I visited the US city once compared to hell - it was anything but
Known for its industrial past, there is more to this thriving US city than steel mills and working-class grit
Pittsburgh was once famously described as “hell with the lid off”. If this is what hell looks like, you have nothing to fear.
Pittsburgh is a city with plenty of soul and you’ll struggle to find a more jaw-dropping entrance anywhere. Completely blocked from view by Mount Washington as you take the 25-minute drive from the airport, the bright lights of the Burgh’s skyline - dominated by the Highmark and US Steel buildings - appear without warning, glistening onto the three rivers below. You’ll soon understand why locals call it the city’s “front door”.
Known for its industrial past, there is more to this thriving US city than steel mills and working-class grit. Steel City is reborn and riding the crest of a wave. These days there’s less steel, more swag.
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In decades gone by, smog so thick it could block the sun would fill the air - earning its ‘hell’ nickname from writer James Parton. It’s the aroma of craft beer and global cuisine that are hard to avoid now.
A city built by immigrants is now powered by intelligence, medicine and science. Factories have been replaced by breweries, while state-of-the-art medical facilities make this west Pennsylvanian metropolis the envy of many of its counterparts.
Standing in the city’s Strip District, my guide Richard makes a bold claim. “This part of Pittsburgh is one of the most significant places in history,” he says, about to lead a group of us on his Burgh Bits & Bites food tour.
He’s right. The Strip, as it's affectionately known, became the incubator for many of the industries that helped to establish Pittsburgh as an industrial powerhouse. Immigrants from Ireland, Germany, and Poland flocked to the area seeking jobs and help make Pittsburgh the city we know.
Today, the Strip is a foodie haven that, as Richard says, provides “a window to the world” - where family-run Middle Eastern bazaars rub shoulders with seafood markets and authentic Italian grocers.
Those who like their fill won’t be disappointed by the mouthwatering - and knowledgable - 2.5-hour tour through the area’s culinary scene. Starting at Parma Sausage for some cured meats, the tour zig-zags through a Syrian bakery, a Mexican market, a Greek deli and Jimmy & Nino’s for a jumbo pepperoni roll - good enough for Taylor Swift, who treated her entire crew to the delicacy ahead of a concert in the city.
The Strip is also home to a Burgh institution - the original Primanti Bros restaurant. Pittsburgh is serious about its sandwiches, but few boast more longevity than those being slung at this casual hangout. As well as being big, sandwiches are served only one way - a stack of meat with fries and coleslaw on top.
Wash it all down in one of the city’s 60+ unique breweries, which helped Pittsburgh become crowned the best beer city in the US for 2023. Aslin Beer Co, Bonafide Beer Co and Cinderlands Warehouse are all a stone’s throw away, or check out the PA Market for an array of food options and courtyard. If you want to drink with the locals, the Strip is home to one of Pittsburgh's most renowned dive bars - Lefty’s - where you’ll get an education on the local lingo in with the cost of your beer.
For a dram or six visit Wigle Whiskey, where tours cost as little as $25. Spend a Saturday afternoon peeking behind the curtain of the small batch distillery that packs a punch - before sampling some of its finest produce. The tour includes an explanation of the distillation process, as well as a history of the 1790s whiskey rebellion told through the eyes of its namesake Philip Wigle. If half a dozen drams aren’t enough to get your tastebuds tingling, check out the attacked Reserve Room bar for elevated craft cocktails.
In downtown, the Cultural District is thriving. Picture-postcard theatres line Penn Ave as historic buildings sit in the shadow of shiny skyscrapers. Many of the city’s trendiest bars can be found here.
Con Alma showcases some of Pittsburgh’s finest jazz musicians and touring artists. Inspired by the city’s rich jazz heritage, Con Alma - which translates to “with soul” - seeks to return jazz to its rightful place at the forefront of the local music scene while providing guests with some of the best food and drinks the city has to offer.
Just a few blocks away, Bridges & Bourbon lives up to its ‘Dining Done Differently’ motto. Creative cocktails are paired with stunning food that engages your senses (spoiler alert: washing it all down with a fine whiskey is almost part of the rules).
Across the aptly named Andy Warhol Bridge, you’ll find the museum remembering one of Pittsburgh’s most famous sons. The Andy Warhol Museum is one of the most complete single-artist museums in the world, holding the largest collection of Warhol’s artworks and archival materials. The museum opened its doors during a 24-hour celebration on May 13, 1994 and is in its 30th anniversary year.
Eight floors of mesmerising work take visitors through Warhol’s life and the world as he viewed it, dating from the 1920s. Explore the visionary’s early work, how it evolved and see Warhol’s personal archives - a window into both the most personal and public parts of his life.
While on the northside of the Allegheny River, check out the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Acrisure Stadium - or Heinz Field as it’s still commonly known - is one of the most iconic NFL venues. If you’re not lucky enough to catch a game, the 90-minute tour is a great way to see this historic stadium. With plenty of lunch options including North Shore Tavern, Federal Galley or Southern Tier Brewery, you won’t head back downtown hungry where you’ll be sure to check out the Senator John Heinz History Center.
While the Steelers, Pirates (MLB) and Penguins (NHL) may offer routes to the most popular elite sports, don’t discount the Pittsburgh Riverhounds soccer team. Its home venue - the Highmark Stadium - can surely stake claim to the most jaw-dropping views of downtown Pittsburgh one way, and Mt Washington the other.
Depending on the kick-off time, you may catch a glimpse of the Gateway Clipper cruising along the city’s three rivers - the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela. The tour highlights bridges, significant buildings and well-known sites - and has a fully-serviced bar.
For an elevated view, take one of the city’s two inclines - the Monongahela or Duquesne - up Mt Washington. Pittsburgh is renowned for its spectacular cityscape views, and there are no better places to experience them than the upper stations of ‘The Mon’ Incline and its sibling. Though only two inclines survive, Pittsburgh was once home to almost 24 - that provided residents and their vehicles access to neighbourhoods above the steep hills that surround the city.
If you want to get out of town, check out the Laurel Highlands roughly 90km southeast of Pittsburgh for camping, hiking, mountain biking, hunting and other outdoor activities. The area is also home to Fallingwater, a take-your-breath-away house designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935.
For more tranquillity, visit Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens back in the city, while Carnegie Library and Carnegie Museums of Art & History are a must-visit in a city full of a must-visits.
As Alex Soller from VisitPITTSBURGH puts it: “Pittsburgh will surprise you, that’s the message we want to get out. People love it and see what we have to offer when they get here, but getting them here can be the hard part. It has so much to offer.”
They say there are two guarantees in life - death and taxes. Add returning to Pittsburgh as the third.
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