Review: Penn Brewery Restaurant
Posted by mike | Filed under Reviews
So what was the last thing I wrote up? The restaurant party contest? Times have been very busy at work—weekends and all. The good news: it hasn’t prevented me from trying several new places; the bad news: I haven’t posted anything about those trips. Consider this post a quick stab at getting started on the [...]
Preview: Penn Brewery Sampler
Posted by mike | Filed under Beer, Reviews
For the past few months, Penn Brewery has been slowly easing into the whole grand re-opening thing. First a kick-off event, then growler hours, and now some appetizers. At this point, we’re just a week away from from the return of the full restaurant (give or take). I already made it out to growler hours [...]
Review: Duke’s Upper Deck Cafe
Posted by mike | Filed under Beer, Reviews
Not long ago, I made my way over to Duke’s Upper Deck Cafe for dinner. I had noticed the place a few times in the past, and even stopped there for a beer with my parents when they were in town for Easter. Trust me, my parents are more open to trying a new place [...]
Review: Monterey Pub
Posted by mike | Filed under Beer, Reviews
I feel like I’ve had this one tucked away for a little while, but it’s enough of a hidden gem that I really couldn’t let it slide off my queue. I’ve been in Pittsburgh for years now, and I had never even heard of the Monterey Pub. On a bit of a whim, I recently [...]
Second Take: Over the Bar (OTB)
Posted by mike | Filed under Beer, Reviews
Some of you may remember my first trip to Over the Bar (OTB). I liked the experience, but have always felt like it wasn’t a very representative trip. I had gone out on a Sunday afternoon after working on projects around the house all morning. As you might expect, the restaurant was nearly empty at [...]
Review: Birmingham Bridge Tavern
Posted by mike | Filed under Beer, Reviews
I go to to the South Side frequently—more now than ever, that I’m scheduling meetup outings along side my restaurant review blog. Think about it: Pittsburgh’s South Side lines up far too well with two familiar FoodBurgh themes: good food and good beer—all rolled into one. At first glance, the whole area appears to leave [...]
Review: The Sharp Edge
Posted by mike | Filed under Beer, Reviews
I am always surprised by the number of people who have never heard of or tried The Sharp Edge. Granted, I was one of those people at some point, but my introduction was years ago in grad school. Now, I’m definitely a fan of the atmosphere and what they seem to aspire to. The food, [...]
Attempting a Market District Beer Purchase
Posted by mike | Filed under Beer, Commentary
After Thursday’s trip to Market District, I was inspired to give the whole beer-in-a-Giant-Eagle thing a try. When I walked in, there was actually a big display of Christmas Ale 6 packs from Great Lakes Brewing Company. Having grown up in Ohio, I tend to get excited that particular seasonal brew: it takes me back [...]
Overview: The New Settler’s Ridge Market District
Posted by mike | Filed under Community
This is a tough one for me to write up. Mostly, that’s because your sense of my credibility is impaired by the fact that Giant Eagle is very clearly working to court some blogger buzz. They’re sponsoring a contest here, hosted a VIP blogger reception/tour, and sent us all home with enormous gift baskets filled [...]
Review: Rivertowne Pour House
Posted by mike | Filed under Beer, Reviews
As you all should have seen in my recent post, the upcoming TRASH XIX Homebrew Competition is to be judged at the Rivertowne Pour House—a brewpub out in Monroeville. I’m helping to organize that event, but I’ve actually never been to Rivertowne. Wanting to correct that situation, I invited a friend of mine out last [...]

