For a place to do some work: Carnegie Coffee Company, Carnegie
As any student/freelancer/self-employed creative type knows, not all coffee shops are conducive to a productive morning. Spotty Wi-Fi, blaring music or a lack of seating can quickly derail the best-laid plans. Thankfully, Carnegie Coffee Company offers a great place to get some serious work done. Opened in a former post office in 2013 (check out the counter made from old postboxes), the bright, spacious shop offers two floors of seating for every purpose, from cozy nooks for reading to a conference table for meeting. Keep caffeinated with coffee and espresso from Illy, a venerable Italian roaster that you won’t find in many other shops. And thanks to a menu of homemade soups, sandwiches and baked goods, you can keep on working right through lunch.
Also check out: Bantha Tea Bar, Bloomfield
For a place to meet: Big Dog Coffee, South Side
Big Dog Coffee is the corner coffee shop that everyone wants on their block. Tucked in a former bakery a few blocks off of East Carson Street (read: free street parking), the South Side shop boasts a vibrant, sunny interior and super-friendly baristas. Big Dog is the place to meet a friend or brainstorm with a colleague over a cup of Intelligentsia coffee, with a rotating lineup of the best beans from around the world. At your morning meeting, pair that coffee with breakfast from Big Dog’s oatmeal bar; in the afternoon, switch to Mercurio’s gelato. With lots of cozy seating indoors and an equally intimate patio outside, Big Dog Coffee is a great gathering place any time of year.
Also check out: Anchor and Anvil Coffee Bar, Ben Avon
For an emphasis on community: BREW on Broadway, Beechview
Any place that has hot coffee and a couple of chairs is fated to become a community space, whether they want to or not. But Beechview’s BREW on Broadway does a whole lot more to make sure they serve the community around them. Opened in 2010, BREW is a registered nonprofit, founded with the mission “to spark a sense of renewal and development along Broadway Avenue.” All of the profits from the community-owned coffeehouse go towards revitalizing the Beechview neighborhood. BREW on Broadway hosts an eclectic lineup of monthly events, from comedy showcases to board game nights. Besides being an event space, BREW on Broadway is also a damn fine coffee shop, serving locally roasted Fortunes Gourmet Coffee as well as an assortment of waffles, panini and pastries.
Also check out: Coffee Buddha, Ross
For cold brew: Blue Canary Coffeehouse, Ambridge & Mt. Lebanon
Forget those low-budget commercials that promise to chase away “that 2:30 feeling.” For the ultimate afternoon pick-me-up, grab a nitro cold brew from Blue Canary Coffeehouse. With locations in Ambridge and Mt. Lebanon, Blue Canary has made a name for themselves with this uniquely intense treat. Coffee from Market Square staple Nicholas Coffee Company is steeped overnight, then kegged and served from a beer tap. The result is cold coffee with the creamy texture of a nitrogen stout but the bitter jolt of a deep French roast. And in the warmer months, the shop has multiple varieties on tap (past experiments have included cold brew spiked with maple and a popular hopped version).
Also check out: Allegheny Coffee & Tea Exchange, Strip District
For the cool new kid in town: Black Forge Coffee House, Allentown
You won’t find Norah Jones CDs and dainty scones at Black Forge Coffee House. The Allentown coffee shop, which opened in August of 2015, is part concert venue, part art gallery, and totally metal. Black Forge is the anti-Starbucks, boasting dark walls, a scuzzy soundtrack and a pastry billed as “the only vegan heavy metal Twinkie.” And a visit to Black Forge is a chance to support a web of local businesses: the coffee comes from Zeke’s, sandwiches are provided by Allentown’s Sweet Peaches, and a rotating array of local art lines the walls. At night, the shop turns into a multipurpose event space, using their small stage to host concerts, workshops and open mics nearly every day of the week.
Also check out: 4121 Main, Bloomfield
This list only scratches the surface of Pittsburgh’s thriving coffee scene. What’s your go-to coffee stop? Leave it in the comments!