Shadyside a change of pace from rowdy Oakland

Tucked within towering trees, Victorian mansions and rowhouses lies the idyllic Shadyside… Tucked within towering trees, Victorian mansions and rowhouses lies the idyllic Shadyside neighborhood, a popular weekend retreat for Pitt students.

To the east of Oakland, only a 15-minute walk down Fifth Avenue, the area is home to a vibrant concoction of young adults — affluent families, fresh professionals, artists, musicians, undergraduates and boutique owners. The area was once home to the socialites of Pittsburgh and still contains vestiges of Millionaire Row, where landmarks of the Carnegies, Fricks and Mellons once resided.

Walnut Street, reminiscent of Washington D.C.’s Georgetown or San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury, is bustling with boutiques, shops and restaurants ranging from upscale to casual. Shopping is abundant, including national chains varying from J. Crew and Banana Republic to Williams Sonoma and Apple.

“I love window-shopping on Walnut, and generally, the quiet, residential atmosphere. It’s a nice escape to wander around the tree-lined streets and be surrounded by families, rather than students,” junior Alex Cathcart said.

The neighborhood bars and eateries are popular with students, faculty and staff from Carnegie Mellon, nearby Chatham and Pitt. The area is known for its hidden treasures, including the charming Coffee Tree Roasters and Cafe Zinho, a foodie’s dream housed in a renovated garage.

The line out the door on a hot summer day might be proof enough that something special is inside Mercurio’s. Locals frequently stop by for a cold treat at this award-winning artisanal gelateria and pizzeria. Junior Wasiq Sheikh said he heads out to the restaurant when a celebration is in order that calls for a light dinner followed by the lavish dessert.

“Not only can I go and get a fantastic Italian meal, but I’m always surprised to see the new daily flavors. This place is really original — you’re not going to find typical flavors any time,” Sheikh said.

Mercurio’s mom-and-pop story is not unlike many of the storefronts gracing Walnut and its neighboring streets. The family, who once lived 40 minutes away in Kittanning, moved to Copeland Street six years ago because of the lack of frozen desserts in Shadyside. Last year, the family graduated onto Walnut Street, and only a few months ago became more of a full-scale restaurant.

“We came to Shadyside because there was no ice cream or gelateria at the time, and there’s a lot of walking around here, and I like Shadyside for numerous reasons. There are a lot of elements. It has a nice neighborhoodly feel. There’s a nice balance between mom-and-pop shops and the larger chains,” said Anna Mercurio, the owner of the gelateria.

She and her brother co-own the store, having taken over from their parents. Anna’s mother still makes the gelato at the home creamery.

Mercurio aims to be an Italian eatery — with wine, pizza and bruschetta — and then send patrons home with gelato. Mercurio said that a lot of the recent success is due to the loyalty of gelato fans, who now arrive earlier in the evening for dinner or after a shopping venture.

Ellsworth Avenue features more entertainment venues, with upscale independent boutiques and a funkier personality. The street bursts with local hangouts such as Harris Grill and the Bagel Factory. Not only does it contain spas, jewelry designers and antique stores, Ellsworth also possesses two of Pittsburgh’s favorite vintage clothing venues, Eons and Hey Betty!.

Not far away is the often forgotten Highland Avenue, bordering on East Liberty. There, one can experience the whimsical delight of Oh Yeah! Ice Cream and Coffee Co., an independent coffeehouse and ice cream parlor.

Featuring Dave and Andy’s ice cream, which comes from the parlor located on Atwood Street, the owners have designed an innovative and entertaining way to combine flavors: mix-ins. Frozen concoctions are elevated to the next level, as ice cream is blended with more than 100 mix-ins from typical cookies to adventurous flavors such as avocado, fresh ginger and smoked salmon.

For those overwhelmed by the dazzling prospects, owner Ethan Clay provides patrons with several tried-and-true combinations, such as “From Boston With Love” featuring vanilla ice cream, oats, cinnamon and coconut, or “The Big Lebowski,” containing cookie dough, chai spice and coffee grinds.

For a gourmand or one adventurous to try new tastes and textures, Shadyside boasts dozens of fantastic fare. Soba, Umi and Casbah are three notable and impressive eateries in the neighborhood, featuring Pan-Asian, Japanese and Mediterranean fare, respectively. Walnut Street offers several bars and coffeehouses perfect for an afternoon catch-up, such as Jitters, Shady Grove and Thai Place.

In the summer, the area is transformed from a sophisticated Soho to an open-air gallery, featuring more than 100 artists from around the country during the annual Shadyside Art Festival on Walnut Street. A Fair in the Park will open on Sept. 7, just in time for new students to get their first taste of Pittsburgh’s exotic art scene.

The Shadyside area is surrounded by numerous parks and leafy avenues, such as Mellon Park, which in addition to the monthly Jam on Walnut fair, frequently features summer concerts and local pick-up sports games.

Not only populated with bakeries and fine dining, Walnut Street also has a few hidden local gems, such as Kards Unlimited. A third-generation family-owned store, locals will wander in to pick up a birthday card and will leave amused and overjoyed hours later. Featuring eclectic, quirky inventory, the store carries novels, ornaments, apparel, political humor and, of course, cards. Students could buy stamps claiming “WTF” with varying levels of exclamations, sticky notes expressing urgency via profanity and checklists titled “Fashion Citation” or “Things You Must Do To Make Me Happy.”

“Being into trying new restaurants, Shadyside has a boatload of cuisines to try, as well as some nice areas to relax and just talk. It’s perfect for everything,” Sheikh said.