Buy or Bye: South Side Coffee Shops
We went on a quest to find which coffee shops on the South Side of Pittsburgh are worth the buy.
November 28, 2018
Maria: For being pretty hard to find, The Big Dog Coffee Shop was a diamond in the rough. The whole shop was bursting with color and a friendly atmosphere — it was dog friendly and had free WiFi- but for me, that was where the goodness stopped. The simple vanilla latte was fine at best. It was incredibly bitter and leaved an odd taste in my mouth. For aesthetically pleasing Instagram pics, The Big Dog is the place to go, but for coffee, I would give it a BYE rating.
Coffee rating: 2 coffee beans out of 5
Hipster rating: 4 beanies out of 5
Kendel: The atmosphere here was great! There was interesting art pieces and peaceful music with cozy a outdoor seating area. I thought our latte was pretty great. It had a nice blend of coffee and vanilla, but it was a little sweet for me. Even so, the service was terrific, and the people were kind, so overall I would say it is definitely a BUY.
Coffee rating: 3 coffee beans out of 5
Maria: This two-level nirvana was the ideal place for aspiring hipsters. From the coffee to the art, everything they sold was tasty and beautiful. The menu was unique and very ‘punny’, with names like ‘the devil wears Gouda’ to ‘fatigue fighter.’ I found myself unable to stay away from the vanilla latte I ordered. It had a perfect mix of coffee, sweetness, and foam art. But foam art wasn’t the only art Delanie’s was selling — they had tons of fantastic art work covering the walls of the entire establishment for sale, making the dining experience that much better. For sure a BUY rating!
Coffee rating: 4 coffee beans out of 5
Hipster rating: 5 lumberjack beards out of 5
Kendel: Delanie’s was such a cute place with a charming brick wall and a comfy loft for extra seating. They had art from local artists for sale, which I was a big fan of. There was free WiFi and huge windows so it wasn’t too dark like some coffee shops are. The coffee featured delicate latte art on it, which was a nice touch, but it was kind of a dull coffee taste. Additionally, it was very inexpensive compared to other coffee places. The actual coffee was not my favorite, but because of the atmosphere, I would still give it a BUY!
Coffee rating: 4 coffee beans out of 5
Maria: Even at the end of November, as soon as you walk into BeeHive the atmosphere quickly transports you to a beach vacation. This bright oasis was bursting with friendliness and uniqueness from all the odd light fixtures to the lobster plane hanging above the cash register, to the cut-outs of Nicholas Cage as different Game of Thrones characters. This coffee shop was begging to be found! The coffee was made by friendly faces who have been working for years. The vanilla latte itself was DELICIOUS! I couldn’t have asked for a better blend! But you have to hurry! The BeeHive is closing at the end of December due to the building being sold so hurry down for your own tasty treat and unique experience! Definite a BUY rating here!
Coffee rating: 6 coffee beans out of 5
Hipster rating: 6 plaid shirts out of 5
Kendel: This is probably the most interesting building I’ve ever been in! There was upbeat, loud music, lots of mismatched decorations with a very hipster vibe. It doesn’t seem like a great place to get work done because there is no WiFi , it was pretty dark inside and the music was pretty loud. Even so, the atmosphere is great for having fun and just hanging out with friends. The coffee was a incredible! My latte had the perfect amount of vanilla and the sharp taste of coffee. Unfortunately, the coffee shop will be closing soon and turn into a beer tap. Please go out ASAP and visit this cute local spot to support it before it closes.
Coffee rating: 5 coffee beans out of 5
Maria: I am scared. Pulling up to the Black Forge Coffee House, we were almost deterred by the 5 police cars parked outside but managed to channel our inner Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson, and braved our way in. While the atmosphere was scary for a a wimp like me, with bloody mannequins sitting in the corners of the rooms, other people may enjoy it. On the other hand, the whole shop was very unique. While talking to our barista/owner of the shop, she said that everything in the shop was either made by the employees or local artists. THE PEPPERMINT LATTE WAS AMAZING!! Don’t let the daunting exterior let you down like it almost did with us. For sure a BUY rating from this spooked girl!
Coffee rating: 5 coffee beans out of 5
Metal head rating: 4 skulls out of 5
Kendel: It was a little disheartening to see five police cars outside the building when we pulled up and to see several Satan symbols and serpents on the walls, and bloody mannequins hanging up. But we walked in a had a lovely conversation with owner. She said they “have been open for 3 years and we are about to open another store in McKees Rocks. Everything here is made by one of the owners or local artists.” When we tasted our peppermint latte, it was outstanding. I usually don’t like peppermint in coffee but this was probably the best coffee I’ve ever tasted. I think this place was a prime example of not judging a book by its cover.
Coffee rating 5 coffee beans out of 5
Maria: If you are looking for a quiet place to get work done, then I would recommend Cup Ka Joe, but that is about it. The vanilla latte was DISGUSTING. It was like scalding sugar milk coating the tongue. For a shop that only sells drinks you would think they would be able to put more time into their recipes but they obviously do not. There was ample seating, but I believe that was only because of the lack of customers. The only positive I can think of about this place was the bright natural light from the garage door windows and the yellow brick walls. I would have to say without a doubt this is a BYE rating.
Coffee rating: 1 coffee beans out of 5
Hipster rating: 1 handlebar mustache out of 5
Kendel: This place had a cute exterior and I had high expectations, but honestly it was the most disappointing. The latte was not very good — it did not have any taste of coffee and had way too much foam. The service was very good and it seemed like a peaceful environment to get something done, but there was also a lot of random stuff laying around and it felt kind of messy. Since there are so many other coffee shops on the same street, and nothing stood out about this one, I would give it a BYE.
Coffee rating 1 coffee bean out of 5
*In order to fairly rate each coffee shop, we ordered a vanilla latte at each stop, so that our coffee rating could be standard.
*Special thanks to Morgan and Tracey Cima for taking pics and driving us all around the South Side!
