By Rory Buccheri

Copyright thesouthernreporter

The server is not asking about the level of my sleep deprivation. In fact, she wants to know whether I want a very big or very very big ‘pepperoni roll’, a delicacy the Italo-American bakery specialises in.

Registering my puzzled expression, she chips in. “It’s like a Stromboli, with the pepperoni and cheese rolled into the fluffy pizza dough. Oh, and you have to dip it in the marinara sauce.” Well, of course.

The Monster roll, dripping in cheese and moisturised by the oily pepperoni slices, is an unexpected delight for my tired tastebuds. I soon experience a similar series of epiphanies as I hop from one foodie gem to another in Pennsylvania’s second city of Pittsburgh.

Once the steel capital of the world, at the height of its wealth in the 1950s and 1960s Pittsburgh produced 80% of the world’s steel. Though its industrial glories are in the past, the diversity brought by skilled workers from across the globe is still alive in its cuisine.

In the span of 48 hours I have the best pierogies of my life at vegan Polish-Ukranian restaurant Apteka, I follow a talented chef through his garden and apiary, and even get to milk Mabel the goat, whose tangy cheese is the toast of the town.

Sports aside, where Steelers and Pirates share the spotlight, the city’s most popular event is the riotous Picklesburg festival in July, which attracts around 300,000 lovers of all things brined and vinegary. But it’s not just fun in the streets, the Steel City is also fun in the sheets (white tablecloth ones, that is).

“Pittsburgh is a mecca for chefs who want to make a name for themselves”, my guide Karen of Burgh Bites and Bits Tour explains. From apprentices to Thomas Keller’s French Laundry in the Napa Valley, to ambitious sous from Chicago’s After, budding chefs come here for the chances to make a name for themselves, away from the overcrowded competition for glory in New York and other big cities.

Most importantly, they come for the quality of produce, delivered fresh from the city’s doorstep. You don’t need to go far from Pittsburgh’s hilly confines to find small farms and producers supplying the best eateries and shops.

The name on everybody’s lips – and on almost every menu, from appetisers to desserts – is Goat Rodeo Farm & Dairy. On a gorgeous 130-acres oasis in Allegheny County, 20 minutes drive from downtown, a family and their 100 goats are at the helm of this delicious enterprise. No better way to experience the farm-to-table aspect than spending a sunny morning milking the lively goats, and tasting the wide array of cheese lovingly made, packaged, and sold by the family.

One of the places where you can savour Goat Rodeo’s cheese is Butterjoint, where local sourcing is king. Don’t be surprised if you spot homemade sodas and kombuchas made from fresh fruit, sharing menu space with fresh eggs, homemade pickles, and crab cakes. If you are looking for an unforgettable, nourishing breakfast before you go exploring, this is it.

Unmissable spots

A 30-minute drive out of the city through leafy suburbs and cultivated patches, Hyeholde is a fort in shape and culinary might. This eclectically designed restaurant-inside-a-castle is a designated historic site dating back to the 1930s, and an excellent dining spot now owned and led by chef Chris O’Brien.

A signature chef’s table dinner features the best bites this place has to offer. From corn soup, to elk striploin and peach melba, there is hardly anything on the menu that isn’t seasonal and locally sourced. Beets, greens and fruit are hand-picked from trusted regional producers, and the golden-amber honey comes straight from their apiary, which produces just 60 litres per season.

Roaming in the fairytale gardens at Hyeholde, it’s hard to see Pittsburgh as the “hell with the lid taken off”, as famously described by a reporter breathing in the city’s industrial smokes in the early 1900s. I learn this colourful description (and many more anecdotes) at the Heinz History Center, where the ketchup company’s story of success intersects with its hometown.

Walking the 7 exhibition floors is the best way to burn the indulgent, American-style brunch I had in Palm Palm. Described by owners as “if Palm Beach and Palm Springs had a baby, and it served brunch”, this spot ticks all the boxes: from fried chicken and biscuits to tall stacks of cream-filled French toast with a shower of berries on top. It’s easier to digest this full-on feast by heading to under-the-radar Jackworth’s Ginger right after. This independent ginger beer brewery works exclusively with fresh produce, and supplies its cans city-wide.

One of my favourite spots in the city is the Andy Warhol Museum, where you can learn about the most famous Pittsburgher, and father of Pop Art. Son of Eastern European immigrants who came to Pittsburgh to work for its industries, Warhol had a fascination for the mass food production in his hometown, which became a core theme of his art.

I celebrate Warhol’s legacy the way he would have, by veering off the crowded streets and heading to suburban Scratch & Co. in Troy Hill district. The scrumptious bites match the delicious cocktails, a blend of creativity and commitment to seasonal ingredients.

The best foodie neighborhoods in Pittsburgh

It doesn’t matter what neighborhood I’m walking through, the sight is very similar. Life sprouts fiercely through the cracks of the Steel City, where trees and wildflowers lining the busy streets are only a fraction of the green spread across the city’s 170 parks.

A city of peaks and hills, Pittsburgh is embraced by the Allegheny mountains, clearly visible from the Duquesne incline with its funky cable car station and viewpoint where you can admire the downtown skyline.

Once the park-hopping and cable car-riding are done, I head to my favourite neighborhood for a walk and a snack: Lawrenceville. Along its main artery, Butler Street, you will find all sorts of independent spots where to embark on the ultimate food crawl.

The best vino & aperitif hide behind a dark oak counter in Allegheny Wine Mixer. After the tipple, I head to La Gourmandine, a French bakery where sweets are as petite as they are delicious. After a mandatory stop at Inkwell Coffee for a strong espresso, I hop to Bierport for a tasting of the Burgh’s best brews – craft ales, lagers, and IPAs on the shelves are all local. Make sure to save space for dessert, to savour matcha-flavoured cookies, soft serve, or just a classic matcha latte at Mikkusu.

The gritty, flat strip of land that’s aptly called the Strip District is another great culinary spot. The best way to learn about its best-kept secrets is on a 2-hour walking tour with Burgh Bites and Bits. Tasting highlights include a cold cut bonanza from Parma Sausage, Sunseri’s iconic pepperoni roll, Goat Rodeo cheese and figs at Greek deli Stamoolis, and Italian-style biscotti at Enrico Biscotti Company.

Room at The Oaklander from £137 per night British Airways offers daily, direct flights from London Heathrow to Pittsburgh International Airport To create your itinerary, and find out more about unique things to do in the Steel City, head to www.VisitPITTSBURGH.com