Fun Puns — Even Better Food. The Common Good Opens Downtown

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

The people behind Ritual House and Palm Palm know all about good food and bad puns.

Cheesy Does It, Herb Your Enthusiasm and Do the Hokey Poke are just some of the menu items you can find at their latest endeavor, The Common Good. (For the record, I ordered the Deviled Egg Salad Sandwich. Despite the lack of a punny name, it was sinfully scarfable.)

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Like Ritual House, the healthy, fast-casual eatery by Herky and Lisa Pollock and Chef Ed and Amanda Smith is located in Downtown’s Union Trust Building. From 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday it serves breakfast, lunch and snacks including fresh salads, grain bowls, soups, sandwiches, acai bowls, smoothies, coffee and bakery items.

Cakes in a Can are a different take on the dessert, with layers of ingredients in small, plastic receptacles. Can you resist the Midnight Snack Attack with dark chocolate cake, ganache, chocolate mousse and brownie crumble? If you’re more of a s’more fan, the Smoke Show cookie is made from graham cracker dough, gooey marshmallow and chocolate chunks. It’s absolute fire!

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

As a breakfast devotee, I was happy to see a high-tech Zumex juicer on site for fresh-squeezed refreshment. Juice shots, including the Wake Up Call with ginger, lemon and cayenne, are available for $3.50 each. Orange you tired of drinking concentrate?

The Davis Companies, the owners of the property, approached Herky, president & CEO of Legacy Realty Partners, a year ago to list the unique space that has dual access points: Grant Street and through the lobby of the building.

“We heard the need loud and clear from our patrons, friends, and colleagues and decided it was the right time to launch this concept,” Herky says. “The Common Good is our answer to people who want a local and convenient option Downtown that also does some good for the community. We believe in Pittsburgh’s Future and the future is now!”

Guests can round up and also donate meals to neighbors in need as a part of the group’s
overall commitment to uplifting neighbors in Pittsburgh.

Good for them!