Braddock Public House — Local services in Braddock

Even before being an elected official, I would wander into Brew Gentlemen for the food trucks. I would only drink cider because I swore, "beer was gross." Me and the bestie would sit in the parking lot and kick up our feet catching up surrounded by so many people happy to see energy around us.

My family drank Coors and Budlight and I didn't like any of those things. Eventually, while wandering into BG I would ask to taste different things and it turns out that it wasn't beer that I didn't like. It was just the beer that I had been trying. Nowadays I'm a stout girly, I love the milkshake beer (which is no relation to the dessert), dessert sours are a good change, and the cucumber ale just tastes like summer. I'm not a beer connoisseur but I love looking at where I started.

Tonight sitting with my mom and my old cheer coach it was cool seeing how far BG has grown from a college project (as they started as college students) to a restaurant wowed me. After speaking with staff members from the community and they enjoy working there, I wasn't impressed as BG had been doing this all along. They're receptive to feedback. I remember strolling into the tap room during the holiday party one year and one of their employees gave me the runaround about using the bathroom even though I was dressed as an elf that solemnly swore that I would return with friends after the event to enjoy drinks. I brought that to management later on and they apologized and I wasn't shocked because that line of communication has always been there. BG is involved in the chili Cook-Off, one of the owners sits on the BCLA Board, they're always looking for ways to be involved from hiring from the community, allowing the local fitness instructor to host fitness classes in the brewery, or even hiring a teen from the community to water the plants. BG believes in community. The new space has a menu with most of the offerings under $20 and they will be open for lunch. BG isn't doing the minimum because they're always trying to find ways to exceed and outdo themselves and they deliver with a small but mighty team.

I loved the flowers from the Braddock garden at Sol Patch Garden, the brightness they put behind the bar, and the Braddock memorabilia on the walls.

The Asian cold noodle salad felt like traveling without leaving the table. I saw pickles on the menu and the pickle plate is a nice starter but at this point as long as it's pickled right, I'll enjoy any pickled veggie. And they were pickled right. The carrots were well seasoned and had a nice crunch thanks to the nuts in the Baba ghanoush.

As far as the drinks went, I enjoyed my cold brew espresso martini as it was a refreshing take on the usual. If this was just the soft launch, I can't wait to see what they do with a full menu. Cheers to amazing adventures and new spaces and getting out of our comfort zones. BG promises to create more bridges with the community starting with opening the community oven back up and that's something we can all break bread...

Tried the real deal Spam musubi for the first time at Braddock Public House. I now get why Hawaiians never let this secret out. Then came the karaage chicken wings… legit the best wings of my waking moments. Juicy like KFC but wrapped in a cloud-like fluffy potato starch batter that had me questioning reality. It was also served with a miso dill ranch sauce, delightful.

Braddock, you keep surprising me. Next time around I'm going to try the recommended Katsu Sando (sandwich) and dessert pierogis. I heard tomorrow a new menu is being planned with some new menu items including katsu curry and a tuna dish.

The story behind this place runs deep: the building was once home to Superior Motors, Kevin Sousa’s groundbreaking restaurant that gained international acclaim for bringing fine dining to Braddock, right across from the town’s steel mill. The property itself is owned by Senator John Fetterman, who has lived upstairs with his family for years and was instrumental in reimagining Braddock’s future through food and community projects like the Free Store.

Today, the space has a new life as Braddock Public House, led by Matt Katase (originally from Hawaii) and Alaina Webber, the team behind Brew Gentlemen. Katase first came to Pittsburgh to study at Carnegie Mellon University, where he and Asa Foster dreamed up the idea of starting a brewery. Brew Gentlemen opened in 2014 just down the street, helping fuel Braddock’s cultural revival with craft beer and a focus on neighborhood growth. Now, with the Public House, Katase and Webber are carrying that same mission forward — blending global flavors with local roots, and proving Braddock is still one of the most exciting food stories in...

I've been here 3 times, twice for dinner and once for brunch. The food is always excellent, the drinks are great (and plenty strong, be warned), everyone I've encountered is lovely, and the mood inside is really cool and relaxed, especially at night. Personal menu favorites are the yuzu drop, white sky ale, house salad (the kimchi and miso ranch are killer), and the katsu sandwich. The unconventional system of going up to the bar to order is clearly working because food and drinks always come out fast.

I hope the Braddock Public House stays open, I love having such a wonderful place close by rather than just a million disappointing chain...