A pierogi crawl, a cookbook club, a cheesy documentary, and more Pittsburgh food news

Pigsburgh Squealers Rescue x Voodoo Brewing Co.
956 Fifth Ave., New Kensington. pigsburghsquealers.com

Grab a beer and pet a pig when Pigsburgh Squealers celebrates National Pig Day. The pig rescue will, on Sat., March 1 from 7-9 p.m., host a Pigs & Pints event at Voodoo Brewing in New Kensington. The event features “pigs out for snuggles and kisses,” pig-themed drinks and flights, and vegan food from Sweet Alchemy Bake Shop. Portions from each flight sold and cash from donation jars benefit the rescue. No tickets are required.

Lawrenceville Market House
4112 Butler St., Lawrenceville. lvmarkethouse.com

Lawrenceville Market House celebrates three “magical” years in the neighborhood with a day-long birthday party. Join the bank-turned-shopping hub on Sat., March 1 for wine tastings, food specials, jewelry making, and a drag show. Family-friendly daytime events run from 12-6 p.m. and include sales, a flower stem bar from plant nursery Camōflage, and tarot readings, flash tattoos, and drink specials at the Halloween-themed Main Street Diner. From 6-8 p.m., Oliver’s Donuts hosts Donuts & Drag featuring The Spirit Leshy and Dezz Just Dezz, along with its homemade donuts and wine. See the full event schedule on Market House’s Instagram.

Stay Gold Books
1104 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. staygoldbooks.com

Attention, Yinzer Yums fans! Stay Gold Books is launching a cookbook and supper club. The Regent Square bookstore announced the new club “dedicated to food and community” will meet monthly for a Sunday potluck supper and discussion. The first gathering on Sun., March 2 from 6-8 p.m. will feature Lesley Enston’s Belly Full, which celebrates Caribbean cuisine. Buy the cookbook for 10% off and RSVP and sign up to bring a dish online.

St. Practice Day
Multiple locations, South Side. instagram.com/the_pittsburgher

St. Practice Day, a pierogi contest and charity crawl, will soon take over the South Side. On Sat., March 8 from 1-7 p.m., the “day of pierogi madness and charitable shenanigans” offers $1 pierogies at restaurants along East Carson Street. Pierogi crawlers vote for their favorites and enjoy Miller Light specials. The event benefits Pittsburgh Action Against Rape, a South Side-based nonprofit that has been providing free services to sexual assault survivors for over 50 years.

Participating restaurants include Archie’s on Carson, Capo’s, Mario’s South Side Saloon, Primanti Bros., The Library, Tiki Lounge, Twelve Whiskey Barbecue, The Urban Tap, and three-time pierogi champion White Eagle. Tickets to the 21-and-over event cost $10-20 and can be purchased through Eventbrite.

Chantal’s Cheese Shop x Row House Cinema
4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. chantalscheese.com

Chantal’s is cheesing at Row House with a new film. On Sat., March 9 at 2 p.m., the popular cheese shop will co-present a screening of Shelf Life, a documentary about cheese, humans, and aging. Described by the filmmakers as “a global exploration of cheesemaking,” the 90-minute documentary, which made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, features a dozen vignettes that draw “surprising parallels between the aging of cheese and the human experience.”

For $20, moviegoers can order a Chantal’s cheese plate with cheeses featured in the film. The cheese platter includes three cheeses, dried cranberries, and blueberries. Movie tickets cost $12.50 and can be purchased through Eventbrite.

GetGo Cafe + Market
Multiple locations. getgocafe.com

Fish fry season hasn’t officially kicked off yet, but at GetGo, The Captain has returned. The chain invites diners to “reel it in” with wild-caught, beer-battered cod, on a sub, sandwich, wrap, or platter with breaded shrimp and hush puppies “any time the craving strikes.” The Captain is available at Pittsburgh-area GetGo locations through Wed., April 23.

Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings
2773 Sidney St., South Side. nanxiangxiaolongbao.com

Famed soup dumplings have arrived at the Southside Works. The blog PennsylvAsia reported that, on Feb. 24, Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings soft-opened a Pittsburgh location. Specializing in southern Chinese cuisine, the New York-based chain has been recommended by the Michelin Guide for nine years and touts its reputation for “the best soup dumplings in town.”

The hand-rolled steamed soup dumplings are served in broth with a choice of filling including classic pork and chicken, or seafood, including crab meat, shrimp, and sea cucumber. Nan Xiang’s menu also offers stir fry, fried rice, cold dishes, noodles, soups, desserts, and all-day breakfast options.

Burghers Brewing Co.
400 Grant Ave., Millvale. burgherspgh.com

Burghers soft-opened its new flagship location in Millvale. Co-owner Neil Glausier told TribLive that the smash burger and beer chain converted a bank into the 14,000-square-foot brewpub. It features two floors with two bars, public-facing brewery equipment, bar games including pinball, and dining in a former bank vault. Joining craft breweries Strange Roots and Grist House in Millvale, Glausier said he hopes to make the borough a beer destination. Burghers also operates locations in Lawrenceville, Zelienople, and the South Side.

Cafe Samarkand
3103 Banksville Rd., Banksville. cafesamarkand.com

Pittsburgh’s Uzbek restaurant boom continues with Cafe Samarkand. Named for Uzbekistan’s third largest city and a World Heritage site, the new cafe-style, family-run restaurant opened last month in Banksville. The menu features traditional offerings including plov (a rice dish), borsch, lamb chop, and samsa (pastry pockets), as well as dumplings, noodles, breads, and desserts. Cafe Samarkand is now open seven days a week for dine-in, pick-up, and delivery. Follow their Instagram page for updates.

Leona’s Ice Cream
4609 Butler St., Lawrenceville. leonaspgh.com

Leona’s announced a move from its Lawrence Hall location. The scoop shop opened its first brick-and-mortar space inside the new food hall just one year ago.

“We have decided to leave Lawrence Hall and move on to new opportunities,” Leona’s wrote on Instagram, thanking its patrons. “We are working out some details and will announce the location soon…don’t worry we’re not going far.” They added the new space will offer “freedom to explore our creativity, offer cute merch, [and] create fun partnerships.”

Leona’s will remain at Lawrence Hall through Sat., April 12.

This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2025.