'''East End-North''' is a region of Pittsburgh, composed of several distinct neighborhoods of the eastern side of Pittsburgh. Many of the neighborhoods here are former industrial and warehouse districts where many immigrant workers lived. Today evidence of their cultures are prevalent throughout the area, and with the departure of much of Pittsburgh's industry many of the former factories and warehouses have been converted into restaurants, shops, offices, and residential units.
Understand
The '''Strip District''' [http://www.neighborsinthestrip.com] is a bustling warehouse district just northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh, situated along the Allegheny River from 11th to around 31st Streets. The neighborhood has traditionally been a wholesale and retail place for fresh vegetables, fish, and meat. Today it also has many restaurants and nightclubs. If you like to cook this is definitely the place to go: Everything from freshly made sausage to bamboo shoots to expensive cooking gadgets to cut flowers can be found here. Gourmet coffee places mix with Martini bars and pottery stores and ethnic groceries jumble up together. It's also an excellent place to street watch, what with the mix of businesses, people, and a lot of creative marketeers including streetside accordionists. Some of the streets are paved with Belgian block - stone used as ballast for empty boats coming from Europe up the Mississippi and the Ohio via New Orleans.
'''Lawrenceville''', located on the Allegheny River just north of the Strip District, is one of the oldest and largest neighborhoods in the city of Pittsburgh with approximately 11,000 residents and three business districts. Butler Street from 34th Street to 62nd Street contains most of the shops, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and neighborhood-serving businesses. Penn Avenue from 34th to Friendship Avenue contains some art studios, coffee shops, funky bars, and ethnic restaurants. Liberty Avenue from 33rd Street to the Bloomfield Street Bridge features some artisan studios and restaurants. The neighborhood is quickly becoming known as one of the hottest neighborhoods in the city, with many young entrepreneurs moving in within the past few years. A large, vibrant art community exists in the neighborhood, and galleries and studios attract people to art openings and events.
'''Bloomfield''' [http://www.shoppingbloomfield.com] is often referred to as Pittsburgh's "Little Italy." Despite this, the area was originally occupied by German immigrants in the late 1700s. Irish immigrants later followed after the civil war. In the late 1800s, millworkers in nearby Lawrenceville constructed small row houses designed for single families and businesses in the style of their homeland. Previous to WWI, Liberty Avenue consisted mostly of German businesses. After the war, however, the neighborhood began to take its Italian identity. Today, well-maintained rowhouses sit along quaint, narrow streets. Here homes are often passed down through families, and grandchildren usually live just a few blocks from grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Other neighborhoods in the region include '''East Liberty''', '''Polish Hill''', '''Highland Park''', and several others.
Get in
By car
From downtown, simply take Liberty Avenue or Penn Avenue (they're parallel streets) east. You'll pass right through the Strip District. Stay on Liberty Avenue to get to Bloomfield. To get to Lawrenceville, get on Penn Avenue and continue east. Make a left on to Butler Street to get to Upper Lawrenceville, and continue on Butler to get to Highland Park and the Zoo. Staying on Penn Avenue will take you to East Liberty.
By public transit
The 77D, 77F, 77G, 86A, 86B, and 91A Port Authority bus routes serve the Strip and Lawrenceville quite well. Further east, the East Busway routes (including the EBA to Downtown and the EBO to Oakland) serve East Liberty. The 500 serves East Liberty and the Highland Park area, including the Zoo.
See
'''Bloomfield Preservation & Heritage Society Museum and Gallery''', 4727 Friendship Avenue, +1 412 363-0222, [http://bloomfieldlive.com/bphs.html]. The place to go to brush up local history and learn more about the neighborhood.
'''The Doughboy'''. Built by the Arsenal Board of Trade and dedicated May 31, 1921, the Doughboy stands at the intersection of Butler Street and Penn Avenue at 35th Street. It serves as a memorial for the fallen United States soldiers of The Great War.
'''East Liberty Presbyterian Church'''. Just north of Shadyside in East Liberty, featuring ornate stonework, beautiful stained glass and woodwork.
'''Pittsburgh Glass Center''', 5472 Penn Ave, +1 412 365-2145, [http://www.pittsburghglasscenter.org]. A nonprofit, public access glass studio and gallery dedicated to teaching, creating and promoting glass art. The 16,000+ square foot building is one of the top glass art facilities in the country and houses state-of-the-art studios in hot glass, flameworking, coldworking, casting and kilnworking.
'''Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium''', 7340 Butler Street, ''+1 412'' 665-3640, [http://www.pittsburghzoo.org/]. Daily 9AM-5PM (''until 6PM in summer and 4PM in winter''). A large zoo complex containing a wide variety of animals in nice, big exhibits. Enclosures simulating natural spaces in Asia, Africa, rainforests, along with the '''PPG Aquarium''', house lions, tigers, zebras, rhinos, giraffes, elephants, apes, bears, polar bears, penguins, and a wide variety of fish along with many other animals. A children's zoo, "Kid's Kingdom", allows kids to get up-close with a bunch of fun animals, like goats, deer, sea lions, bats, and meerkats. Try to come on a weekday or early in the day; the zoo is laid out is a very linear fashion, with almost everything aligned along one loop route, so when it gets crowded, you can feel rather jostled and viewing animals can become a bit of a struggle. $12 adults, $11 seniors, $10 children, children under 2 free.
'''Senator John Heinz History Center and the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum''', 1212 Smallman Street, +1 412 454-6000, [http://www.pghhistory.org]. Daily 10AM-5PM. An affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the largest history museum in Pennsylvania. The History Center features the new Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum and the Library and Archives, and includes six floors of permanent and changing exhibitions, telling the 250-year old story of Western Pennsylvania, its people, industries and innovations. $10 adults, $9 seniors, $5 children/students, children 3 and under free.
16:62 Design Zone. arious locations from 62nd Street to 34th Street. ennifer@lawrencevillecorp.com. ttp://www.1662designzone.com/. Antiques shops, art galleries, and specialty boutiques all make their home in the 16:62 Design Zone--Pittsburgh's arts and interior design district. Housed in restored turn-of-the-century storefronts or repurposed industrial buildings, the businesses of the Design Zone feature all things design, including home furnishings, art, and handcrafted products from Pittsburgh-area artisans. Many businesses also include working studios, offering visitors the chance to see artists in action.
Do
'''Little Italy Days''' is held every September and celebrates Bloomfield's Italian heritage. Liberty Avenue becomes filled with street vendors selling Italian food, art, and souvenirs. Live music is also performed, as well as contests and other activities.
'''Halloween Parade''' is also held annually. It is Bloomfield's largest nighttime parade.
Lawrenceville events:
*'''Art All Night''' is a free, non-juried art exhibit that runs 24 hours straight and features artwork from everyone who submits something.
*The '''Lawrenceville Artists_f Studio Tour''' invites the public into the working studios of neighborhood artisans.
*A shopping and cookie-tasting event in December both engage community residents and attract people from all over the Pittsburgh area.
Buy
Some of the city's most active business districts are in this area, attracting shoppers from nearby and all over the Pittsburgh region. The Strip District contains a huge number of shops, and Bloomfield along Liberty Avenue has plenty of small shops and grocery stores.
'''Mon Aimee Chocolate''', [http://www.monaimeechocolat.com/]. Gourmet chocolate importer. They have all sorts of weird chocolates from around the world. Be prepared to pay a lot. Some chocolate bars cost up to $20 to $30. The staff are really helpful and pack your bag with ice in the summer to prevent the chocolate from melting. Just be prepared to pay a lot of money for chocolate.
'''Caribbean Grocery''', Highland Avenue.
'''Italian Groceries''' - visit one of Bloomfield's specialty groceries for a taste of Italy.
'''Donatelli_fs Italian Food Center''', 4711 Liberty Ave.
'''Groceria Italiana''', 237 Cedarville St.
Eat
Here you will find a diverse array of cuisines, thanks to the diverse cultural history of the area. In Lawrenceville, there are several restaurants and taverns are located along Butler Street (mainly between 40th Street and 62nd Street). The resurgence of East Liberty has provided some good restaurants on Highland Avenue. Bloomfield, as Pittsburgh's Little Italy, is best known for its Italian restaurants, however expect to find a wide variety of other restaurants to meet your needs.
'''Abay'''. Ethiopian cuisine, economy lunch packages, communal eating and 2-3 person meal specials.
'''Alexander's Pasta Express''' at 5104 Liberty Ave is frequently rated as having the best Italian in Pittsburgh. Featuring both dining tables and a bar, the menu allows you to choose from various options to create your perfect pasta.
'''Angelo's Pizza''', 4766 Liberty Ave. Angelo's is a well know first generation Italian family owned and operated pizza establishment. A popular destination for locals, Angelo_fs attracts business from all over Pittsburgh and caters to many hospitals and businesses in the area. Angelo_fs is well known for their filling portions, insatiable hoagies, hand crafted pizzas with fresh toppings, and one of a kind homemade _gMayonnaise_h. Be sure to catch General Manager Rita during the day, she produces the best hoagies and pizzas in Pittsburgh. Angelo_fs offers basic cuisine done exceptionally well.
'''Big Belly Deli'''.
'''Bloomfield Bridge Tavern''', 4412 Liberty Avenue (''at the corner of Liberty Avenue and the Bloomfield Bridge''), ''+1 412'' 682-8611. A neighborhood landmark, as it welcomes visitors into the neighborhood with its "Welcome to Bloomfield" mural. The outside is also decorated with murals of famous Poles, as well as crests for major cities in Poland. On the inside expect to find Polish favorites such as halusky, pierogies, and duck soup. Live music is often featured throughout the week.
'''Buffalo Blues''' is a good neighborhood wings/pizza/beer/pool joint.
'''Cafe Roma''', 4770 Liberty Ave.
'''Church Brew Works'''.
'''D_famico_fs Place''', 4744 Liberty Ave.
'''Del_fs Bar and Ristorante DelPizzo''', 4428 Liberty Ave.
Enrico Biscotti Cafe. 022 Penn Ave. 1 412 281-2602. ttp://www.enricobiscotti.com. -F 11AM-3PM, Sa-Su 8AM-3PM. This rustic cafe serves fresh pizzas made in their own wood-burning brick oven. Besides fresh pizza they serve beans and greens, home made soups, and big fat salads. Stop at the bakery for great biscotti, made by hand and served in an abundance of flavors. The bakery serves all sorts of Italian pastries so even if biscotti's not your cup of tea, you will be able to enjoy the place.
Firehouse Lounge. 216 Penn Ave. 12 434-1230. ttp://www.firehouse-lounge.com" hours=M-F 4pm-2am, closed Tuesdays and Sundays. This renovated firehouse is home to what most consider to be Pittsburgh's best cocktails, serving organic handcrafted cocktails & market fresh food. Fare includes a menu of traditional pub style items and small plates featuring Pittsburgh classics with a twist. Catering and private rental available. Also home to Farmers @ Firehouse, the area's only Slow Foods farmer's market.
'''Frankie's Extra Long'''. For classic Lawrenceville cuisine, this hot dog shop is one of your best bets.
'''Orient Kitchen''', 4808 Baum Boulevard. ''+1 412'' 683-3300. A popular restaurant among Pittsburgh's college students and Asian-American community. The salt-baked squid is not to be missed.
'''Paddy Cake Bakery''', 4763 Liberty Ave is the neighborhood bakery. They have an excellent selection of cookies and cupcakes to go, or you can make larger orders as well.
'''Piccolo Forno'''.
'''Pizza Bellagio''', 315 N Craig St.
'''Pizza Italia''' at 4512 Liberty Ave.
'''Primanti Brothers''', 46 18th St, ''+1 412'' 263-2142, [http://www.primantibrothers.com]. Famous sandwiches. Open 24 hours. If you are in Pittsburgh, you need to eat here at least once; they serve famous sandwiches with the french fries and coleslaw right in the sandwich with whatever else you order: deli meat, hot sausage, and ... you get the idea. They have a bar too of course. It was founded in 1934 to serve the truckers that brought vegetables to the Strip District. $8 (sandwich and a soft drink...er, let's say soda).
'''River Moon Cafe'''.
'''Royal Caribbean'''. Jamaican cuisine; offering tasty curries and jerkies.
'''Sammy_fs Famous Corned Beef'''.
'''The Sharp Edge''', 302 South Clair Street, ''+1 412'' 661-3537, [http://sharpedgebeer.com]. For a place that calls itself a "Beer Emporium", it certainly does not disappoint, with more than 20 Belgians on tap among its offerings. A cozy neighborhood establishment, with a pinball machine to boot.
'''Taste of India'''.
'''Tasty''', a Chinese take-out/restaurant which can be surprisingly economical.
'''Tessaro's''', 4601 Liberty Ave is year in and out rated as the best place in town to get hamburgers. Read the review featured in the Post-Gazette [http://www.post-gazette.com/food/20000401tessaro2.asp]
'''Tram's''', 4050 Penn Ave, ''+1 412'' 682-2688. Excellent, hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese, owned and operated almost single-handedly by Mr. Tram himself.
Drink
Coffee shops:
'''Coca Cafe'''
'''Crazy Mocha'''
'''Perk Me Up'''
Sleep
'''Courtyard Pittsburgh Shadyside''', 5308 Liberty Avenue, ''+1 412'' 683-3113, [http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pitok-courtyard-pittsburgh-shadyside/].
'''Hampton Inn & Suites''', 1247 Smallman Street, ''+1 412'' 288-4350, [http://www.hamptoninn.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=PITDNHX].
'''Residence Inn Pittsburgh University/Medical Center''', 3896 Bigelow Boulevard, ''+1 800'' 513-8766, [http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pitro-residence-inn-pittsburgh-university-medical-center/].
Contact
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