CP photo: Jared Murphy
Eon's Fashion Antique
If you want to buy some happiness, head to Shadyside. This neighborhood is best known for the shops lining Walnut Street. You’ll find a “see and be seen” kind of crowd here, carrying shopping bags from chain retail stores like Gap, Banana Republic, William Sonoma, Apple, and Sephora. Plus, local shops like
Weisshouse Pittsburgh (
weisshouse.com) with high quality home furnishings and
Roberta Weissburg Leathers (
robertaweissburgleathers.com), which includes an upstairs workshop. If you’re looking to get pampered, the neighborhood also has a wealth of spas, salons, and fitness centers, including
European Wax Center (
waxcenter.com),
Amazing Yoga (
amazingyoga.net), and
Nadia Salon (
nadiasalon.com). Over on Ellsworth Avenue, you can find artwork as well. Visit the quirky
Gallerie Chiz (
galleriechiz.com) or
Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery (morganglassgallery.com).
Bookmark this site: thinkshadyside.com
Arts + Culture
Whether you’re interested in seeing art or honing your artistic ability, you can do it at
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (
center.pfpca.org). In addition to art exhibits, this nonprofit organization has classes open to groups, families, individuals, and kids — perfect for pushing yourself creatively.
If improv comedy tickles your funny bone, the
Steel City Improv Theater (
steelcityimprov.com) is a great place to be. Between the improv shows, classes, and corporate workshops, it’s easy to surrender to laughter.
CP photo: Jared Murphy
5801 Video & Lounge
Food+Drink
5801 Video & Lounge (
5801videolounge.com) is an LGBTQ-focused spot with 15 big screens showing both sports and reality TV. There are also darts and poker leagues, a great food menu, and an upstairs bar for non-smokers.
Breathe in the waffle-cone smell of
Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream (
millieshomemade.com) and get lost contemplating the seasonal ice-cream flavors.
Leave with a bag of broken waffle-cone bits for later. The dishes at
Noodlehead (
noodleheadpgh.com) are inspired by the street markets of Thailand, and they pack a major flavor punch. It’s hard not to get drawn in by the aromas while you’re walking past. Cash only!
People will tell you to try the burnt-almond torte at
Prantl’s Bakery (
prantlsbakery.com) if you haven’t already, but there are more than a hundred sweet options available, including fruit Danish, nut-filled coffeecakes, and an assortment of pies.
Shopping
Like vintage? Head to Ellsworth Avenue to two shops with bragging rights — celebrities have been known to shop at both.
Eons Fashion Antique (
search Facebook for “Eons”) is a vintage-clothing shop covering the 1930s through the 1980s; a few doors down is
Hey Betty! (
heybettyvintageclothing.com), a chic vintage clothing shop whose owners have been curating and selling vintage clothes for decades.
In addition to an expansive selection of greeting cards,
Kards Unlimited (
kardsunlimited.com) offers an array of novelty gifts, toys, books, and much more.
If you have kids, stop by
Picket Fence (
picketfenceshadyside.com), a whimsical shop with gifts for babies and kids. If your kids (or you!) are into anime, don’t miss
Kawaii Gifts (
shopkawaii.com), a cute shop with tons of adorable Japanese imported goodies. If your kids are the four-legged kind, treat your fur baby right at
Petagogy (
petagogy.com), a pet store featuring natural food, treats, and toys.
Tokyo Japanese Food Store (
tokyostorepgh.com) is a tiny supermarket beside a laundromat in a strip mall. In addition to a wide variety of Japanese snacks, treats, noodles, and freshly-made bento, you can also rent and buy Japanese dramas and variety shows here.
Where the Locals Go
Drink where the locals drink? Hell, drink where our mayor drinks.
Cappy’s Cafe (
cappysonwalnut.com) is Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s favorite spot for late-night meetings. It’s a low-key corner bar where, in addition to possibly spotting politicians, a solid Friday night of wing bites and karaoke (a.k.a. Cappyoke) can be found. Trivia happens on Wednesdays, and sports are generally on the television.