National Slider Day is right around the corner and we are here to tell you about the local spots you can visit to celebrate! May 15th is this year’s National Slider Day so we encourage you to get your slider fix by checking out these restaurants in different Pittsburgh neighborhoods. We have covered all sorts of sliders from the classic burger slider to meatball, pork, chicken, and more!
Slider Vibes
What better way to kick off this list than by mentioning the new to the scene, Slider Vibes! This restaurant is focused SOLELY on sliders as the name suggests. Located in Market Square, this quick-service eatery has everything you can dream up in the slider world. Choose from 4 classic beef burgers, 5 chicken sammies, pulled pork, turkey meatball, an impossible burger, and even a fried mac and cheese ball slider! Our order is one classic burger, one OG fried chicken, and one Buffalo chicken. If you’re looking for sides we recommend 2 sliders and either the mac balls appetizer for the table or a side of French fries. If you’re someone who works Downtown, we suggest the lunch bag special which is 2 sliders, a side of fries, and a canned coke product. Upgrade to one of their awesome shakes for $2 more!
Emporio: A Meatball Joint
This Downtown staple has been located in Penn Avenue’s Sienna Mercato for years. Emporio can be found on the first floor of this three-floored restaurant block and specializes in all sorts of meatballs! They have a gluten-free chicken meatball with Parmesan and herbs, a vegetarian meatball made of mushroom, white bean, and cauliflower, a spicy pork meatball, and a classic beef meatball. Choose your meatball first and top with a sauce. Emporio has 10 unique sauces ranging from a traditional marinara to a government cheese sauce, to their spicy crack sauce. Order any meatball and sauce combo slider style and add fresh mozzarella for $1 more. After you finish up eating, head to the top floor for some rooftop cocktails and great vibes!
Twelve Whiskey BBQ
If you’re a frequent visitor of the Southside neighborhood, you’ve likely heard of Twelve Whiskey BBQ. This classic barbecue joint boasts some delicious smoked meats including chicken, pork, and brisket. Score some sliders here on their appetizer menu where they serve up a trio of pulled pork sliders complete with your choice of BBQ and coleslaw! Some of their BBQ sauces are the Carolina BBQ, whiskey BBQ, and vinegar pepper BBQ.
Nox’s Tavern
Living a little outside the city in the ‘burbs has its perks, and one of them is Nox’s Tavern! Nox’s is a locally loved tavern in the Blawnox neighborhood, east of Pittsburgh. Known for its killer burgers (signature steamers) and chicken wings, this dive bar is the perfect spot for some classic pub eats. One thing Nox’s always crushes is their sliders. We’ve experienced a number of them personally through their catering menu! From their restaurant menu, you can try their meatball, cheeseburger, buffalo chicken, and Nashville chicken sliders. From the catering menu choose from cheeseburgers, meatballs, buffalo chicken, pulled pork, turkey, and American cheese.
Five Iron
Five Iron is indeed a golf simulation spot near Market Square. You’re probably thinking, uhm golf simulator? Yes, we featured them in an article last August! Be sure to check it out for the details! Anyways, back to sliders. Five Iron has a full kitchen, perfect for bar bites while you’re golfing or just hanging out playing pool and shuffleboard. Their menu features Korean short rib sliders and smash burger sliders both accompanied by fries. Their Korean short rib sliders come made with braised short rib, pickled ginger, scallions, and cilantro — a classic Korean-inspired combo. The smash burger sliders are a fun take on a classic burger with bacon and wild mushroom marmalade, aged Vermont cheddar, frizzled leeks, and sriracha aioli for a kick!
BRGR
BRGR is a household name when it comes to burgers. As a western PA chain and popular food truck, BRGR is a build-your-own burger restaurant! It’s no surprise that a spot known for its burgers would have a slider option. Order BRGR’s starter, the trio of sliders. This appetizer has three unique burgers and is great for sharing! The three sliders are a mushroom and Swiss, bacon and cheddar, and a bleu cheese and arugula. Be sure to stay for one of their delicious shakes. Our personal favorite is the smores!
All in all, by doing research for this article, it’s clear that Pittsburgh isn’t exactly the booming metropolis of sliders. That just means that there’s definitely a market for it! Luckily Slider Vibes, fully dedicated to sliders, has recently joined the scene and will hopefully encourage other spots to rise to the challenge. Restaurants of Pittsburgh — get creative and turn some of your apps or entrees into fun sliders! Trust us, the people love them!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.