Sheetz
Multiple locations. sheetz.com

Sheetz is giving away free coffee to kick off the holiday season. During Thanksgiving Week or “Freakzgiving” (Mon., Nov. 24-Sun., Nov. 30), Sheetz Rewardz customers can pick up one free self-serve coffee with purchase at any Sheetz location. Get the deal by adding it under the OFFERZ tab on the Sheetz app.

Beers of the Burgh
1100 Liberty Ave., Downtown. beersoftheburgh.com

Make this Pittsburgh winter more tolerable on Sat., Nov. 29, when Beers of the Burgh brings its Winter Warmer Beer Festival back to the Grand Hall at The Pennsylvanian. Taste a variety of “cold-weather” beers from regional brewers, including Brew Gentlemen, Chimera Brewing, Hop Farm, Grist House, Strange Roots, Trace, Velum, and more. DJ Hoagie Dreams also returns to spin a Jammy Jam dance party (wearing pajamas is encouraged), while Cold Friends Kitchen and Pittsburgh Smokehouse serve “hearty bites.” General admission tickets (21-and-over only) cost $50.

Wedding Cookie Table Community x Monongahela Area Historical Society
2151 N. Main St., Washington. facebook.com/groups/TheWeddingCookieTableCommunity

On Sun., Nov. 30 at 9:30 a.m., witness cookie history at the World’s Largest Christmas Cookie Exchange. Bakers from the Pittsburgh-based Wedding Cookie Table Community Facebook group will attempt a Guinness World Record for the largest Christmas cookie exchange. Teams of 10 bakers will convene at the Washington County Fairgrounds, set up and decorate cookie tables, and exchange cookies, while other bakers from around the world will assemble remotely.

Spectators are invited to join the event at the Fairgrounds, see dozens of Christmas cookie tables, and vote for their favorites. Cookies will also be available for purchase, and the Monongahela Area Historical Society will sell boxes to fill for a fee. A vendor fair includes a USA Pan bakeware factory sale. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under.

Pittsburgh Holiday Pop-Up Bars 2025

Ready or not, ‘tis the season for holiday pop-up bars. Pittsburgh’s first round of openings includes an Atomic Age throwback, Santa’s workshop, and Krampus on a Grand Tour.

The Rebel Room at The Industrialist Hotel celebrates the holidays “Space Race-style” with the Atomic Tinsel Cocktail Club. “Have a blast” in a retro Christmas lounge serving up vintage-inspired cocktails, including Nuclear Nog, Atomic Punch, and the Cosmo-Not, along with small bites. The pop-up runs through Wed., Dec. 31 (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day). Bring a skating ticket from The Rink at PPG Place for a 10% discount.

Eleventh Hour Brewing transforms into The Jingle Bar. From Wed., Dec. 3-Tue., Dec. 23, celebrate all things Christmas with twinkling lights and over-the-top décor, holiday tunes from Frank Sinatra to Mariah Carey, festive drinks, “elfin entertainment,” and more. Weekly special events include a Cocktails & Carols singalong on Wednesdays and all-ages, family-friendly Sundays with holiday crafts and games. Guests enter with a 90-minute timed ticket ($14) and receive a Christmas shooter.

Shorty’s Santa Shop Credit: Courtesy of Shorty’s

Shorty’s Santa Shop returns for a second year, expanding its “season-long immersive Santa experience” through Tue., Dec. 30. At both Shorty’s locations, enjoy a North Pole-inspired bar adorned with more than 100 yards of wrapping paper and 1,000 ornaments. Sample festive cocktails, including the Gingerbread Smash and Frozen Hot Chocolate (vanilla vodka, Crème de cacao, and hot chocolate simple syrup), and a menu of holiday food. Revelers can also explore themed areas, including a Candy Cane Lane and a new “Grinchville.” In December, Shorty’s adds Santa Brunches to both locations on Saturdays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Even Krampus needs a vacation. The horned Christmas legend takes over Lorelei with a special “Krampus Vacation” holiday pop-up menu launching on Wed., Nov. 26. Krampus shakes up the typically Alpine fare with “a trip around continental Europe and its holiday flavors.” The special menu will be available through Christmas.

Revel
242 Forbes Ave., Downtown. revelpgh.com

Revel keeps Light Up Night going with a special fundraising cocktail. The #LightUpMBC ($14) debuted during the Downtown festivities and features a Sauvignon Blanc base layered with cranberry grape juice and elderflower liqueur. Two dollars from every drink sold through Wed., Dec. 31 will be donated to Metastatic Breast Cancer research.

ShadoBeni owner Ulric Joseph prepares roti at his North Side restaurant. Credit: CP Photo: Jared Wickerham

ShadoBeni
1534 Brighton Rd., North Side. shadobeni412.com

Pittsburgh vegans gained a new breakfast spot. ShadoBeni, known for its vegan Trinidadian cuisine, announced Beni’s Breckie, during which diners can enjoy vegan and nut-free pastries, hand-pies, and other options, as well as espresso, lattes, and matcha. Breakfast will be served Wed.-Thu. from 7-11:30 a.m. and all-day Fri.-Sun., from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Aiello’s Pizza
2112 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. aiellospizza.com

Pittsburgh already has a Thanksgiving hot dog, burger, sub, and burrito, so pizza had to be next. Aiello’s introduced “The Gobfather,” described as a “Thanksgiving feast on a pizza.” The Gobfather includes turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, and gravy, and is drizzled with cranberry sauce. Try it by the slice on Fridays or order a large pie from the Aiello’s Squirrel Hill location.

Bae Bae’s Credit: CP Photo: Jared Murphy

Bae Bae’s Kitchen
951 Liberty Ave., Downtown. instagram.com/meetatbaebaes

Bae Bae’s Kitchen and its extension, Bae Bae’s Cafe, announced their permanent closure after eight years.

“Closing this chapter hurts, but I’m choosing to see it with gratitude,” reads a post on the Korean-inspired restaurant’s Instagram page. The post recalls Bae Bae’s first years, awards it won — including Best Korean Food in Pittsburgh City Paper’s Best Of PGH Readers’ Poll — and the pandemic’s “overnight” effect and “financial stress.”

“Thank you so much to everyone who was part of this journey. I will always cherish the people and the memories,” the post concludes.

Opened by husband-and-wife team Ashley Bae and Edward Lai in 2017, Bae Bae’s Kitchen brought fast-casual Korean fare to Downtown, including its popular fried chicken, followed by Bae Bae’s Cafe, which opened a few doors down in 2019. The closure follows a “restructure” in January, after which Bae Bae’s Kitchen had reopened as a late-night bar and supper club.

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