The week after spring-forward can be…rough. If you’re currently a zombie, we’re right there with you. Luckily, Nicholas Coffee has our backs! They’ve been caffeinating Pittsburgh for 100 years…literally.
You might not have noticed Nicholas, tucked away in Market Square, but they’ve been open since 1919. They were one of the first companies to make and distribute pillow packs of coffee, and they were one of the original members of the gourmet coffee market in the 1970s. Nicholas Coffee was also one of the first in the country to make flavored coffees back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. (Can you even imagine life without flavored coffees?) You can still see their original coffee roaster in the front of the store – although they use it to roast peanuts instead of coffee today.
The current owner is the fourth generation of Nicholas’ to own the shop. They like to keep some things traditional – like not opening on Sundays or major holidays – while keeping up with new trends – like adding the coffee counter with a full range of espresso drinks. They’ve done some renovations, both by choice and after a fire in 2017. However, Nicholas has always managed to keep that nostalgic charm. Fun fact: the front door to the shop actually used to be where the archway is near the chandelier, and the peanut roaster used to be outside the building! The line used to go out the door, so they decided to add more room inside for people to wait for their amazing coffee.
Nicholas Coffee is still roasting their coffee in-house, just like they always have. If coffee isn’t your jam, they offer a wide selection of teas, some of which are their own blends. We also recommend grabbing a snack while you pick up your drink of choice…we love the Razz Ma Tazz!
A lot of restaurants and coffee shops in and around the city proudly serve Nicholas Coffee, too. Places like Pizzaiolo Primo, also in the square, and Monterey Bay on Mount Washington. If you’re outside the city, check out Generoasta in Warrendale or Cummings Coffee and Candy in Butler. And if you’re leaving the city, grab some coffee at the Strip Market in the airport.
To celebrate their 100th anniversary, Nicholas Coffee is currently offering free shipping on orders $100 or more. And keep an eye out later in the year for more deals. You should probably grab a coffee there at least once a week so you make sure you don’t miss out. We heard a pretty amazing one-day-only special is in the works! We can’t spill the beans on it, but we *can* tell you that you won’t want to miss it.
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.
