Earlier this month, my wife and I decided to make our way to Pittsburgh for a weekend.  It’s only about a 4 hour drive, and it’s just a nice city.  I went to school there in the 80’s, and had step-family there in the 70-s and 80s, so I have some history with the city and enjoy going back when I can.

Pittsburgh is also the largest inland port in the country.  What this means is that I can get great prices on imported foods!  The area along Penn and Liberty, close to the Allegheny River is called the Strip District.  And, no, no strippers.  But there are lots of shops and restaurants, and it’s open early.  My favorite 2 places there are Parma Meats, where they make their own Italian meats, and Pennsylvania Macaroni, where they have a huge selection of cheeses as well as lots of Italian imports.  Good stuff at both places, and both are now online.

I’ve written about Pittsburgh in the past, so this isn’t anything new, though I got more photos this time!  My favorite 2 places to eat in Pittsburgh are Vincent’s Pizza in Forest Hills and The Original Hot Dog Shop in Oakland.  Of course, I made it to each of these again.

Friday night, we pulled into town after a pretty uneventful trip (though it was our first trip in our new-to-us convertible!)  I got a great price in Priceline.com on a room at the Omni William Penn, a gorgeous old hotel in downtown Pittsburgh.  I got the room for $60 a night!  So we get in our room, and right away we’re off to Forest Hills for pizza!

What makes Vinny Pie so great?  It’s a combination of things.  First, the toppings are piled on.  The meats are made locally, and the veggies are cut very thin and heaped on.  Sauce is minimal and cheese is just the right amount.  Next is the crust.  I’m not slamming anyone’s favorite pizza, but I love this stuff - It’s like bread but in crust form, crunchy on the edges, soft in the middle.  And last, the ash left over from previous pizzas that sticks to the crust gives it a flavor that’s just hard to describe… But if I had to, I’d describe it as GREAT!

The next day, after shopping in the Strip District, we headed out to Oakland, appetites ready for more.  The Original Hot Dog Shop is locally knows as the "O", or even the "Dirty O" due to previous Health Department issues.  This is the first place I’d ever heard of cheese fries.  The fries are incredible, with the small size bigger than Mickey D’s supersized fries.  They no longer even make the extra large.  But a small is enough for 3-4 people!

The dogs are real hotdogs.  Kosher dogs with natural casing, so you get that ’snap’ when you bite into them.  You can get just about anything on a dog you want, but my favorite here has always been a chili cheese onion dog.  Great stuff!!!!

it was a great weekend, mostly good weather, and great food.  If you’re within driving distance of Pittsburgh and haven’t been there, do yourself a favor and take a weekend trip.  The people are friendly and the city is gorgeous.  If you’re a foodie like me, you’ll have a great time!