Among the ethical tenets and manifestos of style reflexively beaten into the cortex of aspiring journalists, there is one of great meteorological import: that is, unless you’re writing specifically about the forecast or a storm’s aftermath, don’t talk about the weather in your opening graph.
For example: It was a hot night at PNC Park, but the Pirates bats went cold in a 7-0 loss to the Cubs.
Don’t do this. Ever. It’s worse than cliche. It’s the writing equivalent of a comedian using “what’s the deal with that?” for a punchline.
But ...
It’s worth pointing out that good weather — bright sunshine and temps in the mid-80s — is of chief concern when seeking out the growing number of outdoor dining and drinking spots this summer and fall in the ’Burgh.
Here are a dozen new Pittsburgh patios, courtyards and decks to grab a nip and a nosh, plus another five hall-of-fame outdoor dining options.
Cinderlands Warehouse: A massive expansion from the Cinderlands Beer Co., which has taken over and rehabilitated an historic space in the Strip District that was once a steel foundry and a stables. Enjoy topnotch ales and eats on a second floor deck with views of this rapidly transforming part of the neighborhood. — 2601 Smallman St., Strip District; 412-209-1575
Coughlin’s Law: Though its name is taken from a reference from what is universally regarded as the worst film of Tom Cruise’s canon — that’d be 1988’s “Cocktail” with a whopping 5% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 12 on Metacritic — this Mount Washington bar is no bomb. Expect above-average pub grub on an expansive front patio or on a back porch with Downtown skyline views. — 10 Virginia Ave., Mount Washington; 412-586-5673.
Duncan Street Sandwich Shop: Gourmet sammies, soups and salads are available on a delightful ivy-lined patio at this brick and mortar offshoot of what grew out of the very novel come-to-our-house-and-we’ll-cook-for-you-if-you-pay-us Duncan Street Dinners concept. — 543 North Ave., Millvale; 412-252-2940.
Enix Brewing Co.: They have bowling upstairs inside but a big new patio downstairs outside to enjoy the craft brews and gourmet fare with a Spanish-lean at this ambitious brewpub. — 337 East Eighth Ave., Homestead; 412-656-2107.
Fairlane: In her recent review of the new Mt. Lebanon restaurant, Melissa McCart said, “Take a short menu with lots of crowd-pleasers, accessible prices, a welcoming space and a standout bottle shop, and you’ve got a prototype for an essential Pittsburgh neighborhood restaurant and shop that’s meeting our cravings for international flavors — especially when it comes to snacks and sips.” Add to that an outdoor patio along the Beverly Road business district and you’ve got a warm weather winner. — 292 Beverly Road, Mt. Lebanon; 412-668-2292.
Molinaro: Ron Molinaro, the man who brought Neapolitan pizza to Pittsburgh at Il Pizzaiolo in 1996 last year opened his eponymous Market Square restaurant where a truly baller Italian meal can be enjoyed from an excellent covered patio, a perfect perch for Downtown people-watching. — 2 PPG Place, Downtown; 412-586-4599.
Musa: A bolt of colorful cheer along the T line in Beechview, West Indian by way of eastern Texas is the culinary lineage at Musa (which is the genus from which banana and plantain trees come). Proprietor and Galveston, Texas native Kenrick Cheong’s parents come from Trinidad and Barbados, and he combines all of those influences into a Caribbean and Cajun fusion menu where patrons sip on dozens of rum drinks on an outdoor deck. — 2318 Broadway Ave.; Beechview; 412-207-2733.
The Pennsylvania Market: An East End Brewing tap room has been open in the Pennsylvania Building for several years, but now the remodeled upstairs adds a full-service bar, tacos from Strip District favorite Edgar’s and some truly world-class Roman and Neapolitan pizza from Kevin Konn and his team at Romulus Pizza al Taglio and Dante Pizza Napoletana, and an expansive second-floor deck that looks onto 19th Street and a rear courtyard on which to enjoy them. — 108 19th St., Strip District.
Revival on Lincoln: Chris Driscoll, an architecture buff and director of technology at Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh, and John King, a longtime chef at Allegheny Country Club in Sewickley, now retired, have teamed up to bring life to a 117-year-old Bellevue building with stained glass, fireplaces and summertime patio seating along with a menu including walleye ramen, pork tenderloin with smoked tomato compote and shrimp and lobster grits. — 366 Lincoln Ave., Bellevue; 412-223-5715.
Spork Pit/Sugar & Smoke/Walter’s BBQ Southern Kitchen: There is arguably no food on this earth that is better suited to eating outside than barbecue and all the associated fixins, and these three East End spots do them well. Spork Pit and Walter’s specialize in classic Texas-style barbecue and have large outdoor spaces; Sugar & Spice is a bit more deep south BBQ with a large soul food menu and a courtyard patio facing Liberty Ave. on which to enjoy it. — Spork Pit, 5349 Penn Ave., Bloomfield, 412-404-2128; Sugar & Smoke, 4428 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield, 412-251-0240; Walter’s BBQ Southern Kitchen, 4501 Butler St., Lawrenceville, 412-683-7474.
Five all-time favorites ...
Cafe du Jour: Paul Krawiec and Christopher “Locke” Cook bring rustic, fine-dining quality fare to one of if not the most beautiful courtyard settings in the city; it’ll almost blow your mind that you’re on the same block as Jack’s Bar. — 1107 E. Carson St., South Side; 412-488-9695.
Church Brew Works: Closing in on a quarter century, this brewpub remains a stunner and among the most unusual in the country, with a delightful rear courtyard to enjoy their award-winning beers and gourmet pierogies. — 3525 Liberty Ave., Lawrenceville; 412-688-8200.
Double Wide Grill: The food here can be hit or miss but the beer selection is reliably good and their expansive patio on the grounds of an old filling station is a summer staple. Bonus points as they basically introduced Pittsburgh to the idea of bringing your dog to the bar, and on May 18, it hosts its seventh annual “Lucky’s South Side Dog Festival.” — 2339 E. Carson St., South Side; 412-390-1111.
Riley’s Pour House: The best Reuben sandwich in the county is also at this family-run Irish pub with a huge outdoor patio that is a regular site for live music. Their motto, “Have fun when you can” are good words to live by. — 215 Main St., Carnegie; 412-279-0770.
Showcase BBQ: You can smell the fragrant smoke blocks away from the corner of Frankstown Avenue and LaSchall Street when Drew Allen has the grills firing for his signature “Northeast Style Backyard BBQ” and the patio out front is a perfect spot to watch the world go by. — 6800 Frankstown Ave., Homewood; 412-361-7469.
Dan Gigler: dgigler@post-gazette.com; Twitter @gigs412
First Published: May 16, 2019, 9:30 a.m.
