This page is a list of my favorite places to eat, drink, and buy various things in the differnt cities I’ve lived in or visit often. It’s broken down first by city, then by category.

Pittsburgh, PA

🍞 Bread

Allegro in Squirrel Hill has great sourdough bread and treats. Their entire menu is vegan (including their croissants!). They also have really good sandwiches and hummus. You MUST try the cinnamon roll.

Madeleine in Regent Square has amazing sourdough bread and pastries. Their sandwiches are perfect for a picnic.

Five Points Artisan Bakeshop in Squirrel Hill/Point Breeze has solid sourdough bread and pastries.

Third Space Bakery in Garfield has great sourdough bread and pastries.

☕ Coffee and Tea

Areviste in Shadyside has great pour-over and espresso.

Constellation Coffee in Bloomfield. I had the best cup of pour-over I’ve ever had here.

KLVN in Larimer has great espresso and a nice bowl of oatmeal.

Redstart Roasters in East Liberty has great espresso and drip coffee.

Blue Monkey Tea and Dobra Tea in Squirrel Hill have wide selections of loose leaf tea.

🍻 Beer

Dancing Gnome Brewery in Sharpsburgh has a selection of great German-style beers. I really like their dunkel, altbier, and märzen. They distribute their most popular beers in cans throughout the region, but you should visit their taproom in Sharpsburgh for a wider selection and fancy side-pull faucets.

Lorelei in Shadyside and Independent Brewing Company in Squirrel Hill are both outposts for Golden Age Beer, which has great German- and Czech-style beers. Their altbier, dunkel, and Černé (black lager) are all delicious.

Trace Brewing in Bloomfield has a great kellerbier. The space is also super cozy. A great spot to hang out and play cards.

Two Frays Brewing in Garfield has an awesome Kolsch and Schwarzbier. They also have a really good selection of non-alcoholic (< 0.5% ABV) beer.

Lolev and Coven Brewing in Lawrenceville both always have something exciting on. Both great spots to visit before or after dinner or a movie.

🚲 Bike Shops

Thick Bikes in South Side and Kindred Cycles in the Strip District are both great. The staff at both shops are super helpful and they will almost certainly have whatever parts or gear you need (and can order them for you if they don’t).

Kraynick’s Bike Shop in Garfield is a great place to go if you’re looking for a vintage frame or some niche part. The shop is chaotic in the best way. They also do tune-ups and repairs.

📚 Book Stores

Unless otherwise noted, these stores all primarily buy and sell used books.

The Cozy Corner in Shadyside has a great fiction selection, along with a smaller collection of memoirs and other non-fiction titles.

Amazing Books and Records has locations in Squirrel Hill and Shadyside. Both are great for finding fiction and non-fiction titles.

Caliban Books in Oakland is a great place to start if you’re looking for non-fiction books, espcially biography and history (world, U.S., etc…). They do have a small fiction section in the basement.

Washington, D.C.

Eventually…

Berkeley, CA