Southside Flats - Pittsburgh, PA

Southside Flats was once a prime place for families of steel and factory workers to live during the industrial boom in Pittsburgh in the late 19th century. This also attracted an influx of Eastern Europeans looking for manual labor work in the United States. They made their homes in the Flats and left a lasting impression, which can be easily seen today, as many Eastern European associations and grocers still operate in the lively neighborhood.

After the collapse of the steel industry and a series of arson fires in the1980s, Southside Flats started its revitalization period. Many of the abandoned warehouses and factories in the Flats have been renovated into modern bars, restaurants, apartments and loft housing.

Pittsburgh is loaded with museums, as the city is a hotbed for excellent educational institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and its Natural History Museum, located less than 5 miles from the Southside Flats.

In Southside Flats, a stones throw from Pittsburgh's hottest food and nightlife scene, all types of eateries line East Carson Street, from upscale sit-down restaurants to local hole-in-the-wall pizza, taco and sandwich shops. With over 80 bars, the Southside provides an almost endless selection of watering holes, nightclubs and live music venues. One of Pittsburgh's local gems, Fat Head's Saloon contains a large bar and restaurant that offer a huge selection of craft beers on draft, as well as an eclectic food menu. During the day, Pittsburghers satiate their hunger with modern takes on classic bar foods, such as a heaping pile of nachos topped with braised short ribs, served over crispy handmade potato chips. When the sun goes down, Fat Head's Saloon attracts patrons with a large wooden bar, affordable drinks and a DJ that keeps the party going all night long.

A unique ethnic restaurant, Cambod-Ican Kitchen sits along East Carson's buzzing street scene. The culinary hotspot stands out from the rest of the culturally inspired eateries speckled across Pittsburgh's Southside by welcoming the hungry bar crowd until the wee hours of the morning. Order the chicken shish kebab, which features succulent grilled chicken pieces served over warm rice, all drizzled with the special savory moon sauce. With friendly, quick and accommodating staff, this late-night restaurant provides an oasis for bar hoppers looking for a meal before stumbling home. Whether you enjoy going to concerts or clubs, you can walk to some of the best music venues in the city. If you're looking to hit the dance floor, head to Diesel Club Lounge, one of Pittsburgh's premiere nightclubs. Become mesmerized by the most intellectual light and sound system in Pittsburgh, or enjoy bottle service in the VIP lounge located on the second level of the bumping nightclub. If you would rather hear some live music, head over to Charlie Murdoch's, a dueling piano bar with talented musicians and two fully loaded bars that keep the place rocking until the sun comes up.

When traveling to Southside Flats by car, drivers can take one of eight bridges that connect the neighborhood with the rest of Pittsburgh. For fast and affordable transportation Southside is home to the T, which is the light rail that runs from downtown into Southside. The Port Authority, Pittsburgh’s reliable public transportation system, has public buses that will take you wherever you want to go in the city of a thousand bridges.

There is a good amount of on street parking, and hailing a cab or scheduling a ride through Uber are both viable options, along with the many taxi services that linger around Southside's electric East Carson Street looking for potential passengers. There are also ample amounts of bike lanes that accommodate Pittsburgh's rising population of avid cyclists, making the city one of the most bike-friendly neighborhoods in Pittsburgh.

Lining the Monongahela River is Southside Riverfront Park. The park is an open stretch of grassy areas and has a public boat launch, canoe launch and access to the riverfront trail. The park is great place for an afternoon picnic overlooking the beautiful Monongahela or for a spot to rest after walking, running or biking the riverfront trail. The trail also has informative signs about Pittsburgh’s history and industrial artifacts from Pittsburgh’s industrial heyday along the way. Bring the kids, and the entire family can get some exercise. The park is free and is open to the public. The park and the river trail are also dog-friendly, as long as your four-legged friend is on a leash.

Located on the opposite end of Southside is Grandview Park, named after the breathtaking lookouts and cityscape of Pittsburgh. The park is located on Pittsburgh’s famous Mt. Washington, which soars about Pittsburgh’s skyline and gives visitors amazing panoramic views of the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio Rivers. The park also hosts the Cinema in the Park event, showing classic and modern movies during the summer. There are also great trails that zigzag down the side of the Mt. Washington, perfect for any nature lover who wants to get some exercise. The Park is free and open to the public, and it is also dog friendly.

The cost of living in the Southside Flats is around 8 percent higher than the city average. It costs no more than $2.50 to travel on Port Authority buses or to travel by light rail. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment here is $1,416. The typical price of a pint at a local pub will cost you between $3 and $5, while the neighborhood's average gas price is approximately 7 percent higher than the national average.

If you live in Southside Flats, your shopping options are almost unlimited. East Carson Street, which runs the length of Southside, offers boutique stores, tattoo parlors, used books stores and other quirky shops. Toward the east end of East Carson Street lies SouthSide Works, an upscale shopping center with chain shops, restaurants and a movie theatre, all centered around a charming public area equipped with benches, a fountain show and weekly live music events. One of many unique aspects of Southside is that many of the shops that are squeezed together along East Carson Street seem to be frozen in time. Dave's Music Mine is a perfect example of a store that has withstood the erosion of time and remains one of Pittsburgh's best stores to find any type of music on any type of medium. Its inside bears resemblance to a music hoarder's garage, with cassettes and CDs lining every wall. It is like walking through a musical time capsule, and the farther you venture into the store, the more dated the music gets. The basement holds an eclectic collection of vinyl from big names in rock, hip-hop and other genres. The music shop is a playground for the older generations and a discovery zone for Pittsburgh's youth.

If you are looking to buy some clothes that are not from a retail giant, head to 412. The urban lifestyle store named for Pittsburgh's area code is located among the shops that make up the SouthSide Works commercial hub. It offers the latest fashion from all over the world, from custom Nike footwear and jeans to specialty fixed-gear bicycles. It is common to see someone wearing the shop's best selling item, a quality-made T-shirt simply sporting the area code 412 in different colors.

The closest supermarket to Southside Flats is Giant Eagle, Pittsburgh's largest chain grocer. But if you are looking for a fresh local selection of food, the Citiparks South Side Farmers' Market finds its home on the corner of East Carson and 18th streets. The market offers farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses and baked goods, all from local growers and vendors located within 100 miles of Pittsburgh.