It was merely by happenstance that we ended up in Pittsburgh. Our original plan was to spend time with family in the city of Monaca just thirty minutes away. Unfortunately, getting home was complicated by the holiday rush of people trying to fly out of Pittsburgh International Airport.
Once we determined we weren’t going anywhere hatching out our plans for a less than 48-hour stay in Pittsburgh was simple enough. First we needed to find a place to stay. This was seamless with Hotels Tonight. Their App is essential for the last-minute traveler. Hotels Tonight has a vast network of hotels in all major cities in addition to many international destinations. I highly recommend you download it before your next trip because you just never know when you’re going to get stranded in unfamiliar territory.
We decided on the Priory Hotel located in the Deutschtown section of Pittsburgh’s North Shore. It is a smaller hotel that was once a Benedictine Monastery but has many of the same amenities as a modern hotel. This gem has been restored into a historic and charming boutique hotel.
There is a quaint outdoor area where the humidity is interrupted by a cool breeze on the shaded patio. During the warmer months it would be easy to simply waste away an afternoon sipping negronis. But as much as lounging in the cool air of the patio sounded like a good idea it was impossible if we were to take in the sites.
Pittsburgh, also known as the city of bridges, with its proximity to three major rivers claims to have 446 bridges. The Priory Hotel was walking distance to the Three Sister Bridges. You can’t miss these bridges as they are all painted yellow and are accessible to pedestrian traffic. We noticed that there are not a lot of shaded areas in this part of town. Since it can get incredibly hot it is essential to wear a hat.
The Andy Warhol Museum was first on our list of things to do. In the event you find yourself in Pittsburgh you should put a visit to this museum high on your list as well.
I must confess I am not a big fan of pop art and Andy Warhol barely registered on my radar. After spending an afternoon in his namesake seven story museum I have a newfound admiration for his accomplishments as not only a prolific artist but as a visionary in celebrity culture.
The Andy Warhol Museum covers the depth of Andy’s life, from his interest in art as a young boy, to his work in commercial art, to his remarkable repertoire of modern art. He not only forged a path in photography and film but he set the stage for modern visual arts.
If you do visit don’t miss the opportunity to sit for a Warhol-esque screen test.
Pittsburgh is no stranger to exceptional restaurants. However, with so many great choices and too few days in Pittsburgh we had a difficult time deciding which restaurants to visit. Making that choice was easier after reviewing Eater and Trilllist. Eater and Thrilllist are our favorite online guides for great places to eat while on the road.
On our first night we opted for a farm-to-table restaurant which is located in the Oakland neighborhood. There is no shortage of coffee shops, restaurants, and museums in this cool area. We didn’t have time to take in the botanical gardens and Carnegie Museum of Art and History but we had time to eat.
We grabbed a ride to Legume in the Oakland neighborhood. The reviews promised us a fantastic dining experience and their local seasonal menu did not disappoint! Legume might strike some as the name of a vegetarian restaurant but it is not. For most restaurants the vegetables are an afterthought but here they actually are the inspired dish.
We began our meal with the warm cauliflower with einkorn salad which was truly phenomenal! We followed up with the grass fed steak tartare, eggplant puree, and mixed greens. We finished with halibut, shishito peppers and lima beans cooked to perfection!
We had our last meal at the newly reopened restaurant Dish Osteria Bar located in Pittsburgh’s south side. Unlike the serene atmosphere of Legume this restaurant was casual and loud. Not surprisingly it was packed so reservations are a must unless you don’t mind waiting for a seat at the bar. The Sicilian inspired menu was excellent!
We started with grilled octopus and calamari served with spinach and lemon and then finished with the fettuccine ai Funghi Selvaggi—morels, chanterelles and brussel sprouts served with reggiano and basil. They are known for their gnocchi but we were too full to eat another thing after our pasta course. We will have to come back and order the gnocchi next time!
Eat well, laugh a lot, and be travel chic!
