Pittsburgh is filled with hundreds, maybe even thousands of coffee shops serving up a whole variety of vibes. You’ll see the minimalist coffee shops, the cafes with plants and greenery all over, pup-friendly shops, and more. The options are truly endless for coffee vibes. One unique cafe we can’t get enough of is Moonbeam Cafe located in the Oakmont neighborhood. This mystical, artistic cafe is one you’ll want to visit!
Moonbeam is on the main strip in Oakmont and can be found next to Urbanä, a favorite boutique of ours that we mentioned in a previous article. In fact, these two businesses were once in the same storefront. Since then, Moonbeam has transformed its space into a cafe that sells unique retail as well as hosts vendor pop-ups! When you arrive at Moonbeam Cafe, you will first see their adorable purple and gold logo which is just a taste of the theme of this cafe. When you step inside, you will immediately feel the chic and mystic energy from every piece of pop-culture art on the walls down to their iconic purple velvet couch. We met with the owner, Nina, and she said the idea for the decor was easy to bring to life because it is essentially what the inside of her brain looks like – she’s been dreaming of this for years!
Now let’s talk coffee! Our personal favorite honestly has to be a tie. Depending on the mood we either go for a lavender vanilla oat milk latte or a half lavender half matcha latte. If you can’t tell, we love lavender! Moonbeam is always coming up with new creations like their current April menu with two CBD-infused beverages. The first of these drinks is a mocha named the Reefer Headed Woman. This drink is a cinnamon and cayenne spiced mocha infused with CBD. The second drink is a latte similar to one of our faves! The Purple Haze is a draft matcha latte, infused with lavender, organic honey, and CBD. Two other specials this month are the Got Munchies, an organic house-made banana chocolate chip syrup blended in their signature latte, and the Up In Smoke, a smoked cardamom and organic house-made vanilla bean syrup infused in their signature latte. Hurry in before the end of April to try out one of these awesome crafted creations!
With Moonbeam’s fun menu filled with cool drinks, it’s hard to decide on what to order, so we asked the experts! Nina and one of her baristas make these drinks all day so we asked what their favorite drinks were and this was what they said:
Nina: “I get asked this ALL of the time! Although I love crafting these unique drinks, I often enjoy just a simple cup of delicious black coffee (roasted by my friends at DeFer Coffee Roasters) or, if I am feeling fancy, a plain oat milk latte topped with a dash of cinnamon.”
Brooke: “Mine is a 12oz orange spice latte with whole milk!!”
At its foundation, Moonbeam is inspired by a traditional Italian coffee shop, but with Nina’s unique twist. She is a naturalist at heart, which is why she decided to include the retail section of her cafe that sells some of her favorite natural and locally-sourced products. In fact, 90% of Moonbeam’s retail offerings are made right here in Pittsburgh! Some of the natural products you will find are bath salts, body butter, essential oils, and sage. In the retail section, you will also find handmade goods from local vendors. Pictured, you will see the granny pouches and scrunchies crafted by Crocheting For Costumes.
As mentioned before, Moonbeam Cafe not only has a retail section but also hosts vendor pop-ups to support local businesses! This idea came to Nina about a year after they opened. When we asked Nina how she came up with this new feature at Moonbeam, she said the following:
“It was the middle of COVID when businesses had to get super creative and crafty to get guests to return. I also LOVED that it was equally beneficial to the vendor. Since the start, we have helped launch over twenty-four new businesses, most of them being women-owned. I am SO proud of that.”
When Moonbeam started, Nina never knew how much of a success it would be. She said, “I didn’t expect people to respond to Moonbeam the way that they have. People from all over come daily/weekly for their favorite Moonbeam latte as well as hyping us up on social media.” In such a populous industry, Moonbeam has stood out to many, and continues to impress. By creating a cafe experience that pulls in local vendors, natural and locally-sourced goods, and thoughtfully crafted drinks, Moonbeam has found its place in the Pittsburgh coffee scene. Nina said she owes so much of her success to her amazing customers, vendors, and support system. She couldn’t imagine Moonbeam being what it is today without her friends, family, boyfriend, and killer staff!
With Nina’s ambitious spirit, it’s no doubt that Moonbeam Cafe is only expected to grow! As they move into their third and fourth years, the sky’s the limit! Be sure to stop by for a delicious specialty coffee or something classic, they do it all well. Also, remember to be ready to snap some pictures because the decor is one-of-a-kind!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.