Food & Drink category, Page 22
Homewood’s BBQ maestro: Drew Allen’s journey from DJ to pitmaster extraordinaire
Drew Allen, owner of Showcase BBQ in Homewood, moves swiftly. If you can’t keep pace with his speed, you might lose sight of him amid a haze of smoke. Patrons queue up before the restaurant opens, eagerly anticipating the savory, finger-licking taste of his ribs that are hailed by many...
4 new businesses to check out in downtown Greensburg
Downtown Greensburg has some new neighbors. Four businesses have opened along South Pennsylvania Avenue and Otterman Street in recent months, selling gift items, wellness services, baked goods and upscale bar food. The Greensburg Community Development Corporation — a nonprofit focused on revitalizing the city — received 15 occupancy permits from...
From the Newsroom: Ponderosa’s last frontier in Pennsylvania
This week’s episode features reporter Joyce Hanz joining Zac Gibson to dive into the nostalgia and loyalty surrounding the last Ponderosa Steakhouse in Pennsylvania. Butler County has one of the last of 16 Ponderosa restaurants left in the country. It’s located in Center Township. Visitors travel from New York, Virginia,...
North Side favorite Gus & Yiayia’s to open for the season
For a 90th year, the bright orange cart with the rainbow umbrella will be parked on Pittsburgh’s North Side. So will Gus Kalaris, 92. Known as the “Ice Ball Man,” Kalaris sitting on a stool by the stand is a welcome sight every spring. He will greet customers around noon...
Where is the last Ponderosa Steakhouse in Pennsylvania?
Employees of Pennsylvania’s last Ponderosa Steakhouse along Route 8 in Butler County are used to customers taking parking lot selfies and making a big fuss over the staying power of this Ponderosa. Server Denise Morin, 58, has worked at the Ponderosa in Center Township for 40 years. It opened in...
Western Pennsylvania restaurant workers dish on dining etiquette
Workers in the food service industry have their plates full navigating menus, taking orders, making drinks, cleaning tables and running food orders — all while keeping customers happy. The restaurant industry generates more than $28 billion in tips annually, according to a 2023 report from Gitnux, which specializes in consumer...
More than just a bowl of noodles, ramen in Japan is an experience and a tourist attraction
TOKYO — Spicy, steaming, slurpy ramen might be everyone’s favorite Japanese food. In Tokyo, long lines circle around blocks, and waiting an hour for your ramen is normal. What awaits might be just a dive, but a hot bowl of ramen rarely fails to hit the spot. Often cooked right...
IUP students ready to crunch their competition in lettuce-eating contest
Student clubs on college campuses have their defining attributes, and the group that Ava Moriarity and her friends started at Indiana University of Pennsylvania is no exception. In fact, it even has a distinguishing sound: It’s the crunch of fresh iceberg lettuce being devoured at breakneck speed by undergraduates who...
Dave & Andy’s Homemade Ice Cream in Oakland is closing
When Leigh-Anne Weiss saw a Facebook post announcing that Dave & Andy’s Homemade Ice Cream shop in Oakland is closing this week because owner Andy Hardie is retiring, she said she was left with a sense of sorrow. “This is sad when you hear about such a great place closing,”...
Coffee roastery in Finland launches AI-generated blend
HELSINKI — An artisan roastery based in the Finnish capital has introduced a coffee blend that has been developed by artificial intelligence in a trial in which it’s hoped that technology can ease the workload in a sector that traditionally prides itself on manual work. It is only apt that...
The Kitchen by Vangura will bring back memories of the Primadonna restaurant
Many people who dined at the former Primadonna restaurant in McKees Rocks can recall walking in the door and immediately being greeted by the owner. Joe “Joe Joe” Costanzo Jr. would approach with arms wide open and a hearty laugh. Minutes later, guests were seated and out came a heaping...
Would you like a cicada salad? The monstrous little noisemakers descend on a New Orleans menu
NEW ORLEANS — As the nation prepares for trillions of red-eyed bugs known as periodical cicadas to emerge, it’s worth noting that they’re not just annoying, noisy pests — if prepared properly, they can also be tasty to eat. Blocks away from such French Quarter fine-dining stalwarts as Antoine’s and...
Beef farmer fulfills dream with opening of Tubmill Creek Provisions in Ligonier
Farm-fresh goodness has arrived at a cafe in downtown Ligonier. John and Kitty Goodish of New Florence have been married for 50 years and opened Tubmill Creek Provisions on March 6 in a historic building dating back to the 1930s. Cafe is really an understatement, as the new business blends...
Celebrate the ‘stinky rose’ for National Garlic Day on April 19
It stinks so good. There are few culinary scents as unmistakable as garlic. In its raw form, it can have enough bite to rival low-level chili peppers. Roasted, it spreads smooth as butter on a thin slice of toasted baguette. You can even make dessert with it if you have...
Monongahela Whiskey Exchange brings diversity to local wine and spirits scene
Aaron Kendeall, a whiskey distiller and owner of Monongahela Whiskey Exchange (MWX), found himself drawn into the world of spirits just as he reached the legal drinking age. While studying Japanese in college and exploring Japan, he became captivated by the art of distillation and blending. Kendeall’s background in marketing...
Heinz launches new limited Barbiecue sauce
Heinz and Barbie lovers in Europe are in luck: a limited edition pink vegan mayo with BBQ sauce was launched to celebrate Barbie’s 65th anniversary. Mattel and Heinz have unveiled the new Heinz Classic Barbiecue Sauce. It will be available in the U.K. and Spain initially, and it may be...
Your morning coffee may be hundreds of thousands of years old
That coffee you slurped this morning? It’s 600,000 years old. Using genes from coffee plants around the world, researchers built a family tree for the world’s most popular type of coffee, known to scientists as Coffea arabica and to coffee lovers simply as “arabica.” The researchers, hoping to learn more...
What does science say about the ingredients in functional beverages?
Functional beverages — or drinks promoted as offering mental or physical benefits beyond hydration — are growing in popularity around the world. Hundreds of companies have jumped into the market, hoping to get some buzz with trendy and sometimes unfamiliar ingredients. Here are some of the latest ones found in...
With ‘functional’ beverages, brands rush to quench a thirst for drinks that do more than taste goodVideo
Supermarket beverage aisles are starting to look a lot more like a pharmacy. There are sodas made with mushrooms that supposedly improve mental clarity and juices packed with bacteria that claim to enhance digestive health. Water infused with collagen carries the promise of better skin, and energy drinks offer to...
Iconic Pittsburgh restaurant dishes taste great in yinzer kitchens
Some recipes are synonymous with a particular place. Chicago is hot dogs and deep dish pizza. Can you even think about cheesecake and bagels without New York coming to mind? Philadelphia is more than just cheesesteak — think soft pretzels, scrapple and water ice. And then there’s Pittsburgh. Our food...
New Third Space Bakery in Garfield is a co-op and teaching kitchen
The term “third space” is a location other than school/work or home. Third spaces tend to be relaxing spaces, free from any expectations and somewhere you want to be but don’t have to be. That comfortable setting was the thinking behind the name Third Space Bakery Co-op and Teaching Kitchen,...
What’s the ‘Coolest Thing Made in PA?’ Cast your vote
What’s the coolest thing made in Pennsylvania? You can cast your vote starting at noon on Wednesday. The final two contestants — the Pittsburgh-based Primanti Bros. sandwich and Hershey-based Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups — will duke it out in the last round of voting. Run by the Pennsylvania Chamber of...
Warm, Italian soup puts farro in the spotlight
The popularity of farro isn’t hard to understand, as it’s an extremely versatile grain with a nutty flavor and chewy bite. Also known as emmer, farro is a type of wheat that’s been widely cultivated in the Mediterranean for thousands of years. And it’s becoming more and more popular in...
Renegade Dog among Pirates’ new food offerings this season at PNC ParkVideo
Pirates pitcher David Bednar’s walk-up song inspired one of the new food items at PNC Park. The Renegade Dog is a footlong hot dog, with pot roast, mini pierogies and pickle slices — which all start with the letter “P” — on a bun. There are onions, too. It will...
Rankin’s Mary’s Vine restaurant, wine and cigar bar ‘elevates the night’
The former Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Rankin has found new life as Mary’s Vine, a restaurant and wine and cigar bar. As you make your way to the main entrance, owner Cheryl Stasinowsky greets you with a smile. She and her family invite patrons to sip...
