Morning! Yesterday we made it out to the Pittsburgh Zoo to see the new baby lion on exhibit. I’ve been excited for this since they first started posting her on their IG because she’s so dang cute. You can check out the Community Bulletin section for a picture and her name reveal!

This Saturday, August 15th, we’re getting 3 grand openings in 1. Okane is opening up downtown at 245 Fourth Ave, and they’re bringing something for everyone.

Okane is owned by Opal Group, which is a Pittsburgh-based restaurant group. If you’ve been to Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings at SouthSide Works, then you know Opal Group. And if you’ve been to Nan Xiang, then you, like me, have high expectations for this new opening.

What’s most exciting to me about it is the 3 different restaurants in 1 building. On the bottom floor, they have Okane Sweet Spot where you can get premium matcha and Japanese-inspired desserts. They’ve been popping off on Instagram with their deep fried Japanese cream sandos that you typically only see in Japan.

On the 2nd level, they have their Omakase concept. If you’re not familiar, Omakase is a set-course meal chosen by the chef. Each serving is relatively small but you get a lot of them. And when it’s good, it’s really good. This is reservation only and starts at $88 per person for the 16-course special or $138 for the 18-course special.

On the 3rd level, they have their rooftop bar and sushi restaurant. This is where you’ll find the sushi rolls that you’re used to seeing at other restaurants plus craft cocktails with a view.

What excites me the most about all of this is that it feels like they’re crafting an experience that can fit any mood. You could hit all 3 in one outing. Start with drinks on the rooftop, get a reservation at the Omakase bar, and then finish with dessert! If you check it out, make sure to let us know how it is!

We have a new Filipino restaurant coming to the city this fall. The official opening date is still TBA but they’ve been doing pop-ups to help build the hype. The restaurant is AmBoy where they’re doing a modern take on traditional Filipino food.

A few months back, they did a pop-up with Spirit Pizzeria where they had 2 different pizzas. One was pork belly with a garlic confit, adobo sauce, and ricotta. My perfect pizza. You can get the sense that they’re not just going to be a run-of-the-mill Filipino restaurant. They’re experimenting and playing with those flavors in a unique way.

If you’d like to try them out before they open, they’re doing a Sunday Supper Club the next two Sundays at Soju. Both are served family-style with a chef-curated menu. Each one will be from 6 to 9 pm. Check out the pop-up info here.

We’re continuing with the university theme this week, this time with Duquesne!

When did Duquesne first field a football team?

Last Week’s Answer: 1909

Show me an 1880s-era home, and I’m bound to love it. The details in this house are kind of unreal. Especially that curved staircase in the entryway. And that window just to the left of the front door with the seat underneath is so great. See the listing here.

Submit your favorite houses

🆓 = free/non-ticketed event
💲 = paid/ticketed event

Submit your events

💲Restaurant week - I mentioned this last week as well, but make sure to get out and support our local restaurants! Over 50 restaurants are participating, so check to see if your favorites are on the list.

💲Butler Farm Show - The 78th Annual Farm Show is open all week through the 15th. Gates open daily at 8:30 am. Butler Farm Show Grounds. Buy tickets.

🆓 Bethel Park Farmers Market - This Tuesday is their 20th Anniversary Party! Come out to support 20 great years of supporting our local businesses and farmers. 3 pm to 7 pm on Corrigan Drive. More info.

💲Mahj 101 - Learn the basics of Mahjong with PGH Mahj Corner. 6:30 to 9 pm at Cornerstone Restaurant. Buy tickets.

🆓 Moon Market & Music - See local vendors, food, brews, and live music. This Wednesday’s featured band is Suns of Beaches Band, a Jimmy Buffett tribute band. 5 pm at Moon Park. Learn more.

🆓 New Granada Theater Phase I Grand Opening - Celebrate the grand opening of Phase I of the historic New Granada Theater project. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony, tours, ceremonial marquee lighting, and a block party. 5:30 pm. RSVP here.

🆓 Little Italy Days - A full weekend of celebration of Italian heritage kicks off on Thursday at 5 pm. Daily live entertainment, a bocce tournament, and of course great local food. Thursday through Sunday on Liberty Ave. in Bloomfield. More info.

💲Zac Brown Band - They’ll be performing at PPG Paints with doors opening at 7 pm. Get tickets.

🆓 Carnegie Second Fridays - This month’s event has 2 avian ambassadors from the Audubon Conservancy of Western PA. Plus, a carnivorous plant pop-up at Tiger Moth Mercantile. Festivities start at 5 pm in downtown Carnegie. You can see the live birds of prey at Wooly Bear Books and Gifts starting at 6 pm. RSVP here.

💲Babesburgh Music Bingo - Know your music? This one might be for you! They play a song, you check your bingo card. 6:30 pm at Strange Roots Millvale. See more.

🆓 Jesse James Armijo - See Jesse James Armijo, the one-man band! He’ll be performing live at Cadence Clubhouse from 6 to 8 pm.

🆓 Family Fest - There’s a little bit of everything for the whole family this Saturday down at Arts Landing. Live performances, storytelling, face painting, trash games, pickleball, a dance party, food trucks, and more. 10 am to 2 pm at Arts Landing. More info.

🆓 Northside Arts Block Party - Celebrate the neighborhood with the New Hazlett Theater and Children’s Museum. Festivities kick off at 10 am until 2 pm. Learn more.

🆓 Frontier Family Days - Historic Hanna’s Town will be a history lover’s dream this weekend on the 15th and 16th. Step back in time to the American Revolution with demonstrations, displays, and re-enactments. 11 am to 5 pm on Saturday; 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday in Historic Hanna’s Town. See more.

💲Iron City Comedy Festival - A day full of comedy at Pittsburgh Brewing Co. with over 28 comics. Doors open at 12 pm, first show starts at 1 pm. Buy tickets.

💲Bellevue Rhythm & Brews Festival - Sample great local brews, listen to live music, and support local Bellevue businesses. 4 pm to 9 pm on Lincoln Ave. Purchase tickets.

💲AmBoy x Soju Sunday Supper Club - Check out their latest pop-up in partnership with Soju. Food is served family-style and it’s BYOB. It’s some of the best Filipino food in the city. 6 pm to 9 pm at Soju. Get tickets.

🆓 Movie Night On The Lawn - This week’s featured movie in the courtyard is Barbie. Get complimentary popcorn from Pittsburgh Popcorn Company. 7:30 pm at the Bakery Square Courtyard. See more.

💲Not-So-Competitive Puzzle Night - Bring your team of 2-4 to complete a 300 piece puzzle. Tickets include a complimentary drink. 6 pm at Happenstance Cafe. Buy tickets.

Remember to tag us @steelcityledger on Instagram if you check out any of these events!

Page’s Dairy Mart Cookie Butter Faves - This isn’t technically a new menu item, but Page’s cookie butter menu items will be going away soon. Get ‘em while you still can!

Mediterra Cafe Almond Croissant Latte - Made with their signature Bakehouse Almond Cream, espresso, and your milk of choice. It feels like fall is just around the corner.

Lola’s Eatery Strawberry Pretzel Salad Latte - House-made strawberry syrup and a salted pretzel cream cheese cold foam.

I’ve started to see pumpkin spice and apple spice flavored foods at the grocery store. I know it’s only a matter of time before we see them show up on menus around the city, which begs the question…

The finished product of this reel is truly remarkable. I was caught off guard. Huge shoutout to @joes.images on Instagram for the beautiful photos.

After 1,141 submissions and $5,705 raised to help support the lions and other animals at the zoo, her name has been chosen…Kiazi! Her name means potato in Swahili, which is very fitting since her dad, Hondo (a Shona word for war or battle) was born in the Idaho Falls Zoo and we all know about the Famous Idaho Spud. She also looked quite a bit like a potato when she was first born.

Yesterday we made the little morning field trip to see the new baby lion on exhibit. She was hanging around her mama quite a bit so it was tough to get a good pic, but we tried. She is so dang cute! Definitely make the trip to the zoo while she’s still little.

TribLive got some great photos you can check out here!

It was announced last week that we’ll be getting a 2nd daily service to New York starting later this year. The specific date is still TBD, along with the timing of its departure from Pittsburgh. The current train we have departs at 7:30 am and arrives about 4:50 pm. I’m all for more easy ways to get to New York that don’t involve a trip to the airport.

If you’ve been looking for a new pizza place to try over by the Brighton Heights area, you’re in luck. Muns Pizza opened up a couple months back but only recently started to show up on my feed as a top place to go for pizza connoisseurs. They’re 44 Google reviews in and still holding strong at a 5 star rating. That’s not easy to do for pizza, everyone has an opinion on what good pizza is. Props to them!

Meet Nyx here

Someone forwarded this to you? Subscribe here.

Want your event featured? Submit it.

Interested in giving your business a boost? Advertise with us.