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| - A "must do" experience for anyone visiting Pittsburgh. And it should be a regular part of every Pittsburgher's shopping regimen.
For tourists and families visiting Pittsburgh, the Strip District is a microcosm of everything the city is, both its best and its blemishes. Great food, amazing sidewalk shopping, and Pittsburgh's warm and welcoming personality. Visitors absolutely should visit Penn Macaroni, Wholey's and PrestoGeorge. Looking for a great breakfast? DeLuca's! (cash only, though) Looking for good middle eastern food? Labads! Eager for some great biscotti? Enrico Biscotti (but be prepared for cranky, unfriendly staff). Pork products? Parma Sausage (which, a friend from Italy tells me, has the best prosciutto he's ever had). Coffee? PrestoGeorge. Fish sandwich? Wholey's! Cheese, pasta, olives? Penn Mac!
But take the time to just stroll up and down Penn Avenue and ENJOY the crowded sidewalks. Browse the tables of goods offered by the sidewalk vendors. Pick up a Steelers' T-shirt, connoli, a chicken kabob or egg roll, or a Pittsburgh souvenir.
Parking is a challenge, but not impossible. On Saturdays, you can find parking on Penn Avenue if you get there by 8.00a or so. Later in the morning, cruise the side streets or Smallman. Don't be afraid to park a few blocks away and walk.
You live here? There's no better place to find good, fresh fish (Wholey's), sausage/salami (Parma), coffee/tea (PrestoGeorge), Italian foods (Penn Mac), bread (Mancini's) and Asian foods (Sam Bok) than the Strip District. It's well-worth heading down there twice a month.
Above are the hits. The misses? We're not thrilled with the quality of vegetables and meats. It's hit-or-miss for these. Some of my friends swear by Jo-Jo's as Pittsburgh's best breakfast, but the seating is a uncomfortable for me. Roland's always disappoints me (check out the reviews on Yelp). Pamela's is okay for breakfast, but the decor is "fake nostalgic" and just too much for me.
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