Will Ferrell eats Allentown, Three Rivers Beer Week begins, and more Pittsburgh food news

Three Rivers Beer Week
Multiple locations. threeriversbeerweek.com

Celebrate Pittsburgh beer with over 40 breweries when Three Rivers Beer Week returns. The multi-day event, organized by the Pittsburgh Brewers Guild, and taking place Wed., April 9-Sun., April 13, promises new beer releases and food pairings, brewery tours, and workshops, as well as a sensory panel, ice cream mixer, and the Brewers Olympics, which closes out the event. This year, on Sat., April 12 (412 Day), the Lawrenceville Brewery Crawl joins Three Rivers Beer Week. Buy a $3 stamp card at Long Story Short or any participating brewery, then hop between Lawrenceville brewers like Burghers, Eleventh Hour, Coven, Lolev Beer, and Hop Farm. Each stamped visit gives beer lovers a chance to win a case of locally crafted microbrews. Stamp sales benefit the Lawrenceville-based Persad Center, one of the nation’s oldest mental health centers serving the LGBTQ community.

The Eatery at Pitt
3990 Fifth Ave., Oakland. theeateryatpitt.com

A Food Network star heads to the University of Pittsburgh campus for a chef takeover. On Wed., April 9 at 11 a.m., restaurateur and celebrity chef Jet Tila will serve diners at Kokumi, a Western Asian-inspired food station at The Eatery, located inside Pitt’s Litchfield Towers. Diners can join for $11.50, which includes meeting Chef Jet and an all-you-can-eat plate at The Eatery dining hall.

A press release from Chartwells Higher Education (which operates The Eatery at Pitt) states that Chef Jet’s takeover will feature “proteins and open-flame wok-tossed favorites,” including Mongolian beef, Thai basil tofu with sweet chili sauce, kimchi fried rice, and more. A Los Angeles native, Tila also serves as culinary ambassador to Thailand and has been part of several food-based world records, including the world’s largest stir fry. Tila’s appearance celebrates the recent renovation of The Eatery, which debuted new dining concepts for Pitt students earlier this year.

Old Thunder Brewing Company
340 Freeport Rd., Blawnox. oldthunderbrewing.com

Old Thunder Brewing pits the region’s beers against Philly’s at its second annual East vs. West event. On Sat., April 12 from 12-10 p.m., eight breweries from across the state will converge to pour Pa.-made IPAs. Featured brewers include Grist House, Stick City from Mars, Pa., Forest and Main Brewing, Root Down Brewing, and more. Fireside Pizza Company will also serve wood-fired pizza.

CranFest
2525 Rochester Rd., Cranberry Township. cranberrytownship.org/1420/CranFest-2025

Cranberry Township hosts CranFest, a festival celebrating cultural diversity with song, dance, international foods, and local vendors. Join at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center on Sat., April 12, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for food from the Philippine-American Performing Arts of Greater Pittsburgh (who will also perform), Aviva Brick Oven, Inca Bites, Tamarind Exotic India, Cafe Tu Y Yo, and more. Performers include the Pittsburgh Xiaobo Chinese Waist Drum Dance, Bell School of Irish Dance, Bollywood Dance by S, and Pittsburgh Samba Group. View the CranFest 2025 event page for complete details.

Turkish Cultural Center Pittsburgh
1459 Crane Ave., Banksville. facebook.com/TCCPenn

The Turkish Cultural Center of Pittsburgh invites neighbors for a “delightful cup of authentic Turkish coffee.” The Center will, on Sun., April 13, from 2-5 p.m., host a Turkish Coffee and Appetizers event at its Banksville base. Guests enjoy 10 appetizers, freshly brewed Turkish coffee, and Turkish tea, while experiencing the “warm, inviting atmosphere of Turkish hospitality.” Tickets cost $50 and are available through Eventbrite.

Dad’s Dog and Burger
4830 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. instagram.com/dadspgh

On Sat., April 12, from 12-4 p.m., Dad’s Dog and Burger, a classic Bloomfield-based dog and burger joint, celebrates its grand opening. The retro mom-and-pop shop will serve hot dogs, burgers, fries, onion rings, breakfast sandwiches, milkshakes, and root beer floats. The grand opening also includes music by DJ Dini Daddy and free treats from pastry chef Marla Mae.

Pittsburgh Magazine reports that the new eatery opens in the former G/M Dog “N” Burger Shoppe, which closed last September after 49 years in operation. Owner Katelyn Bako honored the restaurant’s legacy and renovated the space to include ’70s-style wood-paneled walls, Pittsburgh memorabilia, and “vintage H.J. Heinz Co. doodads.”

Alla Famiglia
804 E. Warrington Ave., Allentown. allafamiglia.com

Elf movie fans might remember Buddy the Elf’s candy-filled breakfast pasta. The film’s lead, Will Ferrell, recently upgraded to the adult version with a surprise visit to Pittsburgh’s Alla Famiglia. On April 1, the Anchorman and Step Brothers star stopped in for a “true Italian feast,” according to the Allentown restaurant, ordering seafood, steak, pasta, and veal. A photo of Ferrell was shared on Alla Famigila’s social media, thanking him for “lots of laughs and good stories over meatballs and pasta.” The longtime Italian restaurant — a favorite in Pittsburgh City Paper’s Best of PGH Readers’ Poll — opened in 1997 and has operated in Allentown since 2005.