based cocktails and select wines, Barmy Soda Company products and Hop Seltzers. East End will also “introduce its rustic, thick-crust East End Chewing pizza to the South Hills.”
Closings
Unfortunately, it’s not all good news for the Pittsburgh dining scene. Two longtime favorite eateries have recently posted on social media about shutting down their operations.
Mad Mex Oakland
Mad Mex announced on social media that it will close its original Oakland location on Atwood Street. The restaurant has been open since 1993 and is a dining staple for college students and residents. The social media post cited “ongoing staffing and operational challenges” as the reason for the closure. It is not clear how many employees will be affected.
Onion Maiden
Onion Maiden, a punk/metal-themed vegan restaurant in Allentown, is one of the best places for plant-based fare in the city. This week, the restaurant shared a message on Instagram that was unclear about its future.
“This restaurant has been a labor of love, but the day-to-day is soul-crushing. Work/life balance is something both Brooks and myself (Dingo) haven’t been able to steadily achieve and when we did, it was fleeting. Long story short, normal service will continue through March, but after that, who knows. Could be a brief hiatus, could be the conclusion. Basically, you will have two months to get your fill!”
The post goes on to say that Onion Maiden hopes to do pop-ups and events in the future.