Biergarten Hotel Monaco x Maggie’s Farm Rum Distillery
620 William Penn Pl., Downtown.
thecommonerpgh.com/pittsburgh-biergarten
Hotel Monaco turns its rooftop bar into a seaside escape with its annual Beach Party. Taking place Fri., Aug. 15 from 5-11 p.m., the party features summery music by DJ Hoagie Dreams, a photo booth, Maggie’s Farm Rum tastings, and a special Catch of the Day game with prizes. All proceeds from the game benefit Clean Water Action. No tickets or reservations are required.
This year, the party extends into a new Beach Week. During Beach Week, taking place at Biergarten through Sun., Aug. 17, patrons escape the grind with special drinks, a summer menu, giveaways, and live entertainment. Themed cocktails include Shark Attack, made with Maggie’s Farm White Rum, blue curaçao, lemon, and grenadine, and Boom Boom in the Rialto Room, which mixes white-chocolate-washed Supergay Vodka with peach, passion fruit, strawberry juice, lime, and maraschino cherry. Stop by a beach-friendly cooler stacked with shore snacks, including cold-cut sandwiches like Speck Ham with Manchego cheese and herb mayo, or Roasted Maitake Mushroom.
Pittsburgh VegFest
818 Cedar Ave., North Side. pittsburghvegfest.org
Justice for Animals Pittsburgh hosts the 11th annual Pittsburgh VegFest on Sat., Aug. 16, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., bringing more than 120 vendors to Allegheny Commons Park East. Enjoy plant-based food and sweets along with wellness vendors and shopping, live music, family-friendly activities, animal advocacy nonprofits, and adoptable kittens. The event is free, but fans can snag VIP tickets for early-access shopping from 10-11 a.m. and receive an East End Food Co-op reusable swag bag with vegan goodies.
Rhythm and Brews Festival
318 Lincoln Ave., Bellevue. bonafidebellevue.org/rhythm-brews-festival
The fourth annual Bellevue-based Rhythm and Brews Festival takes over Lincoln Avenue. Hosted by Bonafide Bellvue, the beer and music festival invites revelers to “pour, party, and celebrate” on Sat., Aug. 16, from 4-9 p.m. with beer and seltzer stops from local brewers, along with live bands and shopping. This year’s lineup features 26 breweries and distilleries, including Abjuration Brew Co., Brew Gentlemen, Hazel Grove Brewing, Dancing Gnome, and Bellevue’s own Lincoln Avenue Brewery. Rhythm and Brews also launched branded merch for 2025. Tickets to the 21-and-over event cost $55 and include beer tastings and a commemorative glass.
Kraft Heinz x Smoothie King
heinz.com
Heinz and Smoothie King have collaborated on a limited-time ketchup smoothie that blends açai sorbet, strawberries, tart raspberries, and apple juice with Heinz’s signature tomato ketchup. Online reactions to what’s described as a “fruity, tangy, and slightly sweet” drink have been polarizing, ranging from love to declaring the end of days. Unfortunately (or fortunately), Pittsburghers won’t be able to decide for themselves unless they travel to Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Miami, New York, or New Jersey, where the tomato abomination (or is it?) is being sold.
Grist House Craft Brewery
301 Sgt. Messerschmidt Rd., Oakdale. gristhouse.com/command
Grist House is converting a Cold War-era missile silo into a new taproom and production facility. Pittsburgh Magazine reported that the Millvale-based brewery will “soon be making suds” inside a former Nike Missile Command Center in Collier Township (and yes, it’s the same one where the Ghost Bomber of the Monongahela was rumored to have been transported). Grist House Command will debut with a 30-barrel brewing system, a full kitchen, four bars boasting a total of 24 taps, indoor seating for 140, and three dog-friendly decks with space for 300. The new taproom is set to open by the end of the summer.
Juniper Grill x Atria’s
2350 Railroad St., Strip District. junipergrill.com
Two new concepts will replace the former Cioppino and Osteria 2350 in the Strip District. The Pittsburgh Business Times reported that Juniper Grill and Atria’s will take over the Cork Factory Lofts garage, which has been unoccupied since the restaurants’ closures at the end of last year. Both Juniper Grill and Atria’s are managed under Restaurant Holdings LP, owned by restaurateur Pat McDonnell. The new restaurants are slated to open during the first half of 2026.
Rite Aid
1700 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill.
In the wake of the Rite Aid apocalypse, one former pharmacy will reopen as a food market. The Squirrel Hill Rite Aid, at the corner of Forbes and Murray Avenue, is slated to become a neighborhood market with a focus on kosher and fresh foods. While the project is still in the early planning stages, partners told the Pittsburgh Business Times they’re seeking to offer local produce, artisanal baked goods, prepared meals including sushi, a deli serving ready-to-eat meals, and cafe seating. The market is tentatively scheduled to open by mid- to late-2026.
Chicken Salad Chick
chickensaladchick.com
Pittsburgh will soon be home to a chicken salad restaurant. Chicken Salad Chick, billed as “the nation’s only fast-casual chicken salad restaurant concept,” announced its expansion across the Atlantic region, including a Pittsburgh franchise. According to a press release, Pittsburghers Jacob and Sabrina Longley will launch the restaurant “in an area that is undergoing a resurgence of entrepreneurship, healthcare, and lifestyle-focused brands.”
Emiliano’s Mexican Restaurant and Bar
Multiple locations. emilianospgh.com
Emiliano’s is asking for community support after ICE raided its Gibsonia and Cranberry locations on Aug. 7. At least 16 employees were detained, and, according to video shared by Emiliano’s, federal agents left the restaurants in disarray with debris scattered.
“They didn’t just detain people — they raided the heart of our business… Our kitchens were flipped. Our walk-ins emptied. Food trashed. Doors broken. Lives shattered,” reads a post on Emiliano’s Instagram page.
Emiliano’s says it’s committed to reopening and launched a GoFundMe campaign to provide legal support for those detained, cover employees’ salaries, help affected families, and assist with rebuilding. The restaurant’s locations in the South Side and Bethel Park remain open.
This article appears in Aug 6-12, 2025.
