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Pittsburgh Events: Your Guide to December 22-28

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Ben Opie of OPEK holds his saxophone up to his shoulder, crossing his hands in front of it.

Pittsburgh doesn’t merely ease its way through the final week of December. Instead, it shows off as the city glows with end-of-year energy. Head into Pittsburgh’s creative corners and neighborhood hangouts to discover what events await at the end of 2025. After all, we’re all about ending the year with a bang!

Pittsburgh Events Happening December 22-28

Jazz & Soul Christmas Spectacular at City Winery
Photo Courtesy of City Winery Pittsburgh

Jazz & Soul Christmas Spectacular

December 23, City Winery Pittsburgh

Experience the warmth and joy of the season with a soulful twist. PureSoul presents the Jazz & Soul Christmas Spectacular, featuring Cleveland Jones and a crew of Pittsburgh’s finest musicians. This festive concert celebrates the rich soul in holiday classics with swing-melody and toe-tapping rhythm variations. 

OPEK : Live at Kingfly!
Photo Courtesy of OPEK

OPEK : Live at Kingfly!

December 26, The Loft at Kingfly Spirits

The world-class 10-piece big band OPEK returns to the Loft at Kingfly Spirits for a lively night that’s sure to keep the holiday spirit going even after Christmas Day. Led by Ben Opie, the ensemble even features some of Pittsburgh’s most exciting creative musicians. So grab a drink from the bar and kick back to this incredible ensemble. 

Countdown Cocktails: 3-2-1 Cheers! – Wine Cocktail Mixing Class
Photo Courtesy of SanaView Farms

Countdown Cocktails: 3-2-1 Cheers!

December 27, SanaView Farms

Raise a glass and toast to the holiday season at SanaView Farms. This festive Countdown Cocktails wine mixing class offers an evening of mixology and delicious snack pairings. Participants will learn to craft three creative, wine-based cocktails using the farm’s finest wines and seasonal ingredients, all guided by an expert.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Photo Courtesy of The Distillery Complex

Home for the Holidays Gala

December 27, The Reserve

You’re invited Home for the Holidays! Don your best formal attire and take to the elegant fifth floor of The Distillery Complex. Here you’ll dive into plates of delicious food, glasses of cocktails and wine, as well as much by DJ Boof. It all makes for a night that you won’t soon forget.  

The Glamour Gala Vol. 2
Photo Courtesy of Glamour Gala Fashion Show and Art Exhibit

The Glamour Gala Vol. 2

December 28, New Hazlett Theater

The Glamour Gala Fashion Show and Art Exhibit (GGFSAE) returns for its second annual event, promising an afternoon of style, art, and advocacy. Experience a blend of runway fashion and curated art in the New Hazlett Theater as you dine on soul food from Chef Bryanna, all benefiting a good cause. Just be sure to show up in purple and gold to voice your support.

Story by Kylie Thomas
Featured Photo Courtesy of Ben Opie

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Shop Local, Pittsburgh: Sewickley

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A dark green chair in a study room.

TABLE Magazine encourages you to shop local year-round to support the local businesses within the Sewickley community. There’s even more reason than usual! Sewickley was named number two in USA Today’s 10 Best Small Towns Northeast in 2025.

The small businesses owned by our neighbors do more than sell goods and services. They add vibrant life to our neighborhoods and to our entire region. Their presence brings our Main Streets alive, and the long-lasting, personal relationships they foster create a culture of positivity and belonging. To get you started on your local shopping adventure, check out these Sewickley businesses below.

Shop Local, Pittsburgh: Sewickley

Safran’s Supermarket

Pick up all your groceries for the week from Safran’s Supermarket, a family-owned market that’s been serving Sewickley since 1975. Check out their fresh baked breads, custom cut meats, extensive deli counter, and top quality produce the next time you need to fill up your pantry. Open seven days a week, Safran’s also offers specialty Pittsburgh-based products and can create beautiful custom fruit baskets, making it more than just a grocery run.

Fox and the Fleur

Fox and the Fleur specializes in gorgeous arrangements housed in just the right vases. Whether you’re shopping for a wedding, prom, or just a treat for yourself, the bouquet you walk out with will put a smile on your face. The shop has two Pittsburgh-area locations, with the Sewickley store at 412 Beaver Street designed by Pittsburgh’s own Leanne Ford. They also host popular floral design workshops where guests can create their own arrangements, making it perfect for date nights or gatherings.

Jennifer Janeway Home

Stop into this magnificent interior-designer curated showroom once featured in Better Homes and Gardens. Select top quality pieces that will bring a pop of color or complete the aesthetic of your home. Between furnishings, lighting, rugs, pillows, pottery, tabletop and accessories, there’s no end to what you can find here. We especially love their fabrics and wall-coverings library, and that a team of design experts are available to consult while you shop.

Penguin Bookshop

Support a community book store filled with all the latest releases. Here you can get curated help to find the perfect book for you with a wide selection of fiction and nonfiction. Open daily with extended hours on weekends, the Penguin also carries Moleskine journals, Papyrus cards, and Blackwing products. As one of the area’s longest-running independent bookstores, it remains a vibrant literary hub for the entire Pittsburgh region.

Bellwether

Head to this women’s boutique for all the latest trends you’ve been dying to get your hands on. Choose from dresses, outerwear, shoes, and much more. The boutique also features locally crafted accessories, artwork, pampering beauty products, and home goods. Now carrying contemporary brands like Vince, Free People, Paige, Staud, Derek Lam, and Mother denim, Bellwether has evolved beyond fashion to become a curated lifestyle destination.

Picket Fence

Do your little ones need a new outfit or accessory? Picket Fence just recently introduced their latest storefront to the Sewickley area after doing well in their original Shadyside location. Think cute matching sets and a great selection of occasion-ready items for infants, toddlers, and school-age kids that you won’t find in typical stores. Plus, keep an eye out for their seasonal events and sales.

Consign Sewickley

You don’t have to travel far for luxury brands at a lower cost. Consign Sewickley carries all your favorites like Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and many others in excellent, used condition for consignment prices. Find a great selection of one-of-a-kind handbags, coats, denim pieces, shoes, accessories, and more here.

Antiquarian

Vintage design and antique-inspired furniture are going viral each day and we think it’ll stick around, so you’re safe to tap into the trend. Find what’s right for your character-filled interior with the help of Jay Miller, who runs the shop after taking it over from his grandfather. You’ll find legendary selections of furniture, lighting, outdoor products, rugs, and so much more. The store has evolved from its antique roots to become a renowned Pittsburgh resource for traditional, casual, and contemporary furnishings alike.

Buck Mason

Inspired by the California coast where it was founded, Buck Mason provides the latest and greatest in fashion. From high quality shirts to warming jackets, you’ll find all your essentials plus a few extra special finds. The store brings West Coast minimalist style to the Pittsburgh region with its signature staple pieces made for everyday wear.

Après

Fill your closet with designer clothing from Après women’s boutique. Browse through the European and domestic designers putting out some of the top looks of today. Some of their collections include Humanoid, Ottod’Ame, Bellerose, and Emerson Fry. This is an ideal place to shop for seasonal looks for a party, special event, or just to add a few staples to your closet no matter your personal style leanings.

Three Dog Bakery

While you’re out treating yourself, don’t forget to treat your furry friend too! Three Dog Bakery makes the finest treats in house with simple, healthy ingredients. You can even bring your dog in with you to pick out a surprise on their own. They also sell adorable (and delicious, at least we imagine) cakes for your dog and carry canine staples like bags of food, collars, leashes, and more.

Places For A Tasty Bite While You Shop Locally in Sewickley

Forma Pasta

Sit down to a comforting dish of warm, fresh-made pasta in a savory sauce. Each day, Forma Pasta makes batches of pasta directly on the premises. For dinner, think crab ravioli, housemade bolognese, or tortellini pesto. And if you’re around earlier in the day, choose from a big selection of fresh breakfast and lunch sandwiches, pizzas, salads, and parmigianas. Even if you don’t feel like eating while out and about, stop in for pastas and sauces to prepare at home

Mediterra 

Step in for a bite of fresh local cuisine (we love their pressed sandwiches) and take home the luxe ingredients that make their food so delicious while you’re there. Among our favorites: the selection of fine imported olive oils, spreads, dry goods like pasta, and charcuterie-board worthy accoutrements. Don’t forget to order a cup of their in-store brewed coffees with special touches like a Deconstructed Latte or Cereal Milk Latte.

Mic’s Market

Stop by this health-forward micro-grocer the next time you need to grab lunch on the go. With a selection of fresh, ready-to-eat foods like deli sandwiches and breakfast burritos, Mic’s Market will become a part of your daily routine. Plus, they recently opened a full-service smoothie bar alongside their regular selections. Grab a protein smoothie here post-workout. Their daily menu could look something like flank steak with chimichurri, organic caesar salad, and maple roasted carrots.

Press House Coffee

Whether you’re looking for the perfect cup of coffee or a bag of beans and grinder to take home, Press House Coffee has it all. Order a cup of warming Earl Grey Tea or energizing Espresso Soda and grab a biscotti to compliment your shopping trip. You can pick up discovery sets, mini blend bags, and brewing equipment here as well.

Vivo Kitchen

Vivo has been a Sewickley fixture since relocating from Bellevue in 2011, consistently earning spots on Pittsburgh’s top restaurant lists. It offers an extensive wine list, creative cocktails, and a beautiful bar area, with both indoor and outdoor patio seating available. Share small plates like their Escargot, Charred Shishito Peppers, or Burrata Flatbread with a friend. Then order fresh Bristol Scallops or tender Duroc Pork Chop for your main meal. The rightly famous Crispy Garlic Chicken is a must-try, too.

Adesso Cafe

Personal and consistent service is the motto of Adesso Cafe. All coffee is made to order and a case of freshly made salads, sandwiches and pastries sits nearby. Enjoy deliciously crafted coffee, espresso drinks, and made-daily food options that use seasonal ingredients. Look out for featured drink lists that align with the seasons, too.

Moonlit Burgers

Craving a perfectly smashed burger with crispy edges and melty cheese? Moonlit Burgers opened its third location, now in Sewickley, after years of anticipation. The restaurant brings its cult-following neon-retro vibe to the borough, serving double-stacked patties seared on a hot griddle, chicken sandwiches, and their famous Smash Fries piled with patties, cheese sauce, onions, and pickles. Moonlit also offers Impossible burgers for plant-based diners and Millie’s homemade soft-serve ice cream. 

Torogoz

Experience the vibrant flavors of contemporary Latin cuisine at Torogoz, located at 525 Locust Place. Chef Julio Peraza, who also runs Mi Cita cocktail bar on Beaver Street, opened this full-service restaurant in September 2025 as part of Sewickley’s new dining piazza. The menu celebrates the natural fusion of cultures within Latin American food. Enjoy fresh ceviches, main courses for carnivores and vegans alike, and end with churros or tres leches cake.

Story by Kylie Thomas
Photo Courtesy of Antiquarian

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Shop Local, Pittsburgh: Mt. Lebanon

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A photo of a fabric with mahjong tiles and an ivory jewelry dish with 3 tiles.

Article Updated April 10, 2026 by Lauri Gravina

Shopping locally not only elevates the spirit of the shopper, it strengthens communities by creating connection with our neighbors, adding the vibrancy of independently owned shops, as well as fostering a culture of positivity and belonging. And in Mount Lebanon, their many stores appeal to a variety of tastes, whether you’re partial to luxury brands or if vintage steals your heart. Plus Mt. Lebanon’s ‘neighborhoods within the neighborhood’ offer a variety of vibes, from a quaint small town flow to a more citified buzz. Here’s a few of our favorite shops, plus some stops to rest and refill your spirit.

Shop Local, Pittsburgh: Mt. Lebanon

Louis Anthony Jewelers

This official purveyor of Rolex and Tudor has been serving the Pittsburgh community for over 30 years. Pick from a wide selection of jewelry, timepieces, and giftware. The showroom features a dedicated David Yurman boutique, a dedicated Rolex space, and a full-service hospitality bar where you can enjoy a cocktail or coffee while you shop. Louis Anthony is the only Pittsburgh retailer selling Buddha Mama, a line that blends the symbolism of Eastern traditions with a pop art sensibility, crafting 20k gold pieces highlighted with precious stones and enamel.

David Alan Clothing

When you invest in a suit, you want quality and fit that will last you a lifetime. At David Alan Clothing, they invest their time and detail into creating the perfect women’s and men’s suits, sewn with premium fabric from some of the top producers in the world. Beyond custom clothing, the boutique offers ready-to-wear lines and has a reputation for quality and styling that goes beyond the ‘burgh. Plus, if you’re in the market, David Alan’s team has the expertise to help you to curate a full custom wardrobe.

Roiller Hardware

This long-standing store lives large in any Mt. Lebanon local’s memory, having visited there as a kid, perhaps buying root beer sticks at the counter. The 70+ year-old hardware store is something of a unicorn these days — a multi-generational store known for cheerful customer service from knowledgeable employees. It also houses a vast array of wares, with 20+ distinct departments including plumbing, electrical, paint, housewares, and sporting goods. Rollier’s also features an extensive pet department with over 15 brands of dog food and 13 brands of cat food, specializing in healthy and holistic options. And each season, there’s a fresh roll-out of new offerings, whether it’s gardening supplies or unique holiday decor.

Urbanowicz Jewelers

Trust Urbanowicz Jewelers to have the product knowledge you need to make a confident purchase. Custom design is a specialty here, which means you can get exactly what you envision for a loved one or as a treat for yourself. Urbanowicz offers engagement rings, custom designs, restyling, jewelry repairs, watch repairs, and insurance appraisals. The staff includes on-site gemologists, and they stock a large inventory of certified diamonds and unique colored gemstones. They are one of the few Pittsburgh retailers of Simon G., a line of handcrafted pieces that have a vintage feel with filigree-set diamonds.

EnzoNico

Looking for a sharp piece of contemporary men’s clothing? EnzoNico is the boutique for you. Their focus is on dressy casual wear while carrying everything from suits to jeans. Browse their collection that features well-known designers like Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Tallia, Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Bahama. Their luxurious, quality pieces—offered at great values—will help you look your very best. Plus, they carry vintage Pittsburgh shirts for the Yinzer in your life.

The Clothes Horse

Located in a second story walk-up on Beverly Road, The Clothes Horse, opened its doors in 1965, and turned over to the current owner, Judy DeFrancis in 1993. As such, DeFrancis has had years — no decades — of sourcing the best of the best in resale, offering treasures that shoppers would otherwise not normally see. The high-end consignment store features elegant evening wear, women’s suits and blazers, and gently worn designer pieces. You might find Cambio jeans or a Louis Vuitton tote bag at an incredibly affordable price—it’s truly Mt. Lebanon’s best-kept secret.

Barefoot Stitches and Gifts

This charming gift shop is from Karin Smith and Jen Brandenstein, who were event designers prior to opening the retail store. The shop specializes in personalization through embroidery, hand lettering, vinyl lettering, and engraving. They offer grab-and-go hostess gifts that are pre-wrapped, colorful board game gift sets that can be personalized with family names, and also a rotating selection of unique, locally-sourced items. It’s also a top spot to buy gifts for babies and young kids.

Inner Light

When you are looking to raise your vibration, buff your inner glow, or align your chakras, Inner Light is the store for you. A serene store with a soft soundscape and and scents of essential oils, Inner Light features feminine, organic clothing, books and journals, natural remedies and botanical beauty products, art supplies, and metaphysically themed jewelry and art. Also offered are Tarot card and astrology readings, meditation sessions, and hour-long sound healing classes that feature crystal bowls, chimes, Tibetan bowls, and drums; each of these offerings requires advanced registration.

Vinyl Remains

Located in Uptown, aka Washington Road, Vinyl Remains was born when two transplants wanted to bring their New York state of mind — and their vinyl sensibilities — to their new hometown. Browse the more than 3,000 “highly curated” records that include a wide range of genres, including horror movie soundtracks, vintage funk, a selection of new titles and reissues — and even cassette tapes. Check out their underground art collection chock full of vintage music magazines, prints, and cool stickers.

A Bite to Eat While You Shop Locally in Mt. Lebanon

Il Pizzaiolo

Making pizza is a craft that’s been perfected by Il Pizzaiolo. Choose from Margherita, Marinara, Bianca, and so many more styles to share with your shopping partner. The restaurant was Pennsylvania’s very first Neapolitan pizzeria, and sticks to the 300-year old Italian formula. Their fresh mozzarella is made daily in-house and the red sauce begins with a base of San Marzano tomatoes. Start off with wedding soup, which features homemade meatballs, and an antipasto misto — and maybe a stop at their Wine Bar — to curb your shopping hangries. There’s also fresh pastas, desserts, salads, coffees, and appetizers. And, on a warm day, the courtyard patio, is a cozy spot off of Washington Road.

Coffee Tree Roasters

Get your post-shopping caffeine boost at his locally owned coffee shop, which serves freshly brewed, farm-sourced coffee. Select from a variety of specialty coffee drinks and enjoy a selection of local pastries, including vegan and gluten-free options. Open daily, the brand uses their own roasting facilities and offers an extensive selection of house-roasted beans including Colombian, Kenyan, Brazilian, and more. If you are the type to shop ’til you drop, you can pick up mugs, Coffee Tree Roasters stickers, cookies and coffee gift box, or a larger coffee gift baskets with premium coffee, chocolates, and assorted treats.

Mediterra

This Beverly Road favorite is a tale of two shops: to the right, is a mercantile stocked with vinegars, cheeses, pastas, charcuterie-board worthy accoutrements, olive oils — and of course, loaves of their freshly baked bread. Plus, you can order sandwiches and a daily special soup, quiche, or pizza to go. The left side of Mediterra is s a lively cafe that serves breakfasts such as shakshuka or a house-cured salmon toast, baked goods, sandwiches (we love the Cuban-style pressed pork on Ciabattini), and generous bowls, like the roasted beet, kale and fennel salad with quinoa. Don’t forget to order a cup of their in-store brewed coffees with special touches like a Deconstructed Latte or Cereal Milk Latte. Also, there is a full bar —and the restaurant has outdoor seating in the warmer months — to help celebrate your shopping adventure.

Scoops on Beverly

End your shopping day with a treat: a cone full of creamy, homemade ice cream or something even more indulgent. This original location of Scoops Pittsburgh, opened in 2000, features more than just the basics. Besides bowls of ice cream they also carry ice cream cakes, cookies, Hawaiian shaved ice, glass bottled soda, and candy. Any ice cream flavor (they have a rotation of more than 40 flavors) can be blended or malted into a shake, with a dairy free option that uses almond ice cream and almond milk.

Bistro 19

This intimate New American restaurant has become a Mt. Lebanon favorite since opening more than 20 years ago, featuring a large wine list and popular Sunday brunch. Many ingredients are locally sourced, and the restaurant offers a warm, yet spacious atmosphere to dig into some of their fan favorites, like the crab cakes made with colossal jumbo and claw meat or the Chilean sea bass with horseradish crust. The menu balances seafood, chicken, and meat dishes, which includes short rib or meatloaf served with chive mashed potatoes. Veg-friendly options include the grilled veggie stack and the Mediterranean plate. Peanut butter pie, seasonal cheesecakes, gelatos, and a bananas Foster round out the dessert menu. Each Sunday, brunch is served from 11-2.

Piyola

Experience authentic Uzbek cuisine at Piyola. Opened in 2025 by chef Sarvar Abdurashidov, who has worked in the culinary business since his teenage years in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Piyola brings flavors from Central Asia to Mt. Lebanon. The restaurant’s signature dish is plov, the Uzbek national entrée made with long-grain rice topped with a succulent blend of slow-roasted lamb complemented by steamed carrots and raisins. Other popular items include tender kebabs made with lamb, beef, chicken or vegetables, savory dumpling dishes, as well as hand-pulled noodles with braised beef. Tipplers, take note: Piyola does not serve alcohol, nor does it allow BYOB.

Story by Kylie Thomas

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8 Places in Pittsburgh That Offer Holiday Meals To-Go

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A variety of holiday dishes from Square Cafe. in Pittsburgh, like turkey and other sides sit on a wooden table in front of various colored Christmas trees.

Let’s be honest. Cooking your holiday dinner, even if it’s just for your small family, adds plenty of pressure on that very special day. Why take the risk of accidentally leaving the ham to catch fire in the oven when you can be sure your food is plentiful and absolutely delicious? There are plenty of restaurants and caterers in Pittsburgh that offer holiday menus that are as warm and loving as the people around your table. 

Holiday Meals To-Go in Pittsburgh 2025

Bistro To Go

There are plenty of selections available here, whether you’re having a holiday party or an intimate family dinner. You can order a Chef carving station featuring prime rib, salmon, turkey, ham, or beef tenderloin as well as potatoes, asparagus, and rolls for an office party. For an at-home affair, try their Seaside Holiday package with crab cakes, grilled shrimp skewers, and scallops. Or, you could let each family member pick their own meal they want to order. Among our favorites is the Cranberry Apple Wild Rice Stuffed Chicken Breast meal with three sides and rolls. 

Square Cafe

Take home a variety of side dishes, snacks, sweet treats, or a whole dinner from the kitchen at Square Cafe. Order their holiday package with one choice of entire like Beef Brisket or Lemon Caper Salmon, salad, three sides, gravy, and dinner rolls. Or, maybe you want to make your own beautifully glazed ham this year…but you want simplify the day with orders of their Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Square Stuffing, and Roasted Vegetables. This way, you save time in the kitchen that can be better spent with loved ones. 

All in Good Taste

Try something new for Christmas hors d’oeuvres with All in Good Taste’s thin-crust pizzas. They come frozen with a plethora of toppings, and they pair well with a bubbly glass of chilled prosecco. In case you need a selection of appetizers too, you can order their antipasto platter with various cheese, olives, peppers, hummus, tomatoes, artichokes, crostini, and lavash. Follow with a winter greens salad, a Half Spiral Ham with Honey Peppercorn Glaze, and Dauphinoise Potatoes. While you’re at it, you should really order a box or two of All in Good Taste’s famous housemade Toffee Taboo for dessert.

Cooked Goose Catering

Serve snacks or dinner to anywhere from 6 to 25 guests this holiday season all with the ease of Cooked Goose Catering. Pick up Crab Rangoon Dip and Spinach Artichoke Dip for the living room, then fill the dining table with Roast Beef, Sliced Turkey, Stuffed Shells, Prime Rib, and Potatoes Au Gratin. Don’t forget to finish the evening off with their Nut Roll or Carmel Walnut Apple Pie. 

Remo’s Catering

If you’re cuddled up with just your close family this year, order Remo’s Chateaubriand Dinner for 4 to take away from the stress of cooking. Dive into a Filet with Roasted Carrots and Mushrooms and Shrimp Scampi. Sides of Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts, as well as Remo’s Antipasti Bowl complete the picture. Oh: there are plenty of rolls, too. Get your orders in by December 22!

Pittsburgh Fresh

Rather than picking up your holiday takeout, Pittsburgh Fresh delivers it right to your door on December 23. You’re able to choose specific a la carte items that serve anywhere from 4 to 10 guests. Look forward to Shrimp Cocktail, Prime Rib, Caprese Skewers, and also a charcuterie tray. Make your own favorite sides, or make the day a breeze and order those as well.

The Fez

No need to worry about hot meals on Christmas Day, The Fez offers family feast bundles, a la carte main dishes, and signature sides for ordering. Choose between Honey Mustard Glaze Bone-in Ham, Whole Roasted Turkey Breast and Pork Loin, or Herb-Crusted Prime Rib Roast with Au Jus. Of course you have your important sides too such as Mashed Potatoes, Mac-n-Cheese, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and Traditional Bread Stuffing. You even have your choice of ordering it hot and ready to go or cold to be reheated.

Pane è Pronto

Having just a small Christmas this year of only two to four people? Let Pane è Pronto take care of you with a special meal kit that you pick up on December 23 and then easily reheat. Each kit includes Italian Orange Honey Glazed Ham, Cacio Mashed Potatoes, House Baked Focaccia, Roasted Garlic and Anchovy Whipped Ricotta, Zuppa di Pesce, Pasta ai Frutti di Mare, as well as Fish Shaped Sugar Cookies for dessert. Plus, you can add on their house-made Panettone, Panettonettes, or Rainbow Cookie Pie.

Story by Kylie Thomas
Photo Courtesy of Square Cafe

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New Grocery Stores Are Coming to Pittsburgh in 2026 Because We Are Not Happy Shoppers

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The produce section at Fresh Market in Pittsburgh with bins of vegetables in front of a made to order food stand.
Fresh Market

Pittsburgh area shoppers will soon find out if increased competition from out-of-state players can help remedy dissatisfaction with grocery prices, quality, and selection.  

Pittsburgh Shoppers Not Happy With Grocery Store Landscape  

In August, KDKA reported that Numbeo, a crowdsourced cost of living database, had ranked Pittsburgh as the 9th most expensive city in the country for groceries, landing among New York City, San Francisco, and Boston.  

The numbers seem shocking, but Pittsburgers aren’t surprised at all. Comments under KDKA’s reporting on the grocery price ranking read, “no competition,” “class B freshness,” and refer to existing stores as “price spikers.” 

Competition exists but it’s neighborhood-dependent, making convenience an issue when it comes time to practically compare options. Some neighborhoods are getting more action than others. 

According to data from Grocery Dive, Giant Eagle and Walmart are neck-and-neck, capturing about a quarter of the grocery market each, while other options like Costco, Aldi, Sam’s Club, and Target are commanding closer to 5-10% each. 

A butcher stand at Fresh Market in Pittsburgh.
The Fresh Market Butcher Stand

New Options Enter Market While Mainstays Shake Up Strategies  

Multiple brands have announced they’re coming to or expanding in the greater Pittsburgh area, raising the possibility of an increased density of competition.  

The Fresh Market East Liberty

The Fresh Market, known for its high quality proteins and elevated experience, is taking Whole Foods’ former retail space in East Liberty — and possibly the space in shoppers’ minds for the “culinary elitism,” that the now-Amazon-run chain used to be known for. Perceptions of Whole Foods, particularly in the produce category, have declined dramatically over the past year. 

Meijer Cranberry Township

Meijer, a Michigan-based grocery chain best known for its supercenters, announced it had begun purchasing properties in Western Pennsylvania and has since submitted a plan for a location in Cranberry Township.  

Representatives from Meijer note recent success in nearby Youngstown, Ohio as a sort of proving ground for entering the suburbs of Pittsburgh next. Selling everything from groceries to prescriptions and clothing, the supercenters pose a challenge to Walmart’s reign.  

Wegmans Cranberry Township

Another out-of-state favorite, Wegmans, announced that their first foray into the Pittsburgh area will be in Cranberry Township as well. Store planning leadership from the company said they’ve received “thousands of requests” for a location in the Pittsburgh region since they first opened in Pennsylvania decades ago.  

A produce stand at Wegmans with potatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli.
Wegmans’ Produce

But… Giant Eagle Remains as Stiff Competition

Meijer’s reputation as a charitable community partner challenges one of Giant Eagle’s main differentiators as the family-owned mainstay. Amid rising food costs and competition, Giant Eagle is betting on a new pricing strategy and other revamps to try to win back and maintain customer loyalty. 

They recently announced a $100 million “Because It Matters” program that includes lowering prices on hundreds of items, improving quality and service, and upgrading the in-store shopping experience. $1 flash deals, supply chain reviews for perishables, training butchers and cheese mongers, and interior renovations are all on the table at the region’s traditional leader in the grocery category. 

Story by Samantha Leon
Photos Courtesy of The Fresh Market and Wegmans

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Silver Eye Center Highlights Regional Photographers in ‘Radial Survey Vol. 4’

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A red blanket shows a person reaching for a moth and flower.

The fourth edition of Radial Survey, Silver Eye Center for Photography’s signature biennial, unfolds less like a survey of photographic trends than a collective state of becoming. Titled Resolve, the exhibition brings together six artists working within 300 miles of Pittsburgh, a geographic circumference that, by design, excludes art-world metropoles like New York and Chicago while drawing forward the dense constellation of artists, teachers, and experimenters working across the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. The result is an exhibition that makes space for uncertainty, highlighting work that is still actively discovering itself. 

Radial Survey Vol. 4 at Silver Eye Center for Photography

It’s a sensibility that differs sharply from photography’s longstanding drive toward precision, a history that Executive Director Leo Hsu reflects on in the exhibition catalogue: “We are enchanted by the pursuit of technological perfection. At different moments in photography’s history: mammoth plats and f1.0 lenses, Kodachrome colors that are more vibrant than what the eye sees, Cinemascope and Gigapixel. Even the endless scrolls of tiny images that colonize our minds represent ever-increasing efficiency of access and speed.” Radial Survey Vol. 4 pivots away from this inherited narrative of progress. Instead, it foregrounds artists working through processes that remain deliberately unresolved: projects in flux, questions still forming, images that refuse instant legibility. 

“Nothing here feels set or finished,” Hsu says. “These artists are discovering something in real time, and the excitement is being with someone in that moment of realization.” It’s an ethos that runs through the exhibition, where each artist approaches photography as a site of vulnerability. In a sort of self-dialogue, several of the participants draw directly from their own previous work, a process of revisiting resolved work only to unsettle it again. 

A wall for Silver Eye Center for Photography's Radial Survey exhibit.

Introducing the Artists

Across the gallery, that sense of active searching takes multiple forms. Amelia Burns cuts up and recomposes her own photographic archive, treating past images as raw material for new hallucinations of Americana. McNair Evans meditates on liminal states—between leaving and arriving, seeing and being seen—through pictures that operate in the space between documentary and metaphor. Christine Lorenz builds a new visual language from the study of a common mineral, transforming macro photography into a site of wonder. Ian John Solomon ties land and body into circuits of memory and futurity, while Juan Orrantia’s “still lifes” destabilize the visual legacies of colonial history. And SHAN Wallace takes aim at the clean reproducibility of digital imaging, resisting the impulse toward photographic control and instead embracing unpredictability.  

Despite the artists’ differences in method, a through-line emerged organically as Hsu and Deputy Director Helen Trompeteler worked with them: a shared commitment to experimentation, accompanied by a refusal of fixedness. The term “resolve” captures this dual structure. As Hsu puts it in his essay, the term connotes both “resolution”—the fixedness of form—and “resolve,” the ongoing effort, commitment, or belief that motivates artistic engagement. The artists in this edition do not pursue clarity for its own sake. Instead, they assert, in Hsu’s words, “instability, transition, and liminality,” establishing visual languages that illuminate questions rather than providing answers. 

A group of photographs of people hanging on a wall of words.

Connection Through Exhibition

That emphasis on process is supported structurally by the biennial’s nomination system. Beginning with Volume 3, each participating artist recommends potential candidates for the next iteration, creating an ongoing network of relationships. Hsu emphasizes that this model brings forward artists who are not only making compelling work, but who are deeply enmeshed in their communities. Many of them are teachers whose practices are shaped by mentorship and parallel lines of discourse. The nomination structure shifts curatorial authority outward, relying on artists to identify the practices they believe should come forward next. 

The 300-mile radius amplifies this idea. Hsu describes the radius as “basically within a day’s drive” of Pittsburgh, a scale large enough to cross multiple states and artistic contexts, but intimate enough to sustain reciprocal relationships. Rather than treating the region as a coherent identity, Radial Survey acknowledges its multiplicity. What unites these artists is not aesthetics or geography but the shared experience of creating work just beyond the gravitational pull of major art centers. In that sense, the biennial becomes as much about cultivating a regional ecosystem as it is about displaying new work. It offers viewers a chance to recognize the density and diversity of photographic practices happening just out of frame. 

A Little Old Brings a Little New

At the same time, Resolve keenly attunes to broader currents. Many artists in the exhibition engage with the history of photography, but always with a self-awareness that disrupts the mythology of photography as a neutral or transparent medium. “Everyone here is playing with the medium Hsu says, “recognizing that it has always been contingent, always shifting.” This resonates in his essay, which suggests that what makes a photograph “photographic” is not merely its technical precision but its capacity to shape how we perceive and remember the world around us. 

What binds the exhibition is not a thematic message so much as a shared orientation toward discovery. In a cultural moment marked by anxiety and fatigue, the artists of Resolve model a way of moving through the world grounded in patience. Their works resist closure and turn toward curiosity. What emerges is a space open enough for viewers to arrive with their own questions and feel, within uncertainty itself, a sense of shared presence. 

Radial Survey Vol. 4 is on view at Silver Eye Center for Photograph through February 7, 2026. 

Story by Shawn Simmons
Photography Courtesy of Silver Eye Center for Photography

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Fire and Ash, an Avatar Cocktail

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Someone pours a yellow liquid into a dark cocktail.

Ignite your senses with the Fire and Ash, a cocktail that takes inspiration from the new Avatar movie coming December 19. We’re taking hold of all your senses to bring Avatar’s elemental energy to life. Empress 1908 Gin shimmers with pearl luster dust, while a bold layer of flaming Rum 151 creates sparks of cinnamon magic before being smoothed with a pour of lemon and elderflower mixture. Each step transforms the drink, changing its colors and flavors in real time. It’s a show-stopping, interactive cocktail that’s perfect for an immersive movie experience.

Someone spoons rum over a cocktail glass.

What is Avatar: Fire and Ash About?

Avatar: Fire and Ash plunges viewers back into the vibrant world of Pandora, where danger and wonder collide once again. This time Na’vi clans clash as you meet the Mangkwan clan and follow the deeper connections within the world of Pandora. Breathtaking visuals and pulse-pounding action take us back into this story that celebrates courage, cultural connection, and the power of nature.

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Someone pours a yellow liquid into a dark cocktail.

Fire and Ash, an Avatar Cocktail


  • Author: Sarah Cascone
  • Yield: Makes 2

Description

A color-changing surprise in a glass.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 oz Empress 1908 Gin (chilled)
  • 1/8 tsp pearl or white luster dust
  • 2 tsp Rum 151
  • 3 oz lemon & elderflower mixture

For the lemon & elderflower mixture:


Instructions

  1. Place ice cubes into heat resistant rocks glasses.
  2. Pour gin and luster dust into a cocktail shaker. Shake to combine. Pour half into each glass.
  3. Place a jigger with 1.5 oz of the lemon and elderflower mixture next to each beverage.
  4. Using the back of a spoon, carefully layer 1 tsp of Rum 151 over each drink in the rocks glasses.
  5. Using a stick lighter, light the rum.
  6. Sprinkle the flame with a pinch of ground cinnamon to create sparks.
  7. To smoother the flame, place a saucer over the glass.
  8. Pour in the lemon/elderflower mixture. Stir to change colors and enjoy.

Recipe by Sarah Cascone
Styling by Star Laliberte and Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce

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Wild Boar Pappardelle

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A pan of Wild Boar Pappardelle with a plate of a slice beside it.

Wild Boar Pappardelle is a rustic, soul-warming dish that brings the depth of traditional Italian cooking to heat you up in the wintertime. Ground wild boar mixes into a rich, tender sauce that coats wide ribbons of pappardelle pasta. To create a full-body experience, we infuse this dish with herbs, wine, aromatics, and even a touch of baker’s chocolate for complexity. It’s perfect for special dinners, cold evenings, or anytime you want a meal that feels both timeless and indulgent.

How to Shop for Wild Boar

For our Wild Boar Pappardelle you’ll want to use ground wild boar which you can find at reputable butchers and specialty meat markets. But in case you want to freshly grind the meat yourself, you’re going to want to look for cuts with a deep red color. These cuts should also have a good amount of marbling and little fat. Boar actually has a clean and sweet smell rather than a gamey odor, so keep that in mind too when making your pick.

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A pan of Wild Boar Pappardelle with a plate of a slice beside it.

Wild Boar Pappardelle


  • Author: Keith Recker

Description

Ground wild boar contributes to a decadent pasta dish.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground wild boar
  • 1½ cups dry red wine
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 celery stalk, minced
  • 1 carrot, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 3 juniper berries
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 bay leaves

For the sauce:

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 1 carrot, minced
  • 1 celery stalk, minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 juniper berries
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 3 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp salt (more to taste, if needed)
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper (more to taste, if needed)
  • 750 g Pomi crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 2 tbsp bakers chocolate, grated

For the sautéed mushrooms: 

  • ½ lb brown mushrooms, sliced
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

For the pasta:

  • 3– 8.8 oz packages DeLallo egg papardelle
  • 1 ½ gallon tap water
  • ¼ cup salt

To assemble the dish:

  • 10 oz Fontina cheese, grated
  • Salt and pepper to taste


Instructions

  1. The night before you plan to eat this dish, prepare the wild boar mixture. In a non-reactive bowl, combine ground wild boar, red wine, minced shallot, carrot, celery, juniper berries, cloves, and bay leaves. Marinate overnight in refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator when you begin to prepare the sauce.
  2. In a large Dutch oven, add olive oil over a high flame. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Sautee until onions are translucent. Turn down the flame to medium.
  3. Add nutmeg, juniper, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Sautee for 3 or 4 minutes.
  4. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, and red wine. Stir until mixture is bubbling. Turn down heat to low.
  5. Let simmer for at least two hours, stirring every 15 minutes, until all is tender and sauce is thick. It will likely take 2 ½ or 3 hours to get a thick sauce.
  6. When the sauce has reached desired consistency, add the grated baker’s chocolate. Stir well to melt. Turn off heat and let rest.
  7. Meanwhile, put ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over a high flame. When oil is very hot, add the mushrooms. Stir constantly until the mushrooms are seared and start to darken.
  8. Add salt and pepper to the mushroom mixture and stir. The mushrooms should release their moisture. Keep stirring.
  9. When the 90% of the moisture has cooked away, add parsley. Stir to combine. Turn off the flame and let the mushrooms rest. Taste to see if you wish to add salt and/or pepper.
  10. Put 1 ½ gallons of water and ¼ cup salt in a pasta pot over a high flame. Cover and bring to a rolling boil.
  11. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a teaspoon of olive oil to grease a 9×13 baking dish.
  12. Place papardelle in boiling water. Cook until barely al dente. Strain in a colander.
  13. Place a few tablespoons of sauce in the baking dish and spread to cover the bottom.
  14. Place a layer of pappardelle on top of the sauce. Sprinkle lightly with black pepper. Sprinkle generously with grated fontina. Place mushrooms across the surface. Cover with a ladle or two of sauce.
  15. Repeat these layers one more time, but let the mushrooms be the top layer.
  16. Sprinkle generously with grated Fontina.
  17. Bake uncovered in the oven for 40 minutes.
  18. Serve piping hot with a sprinkle of grated parmesan. Accompany it with robust red wine like a Barolo.

Recipe by Keith Recker
Photography by Dave Bryce

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5 Stunning Holiday Interiors to Inspire Your Home Decor

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Holiday decorating is a chance to layer personality, color, texture, and even scent in every room. It’s a way to highlight your home’s architecture, furniture, and existing palette in a festive design. Shimmering gold-tinsel trees tucked into corners, bookcases lined in strings of garland, and banisters featuring oversized velvet bows not only spark joy in our eyes but in our souls, too. Whether you lean toward natural greenery and rustic simplicity or playful color and patterned layers, holiday decorating is about celebrating who you are and what the season means to you.

Holidays Interiors to Inspire Your Own Home

Christmas in South Africa with Algria Ferreira-Watlings

A table set with candles and sprigs of Christmas plants, surrounded by grey throw pillows

In her Cape Town home, Algria Ferreira‑Watlings turns holiday decorating into a serene, artful ritual with South African influences. Instead of a classic Christmas tree, she transforms a sculptural agave stalk into a minimalist, gold-painted seasonal statement. Discover her other unique ways of bringing the holidays indoors.

A Luxurious Wade Weissmann-Designed Addition in Fox Chapel

A woman decorates a stone fireplace with a large green wreath.

Do you dream of a log cabin? Wade Weissmann Architecture reimagines the classic “cabin-in-the-woods” nostalgia as a refined but warm holiday retreat. He pairs reclaimed barn oak, a towering stone hearth, and stacked-log walls with simple seasonal touches like magnolia greens, pinecones, and a large grape-vine wreath.

Decorating for the Holidays in a Historic Pittsburgh Home

Image of staircase decorated with wreathes and a white cat at the staircase

In their 1909 home in Mexican War Streets on Pittsburgh’s North Side, the owners embrace a holiday style that blends historic charm with playful modern touches. Their original Victorian architecture is the perfect match for soft candlelight, bold red highlights, as well as lush floral arrangements.

Holiday Decorations with Gwen Martin

A photo with a slight motion blur of Gwen Martin, on the stairwell of her Sewickley home decorated with Christmas decorations

Gwen Martin turns her Sewickley home into a natural holiday haven by shopping right in her own backyard. Evergreen cuttings, pinecones, and even twigs form the foundation for holiday garlands, mantels, stairs, tables, and even floor décor. The look is organic, flexible, and personal to the home-owner.

Deck the Halls with Three Design Experts’ Christmas Decorating Tips

A Christmas tree sits in the doorway of Anne Dickson of Fox and Fleur's home, surrounded by red carpeting and wrapped presents

Pittsburgh design experts Anne Dickson, Amy Ilias, and Leanne Ford each offer a different take on how to infuse homes with seasonal charm. Look into lush layering of color and texture, creative use of unexpected colors, and a go-with-what-you-have approach to find what works best for you and your own design style.

Story by Kylie Thomas

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Za’atar Flatbread

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Two round flatbreads topped with spiced ground meat, diced tomatoes, and pine nuts (likely lahmajoun or sfiha), placed on a gray surface next to white onions, fresh parsley, and a cut lemon.

Za’atar is a popular, versatile Middle Eastern spice blend used as an accompaniment to everything from breads to veggies and dairy. Green za’atar is a combination of equal parts thyme, ground cumin, ground coriander, toasted sesame seeds, sumac, and one-half part salt. You can combine these ingredients yourself, or buy them as a mix at most Middle Eastern specialty grocers.

Atop crispy flatbread, and served with a fresh green salad and perhaps a simple bit of grilled meat or fish with a squeeze of lemon… this is a fresh, enlivening bite good for any time of year!

What’s on Our Za’atar Flatbread?

We bake this Middle Eastern flatbread with olive oil and za’atar, which dust it with a blend of herbs, spices, and sesame seeds. Crispy, golden, and aromatic, it’s perfect on its own too.

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Two round flatbreads topped with spiced ground meat, diced tomatoes, and pine nuts (likely lahmajoun or sfiha), placed on a gray surface next to white onions, fresh parsley, and a cut lemon.

Za’atar Flatbread


  • Author: Justin Matase

Description

Add a kick to your flatbread.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup za’atar spice blend
  • 3/4 cup olive oil

For the dough:

  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 cup flour (divided)
  • 1 tsp salt


Instructions

  1. Combine yeast and sugar in a bowl with warm water, and let stand 5 to 8 minutes until a creamy foam forms.
  2. Mix salt and 1 3/4 cup flour in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast mixture and fold together ingredients. Knead until smooth. Do not over knead or the dough become tough.
  3. Transfer dough to a floured surface. Using remaining flour on the surface if the dough is sticky. Roll dough into a small ball. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. Remove from refrigerator. Pinch off a ball of dough, and with a rolling pin thin the dough into small ovals of about 10 by 6 inches. Spread the olive oil and Za’atar across the dough.
  5. Transfer to a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes golden brown around the edges. A pizza stone will help the dough cook evenly.
  6. Remove from the oven and let stand 2-3 minutes before serving.

Story and Photography by Justin Matase

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