As the Pittsburgh coffee scene barrels it’s way into the third wave of coffee with trendy shops popping up across the city, no love has been lost for the city’s longtime favorites that have stood the test of time.
One of these classic Pittsburgh coffee shops is Tazza D’oro, which opened in Highland Park in 1999. Now, 18 years later, the company is putting the final touches on their newest location in Millvale, with the hopes of opening it to the public in early September.
Today, procuring a cup of speciality coffee is something we take for granted. This wasn’t always the case. When Tazza D’oro first opened, they knew they were doing something different.
“When we did Highland Park it was a really big challenge,” says owner Amy Enrico. “We brought in specialty coffee. We were the second wave of coffee. People weren’t used to it. People were like, ‘You can’t do this, you’re on an island. You need to go to Shadyside’ But I knew we were doing such different things, I wanted to be a destination. I wanted people to come to us because they got what we were doing.”
While the machines, techniques, and coffee blends may have changed since the first Tazza D’oro opened, the brand’s dedication to creating a community around a good cup of coffee has not.
The Tazza D’oro shops in both Highland Park and Oakland have always been gathering places for people in both neighborhoods. The idea of a ‘community space, centered around coffee’ is exactly Tazza D’oro hopes to bring to Millvale, and in turn, what Millvale hopes Tazza D’oro will bring to the neighborhood.
The Millvale Community Development Corporation approached Tazza D’oro about opening a shop in the neighborhood nearly two years ago. Since then, Tazza and the Millvale borough have worked together to transform the building – which had previously sat vacant for nearly a decade – into a gathering place for the community. Most of the employees at the new Millvale location were hired from within the neighborhood.
As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Because of this, the newest Tazza D’oro location won’t stray too far from the formula that has made it one of the oldest, and most loved coffee shops in the city. However, one thing the brand is looking forward to is their new “barista training lab” on the second floor.
“Making coffee isn’t easy,” says Enrico. “To get really good at it, it takes a lot of practice. There are a lot of variables, like temperature and humidity. I am happy we will have that space to practice.”
Eventually, Taza D’oro is planning on hosting cuppings, tea classes, or other public events in the training lab space.
With the shop using all new equipment to brew, coffee fans will be happy to know they can satisfy all their espresso, cortados, and drip coffee needs at the new location. They will also offer pour overs and a special tea menu.
In addition to great coffee, guests should also look forward to the food. Chef Anna Calabrese, who runs the food program for all Tazza D’oro locations, is excited to offer an all day lunch and breakfast menu at the Millvale location.
While the menu will be simple, the focus is on sourcing fresh and local ingredients. Calabrese knows that if you use the right ingredients, dishes don’t need to be complicated to be delicious.
Guests can expect baked good, breakfast sandwiches, wraps, paninis, salads, and grab-n-go options. They will also be serving Pigeon Bagels. Calabrese will also work in the Barista Training Lab to pair the seasonal ingredients with the coffee, to ensure everything melds well.
Tazza D’oro in Millvale is aiming for an early September opening, and will be open from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., seven days a week.
Enrico can’t wait to open the doors to her new neighbors.
“I can’t want for this space to be filled with people. Since the sign was painted and people found out what was going on, we have just been overwhelmed with the excitement from the community.”
mavis close says
Lovely article! Can’t wait to see it in person………congrats Amy!!!!!!
Christian Frangiadis says
Chef Anna Calabrese rocks. Congrats to her & Tazza Dork on the fine work & new spot.
Sam says
Hello, Madeleine!
I’m always in search for good coffee shops. Hope they’ll branch out in the UK soon. Would you recommend some best-sellers in their menu? Thanks!
Regards,
Sam