My wife and I had plans to fly to Pittsburgh to catch a baseball game. We were really going to see PNC ballpark because we used to design mini vacations checking out new stadiums and PNC Park was at the top of our list. I’d been so busy at work that I hadn’t had time to think about anything else to do. My wife surprised me by securing tickets for a tour by Burgh Bits and Bites Food Tour.
I’ve participated in walking food tours in Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Louis. All were quite interesting because the tour leader coordinates with the restaurant in advance and you don’t have to fiddle with money. Attendees also hear interesting things about the history of the neighborhood which
Burgh Bits and Bites offers seven different Pittsburgh neighborhood tours and Brookline was selected because it worked with our schedule. Our tour started at Pitaland, a Mediterranean Bakery, Cafe, and Deli. The bakery sells a variety of pitas, along with tannour and zaatar bread, Pitaland’s offerings also include cheeses, deli meats, olives and a variety of imported specialty foods.
As part of the tour, the owner took us behind the scenes where we saw how their pitas were made. It was fascinating to see how the flour mixture was converted into discs like hockey pucks. I simplify the process by stating that they are flattened, basted and routed through various stops through a conveyor belt like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Pita Land
At the end of the tour, we were given a freshly baked pita. A nice spread of hummus, baba ganoush, and olives awaited us. Needless to say, this was nothing like store bought pita at my local supermarket and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
In front of Last Palmas Market
Tacos de barbecoa
We walked across the street to find a Mexican grocery store. Like in East LA, there was a grill set up with a taquero I was surprised to find street tacos in Pittsburgh. When I spoke to him, I was astonished to hear that he also had carne asada, pollo, carnitas, barbecoa, al pastor. He told me later that he would be serving tacos de cachete.
Fresh Baked Italian Bread
Our To Go treats from De Luca
It was warm that day and I was happy that all of our stops were within several feet of each other on Brookline Blvd. Deluca’s Bakery Deli & Groceria was our next stop. This is a traditional Italian bakery and deli. They bake their own bread and loaves of this bread were on sale for only $1.79. Seeing their deli meats made me wish that I got to sample one of their deli sandwiches. Our group took over the bakery and we were given cookies in a bag to go.
Pittsburgh specialty – Burnt Almond Torte
Our next bakery, Party Cake Shop, specializes in custom birthday cakes. The front of the bakery was being renovated and there was no sign in front of the establishment. Despite the signage, the bakery was bustling with customers. We received a generous slice of Pittsburgh’s famous dessert, Burnt Almond Torte.
Inside 802 Bean Company
We were set for something to complement the torte and were rewarded with 802 Bean Company. Popular for espressos, cappuccinos and mochas, I selected an ice green tea to cool down. 802 Bean Company has a variety of comfortable seats and with the cool interior, I could see it being a popular neighborhood hangout.
Antonio’s was our last stop on our walking tour. Antonio’s is one of Pittsburgh’s most popular pizza places and they serve pizza by the slice. The slice of cheese pizza we received had a firm thin crust and not greasy. I was happy with the selection of Antonio’s.
Tour Leader Corrine serving pizza at Antonio’s
Corrine, our tour leader, was a virtual encyclopedia of both Pittsburgh and of the Brookline neighborhood. She expertly narrated each stop and told us their importance to their customers. What I found most fascinating was the fact that some of the homes in the area were purchased from the Sears catalog as models and were built to specifications. Wow!
If you visit Pittsburgh or any city for that matter, I recommend that you try out a walking food tour. It is a great way to visit a neighboorhood, learn about its history and enjoy the sights and smells.
Stops on the Brookline tour:
Pitaland, 620 Brookline Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15226
Deluca’s Bakery Deli & Groceria, 546 Brookline Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15226
Party Cake Shop, 706 Brookline Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15226
802 Bean Company, 802 Brookline Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15226
Antonio’s Pizza, 758 Brookline Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15226
Burgh Bits & Bites
www.burghfoodtour.com