Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
173 Bakery Square Blvd., East Liberty and 447 Cinema Dr., South Side. jenis.com
Jeni’s wants to “redefine the sensory experience of ice cream” with a new jet-black scoop. Opaque, a flavor debuted in collaboration with hyper-realistic artist Cj Hendry, combines black cocoa, espresso fudge, and balsamic cherry jam to “[strip] away the traditional vibrancy of ice cream” for an “unexpected and immersive tasting experience.” Ice cream lovers can try the all-black ice cream at both Jeni’s Pittsburgh locations for a limited time.
SumFest: Multicultural Food and Music Festival
Lake Dr., Highland Park. Island Bwoy X Big Stacks Entertainment at eventbrite.com
SumFest, a day-long multicultural food and music festival, takes over the Rhododendron Shelter on Fri., Aug. 29 in Highland Park. Savor dishes from A Taste Of Jamaica Pitt, Happy Day Dessert Factory, Royal Caribbean, and other food trucks, while shopping craft vendors selling “everything from T-shirts to body oils and butters.” There will also be dance groups, comedians, reggae bands, and more. General admission to SumFest is free, and an online RSVP is requested. VIP options are available for $30 and $50. A free afterparty will take place at Enclave in the South Side.
Pittsburgh Soul Food Festival
Multiple locations, Downtown. facebook.com/ASoulfulTasteOfTheBurgh
The sixth annual Pittsburgh Soul Food Festival (aka A Soulful Taste of the Burgh) returns to Downtown for Labor Day weekend. Running from Fri., Aug. 29-Sun., Aug. 31, the free festival pays homage to the region’s Black chefs, food service pioneers, and culinary entrepreneurs, bringing together over 100 small businesses and food service vendors specializing in soul food, Southern fare, and Caribbean and African cuisine, along with barbecue and more.
The festival location, on Market Square and the Boulevard of the Allies between Wood Street and Stanwix Street, pays tribute to the region’s first Black-owned food businesses dating back to the 18th century, including a butchery established by Benjamin Richards and a tavern opened by Charles Richard.
Bantha Tea Bar
5002 Penn Ave., Garfield. banthateabar.com
Support a beloved local business on Mon., Sept. 1, when Bantha Tea Bar in Garfield hosts a Save Bantha benefit. Bantha and the Irma Freeman Center will host a fundraiser and silent art auction coinciding with Bantha’s 10th anniversary. The event will feature live bands, a cookie pop-up sale, tarot readings, a Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament, flash tattoos, and more. Bantha — known for its DIY aesthetic, inclusive environment, and community events — wrote that it’s struggling to stay open amid prolonged construction on Penn Avenue, rising tariffs, and shifting neighborhood demographics, “with many small businesses closing.” Pittsburghers can attend the Bantha benefit in person, donate through a GoFundMe campaign, submit artwork for the auction, or buy a drink from the tea shop, which is open seven days a week.
Britsburgh Festival
Multiple locations. britsburgh.com
Pittsburgh Anglophiles are invited to hop across the pond at the 11th annual Britsburgh Festival. Taking place Mon., Sept. 1-Sun., Sept. 7, Britsburgh features a full week of British-themed events across the region, touting gin, tea, Shakespearean performances, historical remembrances, and more.
Celebrate the festival’s kickoff on Mon., Sept. 1, with a traditional high tea service at the Mansions on Fifth. East End Brewing transforms into a British pub with Three Nights of Britsburgh, where, on Tue., Sept. 2, its Larmier base will tap a cask of Britsburgh Ale, along with a performance by British singer-songwriter Joel Lindsey.
The Mt. Lebanon East End Brewing taproom follows with a second cask tap and a British trivia night, with both locations featuring special Britsburgh-themed pizzas.
On Thu., Sept 4, an elegant “wartime dinner” at The Grand Hall at The Priory honors Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt and commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Dinner guests are encouraged to dress in 1940s attire and enjoy a lecture by Dr. Justin Olmstead, a Churchill scholar and Duquesne University professor.
All Britsburgh event information, tickets, and schedules are available through its website. Britsburgh members receive discounted pricing and early access.
PNC Park
115 Federal St., North Side. mlb.com/pirates/ballpark
All three Pittsburgh stadiums can claim bragging rights for their food. Yelp released a Top 50 Stadiums for Game-Day Eats list and ranked PNC Park number two nationally. Rankings were determined by sourcing online stadium reviews, and Yelp praised PNC Park for pairing “stunning downtown views with a menu that celebrates Pittsburgh’s culinary scene.” Yelp specifically highlighted the ballpark’s local fare, including its deep-fried Polish Cannonballs, which debuted this season, Primanti Bros. sandwiches, and craft beer. Acrisure Stadium ranked 27th on the list, while PPG Paints Arena came in at 44th place.
Pittsburgh Brewing Company
181 S. 21st St., South Side. pittsburghbrewing.com
Pittsburgh Brewing Company made history with a takeover of the Duquesne Brewery Clock. On Aug. 21, the brewery unveiled its Iron City Beer branding on the historic clock face overlooking the South Side, the first time advertising has appeared on the clock since 2017. The 60-foot-wide octagonal clock, considered the largest in North America, was built in the 1930s and relocated from Mount Washington in 1961, when it was famously painted with the Duquesne Brewing slogan “Have a Duke!” Over the decades, the clock has served as a landmark and an advertising canvas showcasing brands such as Coca-Cola and AT&T.
Lucky Bites
549 Lincoln Ave., Bellevue. luckybitespgh.com
Lucky Bites celebrated its grand opening in Bellevue on Aug. 16 with dragons dancing down Lincoln Avenue. The new restaurant serves poke bowls, boba tea, Vietnamese iced coffee, and a “variety of Asian treats,” according to its Instagram page. Lucky Bites is now open Mon.-Tue. and Thu. -Sat. from 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and Sun. from 12–6â¯p.m.
Moochi and You
601 Lincoln Ave., Bellevue. instagram.com/moochiandyou
Bellevue also welcomed Moochi and You, a dessert restaurant described by TribLive as selling mochi doughnuts made from sweet rice flour, Korean corndogs, and boba tea. Moochi and You will operate with soft-opening hours Mon.-Sun. from 6 a.m.-6 p.m., through Sun., Sept. 14. Follow the Moochi and You Instagram page for updates.
Smile Thai and Sushi
253 Atwood St., Oakland. smilethaiandsushi24.com
Smile Thai and Sushi in Oakland has reportedly closed less than a year after opening. According to the blog PennsylvAsia, the Thai restaurant, which opened in October 2024, apparently shut its doors over the summer. Smile Thai took over the space formerly occupied by Spice Island Tea House, an Oakland institution that closed in October 2023 after 29 years in operation.
This article appears in Aug 20-26, 2025.
