Pittsburgh joins the nation in obsessing over Anthony Bourdain, so it makes sense that the most-read stories of the year are the announcement of the episode, its progress and a debrief of the CNN “Parts Unknown” episode. But a few other pieces snagged attention, from a Downtown spot dedicated to pierogies, to swapping a proposed restaurant name for a new one that sparked less controversy. 

10. Dish Osteria closing as owners look to ‘next chapter.’

Fans of Dish still feel the loss of the South Side restaurant that anchored its corner for 17 years. The March closing marked the departure of one of the city’s most soulful restaurants and one of the few places serving food ’till midnight at its fabulous bar.

Michele and Cindy Savoia and staff offered warm hospitality and served simple Sicilian-inspired dishes like clams in a saffron tomato broth, Mediterranean sardines, rigatoni alla scamorza, along with digestivi that were among the best in the city — like that homemade allorino made from bay leaves.

9. Cakery Square opens in the Waterfront — and will give back.

Former Steeler Wes Lyons with his friend Amber Greene opened Cakery Square in Homestead as part of The Pursuit, his life-skills program that teaches more than 250 at-risk youth from sixth to 12th grade how to overcome obstacles and build resilience to succeed.  The idea for a bakery grew out of dessert tastings he’d held through the program and offers kids real-world experience in hospitality, food service and retail. 

8. After swift uproar, a planned East Liberty restaurant opts for a new name.

When the Muddy Waters folks announced that, next door to their East Liberty oyster bar, they’d be opening a fried chicken restaurant with a hip-hop theme called The Coop, a flurry of criticism ensued, with critics pointing out that the name and concept were tone deaf and “played to racial tropes in a neighborhood that for generations was predominately African-American.”

The debate escalated with some heated Facebook exchanges and finally the owners Adam Kucenic and his partner Diana Strekalovskaya committed to changing the name. Contenders so far have been Bird on the Run and Lil Chunky’s, a term of endearment for their baby daughter. 

7. Anthony Bourdain films ‘Parts Unknown’ at Squirrel Hill Cafe.

Patty and Rod Oliverio, owners of the Squirrel Hill Cafe, said Anthony Bourdain was there in June filming, as he talked with local author Stewart O’Nan, who apparently recommended that Mr. Bourdain check out the Squirrel Hill institution.

6. Pittsburgh’s most ambitious new restaurant is now open.

Andrew Garbarino didn’t neglect a single detail in building out Bar Frenchman and the Twisted Frenchman, the upstairs tasting menu restaurant in East Liberty. The latter opened after the downstairs casual spot. 

5. Pittsburgh billionaire Thomas Tull adds farmer to his list of titles.

Thomas Tull — a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and former CEO of Legendary Entertainment, the studio that filmed “The Dark Knight Rises” — bought the 157-acre Washington County farm he’s calling Rivendale and gets in on the produce and meat game. Inspired by a Netflix “Chef’s Table” episode about Dan Barber’s Stone Barns at Blue Hill in upstate New York, he has committed to a new line of work, with Neil Stauffer, former manager of Penn’s Corner Farm Alliance, and his wife, Susanna Meyer of Grow Pittsburgh, heading up the endeavor. 

4. Pittsburgh food truck park to open in Millvale.

This food truck park — now opening in the spring — marks progress in that Pittsburgh has finally accepted that they are are viable businesses that deserve a home. 

3. Downtown Pittsburgh gets a pierogi bar

Pierogies are the star at Stuff’d Pierogi Bar, a Seventh Street restaurant from Gino Riccelli and Carl Funtal of Etna’s Cop Out Pierogies, who have assembled a menu of about a dozen variations.

2. Parts Known: Anthony Bourdain captures Pittsburgh as it is now

Dan Gigler writes about the long awaited “Parts Unknown” episode the week it aired -— and before people were put off by it. 

“Seeing it distilled into a where we were/where we are/where we’re (maybe) going is as useful for lifers as it is for the international audience for which the show is intended,” he wrote.  “It’s even more relevant as the city makes a bid for Amazon’s second headquarters.”

1. Jeez-o-man, Bourdain’s take on city goes over like hell with the lid off.

Residents were mad, mad, mad following the airing of Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown,” calling the episode “strange,” “inaccurate” and “disappointing.” It’s a misrepresentation of the city’s culture and future. Some said it’s “far too negative” and “far from reality.” 

Founder of Table Magazine Christina French saw it through the eyes of an optimist. “If you’re from here and know our history and what it took to build this region, and the people that did it on their backs and on their shoulders and on their children and families, you can’t be surprised to see true grit in this region — something that we have to celebrate,” she said, adding that it can’t all simply be about Pittsburgh making “best-of’ lists.”

Melissa McCart: mmccart@post-gazette.com; Instagram @postgazettefood; Facebook @postgazettefood

First Published: December 18, 2017, 10:33 p.m.