The Strip District was once booming with mills and factories along the Allegheny River — like Heinz, Westinghouse, and U.S. Steel. Today, the industrial buildings take on new life with housing, restaurants, and shopping destinations.
☕ Food & Drink
First, coffee: Smell the beans from La Prima Espresso right as you enter the Strip from Downtown or pick out your favorite blend at Allegheny Coffee & Tea Exchange. If you’re looking for a place to work, De Fer Coffee & Tea has plenty of seating and relaxing vibes.
Breakfast of champyinz: The lacey-edged, thin hot cakes at Pamela’s Diner are what sweet dreams are made of, but if you’re looking for savory options, try Deluca’s Diner, Kelly O’s Diner, or the breakfast pizza and Bloody Marys at Belle Notte.
The delectable Lucy’s Banh Mi. (Francesca Dabecco / City Cast Pittsburgh)
Sandos on-the-go: You can visit the original Primanti Bros., founded in 1933, but for my favorite sandwich in the Strip, head to Lucy’s Banh Mi near WFH Oriental Market.
For a dinner date: Dive into a bowl of pasta at Dianoia’s Eatery, sip on cocktails and bites at Bar Marco, eat Caribbean-style food on the patio at Kaya, or graze on charcuterie and wine at the PA Market.
Sweet stuff: Enrico Biscotti has every flavor of this Italian cookie you could wish for. The owner, Larry Lagattuta, recently passed away. Stop in for a treat in his honor. If candy is your weakness, go wild for nostalgic sweets at Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop. Plus, Klavon’s Ice Cream Parlor, the old-school spot for shakes, floats, and sundaes, is celebrating 100 years of business from 12 to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
🛒 Shop Local
The Strip is great for its international groceries. Find Italian meats, gourmet cheeses, and more at Pennsylvania Macaroni or Jimmy & Nino’s Sunseri; Asian noodles, sauces, and cooking essentials at WFH Oriental Market or Lotus Food Company; Latin produce and ready-to-eat food at Reyna Foods; a Halal butcher and Middle Eastern grocery items at Salem's Market; and all things pierogi and kielbasa at S&D Polish Deli.
Strip District marked on the Pittsburgh neighborhood map. (City of Pittsburgh)
🔍 Go, See, Do!
Discover regional history and heritage at the Heinz History Center, as well as the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum located inside. It dates back to 1879, making it the oldest cultural institution in Western Pennsylvania. The museum was recently honored as the second best History Museum from the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards (along with The Warhol and the Children’s Museums). Throughout the month of August, you can get into all three museums for free.
