Six Locally Owned South Hills Spots that You Must Try!

 

I have to admit I was pretty hesitant and not happy, at first, when my husband’s job required us to move from the North Hills to the South Hills. Everything I knew and loved was located North of the city, we never ventured to the South Hills…. ever.

I will admit it took me a while to really start exploring the area (we’ll blame the birth of my daughter less than two weeks after we moved for that one), but once I started to venture out and about I found some great locally owned gems that everyone needs to try!

 

  1. Fabulous Homemade Cookies I know there are lot of bakeries in the South Hills, but this small bakery is by far my favorite! The bakery just opened a earlier this year, so they are fairly new to the area; but they have the best cupcakes I have ever had along with the best icing I have ever had (I’m not kidding at all when I saw I could eat a giant tub of their icing and still want more) – in addition they are known for their huge, chewy, delicious cookies (hence the name Fabulous Homemade Cookies).
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  1. Eighty-Four Meat Packing  I love being able to buy our meats locally and after trying a few different butchers in the area this one came out my favorite. They have everything from chicken to steaks to sausage. Everything is fresh and the prices are extremely reasonable. They are great at answering any questions you have, and will even give you ideas on how to cook various cuts of meat as well.  The hours/days are limited so just be sure to check out their website before heading out that way.

 

  1. Springhouse Even though it is located a bit off the beaten path – I absolutely love this place and recommend that everyone goes. They are known for their milk- which has won numerous awards, but trust me the food there is amazing too!  They offer baked goods, catering, lunch, dinner, and (my favorite) breakfast on Saturday mornings – which includes homemade biscuits, french toast, and ham fondue (just to name a few things!) You can also stay and watch the cows grazing on the farm – so it is fun for the kids too!
  2. Los Chiludos This is a little gem that my husband and I found while cutting driving through Southpointe one evening – and oh my goodness I am so glad we did! This place has some of the best Mexican food I have ever had. Everything is fresh and they have an open kitchen where they cook everything to order. I highly recommend a burrito or the mix and match tacos! Just double check the hours – there are some days they are not open for dinner.

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    Image Source: Los Chiludos
  3. J&S Diner This is a cute little diner/restaurant located in Cecil – and while it isn’t a big place everything there is homemade and delicious! You have the option to eat inside or outside (when the weather permits)- and they have the friendliest staff that always make you feel like you are part of their family. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner – however, I can only speak (so far) on their breakfast (can you tell I love breakfast?) and it is fabulous! They have a few signature dishes including homemade biscuits and gravy, French toast, huge (as big as your plate) pancakes, and homemade muffins-that they split, butter, and grill for you (trust me you have to try them!). They also have Mickey Mouse pancakes for the little ones!

  4. J&D Cellars If you get an afternoon free from the kids (or even if you don’t) this winery is worth the drive out to Eighty-Four. Owned by a husband and wife the winery often has wine and paint nights, live music, and a variety of other events. The atmosphere is outdoors and low key. All of their wine is available for purchase, so you can also buy a few bottles to enjoy at your own home once the kiddos go to bed too.

 

I could have easily made this a South Hills Top twenty- but I figured six locally owned spots were enough to get you out exploring the area!

What are some of your favorite local “go to” places?

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Nicole G.
Nicole is a mom to two children each with big personalities - Reagan is currently 4 and Tyler is 2, they are exactly 26 months apart to the day, and ever since Tyler was born life has been non-stop! She's a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom who works full time as a virtual Social Studies teacher for middle and high school students. Although she was originally from the North Hills, 10 days before Reagan was born her and her husband relocated to the South Hills. (However, within the year they will be heading back North of the city to be closer to family). Nicole would rather spend time outdoors, preferably in the fall with a good book and a cup of coffee (or glass of wine), but realistically she is generally multi-tasking between work and the kids. She does love cooking and can often be seen having dance parties in the kitchen (usually with Reagan) while making dinner.