Books & brews: 10 best bars in Pittsburgh for solo reading
We love hanging with friends at PGH bars, but how about hanging with a book? These 10 bars in Pittsburgh are perfect for solo reading.
Pittsburgh has some of the best bars in the commonwealth (no, the country!) because the Steel City is laid-back in almost everything it does. The city’s dive bars are, of course, casual, but even pricier institutions have an air about them that invites you to relax in whatever way suits you best.
While reading alone on your couch is a great way to end the day, we recommend taking a book with you to a bar and enjoying some alone time while being surrounded by your community. You can bring a book to your favorite neighborhood bar, but if you are looking for some suggestions, we’ve put together a list of 10 Pittsburgh bars that are cozy and calm enough for a riveting reading session.
1. East End Brewing – Larimer
The relaxed atmosphere of a brewery is perfect for a date with a book. East End Brewing is a popular haunt in the Larimer neighborhood of Pittsburgh, but you can easily grab a small high-top table for yourself or part of a picnic table outside when the weather is warm. East End serves its own brews as well as a small menu of wine and seltzers. We recommend the Along Came a Cider.
2. Hemlock House – Regent Square
Hemlock House is a relatively new addition to the restaurant scene in Pittsburgh’s Regent Square neighborhood. While the restaurant gets pretty popular throughout the week, the bar area tends to be calmer, and you can easily set up shop with a book while sipping on one of Hemlock House’s specialty cocktails or a local beer. Since Hemlock House is a full restaurant, you can also order an appetizer to enjoy as a snack while you read.
3. The Speakeasy – Downtown
Located in the basement of the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh, The Speakeasy is where an actual speakeasy operated during Prohibition. The space lay forgotten for decades until hotel workers realized what exactly was hiding behind storage boxes. Today, The Speakeasy is an upscale but casual bar serving excellent versions of 1920s-era cocktails. The clientele tends to be on the calmer side, and the mood lighting is perfect for you to sit mysteriously in a comfy corner while reading your next favorite mystery.
4. Kelly’s Bar and Lounge – East Liberty
Kelly’s Bar and Lounge in East Liberty is a favorite dive of many Pittsburghers, and its cozy vibes point to the bar being a great place for reading a book alone, whether inside or outside on the back patio. Plus, Kelly’s has a different cocktail on special for $5 each night of the week, and even outside of specials, Kelly’s is a great value among Pittsburgh bars. Try to go earlier in the evening though, because the bar does get darker at night—unless you want to bring a book light?
5. De Fer Coffee and Tea – Strip District
De Fer Coffee and Tea has a coffee bar and an evening bar with alcoholic drinks. As suggested by “coffee and tea” being in the name, De Fer is primarily a café, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t turn into a bar at night. You can bring a book to read by yourself and easily feel like you’re among your people because the other guests are also probably reading or working on their laptops, even in the evenings.
6. The Squirrel Hill Cafe – Squirrel Hill
Known by many locals as “The Cage,” The Squirrel Hill Cafe is a dive bar in the neighborhood of Squirrel Hill with easy vibes and an older (read: quieter) clientele. After all, the café first opened in 1935! Grab a beer at the bar—or a booth if the bar isn’t crowded—and enjoy your own company while reading a book.
7. Trace Brewing – Bloomfield
Trace Brewing is a hip and casual brewery in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh that operates as a coffee shop by day and a brewery at night. It’s relatively young, having only opened during the pandemic. But it’s already developed a following of folks who appreciate the friendly service and relaxed vibe. Sure, you can read at the coffee shop during the day, but you can also unwind with a book in the evening with one of Trace’s own brews.
8. The Abbey on Butler Street – Lawrenceville
The Abbey on Butler Street is a Lawrenceville institution that serves brunch and dinner, meaning it serves coffee as well as alcohol. That means that the place is already a popular place to read. Since coffee drinkers will read in the morning, you won’t be out of place reading even at night.
9. Poetry Lounge – Millvale
Millvale bar Poetry Lounge is a laid-back space with a quality cocktail menu and a welcoming atmosphere. Plus, it’s called Poetry Lounge—so of course you can read a book there! Make sure you choose to bring your book on a night when the bar isn’t hosting a loud event like karaoke. Then, order a beer from the “rough drafts” menu.
10. Bottlerocket Social Hall – Allentown
Just because Bottlerocket Social Hall has “social” in its name doesn’t mean you have to be social there. And the spacious bar has a good amount of seating, so you likely won’t be the only one nursing a book alongside your drink. But do note that Bottlerocket hosts a lot of social events (it is in the name, after all!). You might want to ensure you’re not trying to read while trivia teams are loudly arguing over their answers.
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