New Pittsburgh restaurants, plus three September closings

Openings

If FOMO upsets you, don’t fret! This new restaurant is coming around … and around … and around …

Kura Revolving Sushi Bar made the rounds in Pittsburgh’s news cycle after opening on Sunday, Sept. 17. The restaurant’s seating borders a rotating belt — luggage pickup style — full of individual dishes that patrons can select for themselves.

This style of restaurant is native to Japan, but the U.S. branch of Kura Sushi has been bringing the concept to the States since 2008, says company’s website.

Patrons are charged per plate: Most cost $3.65 each, but some vary upward depending on the dish.

Kura Revolving Sushi Bar is open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

What’s better than a gyro? Six of them. If you happen to be collecting six gyros from a Greek eatery, you’re in luck — Mike & Tony’s newest location in Ross marks its sixth restaurant.

While the restaurant has no confirmed opening date, North Hills residents can expect to be able to grab some of the locally acclaimed “freshest lamb in town” sometime this fall.

Jeez, Pittsburgh. You can’t go a month without some coffee news. Instead of just bringing a new blend to Pittsburgh, Commonplace Coffee is putting Pittsburgh into a new blend!

Mellon Park Blend, launched on Sept. 26, is the company’s latest in a long line of park-themed blends.

The vibrant brew is reflective of its namesake, Commonplace head roaster Vikki Harris said in a press release.

“The Mellon Park Blend contains two stellar coffees with tasting notes of honey, orange blossom and cherry,” Harris said. “The first was grown by Carolina Posada on her farm Mina Rica in Colombia. The second blend component was grown by world-renowned producer Luis Alberto in Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua. The Yellow Catuai variety he contributed to this blend features exceptional floral notes, intense sweetness and popping citric acidity.”

Want a sip? Commonplace is hosting a tasting at its Rockwell Park cafe location (7514 Thomas Blvd.) on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 11 a.m.

The Eagle has landed!

Wait, no — the Hawk has landed … at the Eagle.

Pittsburgh-based roasters Redhawk announced on Instagram that its coffee is now in local Giant Eagle locations. Neither Giant Eagle nor the roasters have publicized specific stores where the coffee is sold, so give yours a shot. You know what they say, you have to crack a few eggs to snatch some Redhawk.

Enough coffee. Please. I’m over-caffeinated.

Closings

“Homestead’s Original Gastropub” permanently closed its doors on Sunday, Sept. 17. Blue Dust announced the news in a Sept. 6 Facebook post — just 11 days ahead of the closure.

For owner Jerry Miller, 72, the reasoning for closing is simple:

“Well, I’m retiring.”

Miller says he is grateful for all who came to Blue Dust and gives special thanks to his employees “who are all half my age.”

The post has garnered nearly 200 comments, most of which express sadness and gratitude for the pub’s 14 years of service in the community.

“I was there to see it open; I’m sad to see it close,” writes Facebook user Paula Cardona. “I always recommended it to people when they were looking for a new spot to eat and drink. Thank you for the memories.”

Others shared more … unique stories.

“One of my favorite foodie road trips was driving from Jackson, Michigan, to your restaurant just to have lunch,” writes Jeff Windham.

It takes a special sandwich to send a man on a four-hour road trip.

On Tuesday, Sept. 26, Spice Island Tea House similarly announced its closing via Facebook. The Southeast Asian restaurant closed on Sept. 30. This year marked 28 years of service for brothers and owners Ron and Alex Lee.

“When we first opened in 1995, never in our wildest dreams did we think we would go on this long,” the post reads. “Admittedly, the last few years have been the hardest we’ve ever faced.”

While Spice Island — the permanent location — is closing, the post notes that a series of culinary pop-ups and events may be in the duo’s future.

It’s not often that a service station is repurposed as a restaurant, and even less often that the restaurant becomes a Spork.

Double Wide Grill will soon be going the way of the service station it’s housed in. Replacing it will be Spork Island Trading Co. The bar and restaurant will continue to be owned in part by Steve Zumoff, with Spork partner and local entrepreneur Andy Tepper coming aboard.

Once open, Spork Island Trading Co. will boast a Caribbean theme and operate as “a bar with great food” rather than Double Wide’s “restaurant with great drinks,” the Pittsburgh Business Times reports.

From Oct. 9 through 31, Zumoff is letting loose with a “Cannibal Clown Cafe” Halloween pop-up event in the space. Talk about killing your darlings.

Other restaurant news

Looking for new bars, breads, burgers, brunches or anything (even things that don’t start with B) else in between? The late-September release of Pittsburgh City Paper’s “Best of PGH” awards brought a sprawling list of Food & Drink winners and runners-up. Each establishment is Yinzer-nominated and balloted. Try them all. I dare you.