Originally posted by: kranky
In addition to what's been mentioned, I'd also check out the Southside Works on E. Carson near the Hot Metal Bridge. I'd also get a street map of Pittsburgh if you are adventurous, in case you lose your way (if you're an AAA member, get one free at an AAA office). Grab a free Pittsburgh City Paper (
www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws) which has tons of event listings. They're free and they probably have them at your hotel.
If you want a coffeehouse, Beehive on the South Side has free WiFi and it's much cooler than a Starbucks.
Skip the chain restaurants that you can go to anywhere and hit the locally-owned ones. Definitely try the Church Brew Works like vshah mentioned. The Grand Concourse restaurant in Station Square is a must for a nice dinner in a beautiful building. Also Primanti's in the Strip District (best time is late night for people-watching), Fatheads on E. Carson for tremendous sandwiches and many beer options, Del's in Bloomfield for Italian, Penn Brewery in Troy Hill for German and the great beer they brew right there.
The bar scene is primarily the South Side on E. Carson and Station Square. If you go to Station Square you have to ride the incline up to Mt. Washington. Very cool. A couple other things to do is see the National Aviary and the Andy Warhol Museum, both on the North Side. The John Heinz History Center is in the Strip District and if you like that kind of thing, is worth checking out if you're in that area.
Oram's Donuts in Beaver Falls is just a couple miles from New Brighton - best donuts and cinnamon rolls ever, and they are huge.