Area Neighborhoods

Shadyside

Shadyside is a quaint and sophisticated neighborhood, located a few minutes from the main hospital and next to Shadyside Hospital. The area is popular among residents, who appreciate its proximity to work and to the many shops and restaurants on Walnut Street. The local watering hole known as Doc’s is a regular hangout, Pamela’s is always the place to be for Sunday brunch, and Cappy’s karaoke night gives everyone a chance to be the next American Idol. Applicant dinners are frequently at the Walnut Grille, a contemporary restaurant and bar that often features weekly live jazz performances.

Squirrel Hill

Located adjacent to Shadyside and near the main hospitals, Squirrel Hill is a vibrant and diverse suburban area that has become a popular place for housestaff to live. Quiet neighborhoods surround a bustling social scene that is frequented by residents and families as well as students from nearby Carnegie Mellon University. The coffee shops, bookstores, and restaurants that line Murray and Forbes Avenues offer a wide selection of international cuisines and specialty interests.

South Side

The vivacious bar and pub district historically known for its eclectic mix of blue collar and alternative youth scene, the South Side continues to undergo a recent facelift. New urban-style apartments target a community of young professionals and graduate students. But amidst the variety of restaurants, shops, and specialty stores, visitors and residents are never far from a local hookah bar, tattoo parlor, or dive bar. The South Side is also home to the South Side Works, an upcoming complex of high-end shops and restaurants, and Station Square, an area of dance clubs, restaurants, and concert venues with a riverside view. Applicant dinners often take place here at Nakama, a Japanese-style steakhouse and sushi restaurant known for top-rated cuisine prepared right before your eyes.

Waterfront

Once upon a time, this area was the heart of Pittsburgh’s steel industry. Now the Waterfront is home to an enormous complex of restaurants, department stores, and entertainment venues. Part of the Pittsburgh revitalization, popular features include a comedy club, a dueling piano bar, Dave and Buster’s, and a large multiplex cinema. New condominiums and apartments have sprung up around this bustling commercial center.

Strip District

The center of Pittsburgh nightlife, the Strip District is home to numerous dance clubs, bars, and lounges. During the daytime, it’s a thriving commercial district filled with international markets, fresh produce, and the famous Benkovitz fish market. Saturday and Sunday afternoons are the best time to shop, as the streets and sidewalks are lined with merchants and food stands.

Mount Washington

Atop the highest point in the city, Mount Washington offers spectacular views of downtown Pittsburgh. Hilltop restaurants overlook Heinz Field, PNC Park, the Golden Triangle, and Point State Park. It is known for its world famous view of the Pittsburgh skyline, the nighttime view of which was rated the second most beautiful vista (as well as the best urban vista) in America by USA Today; its funiculars, the Duquesne and Monongahela Inclines–the oldest continuous inclines in the world; and for the row of upscale restaurants paralleling the crest of Mount Washington, the hill the community sits upon.

Beyond the City Limits

If you are looking for a house with a big yard or are not quite the city type, you will find an abundance of great places to live just outside the city. The surrounding suburbs offer affordable housing, easy access to work, and lower tax rates. If you don’t mind mowing the lawn and trimming the hedges, this might be for you.