A local's guide to the neighborhoods that make up Pittsburgh, home of the 2018 AIChE Annual Meeting
Pittsburgh is a city of neighborhoods defined by geographical borders and ethnic heritage. To know Pittsburgh is to know its neighborhoods, but this can be a challenge for visitors. I grew up in Pittsburgh and earned my chemical engineering degree from its namesake university, so I know my way around the winding streets and I am fluent in the native dialect (i.e., Pittsburghese). If you’re attending the AIChE Annual Meeting this year, take some time to get to know this great American city.
Getting around
Before I dazzle you with all that Pittsburgh has to offer, I’ll mention what I see as its shortcoming. Unlike other metropolitan areas, the city’s public transportation is lacking. While the bus system I relied on in college is comprehensive, it can be intimidating for the uninitiated and doesn’t exactly adhere to its schedule.
The downtown area is small and walkable, but if you want to explore outside of these bounds — and I suggest you do — your best option is to use a ride sharing service like Lyft or Uber. In fact, Uber tests its driverless cars in Pittsburgh, so you may be lucky enough to see this technology in action.
My favorite way to get around the city is via bike, but be warned, you may have to contend with some hilly terrain. Download the nextbike app to start using Pittsburgh’s bike share, Healthy Ride. You can also rent bikes at Golden Triangle Bike.
A new transportation option in the city, and one I haven’t personally tried, is Scoobi — an electric scooter share program that is also powered through an app.
What to do, see, and, most importantly, eat
Downtown (i.e., Dahntahn). The convention center and its surrounding hotels are located downtown. This area of the city has seen a resurgence in the past decade, and even more so in the past five years. The streets that once rolled up after 5 PM are now more vibrant than ever.
Tako, Butcher and the Rye, Meat and Potatoes, and Sienna Mercato are all dependable options if you’re hungry. Market Square is a small pedestrian area in the center of downtown with both great lunch and dinner spots. My favorites are Il Pizzaiuolo for pasta and pizza and the Original Oyster House for fish sandwiches. Don’t miss a walk along the river to Point State Park to take in the view of the Allegheny and Monongahela (i.e., the Mon) converging to form the head of the Ohio River.
The Strip District (i.e., The Strip). Close to downtown is the Strip District, where you will find markets, street vendors, shops, and restaurants. It is the location of the original Primanti Brothers, which serves famous sandwiches piled high with French fries and coleslaw. Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. (i.e., Penn Mac) and Wholey’s Fish Market are two bustling markets selling Italian imports and seafood. Gaucho Parrilla Argentina is a local favorite with a line often out the door, serving Argentinian style meats and sandwiches. Chicken Latino offers affordable Peruvian food. Roxanne’s Dried Flowers is my favorite for gifts and sundries. And if nothing else, walk down Penn Ave. to La Prima for a coffee and people watching.
North Shore and Northside. Be sure to know the difference between the North Shore and the Northside. The area around the football and baseball stadiums along the banks of the Allegheny is the North Shore, which is home to sports bars and restaurants that can handle large groups.
A 10-minute walk from the convention center is the Andy Warhol Museum. This side of the river is also lined with extensive running/walking trails that are popular with those looking to sweat or sightsee.
As you move north away from the river, you enter the Northside. Visit the historic Mexican War Streets for picturesque restored row houses and colorful gardens, as well as the Mattress Factory, a contemporary art museum.
Lawrenceville and East Liberty (i.e., Sliberty). Lawrenceville is one of the most happening neighborhoods in town, with independent shops, bars, and restaurants. Round Corner Cantina has fun outdoor seating, tacos, and margaritas by the pitcher. Poulet Bleu serves French bistro classics. Apteka rifts on Pittsburgh’s heritage with vegan pierogies and less-familiar Polish dishes. The Vandal offers a fried chicken sandwich worthy of a stop for lunch.
At nighttime, Spirit and Brillobox are the places to dance and drink. New Amsterdam has microbrews and rooftop seating. The Abbey offers food and drinks inside a converted funeral home with a large patio. For brunch or breakfast, don’t miss La Gourmandine, a traditional French bakery by the historic Allegheny Cemetery.
East Liberty is also getting its share of attention since Google and the Ace Hotel took up residence. The Whitfield inside the Ace, a former YMCA, offers familiar new American dishes. Pizza Taglio has a concise menu of pizza and salad. Kelly’s Bar and Lounge is a neighborhood pillar with cocktails and famous mac and cheese.
Oakland, Shadyside, and Squirrel Hill. The Univ. of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon make Oakland the academic hub of the city. You can’t miss the towering Cathedral of Learning on Pitt’s campus. Take some time to walk inside and peek into some of the international classrooms, which are designed to represent the culture of various ethnic groups that settled in the Pittsburgh region. Both universities border Schenley Park and are close to Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Art.
Head up 5th Ave. past Golden Age era mansions to nearby Shadyside, which boasts shopping and restaurants on Walnut St., Ellsworth Ave., and South Highland Ave. Harris Grill and Mad Mex are local chains with fun atmospheres. Casbah is a cozy spot for dinner and wine.
Close by is Squirrel Hill, home to a pizza feud worth investigating. Try neighbors Aiello’s and Mineo’s to crown a winner. Although, I admit my allegiance to Aiello’s runs so deep I’ve never tried the competition. Forbes Ave. in Squirrel Hill has lots of shopping and restaurants, most notably, soup dumplings at Everyday Noodles.
Southside. I reserve my most biased feelings for the neighborhood my family calls home. It is infamous for its nightlife and bars, but I have long argued that the Southside has much more to offer — if you know where to look.
The neighborhood is divided between the “flats” and the “slopes.” The flats are where you’ll find the bars and restaurants and the slopes are where you can follow concealed narrow staircases to great views of the city.
If you come to the Southside to imbibe or eat, visit Acacia for cocktails, the Smiling Moose for live music and surprisingly great food, Birmingham Bridge Tavern (i.e., BBT) for beer and wings, and OTB for creative burgers and beer. Carmella’s Plates and Pints has reliably good food and half-priced bottles of wine on Mondays. Tres Rios makes my favorite tacos in town, complete with handmade tortillas. And Café Du Jour is a local secret with garden seating. For coffee, grab a chair outside at Big Dog’s.
A home for chemical engineers
Pittsburgh is a great American city worth knowing not because of its industrial roots, but because of its resilience. The city has resisted being defined by the shuttering of its steel industry, and instead has defined itself as a hub for technology, healthcare, and innovation. Its history and its future make it a perfect point for chemical engineers to converge.