Where To Eat Late in Pittsburgh

Back-to-school season means late nights are back — and sooner or later, you’re going to get hungry. We’re revisiting our 1,000th episode, where City Cast Pittsburgh contributor and Post-Gazette dining critic Hal B. Klein joins host Megan Harris to hype up more than 20 places serving food after midnight, plus what to order when the evening cravings hit.

**This episode originally aired on March 9, 2026.

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August 24th, 2026 2:00am

Pablo Pledgescobar, Impounded E-Scooters & Shapiro’s Data Center Play

Penn State frats are facing yet another scandal –– this time a cocaine trafficking ring that investigators say involved students, alumni, and one Pittsburgh-area dad. Contributors Sophia Lo and Colin Williams join host Megan Harris to talk about the players, the drugs, and how much money they allegedly made. Plus, the e-scooter crackdown around Pittsburgh is picking up steam again. Pitt has says they’ll impound your scooters, while lawmakers are considering whether PA’s rules for e-scooters and e-bikes need an update. Plus, a win for HIV research and prevention, literal loss of life for local Kratom users, new regulations for Pennsylvania data centers, and a couple chances to see the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. 

And on today’s member’s-only bonus segment, some trip inspiration from Colin’s recent sojourn abroad. Don’t have access yet? Join today (it’s the last day to claim your exclusive City Cast Pittsburgh merch!) at membership.citycast.fm/pittsburgh

Notes and references from today’s show:

• Alleged leader of Penn State drug-trafficking crew 'begged' people not to talk about his involvement [Post-Gazette] 
• Penn State fraternity members, pledges accused in ‘highly-profitable’ cocaine trafficking operation [WTAE] 
• Father charged in suspected cocaine ring at Penn State is Pittsburgh attorney [TribLive]
• Man killed while riding Spin Scooter in Pittsburgh [WPXI]
• E-bike regulations becoming popular in Pittsburgh suburbs [TribLive]
• Marshall updates e-bike ordinance on use in recreation areas [TribLive]
• Shapiro feels heat of election year controversy, toughens Pennsylvania’s data center rules [Post-Gazette]
• Allegheny County hits historic low number of new HIV diagnoses [Pittsburgh City Paper]
• Kratom deaths mount in Pittsburgh region as lawmakers grapple with how to regulate it [Post-Gazette]
• PODCAST: Taxing Pool Tables, School Closure Aftermath & Breweries in Bankruptcy (Bonus Feed) [City Cast Pittsburgh]
• Looking for a Wienermobile near you? [Oscar Mayer Wienermobile]

Learn more about the sponsors of this Friday, August 21st episode:

Experience Butler County

uTest

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August 21st, 2026 2:00am

The Bartenders' Guide to Pittsburgh Dive Bars

Who knows a great bar better than the people who’ve worked behind one? Pittsburgh bartenders Aubrey Halliburton and Lisa Considine, co-owners of Lo Bar Cocktail Services and Lo Places Social Club, join host Megan Harris in McKees Rocks to discuss the best dive bars in the city and why we love their lived-in decor, functional grime, and sticky floors. Plus, what the back bar tells you before you order, how to order a drink you'll actually like, and how to make a friend or two while doing it.

This episode originally aired on January 21, 2026.

Learn more about the sponsors of this Wednesday, August 19th episode:

Experience Butler County

uTest

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August 19th, 2026 2:00am

Where To Shop Vintage, Thrift, Consignment & Flea

Pittsburgh is a great hub for thrift, vintage, consignment, and flea market shopping — whether you’re hunting for a perfectly broken-in jacket, a weird little piece of history, or something you absolutely did not need but suddenly cannot live without. Ahead of National Thrift Day, we asked local vintage lovers where they shop and ended up with a much longer list than expected. City Cast Pittsburgh's Megan Harris and Rachel Carlson are talking about the differences, how to curate your own unique style, and Rachel's pro tips for taking home your next best treasure without a dressing room. Plus, why Millennials should've been stocking up on JNCO jeans instead of beanie babies, how Castle Shannon quietly became a vintage mecca, and a crowdsourced list of Pittsburgh's best secondhand spots.

Got a favorite spot we missed? Call or text the OLD STUFF HOTLINE at 412-212-8893.

Learn more about the sponsors of this Monday, August 17th episode:

AIDS Free PGH

Handmade Arcade

Propel Schools

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August 17th, 2026 2:00am

Red-Light Cameras, Dirty Rivers & Pittsburgh’s Cutest Potato

Pittsburgh’s red-light cameras are officially here — and so are some new reasons to be nervous about the river water you’re maybe swimming in. Host Megan Harris and City Cast Pittsburgh contributors Sophia Lo and Colin Williams dig into what Trump’s new executive order means for Pennsylvania’s childhood vaccination guidance and why local inoculation rates have us keeping an eye on measles. Plus, we’ve got a win in the fight over UPMC patient records, Pittsburgh’s eternal cloudiness, Steelers in contention for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and a baby lion named Potato.

Sophia wants to know — is UPMC going to reverse their pause on gender-affirming care for minors? If you have some insight, call or text us at 412-212-8893.

Notes and references from today’s show:

• Pittsburgh Launches Automated Red-Light Enforcement Program [City of Pittsburgh]
• Memo on Automated Red-Light Enforcement Expansion [Pennsylvania Senate]
• PODCAST: 12 Rules Every Pittsburgh Driver Should Know [City Cast Pittsburgh]
• Pennsylvania rivers have unsafe E. Coli levels [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
• Swim Guide [Three Rivers Waterkeeper]
• PODCAST: Can You Swim in Pittsburgh’s Rivers? Plus Teens in Public and Train Tours [City Cast Pittsburgh]
• Federal government changed childhood vaccine schedule this week [AP]
• Measles Cases in PA [PA Department of Health]
• School Immunization Rates [PA Department of Health]
• PODCAST: Pittsburgh’s Measles Risk, Explained [City Cast Pittsburgh]
• Advocates hail DOJ move as win for UPMC patients who sought gender-affirming care [WESA]
• Justice Department abandons effort to force UPMC to turn over patient records of transgender minors [TribLIVE]
• PODCAST: UPMC Didn’t Challenge Trump, So These Pittsburgh Families Did [City Cast Pittsburgh]
• The Cub Has Been Dubbed [Pittsburgh Zoo]
• Pittsburgh ranks as cloudiest major city in US, and science shows why [USA Today]
• Pittsburgh Gray [PPG Paints]
• Pro Football Hall of Fame 2027: Ranking, Predictions [CBS Sports]
• Big Ben Leads Strong Steelers Contingent for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027 [Steelers Now]
• PODCAST: Sports Villains, Redemption Arcs and the One Man We’ll Never Forgive [City Cast Pittsburgh]
• Steelers Franchise Worth $8.7 Billion in Latest Valuations [TribLIVE]
• Visit Pittsburgh claims 2026 NFL Draft impact of $177M but withholds supporting studies [TribLIVE]
• No Medical Card Needed: Federal Loophole Behind Intoxicating Hemp Is Closing [Pittsburgh Media Partnership]
• Pa.’s attorney general is backing a hemp product ban. The industry says it goes way too far [Spotlight PA]
• PODCAST: Cannabis, Skill Games and More Hot Topics Missing From PA Budget [City Cast Pittsburgh]

Learn more about the sponsors of this Friday, August 14th episode:

AIDS Free PGH

Handmade Arcade

Propel Schools

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August 14th, 2026 2:00am

Can Waymo Crack Pittsburgh?

Have you had a Waymo sighting lately? It suddenly seems like these robotaxis are everywhere. Pittsburgh has been a testing ground for autonomous vehicles for a decade now, but getting them to navigate our streets has been a lot harder than many companies hoped. Host Megan is with Axios’ transportation correspondent Joann Muller to talk about the big companies that have come and gone, how she thinks about their relative safety, and what Waymo's arrival says about Pittsburgh's evolving role in the self-driving boom. Plus, what to do if you pull up next to a robotaxi.
Wanna get your hands on some vintage City Cast swag? We’re clearing out our swag closet, and if you join now you’ll get a limited edition pennant, mug, or tote bag to show off your city pride! Click here to support this show and get your free gift. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this Tuesday, August 11th episode:

AIDS Free PGH

Handmade Arcade

Propel Schools

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August 12th, 2026 2:00am

Pittsburgh's Grocery Store Showdown

Giant Eagle has long been the main grocery game in town — it's celebrating 95 years in the Burgh with special merch — but that's about to change. Kroger's acquiring the local chain, Wegmans and Meijer are coming to Cranberry, and Trader Joe's is allegedly looking to expand into the Strip District. It suddenly feels like we're at the center of the grocery store wars. What's going on? Could all this competition drive down prices? And can one region sustain so many chains? Host Megan Harris is with Chloe Jad, tech and retail reporter at the Post-Gazette, to discuss her reporting on these expansions and consolidations and what it all means for the average Pittsburgher who just wants some decent quality, reasonably priced groceries.

Learn more about the sponsors of this Monday, August 10th episode:

AIDS Free PGH

Handmade Arcade

Propel Schools

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August 10th, 2026 2:00am

Pittsburgh’s Measles Risk, Explained

Measles cases are ⁠on the rise in Pennsylvania⁠. We just notched 200 cases, with more than 45 reported in the last week alone. This is especially scary when you consider how many kids are about to go back to school. Records show at least 40,000 PA students are missing their state-mandated vaccines, and lots of schools have dropped below the 95% herd immunity threshold that helps stop an outbreak from becoming an epidemic. (Some Pittsburgh-area schools are dangerously low in the 70% range.) 

To learn how we got here and what we can possibly do about it, we're revisiting host Megan Harris' conversation with Mike Wereschagin, reporter and editor for the Post-Gazette's investigative team, about his ⁠revelatory investigation⁠ into measles rates, vaccines, and why no one is enforcing existing rules.

His team's reporting helped pressure the state to launch a new interactive tool where you can track school vaccination rates yourself. Check out the ⁠state's tool⁠, plus ⁠the database Mike and his team built themselves⁠.

**This episode was originally published May 18, 2026.

Learn more about the sponsor of this Thursday, August 6th episode:

The Frick Pittsburgh

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August 6th, 2026 2:00am

What Happened to Station Square?

Station Square has been many things: a festival marketplace ("think outdoor shopping mall with razzamatazz"), a home to megaclubs and warehouse parties, a destination for all-you-can-eat Brazilian steak. While it's nearly abandoned now, there are still some restaurants worth checking out – and hopes that new ownership could turn the tide around. City Cast contributor and Post-Gazette dining critic Hal B. Klein tried the food at all seven remaining spots and joins host Megan Harris to share who's putting out great cuisine (Kiku) and who could be trying harder (cough cough Grand Concourse). He also talks about Station Square's heyday, why it's been on the decline, and what it would take to restore the site to its former glory…or become something exciting and new.

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August 4th, 2026 2:00am

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How One City Beat Restrictive Zoning — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh

Do you know how zoning laws affect Pittsburgh’s housing costs? New Haven, CT, has been governed for years by restrictive zoning that made it physically impossible to build tall buildings downtown, even for housing — that is, until the local government finally aligned to overturn it. City Cast CEO David Plotz sits down with Eli Sabin, a New Haven native and one of the alders (aka city council members) responsible for passing this change in recent months. Eli spent years working toward this goal, and he talks with David about what now needs to happen to fully realize its potential and increase affordability for locals.

Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now! 

We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter

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August 2nd, 2026 2:00am

Paid Leave, Doxxing & Teen Curfew Lawsuit

Allegheny County's paid parental leave proposal has sparked tons of debate, and now the conversation has veered somewhere darker. Host Megan Harris is joined by executive producer Mallory Falk and contributor and Pittsburgh City Paper managing editor Colin Williams to unpack some misinformation surrounding the proposal and why speculation about County Executive Sara Innamorato's pregnancy crossed a line. Plus, a lawsuit is challenging Market Square's new youth curfew and chaperone policies, the Parkway East is (probably) reopening ahead of schedule, and Steelers training camp kicks off next week. And on today’s members-only bonus, City Cast’s Owen Gabbey and Sophia Lo get into The Odyssey lore and where to watch 70mm films, even though Pittsburgh doesn’t have the biggest and best screens. 

Today is also Sophia’s final day as our full-time producer. But good news! They’ll stay in rotation on the podcast as a City Cast Pittsburgh contributor. Stay in touch with Sophia and help them make an amazing food podcast here.

Heads up: We're taking a summer planning break next week, which means you won't see the podcast in your feed. We'll be prepping for what's ahead: extra juicy content, new voices on the team, and even an additional newsletter launching this fall. We'll be back in your inbox and feed on Aug. 3.

Notes and references from today’s show:

• In apology note, Allegheny County previews more support for 911 operators [WPXI]
• Lawsuit filed over Pittsburgh's Market Square youth curfew policy [KDKA]
• Town hall sees conversation between Pittsburgh adults, youth, and officials [WESA]
• Pennsylvania ranks last in new study of 18-year-olds’ voter registration rates [Spotlight PA]
• Disney and a major food manufacturer ink multiyear deal. Here are the brands involved. [Business-Times]
• License of Utah boarding school where Paris Hilton alleged she was abused is revoked [CBS News]

Learn more about the sponsor of this Friday, July 24th episode:

YWCA Greater Pittsburgh

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July 24th, 2026 2:00am

A Controversial Plan To Fund Downtown

Downtown Pittsburgh has seen a lot of investment lately, from a revamped Market Square to the newly built Arts Landing. Now City Council's considering a proposal that would divert future tax revenue from construction in Downtown and parts of the North Shore and Strip District to fund Downtown revitalization projects. Supporters say the special tax district — known as a TRID — is a once-in-a-generation investment tool, but critics say it's essentially robbing two neighborhoods to pay for another. TribLive's Julia Burdelski is with host Megan Harris to talk through the pros and cons and how soon we might see movement on the proposal.

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July 22nd, 2026 2:00am

5 Things Worth the Money in Pittsburgh

Everyone on social media is sharing the five things they think are worth the money, and we're hopping on the trend! Producer (and treatmaster) Sophia Lo is with audience development manager Rachel Carlson and interim newsletter editor Laura Tsutsu to share what's worth the splurge in Pittsburgh, from season passes and chef's counter dinners to river excursions and fancy cold brew.

We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.

Learn more about the sponsors of this Monday, July 20th episode:

Woodward Summer Camps

YWCA Greater Pittsburgh

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July 20th, 2026 2:00am

Exploding Bridge, Explosive Poops & Pittsburgh's Newest Pool

It's been an explosive week for Pittsburgh. Executive producer Mallory Falk, producer Sophia Lo, and contributor and City Paper managing editor Colin Williams share what to know about the cyclosporasis cases in Allegheny County, the cooked veggie dishes you should be eating instead of summer salads, and what to do if you think you might have this parasitic infection. Plus, we discuss whether the Commercial Street Bridge demolition looked as cool as we expected and whether the traffic disruptions live up to the doomsday predictions. Finally, we talk about another taproom closure, a new pool opening, and leadership changes at the Allegheny County Jail and Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire.

And if you've been hooked on the Commercial Street Bridge livestream, tune in for our members-only segment, where we recommend a few more Pittsburgh-area livestreams worth checking out.

Notes and references from today’s show:

• Cases of diarrhea-causing parasite infection rise in Allegheny County [P-G]
• What to know about cyclosporiasis, the intestinal illness hitting the U.S. [NPR]
• Will my lettuce give me diarrhea? [What's Next]
• 5 Cooked Veggie Dishes To Try in Pittsburgh Right Now [City Cast Pittsburgh]
• Crowd leaves disappointed after Parkway East bridge implosion postponed [WTAE]
• And... boom goes the dynamite. [Reddit]
• Parkway East worker proposed on PennDOT webcam [Instagram]
• Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire chief Darryl Jones to retire following internal review [WESA]
• What’s next for the Allegheny County Jail? Leaders, activists wary as search for new warden begins [P-G]
• Helltown Brewing closing Strip District location ahead of redevelopment [TribLive]
• PODCAST: Are Pittsburgh Breweries OK?! [City Cast Pittsburgh]
• Pittsburgh’s new pool rule: What families need to know before they go [TribLive]

We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card—and City Cast City swag.

Have thoughts about Family Swim or other chaperone policies in the city? Call or text our KIDS IN PUBLIC hotline at 412-212-8893.

Learn more about the sponsors of this Friday, July 17th episode:

Woodward Summer Camps

AIDS Free PGH

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July 17th, 2026 2:00am

Pittsburgh's Best Ice Cream. Plus, an Ode to Texas de Brazil

If you're out in this heatwave, don't forget to hydrate — and make a stop at a local ice cream shop! Host Megan Harris is with City Cast contributor and Post-Gazette dining critic Hal B. Klein, who's sharing his favorite spots to get a scoop. From gelato made with real Italian pistachio paste to a seasonal corn custard, Hal's got a recommendation for everyone. Plus, he takes a little detour to explain why Texas de Brazil is worth a visit this summer.

Learn more about the sponsors of this Wednesday, July 15th episode:

Woodward Summer Camps

AIDS Free PGH

The Frick Pittsburgh

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July 15th, 2026 2:00am