8 Pittsburgh coffee stops that offer iced beverage and unique atmosphere
The most important part of any coffee shop experience is the atmosphere. Well, that and the taste of the coffee.
As a college student, I appreciate sipping my cold brew while typing on my laptop, surrounded by the gentle bustle of a beanery. The combination of caffeine-addicted customers (not excluding myself), friendly employees and custom decor brings a personal touch to Pittsburgh storefronts. And with the promise of dependably warmer days fast approaching, the Pittsburgh coffee world offers a number of locations to tour with a comforting, cold, caffeinated beverage in-hand.
These eight coffee businesses offer a unique coffee shop environment within the city.
Cafetano
Cafetano has three locations, but Pittsburgh is the only one in the U.S. The others are in Honduras, where its coffee beans originate. Entering Pittsburgh’s coffee scene just last fall, Cafetano offers an array of options of espresso drinks, in addition to specialty beverages such as the Cacao Horchata, a noncaffeinated cold drink. The staff suggested adding a shot of espresso, and the coffee flavor paired well with the cacao leaves, rice and oat milks, brown sugar and cinnamon of the horchata. With a large menu made up of a variety of beverage and food options, anyone could sit inside (or out, on the lovely patio) for hours enjoying the atmosphere and vibrant paintings hung everywhere — even the ceiling.
1601 Penn Ave., Strip District.
Yinz Coffee
Yinz need to stop dahn here for a Pittsburghthemed coffee experience. Every menu and decor item in the shop has Pittsburgh roots. The cold brew is made in house using beans from 19 Coffee Co. in Baldwin Borough. Each of five storefronts has a different Pittsburgh theme, with the North Shore location appropriately sports-inspired. Menu item “The 724” combines a blended espresso frappe with chocolate sauce, peanut butter syrup and whipped cream. Maybe it doesn’t have the least calories, but Pittsburgh is also known for its pierogies, so really, who’s counting n’at?
Five locations: 2 E. North Ave, North Side; 420 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown; 5607 Baum Blvd., Friendship; 4525 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield; 2775 Mosside Blvd., Monroeville.
Café Phipps
Visitors do not need to pay admission to the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens to enjoy a coffee at Café Phipps. with its woodland bistro ambience. However, a ticket is required in order to tour a breathtaking display of natural beauty of the gardens while sipping on the bold flavors of Pittsburghbased La Prima coffee.
1 Schenley Drive, Schenley Park.
Delanie’s Coffee
Delanie’s offers a typical coffee shop ambience with light acoustic music and low, warm lighting, but their mezzanine/ book nook
makes the space incredibly cozy. Even the locally made artwork on the walls fits the welcoming, happy mood. Delanie’s uses Commonplace Coffee beans, but the menu items are completely original. The selection of fresh chilled juices, teas (including matcha) and blended lattes offer a creative boost to the day of any visitor.
1737 E. Carson St., South Side Flats.
Adda Coffee & Tea House
Adda does not charge extra for using nondairy milks in a beverage order. The fan-favorite diary alternative among employees at the North Side location appears to be oat milk, which paired nicely with the Orange Blossom Latte, a specialty menu option last month. The latte introduced me to orange juice and espresso, a surprisingly harmonious duo. Even though Adda’s signature High Tea experience has not yet returned after the pandemic, there are plenty of opportunities to test its unique coffee and tea options (hot or iced) seated in, say, its North Side space that resembles my dream bedroom.
Four locations: 200 S. Highland Ave., East Liberty; 926 Western Ave., Manchester; 4905 Penn Ave., Garfield; 225 Fifth Ave., Downtown.
Allegheny Coffee & Tea Exchange
Nestled in the heart of the Strip, Allegheny Coffee has no need for its own sit-down space: Here, the staff members understand that their customers’ goals are to rejuvenate their days with Allegheny’s homemade blends (and simply the smell of their brewing beans) and then explore the area’s markets and shops.
2005 Penn Ave., Strip District.
La Prima Espresso Co.
La Prima is another coffee stop located in the Strip, but its Italian history makes it unique from other shops in the area. Visitors to the 21st Street La Prima storefront may just encounter a group of five or six retired Italian gentlemen, playing cards at a circular table and chatting in their native language, just outside. Inside, coffee lovers are greeted by a variety of signature coffee and espresso
blends that are not available anywhere else in the world. Trying just one of the authentic Italian beverages is enough to keep caffeine addicts coming back for more.
205 21st St., Strip District.
Commonplace Coffee
The name of this coffee bean distributor might come from its availability across the city — finding a coffee shop in Pittsburgh that uses Commonplace beans is, well, common. The business also has its own storefronts scattered across Pittsburgh, all of which offer a perfect study or people-watching space. The location on the North Side, on Buena Vista Street, has weekly food trucks on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. But the atmosphere is not the only enjoyable part of the Commonplace Coffee experience. It has a unique assortment of flavors, including its sweet oak flavor syrup, which adds a woody, vanilla hint to the rich coffee flavor of the espresso beans. Sipped cold or hot, Commonplace coffees are sure to bolden your day.