Summer sips are here! Now that Memorial Day has passed, we are in FULL summer mode. Nothing quenches your thirst on a hot day in the Burgh like a cool, refreshing drink.
Whether it’s a frozen drink, a cocktail, or a fun summer mocktail creation, Pittsburgh has options for everyone. Check out these spots, indoor and outdoor, where you can enjoy some of the most unique drinks of the summer!
Shorty’s
The new crowd favorite, Shorty’s Pins x Pints, is the perfect spot to enjoy an ice-cold beverage. With two locations, along the water on Pittsburgh’s North Shore and in the Waterfront filled with cozy outdoor fire pits, Shorty’s brings the vibe. The entertainment carries from the outdoor lounge areas to the inside where you can find duckpin bowling, pinball, shuffleboard, and more!
Sit outside and soak up the sunshine with Shorty’s summer-inspired cocktails all season long. Fan of tequila? Try Shorty’s La Flama Blanca! This is Shorty’s twist on a spicy margarita made with El Jimador Blanco Tequila, coconut syrup, fresh lime, and Cholula hot sauce.
Not feeling too spicy? The Marg Under Pressure is a fan-favorite and is available on draft made with Hidden Still Agave Spirit, agave syrup, and fresh lime. It wouldn’t be summertime without Shorty’s play on the classic summer cocktail, the Long Island. The Shor “Tea” is a tall glass of Xplorer Peach Bourbon, unsweetened tea, demerara sugar, and fresh lemon.
If you’re more of a piña colada [getting caught in the rain] person, Shorty’s has some tasty frozen cocktails that will help you beat the heat! The first of their slushies is the Cherry Limeade crafted with cherry vodka, fresh lime, lemonade, and demerara sugar. Another option for a frozen cocktail is their Carameldazed Apple made with Disobedient Apple Brandy, caramel vodka, apple cider, and caramel. Pick your vibe and enjoy the fun!
Station
After much anticipation, the Bloomfield favorite, Station, will be debuting its newly renovated patio this summer! Dining al fresco in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Little Italy has never been better. Enjoy the culinary excellence of the nationally-acclaimed Chef Curtis Gamble while sipping on fresh cocktails from Lead Bartender Jennifer Woods. Known for its rotating seasonal menus, this summer’s menu will be one you won’t want to miss.
When planning your dining and cocktail experience, you’ll want to make a reservation (412-251-0540). While the covered patio is spacious, Station will be an in-demand destination to enjoy an afternoon or evening. The newly released summer cocktail menu will no doubt be a highlight of the outdoor experience with its juicy and refreshing creations!
Cocktail offerings will include the Ostara-made with Lunazul Blanco Tequila, orange blossom, lavender honey, orange, lemon, and egg white; Cuss Words featuring Genepy, BCN Gin, fresh lime, and tonic; and the Basil-cally, a martini made with Tomato Boyd & Blair Vodka, Basil Dolin Dry, and house-made sherry vinaigrette bitters. These cocktails are truly CREATIONS the bar team has come up with for the season!
Ritual House
This summer, visit Downtown Pittsburgh’s newest modern American restaurant located in the Union Trust building, Ritual House. With 18 stunning chandeliers suspended over their unique central bar area, Ritual House is the perfect place to toast to summer! In an effort to highlight local spirits, Ritual House has curated quite the summer-forward cocktail menu.
One of the menu favorites is the seasonal Strawberry Fields Forever crafted with Lawrenceville Distilling Parking Chair Vodka, strawberry, basil, black walnut, and fresh lemon. Another option equally as refreshing, is the South Side Fizz made with Bluecoat Gin, aloe, mint, lemon-lime, and topped with Prosecco.
Want to take it up a notch? Order the festive tiki drink, the Jungle Jester! Served up in a “Screaming Tiki” glass, this cocktail is made with Mezcal, Jamaican Rum, Gifford Pineapple Liqueur, Orgeat, fresh lime. It’s beautifully garnished with a Tajin dusted pineapple wedge. If you’ve never had Tajin and pineapple together, this is your chance. Stay tropical with Ritual House’s Tropic Like It’s Hot cocktail crafted with, Bly White Rum, coconut, grapefruit, pineapple, and lime.
We recommend making reservations online for this dining experience. For catering and for large parties of 10 or more, you can request bookings here.
Biergarten at Hotel Monaco
A rooftop like any other, Biergarten at Hotel Monaco has returned for the season! Nine stories above William Penn Place, this spot offers some of the only rooftop bar views in Pittsburgh. Here you can find lite bites and a lengthy cocktail menu on weekends and post-work on weekdays. This summer, Executive Chef Dave Racicot has designed the menu to feature classic small plate-style options like the iconic Giant Pretzel served with beer cheese and honey dijon, Charcuterie Boards perfect for sharing with your group, and more!
Aidan Leyland leads the bar program at Biergarten, known for its show-stopping craft cocktails. Delicious cocktails that have graced the seasonal menu before will be available, as well as some tasty new additions. A favorite, the Mercury in Retrograde, is a Peach Orange Blossom Ketel One cocktail with elderflower tonic water, Campari, blueberry earl gray, and lemon. Another highlight is the Key and Peele featuring Bacardi, mint, clarified lime, and cucumber. This one is topped with Midori mint foam (super photographable)! Speaking of photo-worthy cocktails, we would be remiss if we did not mention the Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice. This playful cocktail is crafted with Don Julio Blanco, Solerno, Luxardo Maraschino, grapefruit, lime, and Jello grapefruit. It’s finished with a house spice blend rim.
Feel free to unwind by enjoying the beautiful views of the city and life-sized games in the communal seating areas. Cool down from your game with one of Biergarten’s iconic frozen cocktails. Supporting local, It’s Summer, Right, features IC Light Mango, Altos Tequila, agave, and fresh lime.
If you’re looking to sip on something fun but want an alcohol-free beverage, mocktails are also available at Biergarten! Sting Like a Bee is one of their mocktail offerings, crafted with Ritual Non-Alcoholic Rum, ginger, fermented honey, and fresh lime. It’s just as tasty and refreshing as their summer cocktail selections.
The PA Market
The PA Market is a unique two-story eatery in the Strip District made up of six counter-style restaurants and four bars. As the weather warms up, The PA Market becomes even more lively as The Courtyard becomes home to many Pittsburghers looking for a spot to soak up the sun! Stopping by for a glass of wine? The PA Market is perfect for casual sips. Looking for a spot to dine with your group? The food options are fabulous.
Order food or drinks at any bar or restaurant within this market and bring them to The Courtyard to enjoy the outdoors. The Courtyard Bar, which is located along the outside wall, features a special menu of craft cocktails and a wood-fired oven for dining! One featured cocktail this summer at the Courtyard Bar is The D.H. Market?! crafted with Espolon Blanco Tequila, Triple Sec, strawberry vanilla cordial, and fresh lime juice. Another is the Spritz with Misadventures made with Aperol, Pimm’s No. 1, Hendrick’s Gin, fresh lemon juice, melon, mint, and cucumber cordial soda water. We anticipate the Spritz with Misadventures to be one of the hottest drinks of the summer!
You can also enjoy an upper-level outdoor space at The PA Market by heading inside to their second-floor balcony. Visit the Top Floor Bar right inside the balcony to experience the Do You Take Mexican Credit Cards? cocktail featuring high rewards of tequila and mezcal. Also try the That’s My Juice Popper crafted with Stateside Vodka, Aperol, Combier Pasteque Watermelon Liqueur, house-made melon mint cucumber syrup, and fresh lemon juice. The PA Market also offers festive mocktails such as the No Worries, It’s Not a Soggy Bar which is made up of banana and mango cordial, pineapple juice, orange juice, and coconut cream.
The Commoner
A perfect spot for an after-work beverage or a nightcap, The Commoner’s legendary bar is known for its craft cocktails. This summer will be no different as The Commoner has curated a one-of-a-kind seasonal cocktail menu featuring infused and local spirits. One of their featured craft cocktails, Influencer in The Wild, is a combination of strawberry-jalapeno-infused Aperol, Vida Mezcal, and Dolin Genepy. The Sleepy 75 is another featured drink made with Hendricks Gin, Maggie’s Farm Falernum, lavender, and fresh lemon – all delightful botanical flavors that bring a summer drink over the top.
The Commoner also offers an extensive selection of zero-proof cocktails like their Lady May which features a lot of those perfectly light, botanical profiles. Lavender, fresh lemon, and butterfly pea flower create this refreshing mocktail. Another more citrus-forward mocktail is the Just Sippin’ on Chamomile crafted with Monday Zero Proof Gin, citrus, chamomile, and orange blossom.
Square Café
This colorful and inviting café located in East Liberty has once again opened its rooftop deck overlooking Centre Avenue. Square Café invites guests to dine on their covered rooftop deck and enjoy their seasonal cocktail and mocktail specials! Throughout the summer specials will be rotating bi-weekly, so there’s always a reason to keep coming back.
One of their frozen beverages that will be available this season is their Mango-Berry Frosé. Made up of frozen mango, strawberry purée, fresh lime juice, Casco Viejo Blanco Tequila, and Rosé wine, there is no day too hot for this cocktail to fix. Still wanting to beat the heat, but are looking for something spirit-free? Square Cafe’s Sunrise Tea Cooler is a shaken mocktail with pineapple lemonade, freshly brewed raspberry iced tea, a dash of Grenadine, and frozen bits of pineapple.
Other new summer features include the Cosmosa, a unicorn-inspired cosmopolitan made with Stateside Vodka, pomegranate juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and finished with Peperino Spumante. This comes available as a mocktail as well referred to as the Sparkling Cosmo. For this version, they sub out the alcohol and add in sparkling water to still give it some bubbles! Aside from the rooftop deck, the café will also feature its Morning Ale, a mule-style cocktail made with Casco Viejo Blanco Tequila, freshly squeezed orange, and fresh lime juice served on the rocks with a kick of ginger-lime beer.
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.