Mancini’s Bakery
1717 Penn Ave., Strip District. mancinisbakery.com

The Dark Knight is back, in bread form! In honor of Michael Keaton’s visit to Pittsburgh for the unveiling of the city’s Walk of Fame, Mancini’s Bakery unveiled a Batman constructed out of its famous loaves. Keaton, who grew up in the Pittsburgh region and first appeared on local public television programs, including Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, famously starred as the superhero in director Tim Burton’s mega-hit 1989 film.

This is the second Keaton character to be bread-ified — in 2024, Mancini’s also released a Beetlejuice sculpture. The Batman bread sculpture, which debuted on Oct. 19, measures four by four feet and weighs approximately 200 pounds. Bread art lovers can view the latest Mancini’s creation at the bakery’s Strip District location.

Northside Sandwich Week
Multiple locations. northsidesandwichweek.com

The Northside Chronicle brings back Northside Sandwich Week. The annual event, started in 2013 and paused in 2020, pits local restaurants against each other to crown a Northside Sandwich King or Queen. Through Mon., Oct. 27, sample new “sandwich creations” at North Side eateries, including Breadbox, Penn Brewery, California Coffee Bar, Ida’s Sandwich Shop, North Shore Tavern, Mayfly Market and Deli, and Wise County Biscuits and Cafe — which debuted its crispy pork sandwich contender earlier this month.

Northside Sandwich Week culminates in a final judging event at The Priory Hotel on Mon, Oct. 27, from 6-9 p.m. Event attendees can take part in voting, joined by a panel of “sandwich-savvy” judges and hosts of the YaJagoff podcast. Tickets cost $25.

Eleventh Hour Brewing Co.
3711 Charlotte St., Lawrenceville. 11thhourbrews.com

If the Halloween hype has you missing Oktoberfest, Eleventh Hour offers the best of both worlds. Hauntoberfest comes to the brewery’s German village for two Hallo-weekends from Fri., Oct. 24-Sat., Oct. 25 and Fri., Oct. 31-Sat., Nov. 1. The four days of “spooky fun” include a haunted village, creepy cocktails, costume contests, and food trucks with a special Mami’s Bakes pop-up, featuring gluten-free vegan treats. Follow Eleventh Hour’s Instagram for Hauntoberfest event announcements, including Halloween Drag Bingo, happening on Sat., Oct. 25.

Mi Empanada Credit: CP Photo: Amanda Waltz

Pittsburgh Empanada Festival
2419 State Ave., Coraopolis. famousfoodevents.com

The Pittsburgh Empanada Festival takes over the Montour Sports Complex in Coraopolis. Presented by Famous Food Events and Jarritos, the event, taking place Sat., Oct. 25, is billed as the region’s first-ever empanada festival, promising a full day of “flavor, culture, and live entertainment” that celebrates Latin cuisine and community. A dozen food trucks, restaurants, and caterers (including Lawrenceville’s Mi Empanada) will serve up empanadas in every style, including meat, seafood, vegan, and dessert options, along with a lineup of Latin and non-Latin food. Wash down your empanadas with beer and margaritas while dancing to live Latin bands and DJs. Tickets start at $15.

Halloween and Day of the Dead 2025

With Halloween falling on a Friday (Fri., Oct. 31), and dovetailing into Día de los Muertos (Sat., Nov. 1-Sun., Nov. 2) this year, we’re treated to a supersized spooky season. Pittsburgh spots celebrate with creepy cocktails, a Halloween trolley bar hop, and Bob Dylan.

It’s been Halloween at Bob’s Garage since late August, but on Sat., Oct. 25, the usually-Christmas dive bar kicks into high gear with a Halloween party. Join for a costume contest, karaoke, and creepy cocktails, including the Liquid Web Martini and Espolon Crawler, made with Espolòn tequila and garnished with sour gummy worms and Pop Rocks.

Want to haunt your local brewery this Halloween? Verona’s Inner Groove Brewing hosts a Nightmare on Ale Street trolley bar crawl. On Sat., Oct. 25 from 5-11 p.m., Molly’s Trolley will offer hop-on, hop-off rides between Inner Groove, Acclamation, and Local Remedy Brewing, promising “a Halloween brewery hop like no other.” The “night of brews, boos, and trolley thrills” includes a costume contest, prizes, and more. Tickets cost $7 and include unlimited trolley rides.

Halloween is serious business at The Urban Tap (which has been prepping since Summerween). The gastropub offers a full “Hallo-Week” of activities, running Mon., Oct. 27-Sun., Nov. 2, with haunted cocktails and creepy bites across its Shadyside and South Side locations. The lineup includes spooky martini towers, a Hallo-Week paint-and-sip and costume contest, spooky trivia nights, a Halloween happy hour, and a spooky brunch. Reservations are available online.

Con Alma Credit: CP Photo: Amanda Waltz

At Con Alma, Bob Dylan meets the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) for the October installment of its wine, dinner, and live jazz pairing series. On Wed., Oct. 29 from 6-9 p.m., hear jazz arrangements of Bob Dylan and enjoy a four-course Day of the Dead-themed tasting dinner featuring Mexican cuisine and wine. The dinner costs $125 per guest ($100 per person plus a 20% gratuity the day of the event). A $25 ticket serves as a deposit and reserves a seat.

Pittsburgh Coffee and Chocolate Festival
209 Mall Plaza Blvd., Monroeville

Celebrate all things caffeinated when the Pittsburgh Coffee and Chocolate Festival returns. From Sat., Oct. 25-Sun., Oct. 26, local coffee shops, roasters, chocolatiers, bakers, and winemakers converge at the Monroeville Convention and Events Center. Sample coffees, chocolates, wine, and spirits — including unlimited trips to an “always-flowing” chocolate fountain — snag a commemorative espresso cup, or meet General Hospital star Rena Sofer, who joins for a special celebrity appearance.

Two event sessions run from 12-2:30 p.m. and 4:30-7 p.m. for both days of the festival. General admission tickets cost $35.

Community Kitchen Pittsburgh
107 Flowers Ave., Hazelwood. ckpgh.org

For Hallow’s Eve eve, Community Kitchen hosts a Wickedly Delicious dinner. On Thu., Oct. 30, from 5:30-8 p.m., the nonprofit spotlights its catering chefs, who will prepare dishes celebrating the spooky season with help from CKP culinary students. The Wickedly Delicious menu includes a Crimson Harvest Salad, Autumn’s Ember squash velouté, Ash and Bone marrow brûlée, and Hallow’s Flight seared quail. The meal ends with the Trickster’s Treat, a black macaron with raspberry coulis, along with a nostalgic mini trick-or-treat bucket.

Tickets cost $75. Dressing up is encouraged. Part of CKP’s Guest Chef Dinner Series, event proceeds support its culinary training, job placement, and hunger relief programs.

Fat Daddy’s Pizza in Greenfield Credit: CP Photo: Rachel Wilkinson

Fat Daddy’s Pizza
4235 Murray Ave., Greenfield. fatdaddypizza.com

Greenfield has a new pizza spot. Fat Daddy’s Pizza — whose website declares “The Fat Man has Landed!”— opened in the former Vocelli Pizza shop. Adding to the Pittsburgh pizza wars, Fat Daddy’s touts its authentic New England-style pizza, with “fresh dough that’s crisp on the outside and tender inside.” The menu also includes Philly-style hoagies and grinder sandwiches (another New England term), calzones, stromboli, salads, wraps, and soups.

Fat Daddy’s Pizza is now open seven days a week.

Opal Grand Buffet
171 East Bridge St., Homestead. instagram.com/opalbuffet

Opal Grand Buffet announced on Instagram that it will take over the former Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery space in Homestead’s Waterfront complex. The restaurant will offer an all-you-can-eat buffet, with Brazilian steak, sushi, and pan-Asian cuisine for $43, along with lush, ‘90s nightclub-esque interiors.

Opal Grand Buffet aims to open in early 2026.

This article appears in Oct. 15-21, 2025.

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