Mineos — This will likely be debated more than your choice of All Big East team 😉

Aiello’s pepperoni rolls may be the greatest food ever created.

Aiello’s. Hands down.

JoeMama’s—a current student-alum favorite
the Pete/the old Field House?
Phipp’s Conservatory
Trees? used to play racquetball there by lowering that ladder down into the concrete court, like a gladiator. Olympic size pool.

Gooskis
The Cage
Hillman steps
weekends down at the Strip
Cardiac Hill — any Pitt summer basketball camp alums out there circa Roy Chipman?
Trees Hall — sneaking in for pick up games (that was more high school than college)

-Pizza from Antoons
-Visiting the Pete (I would think this gets some bonus points for being the site of old Pitt Stadium)
-Primantis

Mineo’s for me…

I actually went to a couple of those summer basketball camps when Chipman was coach. I don’t remember him being there much (then again, I wasn’t exactly one of the blue chips that a coach would be interested in), but I have vivid memories of Seth Greenberg and Tommy McConnell preaching about defense.

Mineo’s is way better.

I’m surprised no one’s mentioned Primanti’s

Good point about Primanti’s.

I guess because they always get the attention, that I may have skipped them. When there is a bump during a Pitt home game (football or basketball) there is usually some clip of a Primanti’s sandwhich being made.

Fuel and Fuddle is the best bar/restaurant in Oakland in my opinion.

I hear nice things about F&F, but I never went there. A bit of lingering resentment because it used to be Calico’s.

Since the Panther statue is used in a national car commercial, you may want to consider it.

The O also has to make the list. To me, that is more Pitt than Primanti’s which is basically Pgh (not Pitt.) How about Peter’s Pub?

Fuel and Fuddle is a sorry replacement for the Old Calico’s. What a great bar with fantastic live music.

Mountain biking/walking through Schenley Park. Phipps conservatory.

Took my wife to Pittsburgh a couple of years ago for the WVU game. It was her first time. On my list were the following: Game at The Pete, Cathedral, incline to Mt. Washington and the view, The O, Primanti’s, Uncle Sam’s, and Forbes Field wall. I would go to CJ’s if it was still there. Peter’s I guess, but I didn’t drink there so much…Haha, put Chiefs on the list!

CJ, agree about the Fuel and Fuddle.

Since the Cathedral is the signature building at Pitt, it needs to be on the list.

I was always a big fan of the Union Grill on Craig St .. provided it’s still there (haven’t been to Oakland for a while)

The SOD and Mitchells.

where is that chick from the original post?

Peter’s Pub has to be on there. Sorry if someone else mentioned it. The Garage Door Saloon (aka Atwood Deli Bar) and Mad Mex were fun as well.

The Electric Banana

Pamela’s for breakfast.

And for the late night snack, that street vendor who served rat on a stick…well, it looked like rat, but tasted delicious after a heavy night of drinking while trying to find your way back to the dorms.

The Cathedral
The O
The Pete
The Panther
Peter’s Pub/Uncle Sam’s

Horrified every time I go to Oakland and see Dunkin Donuts where CJ’s once stood, Five Guys in place of Zelda’s and F&F instead of Calico’s. Where do kids drink nowadays??

Chas i have voted for you 3 times you look as i thought you would except i thaught you would have a full head of hair and be older.

Chas – you have many of my votes.
*Dannys Pizza – South Park…even under new ownership.
* Gateway clipper…to the game hopefully, once Tino’s gone!

Wow, the electric banana. That is great!

How about Tessaro’s in Bloomfield. Or the pleasure bar? Or D’Amico’s?

Buffalo Blues in Shadyside? The Sharp Edge? Anthony’s? The Cricket?

TX Panther, do you mean the “KosherBeefOrChicken” man outside Hillman?

How about the old Luna? North Oakland is a bit rough these days. Pitt and the old folks should have never moved the fraternities off of Dithridge and Bellfield.

Pitt 89 you’re making me cry. Pitt 88 here.

The Sanctuary, The Upstage when you wanted a little bit off the path. Good for some laughs!!!

Tx Panther…The SOD, Saweeet!!! LOL

the cathedral tell how you felt ]
\

the cathedral tell how you felt the first time you went in side. the zoo at BB games tell how that pumps people up . write abought pitt as if you were a kid seeing and doeing these things for the first time and how you felt than you cant lose.

Definitely Aiello’s for sure.

How about Schenley Park? Didn’t see that on the list, I spent many days there as an undergrad.

Too bad so many great old bars are gone, some of my favs included Johnnies Place. Thirsty’s. The Decade. Zelda’s. Graffiti (first place I ever used a fake ID). Calico’s. The Upstage. Ahhh….I have such great, but vague and fuzzy memories of all of these places….

After seeing the responses to Chas’s question, I can understand why there is always so much discontent on this site — y’all can remember the glory years of Pitt football.

As a 2004 graduate, Walt Harris was the coach for my four years at Pitt and C.J.s closed down when I was a freshman. So here’s my less nostalgic top 5:

1. Cathedral of Learning
2. The “O”
3. Fuel & Fuddle — home of the 100 beers challenge
4. Phipps/Carnegie Museum — two of the bonuses of our urban setting
5. Oakland Zoo

Definately Pamelas, Ritters (for the North Oakland crew), SOD (for the South Oakland crew), Primanti’s (just voted the most manliest place in the country by Mens Health), and the Luna (not sure if it’s open anymore)

anybody used to hang at Doc’s in Shadyside? Do you know that Head’s Together on Murray Avenue is still open … only the merchandise has changed from quite bit over the years (or should I sy decades?)

I hear ya Dan… pretty sure a tear rolled down my cheek when I saw DD and Five Guys. Remember the Sanctuary and the SOD (South Oakland Dive) fondly too. The Upstage, The Decade and Denny’s (I lived on Meyran for 3 years a block from Denny’s. Many nights started with cheap drafts at Denny’s) as well.

@wbb… Yep, a frequenter of Doc’s as well… great place. An older crowd (actually 21) as I remember.

Too funny… Anthony’s and The Cricket. I think I had blocked them from my memory. I may or may not have seen a female classmate providing entertainment at said establishments.

As a 1990 grad, here’s my top:

1. The Cricket
2. Panther Hollow Inn
3. S.O.D. (is it even still there?)
4. Docs’s Shadyside
5. The bathroom on the top floor of the Cathedral (c-mon, for the views)

There are some great suggestions. Not to mention more than a few depressing reminders of what is gone.

I think I will have to end up with more than five on the list — even with all the lost places. Good memories. Or at least good nostalgia. Not sure exactly about the true memories given the alcohol consumed.

You guys are old.

Here’s one for my fellow North Oaklanders…Record Graveyard. That place was awesome…

Things that are gone but should be remembered:

Quinques, pronounced chichis for meatballs and cheese in a bowl.

Wohlfarths Pub

The Wooden Keg

Frankie Gustines

Cum Laude

The Decade

Ciceros

Jakes Pinball

The Oakland Tavern

Long Beach St vs Louville tonight at 7 on the U.

This is a tough one for Pitt. Pitt Stadium is gone, a majority of the bars are gone or have changed. You have the Cathedral and that is it. Being an urban campus makes the city the draw, everything else is just done in passing. I’ll walk by the Cathedral or walk thru it. I MUST get an Italian from Uncle Sam’s but every school has their junk food go to. Good luck on this.

So this is dumb but, we are supposed to touch the panther statue’s nose outside of the student union before the game. I like to eat an italian hoagie from Peppi’s for 5 bucks out of a trashcan on the way into the stadium.

Old Pitt Stadium and the fights that always broke out in the stands. They were far more entertaining than the actual game being played.

Wake n Bakes, beer funnels, cutting Chemistry class to shoot pool in the Union, buying 6-packs from Winners while underage, getting in line multiple times to get student B-ball tickets for games at the Civic Arena and then selling them to adults who gladly paid $30 each for them. Woops…this is getting far too personal.

The Pitt vs. Oklahoma game at Fitzgerald. And, streamers before you got a technical foul for them.

Just a note… you should get Larry Fitz and/or other Pitt guys to retweet for people to vote for you. How the heck are Depaul and Nova so far up there?

ah, gc, someone as old as me. Great list.

Add Scotty’s Diner for its serious sausage and proximity to the Towers.

The Luna for Friday afternoon beers.

Isaly’s on the BOA for cheap and filling chipped ham sandwichees, and

The Pizza Pub in Shadyside for its cheese steaks.

Primanti’s for sure, but should be presented as a visit to the ORIGINAL Primanti’s at the Strip District after 2:00 A.M. (which is when they would open). Alot of folks don’t know the original story about how Primanti’s was originally a diner for truckers who delivered produce to the distributors and were looking for a quick meal on the run, hence the sandwich with the works. When I went to Pitt in the 70’s John and Pete Primanti would only be open from 2 AM until 2 PM. It became a must go for college kids after a night of drinking who had the munchies. Pitt is Pittsburgh and the strip is a must visit for any alum. Now, of course, it is fashionable to go there any time, but especially on game days.

The Incline? They do show it every game so the voters might relate.

Most Pitt alumni must stop at Chuck Bonnasore’s (sic) Pitt Stop outdooor street vendor at Forbes and Bigelow.
So much has changed, though. Only The Dirty O,Uncle Sams, Pamela’s, Peter’s Pub and Hemmingway’s are still around.

G’s cheesesteaks in north oakland (probably gone by now)

SOD for wings…

Silky’s Sportsbar in Squirrel Hill

Why limit yourself to Oakland?

TX, i could not remember the name of Winner’s, great memory.. i fondly remember smuggling 6 packs of pounders from Winner’s into the Towers my freshman year.

Good point Chris!!! Chas, if really a shot at winning, I’d use all of Pittsburgh. I’m sure people at De Paul and St. Johns’ are using Chicago and NYC respectively, no????

Maybe I’m wrong. If it’s strictly campus and someones checking, well then.

If not, maybe go for a couple things the city is known for. Gotta go with Primanti’s and Mt Washington and the view, both on every Steeler national game.

If campus, put “walking ” around, since Piit is in always “America’a most livable city.” Note that for sure.

Just some thoughts, not sure how it’s being done.

@Pitt 89. I could have retired at Calico’s. I loved that place so much. Thought I met my wife there one of the first times I ever went there.

One of the bartenders, right, who hasn’t?????

Her name was Amy, got up the next day, and sent her flowers, to the bar!!!!!!!!! My buddies were howling at me and thought I was out of my mind.

Yes, she got them, went back a couple days later, with my buddies, all of us went up to the bar, and she said, “thanks for flowers, that was nice, what are you guys having today?”

And that was the end of it!!!!!!!! Guess she had guys come in with crushes before!!! LOL

I thought I was gonna change her life!!! LOL

Guess I should clarify, no funny business at all.

Just stood against the wall all night looking at her face. Next day, sent flowers.

Ha ha. Money was hard to come by too.

Hey Pitt89, this is a really long shot, but, there was another bartender there, that worked at zeldas also.

We called her “Fuji”. She wasn’t Japanses, but she had jet black short hair.

By the end of the night, we’d always start with the “we want to Mt. Fuji” sophmoric spiel!!!!

Ha ha, she always laughed, we tipped her well, and she knew she was in on the joke, not the joke.

Ahhhh, good times.

Steve,

Were there ever more homely waitresses than thos that worked the night shift at Scotty’s.

Larry Luna was awesome. He cashed a check for a buddy of mine so we could continue drinking. Closed the place that night, we were 16.

Wally, made the 2 am trip to Primanti’s several times. Two sandwiches would crush the munchies.

Class of ’88 here – TxPanter hit ’em for us:
Mitchells (Kamakazee Pitchers)
SOD
Zeldas (saw Fralic pound some dude one night)
Peters on Thursday!

Anybody else remember listening to Puckett (sp?)

No, gc, but at that hour they looked like goddesses.

Was there a contest among bartends back then on who could serve the youngest patrons? One didn’t even have to have a fake ID.

Forgot to mention my favorite person during the late 60s: Izzy down at the police station.

Peters Pub, 1976, last call, closed every night with the “Doors” LA Women, as the Panthers won the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

I could think of plenty of Pittsburgh but not Pitt spots. Blue Slide Park, South Side Slopes

Seriously Chas, you’ve got some catching up to do. At least the Butgers guy is at zero percent. You need to get the word out. Have you talked to the Pitt News about giving you a plug or even the university’s athletic department? I would think they could attach the link. Would be good press for Pitt if you won. I’m sure others would do what they can to help get the word out for the voting. The Pitt alumni association also has a site I believe. I’ll spread the word on Pantherlair. Cardiac Hill, Dokish’s Panthers Prey, and Zeise might be able to help in some way. All you have to do is ask. We’re all part of the Pitt family. Once a Panther, always a Panther. Hail to Pitt.

@Mill—-John Puckett. He’s my sister-n-law’s brother. That would be my brothers wife’s brother.

Just saw him on t-giving. He still plays around a little bit, but, has full time job.

We hire him for events at our business.

You can still call out any tune, no matter how obscure, he’ll get it. One man band!!!

My brother was married back then, so I knew him then. He would get tired of me showing up, I always requested ‘Brown Eyed Girl’. And I would request it several times a night!!!

He’s doing well.

Two Words… Capri Pizza

@Dan… Believe it or not, I do remember crushing on a zelda’s barmaid with short dark hair. Could be a different one though. Don’t recall Amy at Calico’s. Although I do distinctly remember being in Calico’s and watching the crap team John Thompson put together blow the Olympic basketball game in ’88. Also remember listening to Puckett… Good times!

Dollar imports at Peter’s on Wed nights, $.10 and $.25 drafts at Zelda’s on Thurs nights (we used to cover a picnic table in the back with dixie sized cups of beer), and free pizza at Zelda’s happy hours on Fridays.

Hate to change the topic … but Boeheim may be in trouble. The Fine abuse thing is really turning into another coverup .. although too early to come to any conclusions.

Another subject is that after only one year, Maryland backers are calling for Edsall to be fired. Can’t blame them … they went from 10 wins last year to 10 losses this year.

I’m old. Frankie Guistine’s Bar. I actually had a class in his back room. The professor would buy the first pitcher of beer.

@wbb, I was hoping it wasn’t, saw some stuff the wife knew, watched?? Yikes.

I don’t know, who knows what we’ll end up having with Graham, but, when Maryland hired Edsall, I kinda of went “blah” for them.

Those uni’s didn’t help!! ha ha

How about Galifti’s in Squirrel Hill, for their cheesecake?

Chief’s Bar was a real throwback. Used to have a good friend bartend there. Sometimes I’d got there early in the morning, and see old-timers throwing back shots of whisky at 7:00 am.

Also, there used to be a great bar on Forbes called the Attic, in the early 90’s–great for watching sports or shooting pool, and had another bar on top of that, for late-night dancing. What has become of these places?

I’m 87/89 and was a North Oakland resident…
Thursday night Pitcher and Wings at Thirsty’s
Disco tunes before retro disco was cool (or at least thought it was cool) at Luna (there still is a Luna, it’s moved a couple doors further away from Center Ave)
A hard boiled egg and a draft at Chiefs for like 75 cents

Capri pizza was awesome – anyone remember the Pizza Store, that had the trucks that drove around with warm pizzas in the back looking for quick sales?

I was in North Oakland couple years later. Mitchell’s was my second home. $2 pitchers on Mondays and Thursdays and a good jukebox and darts in the back, plus adjacent Charlie’s for food. Thirsty’s had become a Deadheadish bar by then. They all told us Marino used to hang out there and we were like, yipers. Must have been different back in the day… Chief’s was insane in the membrane. My friend got scared and made me take him out of there one night. But I liked the stupid video bowling game in the back and the fact they’d sell you 40’s after midnight Sunday morning. Shhh…Someone mentioned Record Graveyard. Yes! Cheap CD’s. I loved North Oakland…I liked the Attic back in S.Oakland. It had TVs and darts but we always did well with the ladies there. It was a clean and bright joint with a little patio. Also, the HoJo’s on Blvd. of Allies opened or renovated the bar into a sports bar. Can’t remember the name. They did $1 drafts and free wings, shit like that on Friday nights. We’d start there…We’d sometimes go to Silky’s and try to hit on girls in their twenties. Ahh, it was a glorious time. At least in my own mind.

Best of Luck, Chas–I voted.

I’d be remiss without saying this, but if you venture a little ways out of Oakland, and down Liberty Avenue through Bloomfield, you should make a stop at the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern. Huge selection of beer, and great polish food like pierogies.

[…] is the second challenge from Volvo for the Biggest Fan in the Big East. I got a lot of great feedback when I posed the topic last week. The losses of so many old haunts had me step out on the porch and pour one out for the collective […]