Downtown Population increased 25% since 2000 (Pittsburgh, Lebanon: businesses, dinner, building)

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by jjs65

What is a "food truck area"?

Lunch Carts...you see them on the Pitt campus in Schenely Plaza....i also thought there were already a few scattered throughout downtown on Grant Street and at Liberty n Fifth

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

Lunch Carts...you see them on the Pitt campus in Schenely Plaza....i also thought there were already a few scattered throughout downtown on Grant Street and at Liberty n Fifth

Indeed, but they are limited in terms of using public spots by some bizarre anti-competitive vending laws:

The case for more food trucks in Pittsburgh

But overall, Pittsburgh hasn't seen the same mobile-food boom as elsewhere. The city's vending rules stipulate that trucks and carts cannot operate within 500 feet of a similar brick-and-mortar store, and require trucks to move every 15 minutes, a major obstacle for this type of business.

Even if those rules can't be completely overturned, I'd like to see some various spots authorized as exceptions (which I believe is allowed under the relevant city ordinances), and in and/or around Mellon Square could be a great choice.

[BettyTheHun]

I think I'd kill for a taco truck in Pgh.

[pman]

Sinobi 2 Go celebrated a grand opening in Market Square on Monday. The new take-out eatery offers sushi, teriyaki, and introduces a new creation, the Asia dog--an all beef frank topped with traditional Asian foods...Different toppings include Korean barbecue brisket, minced chili pork, and Korean-style chicken salad. All dogs are finished with kimchi—a spicy, pickled cabbage dish popular in Korea. Asia dogs are $3.00 each, or two for $5.00...Homemade sauces include Chungyang chili, zinger, curry, orange mayo, and teriyaki. And a variety of Korean drinks are also available at the Market Square location.

Sinobi 2 Go opens in Market Square, take-out sushi
Located at 436 Market Square, Sinobi 2 Go is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and closed on Sundays

I've had hot dogs like that before, pretty damn tasty

[Blackbeauty212]

Il Pizzaiolo latest restaurant to commit to Pittsburgh's Market Square

The new location offers 1,500 square feet per floor, with the restaurant using three of the building’s four floors. The first floor will seat 40 people in the main room of the restaurant, with the second floor to be used for the wine bar. The basement will be used as a prep kitchen.

Il Pizzaiolo has generated a dedicated following by emphasizing a strict approach to Neopolitan cuisine that includes a pizza dough and pasta mixed in the same way it’s prepared in Italy and cooked in a traditional mosaic-tiled wood-fired oven made from Italian materials and imported from Italy.

Il Pizzaiolo latest restaurant to commit to Pittsburgh's Market Square - Pittsburgh Business Times

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

Il Pizzaiolo latest restaurant to commit to Pittsburgh's Market Square

Sounds good. I've eaten there in Mt Lebo a couple times, really good stuff.

[BrianTH]

Um, wow, that is a great addition--some of the best-regarded pizza in the region plus a wine bar.

Generally Market Square is becoming a new Little Italy--Il Pizzaiolo, Vallozzi's, La Cucina Flegrea, Bella Sera . . . and that isn't including Fat Tommy's, La Gondola, DiBella's, and Primanti's.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

Il Pizzaiolo latest restaurant to commit to Pittsburgh's Market Square



Il Pizzaiolo latest restaurant to commit to Pittsburgh's Market Square - Pittsburgh Business Times

This is truly good news. I never get to Mt. Lebanon, and people tell me I'll like this more than Piccolo Forno. Yaaaaay!!!

BTW, I'm not a fan of La Cucina Flegrea. I only went once when I lived in Squirrel Hill; I didn't want to go back. I had pasta that was nothing special -- my own is better -- and a truly disastrous dessert, a cake studded with some kind of candied gummy lemon cubes and doused in limoncello. It was like eating in an SNL version of an Italian foodie restaurant.

[pman]

Originally Posted by pman;16235064 10-12-2010, 04:44 PM

I couldn't disagree more. these are the types of things not needed on the square. if you were to change your list to brian's, that'd be fine.
panera=primanti's (which seems like it outperforms everyone else currently on the square as it is)
corner=pamela's
cosi=crazy mocha (already there)
in addition to those, I'd love to see a downtown penn mac with takeout, a downtown la prima, a downtown il pizzaiolo, a "gastropub" and something I can't think of.

do I get free pizza?
http://www.city-data.com/forum/16235064-post20.html

[LEFT]The new owner of the Henry W. Oliver Building, McKnight Realty Partners, is conducting a study on future improvements and use of the building, which could include a 250- to 275-unit suites hotel.
"Besides the possibility of a hotel on the upper floors of the building, we plan to make major capital improvements to the building that will include elevator work in the low-rise part of the building, perhaps some exterior work and improvement to the mechanical system," said Chuck Perlow, a partner at McKnight Realty. The study should take about six months to complete, he said.
Pittsburgh can use more hotel rooms Downtown, Perlow said

Read more: Suites hotel considered for Henry W. Oliver Building - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbur...#ixzz1c5c7EF5Q[/LEFT]

[BrianTH]

A suites hotel would make sense, and add yet more demand to the growing nights and weekend market Downtown.

A little exterior work could be fine but I hope they are not thinking of anything too drastic--the building is a classic as it is.