Pittsburgh has always been an Iron City and a shot of Jameson kind of town, but there’s still plenty of innovation at the city’s cocktail bars. The best part? You’re still in Pittsburgh. Even the most expensive drinks rarely start with a 2, and most Happy Hours see drinks in the single digits. New TABLE contributor Kenny Gould shares 10 cocktail bars to try around town.
Try a Cocktail from These 10 Pittsburgh Bars
Hidden Harbor
1708 Shady Avenue, Squirrel Hill
Hidden Harbor is one of the best tiki bars in Pittsburgh, and also the country — though the humble owners would never admit it. Their experienced bar staff draws from a well of over 600 rums and house-made ingredients to craft both the classic and the exotic. On the menu, alcohol content is indicated by “shark fins.” One is potent, while three is look out! The three-fin Rum King, which comes with a strict limit of one per customer, is a blend of eight rums, peach, and fassionola. The drink is served in a custom ceramic mug based on a 600-pound Hawaiian ku carving that sits at the back of the dining room. The carving is one of five that Hidden Harbor commissioned for their Squirrel Hill location by Los Angeles-based artist Crazy Al Evans.
Bar Botanico
4325 Butler Street, Lawrenceville
Ask bartenders about their favorite bar in Pittsburgh and you’ll always hear a few talk about Bar Botanico. This garden-inspired cocktail haven in Lawrenceville focuses on botanicals and house-made syrups to create flavorful, wildly inventive drinks. Take the Mañana Sera Bonito, featured at the top of this article, which is made with sticky rice vodka, poblano, Szechuan chili oil, lime, cucumber, pineapple, white pepper, and coconut. Should it work? No way. Does it work? Absolutely.
The Summit
200 Shiloh Street, Mount Washington
Date night? You can’t get much classier than The Summit. Perched at the top
of Mount Washington, The Summit airs panoramic city views with creative libations. Happy hour means $8 cocktails, so get there early and order a Brown Derby (bourbon, grapefruit, lemon, and honey) while watching lights twinkle on along the Pittsburgh skyline.
Maggie’s Farm
Strip District and Upper Saint Clair
Pittsburgh might not be the first place you’d expect to find a rum distillery, and
yet, Maggie’s Farm produces some of the most award-winning rums in the world. Although distilling operations have since moved to the South Hills, you can still pick up flights and cocktails at the original Maggie’s Farm location in the Strip District. Don’t leave without grabbing a bottle to take home, and make sure you try their Daiquiri-of-the-Month!
De Fer Coffee and Tea
2002 Smallman Street, Strip District
De Fer’s journey started with locally roasted coffee and specialty teas, but their repertoire also includes standout cocktails, including a Coffee Old Fashioned (obviously) and a seasonal Gingerbread Coquito. “We keep a small but thoughtful cocktail list,” says De Fer co-founder Matt Marietti. “And we like to focus on cocktails that feature coffee and tea, and pair well with brunch.” The brand now has five locations around Pittsburgh, but their original Strip District location is the one where they serve cocktails. The warm, inviting atmosphere is perfect for unwinding after work or meeting up with friends.
Union Grill
413 S Craig Street, Oakland
Pittsburgh isn’t a pretentious town. If you want classic cocktails with ingredients you can spell, look no further than the Union Grill. Known for generous portions of comfort food and relaxed vibes, the Union Grill also boasts a robust cocktail menu that often surprises first-time visitors. Everything else you’d need to know about this no-frills Oakland staple is summed up in their wine policy: “We believe we are the only restaurant in the world that sells bottles of wine at zero markup.”
Lorelei
124 S Highland Avenue, East Liberty
This “alpine-inspired” cocktail bar in East Liberty, owned by the same team behind Hidden Harbor, brings the same careful attention and focus to gin-and amaro-forward beverages that Hidden Harbor brings to tiki. The menu changes frequently, but recent features included a beautiful Clover Club: a simple mix of gin, lemon, and raspberry shaken to a froth with fresh egg white. Don’t worry if the 14-seat bar is full… you can always go to the beer hall next door or grab a bottle of wine to go.
Grapperia
3801 Butler Street, Lawrenceville
The bar might be small, but the drinks pack a punch. Known for its massive selection of Italian spirits like amaro and grappa, Grapperia also makes some of the best cocktails in the Steel City. If you want to try something new, the bartenders are knowledgeable and happy to guide you. Otherwise, try the Fallen Angel, which contains Wild Turkey Bourbon, Bauchant (a French liqueur), spice syrup, and burnt orange.
Goodlander Cocktail Brewery
6614 Hamilton Avenue, Larimer
Fact: no one who has ever tried a Goodlander cocktail has been disappointed. Perhaps one of Pittsburgh’s best kept secrets, the inventive kegged cocktails from Goodlander grace the menu of practically every serious bar program in the city. However, you can also try Goodlander cocktails at their location in Larimer, where all the kegs get batched. Try the Pittsburgh-style Moscow Mule, made with house-made ginger syrup and Natrona Bottling’s Jamaica’s Finest ginger beer. Served in a black-and- gold mug, of course.
DiAnoia’s Eatery
2549 Penn Avenue, Strip District
Part Italian bakery, part café and restaurant, and part refined cocktail destination, DiAnoia’s has something for everyone… especially if you enjoy Negronis and Aperol Spritzes. But DiAnoia’s doesn’t only serve the classics. Equally delicious are their creative takes on Italian classics like the Margherita Calabrese: Hornitos Reposado, Il Calabrese Bergamotto, Lime, Calabrian Chile, and Grapefruit Soda. Go for some of the best Italian food Pittsburgh has to offer and stay for the homemade limoncello.
Story by Kenny Gould
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce
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