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Walking tours are wonderful especially if they have a specific topic and cover only a small area.  Thus it is with “Burgh Bits and Bites” tour of Pittsburgh’s Strip District.  At one time the Strip District, located along the Allegheny River, was home to many mills and factories that later became an area of wholesalers of fresh produce and meat with restaurants to serve shift workers at any hour of the day. Things change and today most of the produce industry, manufacturing plants and mills have left the area but the abandoned warehouses have been renovated into small shops, restaurants and great ethnic food stores.

Sylvia McCoy takes visitors on a multi-ethnic culinary trip through the district.  The first stop is Parma Sausage, a small family business that makes a wide variety of Italian pork products. Casey Romig is very proud of the choice ingredients used in making their products and the results are worth it.  The salami and prosciutto were proof that it’s all about great ingredients.  The aromas at Mancini’s Bread Bakery are enough to make anyone’s mouth water but Erin’s  pepperoni roll is absolutely wonderful. 

Labad’s Grocery specializes in Middle Eastern foods.  They have a little restaurant in the back where tour guests try several flavors of their homemade hummus scooped up with pita bread. Check out the award-wining biscotti at Enrico’s and their a unique café in the back. Wholey’s specializes in wild and farm-caught fish along with meat and poultry. Locals especially love their fish sandwiches. They are celebrating their centennial.

At Colangelo’s Bakery sample their mele, a pastry that was brought from Northern Italy by the store’s original owner.  It is mouth-melting decadent.  The last stop is S&D Polish Deli to try pierogies. Smart tour members will take advantage of the 10% off they get on the day of the tour.  Every tour is different, every tour is yummy.

http://www.examiner.com/article/a-foodie-s-trip-though-pittsburgh-s-strip-district