PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

A beloved French bistro, Poulet Bleu, will reopen Oct. 21 after a nearly five-year hiatus.

The eatery at 3517 Butler St. in Lawrenceville will serve dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Reservations may be made exclusively through OpenTable.

With its blue-and-white interiors, floral wallpaper, zinc-topped bar and open kitchen, Poulet Bleu made a splash when Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group opened it in 2018.

The menu will feature customer favorites such as duck confit, steak frites, Parisienne gnocchi, escargot and, of course, the bistro’s famed French onion soup. Order a French 75, Brandy Alexander or other classic cocktail at the bar or choose from an extensive wine list focused on French and Alsatian varietals.

“Poulet Bleu was always about more than food — it was about creating an experience,”
co-owner Tolga Sevdik says. “We’re excited to bring that experience back to Pittsburgh and can’t wait to welcome guests again.”

In other DeShantz restaurant news, the Rib Room, a private dining space behind the kitchen at Meat & Potatoes in Downtown’s Cultural District, reopens for the season on Sept. 12. The intimate space seats 16 and features a rotating a la carte menu focused on prime rib that’s aged in-house. Reservations are live now on OpenTable.

Taco ‘bout a comeback

El Burro is coming back bigger and better on the North Side.

Damaged by a fire in December 2023, the taco shop will reopen at 1108 Federal St. on Sept. 12. Daily hours of operation will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Owner Wes De Renouard, a California native, opened the small, counter-service eatery 14 years ago. El Burro, which is Spanish for “the donkey,” now has a seating area on the second floor and is available to rent for private parties. Hee Haw!

In 2017, De Renouard debuted El Burro Dos, a second, larger location with a full bar and patio seating, at 1113 S. Braddock Ave. in Regent Square.

The devastating fire that broke out on the North Side a week before Christmas also gutted Nana’s New York Hot Dogs, which remains shuttered. The hot dog joint, formerly known as Steve’s, hads been a local institution since 1964.

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Sewickley is ‘lit

Many moons ago, I reported on MoonLit Burgers’ plans to expand to Sewickley.

Now, nearly three years later, the chain’s third spot is open for business at 517 Locust Place.
Limited hours of operation are 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday while the staff works on streamlining the burger-smashing process.

Owners Mike McCoy and Derek Stevens started the business as a pandemic pop-up and opened their first brick-and-mortar in October 2021 at 1426 Potomac Ave. in Dormont. A year later, a second site opened on the campus of Duquesne University in Uptown.

All of the restaurants feature a full menu of smash burgers, veggie burgers, fried chicken, milkshakes, cocktails and , craft beer as well asand soft serve from Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream.

Published Sept. 3, 2025

PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH PICKLE CO.

(Dig in With Graver is a new, regularly updated column featuring small, digestible bites of foodie news from across Pittsburgh’s culinary landscape.)

I’ve been thinking a lot about ketchup. I guess slurping down two Heinz Tomato Ketchup Smoothies will do that to your brain.

As a pickle pin-wearing devotee of the Pittsburgh-born brand, it’s rare for me to use any other condiment on my burgers and fries.

But, now that Pittsburgh Pickle Co. has released its own version of the stuff, Heinz may have some competition at my dinner table.

More than a decade after launching their briney business in Verona, brothers and lifelong Pittsburghers John Patterson, Will Patterson and Joe Robl wanted to unleash something new on the City of Champions.

As a kid, John was such a ketchup fan, his parents put a bottle of Heinz in his Christmas stocking every year. Although the condiment is no longer made in Pittsburgh, this is its ceremonial home.

While reading the ingredients on a bottle of Heinz one day, John decided to whip up a small batch using simple, natural ingredients already available at the company’s 10,000-square-foot facility. (Thanks to Briney Mary, their stellar Bloody Mary mix, he had plenty of tomato paste.)

After some trial and error, the brothers gave their red sauce the green light.

You can find 12-ounce, glass bottles of Pittsburgh Pickle Ketchup and Pittsburgh Pickle Mustard online, at Giant Eagle Market Districts, Ambridge Do It Best Home Center and at the brothers’ restaurants The BeerHive in the Strip District and The Coxcomb in Murrysville.

“The one thing I feel I learned in college is when you find a void in the market, fill it,” John says. There wasn’t a pickle company in Pittsburgh before us. We are kind of carrying a duty for this region.”

Sheetz Rocks!

PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTY GRAVER

Altoona-based Sheetz is planning to open its first convenience store in recent years within Pittsburgh’s city limits.

The former Rite Aid pharmacy at Banksville Road and Wenzell Avenue in Banksville will get a Shmakeover soon, although no timetable has been set for a grand opening. Company officials had said in the past that there were no locations in the city because they needed 2 acres for the development. For now, you’ll have to head to the suburbs to get your Shnackz.

On Aug. 8 after Sheetz dropped hints on social media, rock band The All-American Rejects performed a pop-up concert at the store on Steubenville Pike in Robinson. Hundreds of people showed up.

Later in the month, Sheetz teamed up with Sofar Sounds, a global community that connects artists and audiences through unique and intimate experiences, on a live concert featuring local artists at Little Giant, a recording studio in Pittsburgh’s Allentown neighborhood.

After holding Meet N’ Sheetz events with their fans before shows, I hope my buds in the West Virginia band Truckstop get invitationz to perform.

Published Aug. 26, 2025

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

(Dig in With Graver is a new, regularly updated column featuring small, digestible bites of foodie news from across Pittsburgh’s culinary landscape.)

As a West View resident, neighboring Bellevue is becoming my go-to spot for different flavors. Lucky for me, two new spots opened this month in the borough.

Lucky Bites at 549 Lincoln Ave., serves made-to-order boba and poke bowls. Even during a Friday lunch rush, the place felt serene. Betty Wu, whose family immigrated from China when she was 5 years old, was behind the counter, helping customers — many of whom had never ordered poke before — create their perfect bowl.

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

Online ordering is available and there’s a kiosk on site, but I believe good, old-fashioned human interaction is nourishing for the soul, especially when folks are as friendly as Wu.

In between breaks in conversation, I ate my weight in brown rice, spicy tuna and veggies and slurped a mango Yuzu lemonade that puts all other summer beverages to shame.

For dessert, I walked a few blocks down Lincoln Avenue to Moochi & You.

From the name to the decor to the Japanese-style desserts made with mochi sweet rice flour, this business is downright adorable. Available in a variety of flavors, the donuts even remind me of a baby’s teething ring! Why didn’t it exist when I was sugar-starved and expecting 16 years ago? It’s

Jia Jia Manuel, a local real estate agent, helped owner Weixiang You secure the space, which once housed Valkyrie Doughnuts, a shop known for its vegan and square-shaped offerings.

Bellevue is all about weird donuts, and I’m here for it!

Moochi & You’s donuts are round, light and adorned with edible cartoon characters. If you’re not into cute food, but still want to make an edible statement, get a big, honkin’ Hot Cheetos Korean corn dog that looks more like a flaming sword and cool down with a classic bubble tea.

Manuel says You, who has spent decades working in the restaurant industry, underwent culinary training in Asia to perfect his craft and select the best ingredients.

“He’s so proud of what he does and what he delivers,” she says.

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

Big Hearts for Hardee’s

A fast food joint in Millvale has slammed on the brakes.

On Monday, Hardee’s at 1201 North Ave. abruptly closed after 52 years. It was the last Hardee’s in the Pittsburgh region; the next closest location is in Waynesburg, Greene County.

In a heartfelt social media post, former Millvale Mayor Jim Burn thanked longtime employees and customers and called the restaurant a cornerstone of the community.

“One of life’s only certainties is change,” he wrote. “We do not always appreciate something until it is gone. This change marks the end of an era.”

I’ll say.

Growing up, I was a diehard McDonald’s kid, but, every now and then, my mom would switch things up and take my brother and I to Hardee’s, a place known for its biscuits, chicken tenders, char-broiled burgers and kids’ meal toys that were far superior to anything that Quarter Pounder-lovin’ clown was peddling.

In 1984 — the year “Gremlins,” my favorite Christmas movie, hit theaters — Hardee’s restaurants sold a series of Gremlins Adventures Read-Along records for a buck when you purchased a burger combo. It was a good investment on my mom’s part since Gremlin Adventures is keeping me occupied well into my 40s!

But, I have to agree with Jim Burn, it is the end of an era. Listening to these records — vinyl pieces of my childhood — during the holiday season just won’t be the same if I can’t eat a Hardee’s double-bacon cheeseburger while doing it.

PUBLISHED AUG. 20, 2025

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAIR PEACE CHARITIES

My favorite time to eat is when it’s for a good cause. Bonny Diver keeps me well-fed.

This Friday, I’ll once again be judging edible entries at Recipe For Hope, a friendly cooking competition that pairs local celebrities and chefs. The event is a fundraiser for Hair Peace Charities, the nonprofit Diver founded in 2005 to help women and girls who are going through cancer treatment in Western Pennsylvania purchase wigs. Most insurance companies don’t cover the cost, but Hair Peace provides $250 to each person.

In 2024, Dr. Mary Beth Malay, a retired Allegheny Health Network breast surgeon and honorary board member, announced she would contribute $250,000 over the next decade to support the organization’s mission.

Recipe For Hope is on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. at The Mayernik Center, 498 Camp Horne Road, Ben Avon.

Raise a pint for the Pour House

Head to Deutschtown this Sunday to support an Irish pub.

A fundraiser for Riley’s Pour House, a beloved Carnegie business destroyed in a fire last November, will be held on the North Side on Aug. 24. There will be music, Irish belly dancers, a DJ and, food and cash bar with Guinness on tap, of course.

The landmark bar opened in 1979 as the Pour House of Carnegie. It’s changed ownership several times over the years, but has always served as a community hub.

From the day of the fire, the current stewards vowed to rebuild. They have a dedicated website to keep customers updated and warn would-be donors about fake fundraising pages that have been popping up since the blaze.

Raise a Glass to Rebuild Riley’s is on Aug. 24 from 2 to 9 p.m. at The Grand Hall at the Priory Hotel, 617 Lockhart St., North Side.

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

It’s time for lasagna

I read about a new eatery in Miami that serves only three things: lasagna, tiramisu and wine.

The 24-seat Italian ristorante, known only by its street address, 3190, is the kind of place we need in Pittsburgh, specifically Garfield.

PUBLISHED AUG. 13, 2025

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

Barrel & Flow is heading to The Big Easy.

On April 18, 2026, the Pittsburgh-based festival will showcase Black breweries, artists and small businesses in New Orleans. Details about Barrel on the Bayou are forthcoming, but you might want to plan your French Quarter vacation now. While you’re dahn ‘ere, have an amazing cheesesteak at Yinzer’s! In the meantime, soak up the Bourbon Street vibes at The Storyville Lounge in Allentown.

During last week’s Barrel & Flow festivities in the Strip District, I listened to live music, sipped delicious brews, ate my weight in brisket mac and cheese, watched people make art and was buoyed by the kindness of friends and total strangers.

Folks come from all over the world to attend Barrel & Flow. The visitors I met were impressed by Pittsburgh’s natural beauty and overall friendliness. I didn’t even hear one complaint about the traffic!

Who needs the NFL Draft when you have great draft beer?

You can get a taste of this year’s Barrel & Flow collaboration brews at Mike’s Beer Bar on the North Shore.

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

Welcome to the Red Zone

Heinz Ketchup gave me a brain freeze in the middle of summer.

Last week, I wrote about the new Heinz Tomato Ketchup Smoothie that seemed to be available at every Smoothie King location on the planet — except for the ‘Burgh.

Well, ask and yinz shall receive.

The frozen blend of sweet acai sorbet, apple juice, strawberries, raspberries and Heinz Simply Ketchup is available at Smoothie King locations in Bridgeville (a drive-thru only joint at 1025 Washington Pike) and Wexford (11199 Perry Highway) while supplies last.

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

My daughter wasn’t a fan, so I drank two, hence the brain freeze.

Franchise owner Elizabeth Szabo — whose stores won Pittsburgh Magazine’s 2025 Best of the ‘Burgh readers poll for Best Smoothie — says Heinz has been a hit! Even if she didn’t slap a Heinz sticker on the cup, it’s obvious that ketchup is a main ingredient. Pour the stuff over a plate of pasta, and it would look like a nice spaghetti meal.

The smoothie has a subtle sweetness to it and that trademark ketchup tang. I wouldn’t dip my fries into it, but I might add a little vodka and pretend it’s some sort of mutant Bloody Mary.

Published Aug. 7, 2025

R.I.P., Maggie’s Farm Restaurant

Strip District-based Maggie’s Farm Distillery closed its Upper St. Clair eatery. Rum-making will continue as usual at the facility on McLaughlin Run Road, along with tastings, tours and bottle sales. If you’d like to bid adieu while buying bottles and canned, ready-to-drink cocktails, retail sales will be held at the site from 4 to 7 p.m. Aug. 8 and noon to 4 p.m. Aug. 9.

Retail operations and cocktail service at the Smallman Street Barrelhouse remain the same. Stop by and raise a Zombie tiki drink in honor of Maggie’s meals, which were delicious every time I had one.

“Running a restaurant is hard at the best of times, but between the recent economic uncertainty and rise in food costs, we have had to take a hard look at what we want for the future of Maggie’s Farm Rum,” distillery president Tim Russell said in a social media post. “After many sleepless nights, we have made this difficult decision. Owning a business means having to choose what is best for the company as a whole and those involved with it. This change will allow us to refocus our efforts on what we do best – distilling the best rum and spirits that we can.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BARREL & FLOW FEST

A Barrel & Flow of Fish

Want to get a taste of Wholey’s? Go to the Taste of Wholey’s event this Saturday in the Strip.

Visit between 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and you’ll receive a free passport. Collect stamps from each sampling station throughout the store and, once the passport and your belly are filled, you’ll receive a “special prize.”

I hope it’s another 111-pound fish sammich!

Dive into another tasting event in the Strip at Barrel & Flow. Not only will there be 100 breweries and distilleries on site offering sips, the festival features 16 musical artists, 20 food vendors and eight live artists from 1 to 9 p.m. at The Stacks at 3 Crossings. Now in its fifth year, the event has grown into a weeklong celebration of Black breweries, artists and small businesses.

PHOTOS BY KRISTY GRAVER

Jeff Bertrand’s McArt Show

Artist Jeff Bertrand, my McNugget Buddy, is holding his first solo show of 2025 at Gallery H in Allegheny West from Aug. 28 through Sept. 25. He’ll be showcasing a mix of works that are created on discarded trash and repurposed items. Bertrand’s art features a lot of food mascots, from Mr. Peanut to Ronald McDonald.

The final day of his show just so happens to be the 33rd anniversary of the time the late Mayor Sophie Masloff renamed the City of Pittsburgh “Big Mac USA.” Do we still hold this designation? We should.

Published Aug. 6, 2025

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

Iron Born Pizza

I’m always on a quest for spicy food, even in the middle of summer.

Like some kind of foodie postal worker, neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays this courier from the swift completion of my appointed rounds. For Monday’s lunch, I had a rectangular, Detroit-style Nashville Hot Chicken Pie from Iron Born Pizza in the Strip District. That’s my 2025 vacation.

With cheddar cheese, ricotta, roasted chicken, Nashville hot sauce, house-made pickles and red pepper flakes on a thick, airy, focaccia-like crust this menu item is a heat dome and a cold front in one. Thankfully, Iron Born’s Smallman Street location also has beer on tap, so I soothed the residual burn with a light beer from nearby Cinderlands Warehouse called Lil’ Cinder.

It was a meal to write home about.

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

Fresh Produce

Big props to the people picking produce this time of year. Go to a local market and thank a farmer.

On Saturday, the folks at Brenckle’s brought a metric ton of fruits and veggies to Mars for the inaugural Great Pennsylvania Tomato Festival at Stick City Brewing Co. In addition to consuming saucy pizzas, BLTs and Red Beers, visitors were able to stock up on some of Mother Nature’s greatest gifts.

I went home with a slicing tomato roughly the size of my head and a dozen Galaxy peaches, also called donut peaches, because they remind me of little jack-o’-lanterns.

Happy Halloween!

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

Little Italy Days

Summer is synonymous with Little Italy Days.

Bloomfield’s festival has been drawing crowds to the neighborhood for a quarter century.

This year’s event will be held Aug. 14-17 with more than 200 food and craft vendors lining Liberty Avenue. According to a press release, there will be “pizza, pasta, sausage and all the foods, frivolity and flavors that make Italian cuisine and culture favoloso.”

If, like me, you’re a fan of food but not food festivals (too many people, not enough parking), visit Bloomfield now and support its small businesses! Have a chili dog at Dad’s, follow the scent of sizzling burgers to Tessaro’s, get some James Beard Award-worthy deliciousness at Fet-Fisk and Apteka, visit Gina Merante at Linea Verde Green Market, find Bulgarian goodies at Jak’s Bakery, feed the whole family at Baby Loves Tacos and soak up the beer and good vibes at Trace Brewing.