MilkShake Factory
Multiple locations. milkshakefactory.com
MilkShake Factory has dropped a new fall treat: a Pumpkin Pie Milkshake. Billed as “fall in a cup,” the hand-spun seasonal shake blends pumpkin puree with cinnamon and fall spices, topped with a graham cracker crust. Try the “crave-worthy” pie shake while supplies last through Sun., Nov. 9.
Beers of the Burgh
424 S. 27th St., South Side. beersoftheburgh.com
Remember when everything had bacon? Beers of the Burgh takes us back to that flush time with BaconBurgh. Billed as Pittsburgh’s first-ever bacon festival, the all-ages bacon bash takes over the SouthSide Works on Sat., Sept. 27 from 12-7 p.m. Partake from 15-plus food trucks serving bacon burgers, bacon pierogies, candied bacon cupcakes, and “everything in between,” along with beer, bourbon, and cocktails to pair with bacon-loaded delicacies. Festivalgoers can try their luck riding a mechanical hog, see the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, and enjoy live music, a vendor village, and kid-friendly activities. General admission tickets cost $10 and include a Yuengling, Athletic NA beer, or bottle of water. Attendees under 21 enter free.
Washington Italian Festival
139 S. Main St., Washington. primoitaliano.org/festival
On Sat., Sept. 27, celebrate all things Italian at the ninth annual Washington Italian Festival. Taking place at the community pavilion in Downtown Washington, Pa., the festival honors the area’s Italian heritage with culinary offerings by Bado’s Pizza Food Truck, Bella’s on Fort Couch, Chicco Baccello, Forlini’s, Marilyn’s Italian Kitchen, Vesta 88 River House, and more. Festival guests enjoy Italian folk dance, jazz, and big bands, a ceremony honoring Italian American educators, and an Italian-themed children’s story time. Admission is free.
Primanti Bros.
Multiple locations. primantibros.com
If you’ve ever wanted a Primanti’s sandwich for breakfast, now’s your chance. On Sun., Sept. 28, select Primanti Bros. restaurants will open at 9 a.m. ahead of the Steelers’ kickoff in Dublin — the first-ever NFL regular season game to be played in Ireland. Football fans enjoy a half-price happy hour until noon in addition to the regular Primanti’s menu. Locations opening early include Allison Park, Cranberry, Harmar, McIntyre Square, Mt. Lebanon, Monroeville, Moon Township, North Versailles, Oakland, Pleasant Hills, Robinson, South Fayette, South Side, Washington, and Waterfront (Homestead).
Mon-Valley Yinzerlicious Burger Battle
312 Market St., Elizabeth. youngyinz.toast.site
The Mon Valley is gearing up for a burger showdown. On Sun., Sept. 28 at 1 p.m., two chefs compete at the Yinzerlicious Burger Battle hosted by YoungYinz Burgers N’At in Elizabeth. Chef Desarae Legros, creator of Cooking Comedy Chaos, faces YoungYinz owner Chef Josh Young in a “burger battle for the ages.” The winning chef will donate to a charity of their choice along with 100% of the event’s raffle proceeds.
Guests vote on their favorite foods in a blind taste test. The burger battle features a Jenny Lee Swirl Bread burger versus Bourbon Peach Smash Burger for the main event, along with two appetizers and desserts going head-to-head. Tickets cost $50 and include two gourmet burgers, two appetizers, two desserts, Turner’s iced tea, and a vote.
Pittsburgh Coffee Week
Multiple locations. pghcoffeeweek.com
Pittsburgh Coffee Week returns for a citywide celebration of flavor, craft, connection, and your favorite blends. Taking place from Sun., Sept. 28-Sat., Oct. 4, this year’s theme is “Pittsburgh Pours,” spotlighting the local coffee scene through educational tastings, hands-on workshops, pop-ups, and coffee specials. Kick off the coffee-mania on Sun., Sept. 28 with a latte art competition hosted by Ghost Coffee Collab. Join for a happy hour and coffee tasting hangout with De Fer and Dynamic Coffee on Mon., Sept. 29, or celebrate La Prima’s anniversary on Wed., Oct. 1.
Businesses across the region offer special drinks during Pittsburgh Coffee Week, including a fall iced latte at Café Conmigo, a dirty pumpkin chai at Georgie’s Corner Cafe, and a Dynamic Espresso Martini served at the Field Day co-working space. Visit the Pittsburgh Coffee Week website for complete details.
Commonplace Coffee x Allegheny CleanWays
Multiple locations. commonplacecoffee.com
Commonplace Coffee released a Confluence Blend benefiting Allegheny CleanWays. The new donation coffee blend was created by Commonplace Cafe manager Creed —Commonplace’s third staff-developed blend — and is described as “floral, fruity, and delicate” with tasting notes of Goji berry, chamomile, and Mandarin. Creed said she created the blend especially for espresso shots. The Confluence Blend is available in 10-ounce bags ($22.25) at all Commonplace Coffee locations or online through November.
Fet-Fisk
4786 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. fetfisk.net
Fet-Fisk has done it again. The “Nordic-ish” restaurant claimed another national accolade and was named one of the Best New Restaurants of 2025 by Bon Appétit. Senior editor Jennifer Hope Choi described Fet-Fisk as a place “where anyone can find their niche,” praising dishes including the pickled mackerel and the restaurant’s signature whole branzino, curated by creative director Sarah LaPonte and chef Nik Forsberg.
“There’s an ease to Fet-Fisk, and the newcomer already feels like an institution,” Choi wrote.
Coffee House at Club Cafe
56 S. 12th St., South Side. clubcafelive.com
The reopened Club Cafe is launching a daytime coffee house. The new Coffee House at Club Cafe aims to “bring a fresh, creative energy to Pittsburgh’s South Side” and will serve Ghost Coffee Collab beans roasted by Trace Brewery, according to a press release.
During a soft-opening from Wed., Sept. 24-Mon., Sept. 29, coffeehouse guests can sample a curated menu of specialty coffees, teas, and light bites including local bakery items and breakfast sandwiches from Pittsburgh Sandwich Society. Plans for weekend brunch events are also in the works, with the goal of making the beloved music venue an “all-day destination.” The Club Cafe Coffee House will celebrate its grand opening on Tues., Sept. 30, before operating Mon.-Fri. from 8a.m.-3p.m. starting on Wed., Oct. 1.
Umi
5849 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. umi.rest
Umi, big Burrito Group’s long-running sushi restaurant, will close temporarily at the end of service on Sat., Oct. 4. Umi’s sushi master and executive chef Shyh-Dyi Jou Shu is retiring after 26 years and the Shadyside restaurant “will pause to honor the end of one era and take some time to plan for the next,” it announced on its social media. Mr. Shu has been recognized as a pioneer of Pittsburgh’s dining scene who helped to modernize it in the 1990s.
Umi’s sister restaurant Soba, located in the same building, will continue to operate as usual.
Emiliano’s Mexican Restaurant and Bar
2557 E. Carson St., South Side. emilianospgh.com
Emiliano’s announced the permanent closure of its South Side location.
“Like many businesses in our South Side community, we’ve weighed difficult decisions over the past year about how to serve you best in an increasingly challenging business climate,” the Mexican restaurant wrote in a Facebook post. “Sadly, we have determined it is necessary to close our South Side location to allow us to more fully focus on making authentic food that brings people together at our other locations.”
The closure follows ICE raids at Emiliano’s Cranberry and Gibsonia locations on Aug. 7, where 16 employees were detained and the restaurants were heavily damaged. It is unclear if the closure is related to raids. Emiliano’s operates another location in Bethel Park, which remains open.
