City Cast Pittsburgh

From fixing bridges to keeping the T literally on its tracks, Pittsburgh depends on a lot of federal funding — and who’s in charge here regionally can help sway the conversation. Host Megan Harris is kicking off 2025 with PublicSource’s Rich Lord and 1Hood’s Miracle Jones to talk about the upcoming mayoral race and how a second Trump presidency could affect our region.  Become a member of City Cas...

Welcome to 2025 in Pittsburgh! There are so many ways to kick off the new year, whether you’re looking to brave the cold or curl up with a nice, non-alcoholic drink. From a late night dance party at our art museum to a local book swap, we’re sharing the best ways to take advantage of our cold city this month. Plus, if you’re taking part in Dry January, check out our episode about The Open Road, a...

Pittsburghers love to talk about all the iconic buildings that used to be there, and Century III Mall is about to be among them. The nostalgia-inducing Pittsburgh mall is being demolished after closing its last shop in 2020 and being condemned in 2023. Writer, publisher, and shopping mall enthusiast Matthew Newton is here to share our nostalgia and explain exactly what went wrong. Check out Newton...

The hottest restaurant in Pittsburgh? Chef Nik Forsberg’s pop-up turned brick and mortar, Fet-Fisk, was named one of America's best restaurants this year by both The New York Times and Eater. His Nordic-inspired cuisine prioritizes sustainably sourced seafood, local meats, and veggies from Nik’s own garden. So what does it take to turn a popular pop-up into a thriving local business? Hear what he...

Earlier this year, Pittsburgh was rocked with a crazy mystery. Thousands of miniature Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads were stolen! How does that even happen? With the help of our friend Rob Rossi, senior writer at The Athletic, we broke down the heist that got the attention of Pittsburgh Penguins fans — and even the FBI!  Check out Rossi’s play-by-play in The Athletic. This episode originally aired April...

There was a lot of news in our region this year, from the extended drama around selling the iconic U.S. Steel to a Japanese company to a presidential assassination attempt right in our own backyard. With so much news, there were bound to be stories that didn’t get their due. City Cast Pittsburgh host Megan Harris and executive producer Mallory Falk are joined by contributor Meg St-Esprit to look b...

The holiday season is all about cookies and Pittsburgh has so many great recipes and traditions. (We’re home to the cookie table, after all!) If you’re planning to bake some holiday treats and need a little inspiration, the team is sharing some of our favorite recipes, along with tips and shortcuts to make sure your cookies come out extra tasty. Don’t worry: we’ve got ideas for ambitious bakers an...

Getting behind the wheel in Pittsburgh is not for the faint of heart. From narrow streets to steep hills to ungodly merges, our city is challenging to navigate by car. Lucky for you, we teamed up with friend of the pod and former Uber driver Jakob Lazzaro to share 12 very important rules for driving in Pittsburgh and — of course — debate the efficacy of the Pittsburgh Left. Want to dive deeper int...

It’s been a big year for Allegheny County. Our leaders added more housing, passed a budget with the first property tax increase in more than a decade, and even honored legendary hockey star Jaromir Jagr with a proclamation. We’re asking County Executive Sara Innamorato to look back on her first full year in office – and play a little game inspired by Spotify Wrapped. Learn more about the sponsor o...

A new horse has entered the mayor's race. Corey O'Connor has been a city councilor, most recently, the Allegheny County controller — in charge of keeping track of how we spend (and should not spend) taxpayer money. And he's even former mayor Bob O’Connor’s son. Today we’re excited to share a conversation from our news partner Next Generation Newsroom and reporter Colleen Hammond, who talked to O'C...

A suspect in the killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO was arrested this week…in an Altoona McDonald’s. Did Luigi Mangione also spend time in Pittsburgh before he was detained — and if so, where did he go? We’re talking about how our region and Gov. Josh Shapiro were thrust into the spotlight this week. Plus, what changes to inclusionary zoning could mean for affordable housing in Pittsburgh, why we...

The holiday season’s filled with lots of food and presents, so why not combine them both and give the gift of a cooking class? If you still need a gift for the foodie in your life, we’re sharing some of our favorite cooking classes and workshops all around Pittsburgh. Our picks include Our picks include pasta-making, focaccia baking, wine and cheese pairing, and creating a box of chocolate truffle...

There are tons of holiday traditions in Downtown Pittsburgh, including a special ceremony to mark the start of Hanukkah. Each year, the mayor and community leaders light a 12-foot menorah in front of the City-County Building. But its place on government property wasn’t always celebrated. In 1986, a group of Pittsburghers brought a lawsuit against our local governments to remove both the menorah an...

Downtown is getting a makeover ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, and Market Square and Point State Park are first on the multi-million dollar to-do list. County Controller Corey O’Connor wants to be Pittsburgh’s next mayor; he and incumbent Ed Gainey will have a lot to do ahead of the primary election in May. Plus, you can help your neighbors stay safe this winter by volunteering as a city Snow Angel....

Pittsburgh has some really iconic commercials (Century III Chevrolet, anyone?) but there’s one ad that beats them all: the Eat’n Park Christmas star commercial. It’s one of the longest-running seasonal ads in the entire country, and it all started as a special thank you note to our city. We’re with Kristy Graver, food editor of Pittsburgh Magazine, to learn the story behind Pittsburgh's most endur...

It’s the Friday news roundup! Allegheny County passed a compromise budget for 2025 with the first property tax increase in more than a decade. We’re explaining how we got here and where that money’s going. Plus, a state Supreme Court ruling means local gun reform probably isn’t in the cards, and President-elect Donald Trump is doubling down on his opposition to the U.S. Steel deal. Discussed in to...

Today marks 91 years since the end of Prohibition! To celebrate, we’re talking about ways to soak up Pittsburgh’s Prohibition history, how to learn more about the Whiskey Rebellion, and where to buy locally made ready-to-drink cocktails. Plus, we’re welcoming a new dog bar to the Strip District and other new restaurants around the city. Learn more about the sponsors of this December 5th episode: B...

It’s the best time of year, if your love language is giving and receiving gifts — or the worst, if finding the perfect present stresses you out. Whether this season brings you joy or anxiety, we want to make your holiday shopping a little smoother. City Cast Pittsburgh executive producer Mallory Falk and Hey Pittsburgh newsletter editor Francesca Dabecco are rounding up some of the best holiday ma...

The future of abortion access is uncertain right now. But here in Pittsburgh, there’s a small but mighty team trying to make sure people have the information and supplies they need for safe and self managed reproductive care. And they’re doing it all from a ratty old van.  Thanks so much to chief van lady Alecia Ott, owner and founder of the Auto(nomous) Body Shop, and Alexa Pierce, co-founder of...

Winter is upon us and so is the mad dash of the holidays. Whether you really like Christmas or just need to escape it all, we’ve got you covered with a ton of great free and ticketed events, delicious bites, and stunning performances all over town to help you make the most of Pittsburgh this December. Plus, make sure to check out some of the city’s holiday pop-up bars before the year ends. If you'...

We’re heading into a long holiday weekend, and if you’ve got family or friends in town, you might be trying to figure out what to do with them — especially if you’ve already hit some of the classics, like visiting a Carnegie museum. City Cast contributor Meg St-Esprit is an expert local tour guide. She’s here to help you plan the perfect Pittsburgh itinerary, whether you’re hosting a first-time vi...

Dietary restrictions and food allergies can be a real damper on all of the delicious holiday dishes, but they don’t have to be. Pittsburgh food blogger Liz Fetchin is with us to dish on all of the allergy-friendly recipes in her new e-cookbook, An Octofree Thanksgiving. With a grocery list, timeline, and alternatives to comforting classics, Liz will have you ready to serve everyone at your table t...

Today is Pittsburgh’s 266th birthday! Well, kind of. Mike Burke, assistant director at the Fort Pitt Museum, is here to explain how and why our city was founded, what the region was like at the time, and why so many people get our birthday wrong. Plus, he shares ways to celebrate Pittsburgh’s special day. Learn more about the sponsor of this November 25th episode: City Theatre Become a member of C...

It’s the Friday news roundup! It’s Light Up Night weekend in Pittsburgh, and we’re sharing all the things we’re excited to see, including a new themed light show on the Sister Bridges and an interactive art exhibit in Mellon Square. Pittsburgh Public Schools won’t close any district locations yet, and parents are hopeful an alternate plan could win out over a harsher one proposed this fall by cons...

We’re getting into the holiday spirits with Pittsburgh’s best, newest, and most over-the-top holiday pop-up bars. From South Side to Blawnox and especially Downtown, there’s no shortage of Christmas and winter-themed cocktails and watering holes this year. So grab your puffy coat, your silliest sweater, and maybe your rain boots – we’re going out with Discover the Burgh’s Jeremy Jones to check the...