Read what past tour particpiants are saying about 'Burgh Bits & Bites!           

"As a non-native Pittsburgher, I found the tour informative and fun! What a great way to spend your lunch break or an early afternoon out. I would recommend this tour to Pittsburgh newcomers and natives alike! The food samples were plentiful and gave a great sampling of what the Strip has to offer. It certainly makes you want to come back for more!"

- Anne N., VP of Human Resources, local firm

 

"What an amazing tour - something to stimulate all the senses! I had no idea the Pittsburgh Strip District had so much to offer – beautiful sights and delicious specialty food to rival any big city. Thanks Sylvia!"

- Nicole E. (London, UK)

 

"...I did want to thank you for the great tour of the strip district you provided for myself and two of my friends. We really enjoyed the morning. It went by so quickly. My friend from Philadelphia had a great time. She took plenty of goodies back home for her husband to enjoy. Both my other friend and myself are native Western PA folks and we enjoyed ourselves immensely as well. I am not a frequent visitor to the strip but after the tour I have vowed to make more trips into town to enjoy all the strip has to offer. You really do a nice job and I have told other friends about our positive experience. Your tour was a joy and really fun for natives as well as outsiders."

- Dianne Z. (Freeport, PA)

 

“I had a wonderful time. Learned a lot about the Strip and enjoyed the company of everyone in the tour. The food tasting was fun….. Thank you for a most enjoyable morning in the strip. I look forward to another tour, maybe next summer.”

- Betty S. (Imperial, PA)

 

"We wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful time last night on the Strip District TGIF Tour. What a relaxing evening. You mixed culture and history beautifully! We will be back, and we will bring some friends with us!! Thanks very much for a great time!"

- Mary & Doug B. (Moon Township, PA)

 

“This food tour was fabulous! Both Sylvia and Gabe were very knowledgeable about the Strip District and very personable as well. I didn’t feel rushed. Each and every vendor was welcoming to us and gave us all the time we needed to ask questions. They were friendly and personable as well. Our group totally enjoyed this tour and will recommend it to our friends and family!”

- Janice Z. (Pittsburgh, PA)

 

“As a former executive of an international mining equipment company, I can’t say that I don’t know Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania – as I found out during your tour: Pittsburgh is more than just Business. Thank you for having opened my eyes to the exciting (old country) heritage and history of your home town, and for having exposed my taste buds to the incredible foods of the Strip District. “Ahh will be back!”

- Anton E. (Dillingen, Germany - Saarland Region-known for ITS coal mining and ITS unique foods)

 

“I had so much fun on this tour and learned a lot. I have been going to school around Pittsburgh for about five years and had no idea that the strip had so much to offer before now! This tour was so much more than I expected and Sylvia was very knowledgeable and friendly. I appreciated all the history combined with the food tasting and will definitely recommend this tour to everyone I know! I can’t wait to come back for the wine tour!”

- Jill S. (Moon Township, PA)

 

"Going into the tour, I was hoping to learn a little bit about Pittsburgh and the Strip District’s history. This tour exceeded my expectations by far! One of the things that I have always appreciated about Pittsburgh is the fantastic food we have, and the coinciding history of each food. This tour also allows folks to witness first-hand just how friendly and proud of their city Pittsburghers are. From Sylvia to the vendors, you could feel just how excited people were to teach others about their town…”

- Katy B. (Sewickley, PA)

 

“The food tour was fun! I will do it again as people come in to visit us. I think it is a great outing and I appreciate the telling of the area’s history and the friendliness of all the vendors…In every way it is a good experience!! Bravo”

- Renee D. (Monroeville, PA)

 

"The food tour was interesting, delicious and a great outing to share with friends!"

- Kathy M. (Grove City, PA)

 

“The tour was a wonderful way for our networking group to get together and also learn about the wonderful jewel that exists in our own backyard. It was great learning about the history, cultures and local experts that exist in the strip district. This would be a great gift for a friend, sister or Mother!”

- Diana C., Director, local firm

 

"We all enjoyed the tour very much and certainly would never had known what a treasure the Strip District was without the tour. Us Californians certainly loved the Pittsburgh snowy weather during the tour – we don’t experience snow to much out here by the beach! Thanks again and ps. Thanks for arranging Hines Ward from the Steelers to meet us!!"

- Mary E. (Ladera Ranch, CA)

 

“I thought that the tour was wonderful! The tastings and the chosen stops were delicious and a lot of fun. Sylvia was knowledgeable and very pleasant to be around. I would absolutely go on another tour. I am hoping to plan one the next time I'm in town!”

- Julie N. (Woodbridge, NJ)

 

"We loved the tour! I have already recommended it to friends. Thanks so much!”

- Sarah W. (Pittsburgh, PA)

 

“My son and I had a wonderful time. Gabe was extremely knowledgeable and a delightful tour guide. I would recommend this tour to everyone.”

- Nan K. (Pittsburgh, PA)

 

“Thank you so much for the wonderful tour. I’ve lived in Pittsburgh my entire life, but enjoyed learning new things about the Strip and tasting all of the wonderful food.”

- Jen B. (Ross Township, PA)

 

“We had a wonderful time and saw a part of Pittsburgh we probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise….Sylvia is wonderful, she is not only an awesome tour guide but a genuinely nice person. We hope to do her other tour when we go to Pittsburgh next time.”

- Laurie B. (Palmdale, CA)

 

“We had a great time on our walking & eating tour. We thoroughly enjoyed the food, the historical information...and the behind the scenes information by the storeowners was very interesting and enjoyable. I particularly loved the hummus-stop but have to disagree with the owner that Italian olive oil is fourth on the list of the top olive oils in the world, with Syrian as number 1! Sacrilegio!"

- Lisa D., Legal Counsel, NY firm

 

"I really can honestly say that was the most memorable tour I have ever taken. It helped me appreciate the City of Pittsburgh more. I would definitely come back in the future."

- Benjamin L. (Santa Monica, CA)

 

"Sylvia, I had to let you know that everyone loved the tour last evening. No one even complained about the rain. The merchants were very informative and all enjoyed the shopping. I'm sure many of the teachers will be back to Bloomfield to shop. Thank you for showing us a part of Pittsburgh that many were not familiar with.”

- Mary Ann L. and the Allegheny County Association Of Family and Consumer Science members.

 

"We had a wonderful time today! It was a great experience and we are hoping to do the Bloomfield tour next. We appreciate you working with Barb’s chair. She had a great time too. We will definitely recommend your tour to other friends.”

- Tina O. (Pittsburgh, PA)

 

"Pittsburgh is a really neat city. Thanks for the great tour - it was a really nice addition to our vacation."

- Josh C. (Philadelphia, PA)

 

"We had a really, really wonderful day on your tour on Saturday! The whole family was full of compliments. Thanks for showing us a wonderful time..."

- Bridget L. (Allison Park, PA)

 

"Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how much we enjoyed the Burgh Bits and Bites Tour. You were a very gracious tour guide and it added so much to our stay in Pittsburgh. Thank you so much. We wish you continued success."

- Robert and Carol B. (Warren, Ohio)

 

"The experience you provided for our group was such a fine, interesting and enjoyable afternoon. All of my ladies had only wonderful comments about the tour, Gabe, and yourself. Please keep me informed of any new Saturday tours you add to your business."

- Sue Ellen N. (Pittsburgh, PA)

 

“Thank you so much for a wonderful experience. Mom and I both had such a great time with you during each of our 2 tours!! We came away with lots of good memories and delicious food and hopes to come back to Pittsburgh soon. Again, thank you for making our 1st visit to Pittsburgh a memorable one. I sincerely felt like I was being shown a new city by a new friend!!”

- Abby P. (Denver, PA)

 

"So many thanks to you for your fabulous tour! It was a smash hit, let me tell you. All all guests raved about it and how you had brought out the proprietors who make the Strip and Pittsburgh such a special community. I am most grateful for getting to know you and learning about the Strip through sights, smells, and tastes. This is as good as it gets!"

- David H, Local Arrangement Chair for the Pittsburgh meeting of the international Society for the History of Technology, and Professor at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA)

 

"Thank you for arranging our wonderful tour of Mt. Washington. It was fun, and informative, and for life-long Pittsburghers, a great reminder that there is always something new around the corner. Meeting the restaurant chefs and Tom at the incline gave us faces and personalities that brought the neighborhood to life, and they were so pleased to have the chance to share their incredible stories! The tour gave us an appreciation for this vibrant community that is less than 10 minutes from my front door. We would not have had this opportunity had we simply driven up the hill ourselves. Thank you, Sylvia, for sharing your "friends" and insights, letting us see this part of the city in a fresh and enjoyable way. It was a wonderful, memorable way to celebrate our friends' birthday!"

- Karen R. (Pittsburgh, PA)

"This was one of the best culinary walking tours we have ever been on; being from NYC city and having gone on some of the tours there, this was equally enjoyable if not more so. Sylvia was knowledgeable about the history and foodstuff of the strip district, well spoken, had a great rapport with the shop owners, and did an excellent job accommodating my food allergies. The food was all quite tasty and the history conveyed, both illuminating and interesting. It was very nice to stop in at non-food locations of importance to the city. This was a very enjoyable couple of hours and we do hope to take the tour when in town again."

- Kerry & Rich (New York, NY)

 

“Sylvia was a wonderful tour guide. She was very professional and friendly...We all really enjoyed our tour of the Strip!"

- Carol M., Human Resources Officer, local firm

 

“Burgh Bits & Bites was a very enjoyable tour of Pittsburgh’s Strip District. All of the tastings were good and I enjoyed the comments made by the proprietors of the stores. Sylvia did a great job giving background information and was quite knowledgeable about the whole area. Even though I am from the Pittsburgh area, I was introduced to new places which I’m sure I’ll visit again. This would be a great tour to take visitors on to showcase Pittsburgh.”

- Diana R. (Rochester, PA)

 

“The friend that I treated to the tour is planning on treating her 2 sisters and a friend as a gift also. She said this was her favorite birthday present. Thanks for an enjoyable day. My Mom and her sisters are planning the tour as well as my neighbor and her family. Keep up the great ideas.”

- Eileen R. (Pittsburgh, PA)

 

"I have already recommended you to everyone I have talked to today! My friends and I had a great time exploring the strip district- the tour was the perfect balance of historical and modern information (and delicious foods). Needless to say, I will be dragging my friends and family to the strip district the very next time I’m home. Thanks so much for a perfect morning!"

- Sonya N. (Jefferson Hills, PA)

 

“This was a great way to enjoy the Strip District and make a fun memory with a group of friends and family! The historical information was very interesting and the vendors were engaging, warm and friendly…a true representation of Pittsburgh hospitality…”

- Elizabeth C. (Moon Township, PA)

 

“The tour was wonderful! What a great way to experience the city and learn some of the history! I have been mentioning it to everyone in Pittsburgh, and at home in Boston.”

- Jackie T. (Boston, MA)

 

“I thoroughly enjoyed the Burgh Bits & Bites Tour of The Strip District. Sylvia was professional, yet pleasant and fun. It was a win/win tour! Where else can you learn about a historic district from an expert and taste delicious ethnic foods at the same time?”

- Joan M. (Corpus Christi, TX)

 

“I have lived in Pittsburgh my entire life and did not know how great the Strip District was until I went on the tour. My friends and I want to do the tour again and bring more people with us, so they can have the same great experience that we did. Sylvia, what a delicious idea!!!!”

- Gena D. (Bethel Park, PA)

 

"...Sylvia was personable and shared fun, interesting facts. She provided a map and we visited a few more places on our own (candy shops!) and went back to shop at a few she had introduced us to. We are local to the area, but enjoyed experiencing the Strip in this way. I will book future tours for out-of-town guests."

- Robin S. (Belle Vernon, PA)

 

"Great tour. We loved it. The tastings were all nice and appropriate. The discussions throughout on the history of the Strip District and the people who work there were informative, interesting and fun...”

- Keith B. (Homestead, PA)

 

“I really enjoyed your blend of history of the Strip and the local establishments, the variety of foods and their background that we were given, and having the chance to see the process of making some of the foods. The enthusiasm of both you and the owners was quite catching. The fun in taking this tour was ten times that of just walking down the Strip as an ordinary tourist, which we had done a few days earlier. Anyone who wants to see the Strip should certainly do it with you!!”

- Janet M. (Kaneohe, HI)

 

“..Thank you for a very enjoyable and memorable time with my friends. You really have done a fabulous job of putting the tour together. We all had a great time and we can’t stop talking about it. I have already recommended your tour to so many. I can’t imagine anyone being disappointed…excellent/plentiful food and very interesting history. …..We can’t wait until the wine tastings!”

- Heather N. (Moon Township, PA)

 

"This was such an interesting tour! I discovered wonderful businesses that I never knew existed and I can’t wait to return!”

- Sarah S., Assistant Controller, local firm

 

"I thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Sylvia was very personable, friendly and knowledgeable. Now, not only do I know where to obtain certain specialty foods, but I have some idea of the interesting restaurants and nightclubs on the strip. I have already told several friends about the fun my daughter and I had on the tour. My plan is to contact a local bus company and suggest they include this tour on a “visit to Pittsburgh” day trip for people in my area.”

- Claudia S. (Moon Township, PA)

 

“The tour was great--so relaxed, informative and fun-especially if you are a foodie! I would recommend this to anyone.”

- Lori H. (Gibsonia, PA)

 

“I liked the Bloomfield tour because you really got the feel of the neighborhood’s charm as you visited with the vendors. Experiencing that along with the food they prepared, made for an enjoyable day spent with friends!”

- Beth K. (Moon Township, PA)

 

“I am really glad that you decided to start these things in Pittsburgh. Now locals and visitors can become educated on our area and heritage. I look forward to going on more of your other tours.”

- Rob R. (Pittsburgh, PA)

 

“My family and I really had a great time! I was very pleased with the tour and Sylvia’s knowledge about Bloomfield. I will definitely return to Little Italy with my husband in the summer. I would also like to bring my friends to Maria’s. The food we sampled was amazing, and I know that they would enjoy the experience.”

- Jessica M. (Mars, PA)

 

“My friends and I had planned an “on-the-go” weekend and each one of us felt that the tour of the Strip District was the high point of our trip. We’ve been scratching our heads to pinpoint what made it so exciting, and we have decided it was the cumulative combination of the tour guide’s personality, the unusual businesses and crowds at the Strip, the beautiful weather, the interesting historical tidbits and the awesome food! We loved it!”

- Mary O. (Wheeling, WV)

 

“Being lifelong residents of Pittsburgh and going to the Strip many many times we were pleased that the tour exposed us to new strip district shops and experiences. We have already told our friends that this tour should be put on their "things to do in the ‘Burgh” list.”

- Ron and Eileen K. (Monroeville, PA)

 

“I just wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed the Strip District walking tour last Friday. Gabe was a terrific guide. We had so much to eat we had to bring some home. Thanks so much for making this available.”

- Dianne S. (Gibsonia, PA)

 

"BB&B is one of the great bargains of Pittsburgh tourism. You were solicitous as well as knowledgeable. The stops were obviously well planned and reflected a lovely diversity of cultures and foods. In spite of the busy nature of the Strip, I never felt rushed. I feel like I truly savored the taste of the Strip. Makes me hungry for more. Thank you again.”

- Jennifer L. (Monroeville, PA)

 

"My wife and I just wanted to let you know again what a wonderful time we had today in Bloomfield. It was nice to visit the little nooks and crannies of a neighborhood that we always knew existed but had no idea about the details. We would recommend your tours to anyone (in fact we attended a cook out following today's event and raved to all of our friends). Burgh bits a bites was the subject of a many conversations. Best of luck to your business and we hope to maybe sign up for the TGIF wine tasting one day."

- Bob and Ashley B. (Ellwood City, PA)

 

"We also enjoyed very much your tour of "The Strip", I have already recommended it to my Pittsburgh friends, and the next time we entertain people from out of state, we will definitely take them on one of your tours. As you mentioned on the tour about how professional are the people running the businesses you took us to see, you are also very professional, which is why your tours are so popular.... Best of luck to you with this exciting venture!!"

- John and Barbara B. (Penn Hills, PA)

 

“I wish there was a food tour like this in my hometown, Brisbane, Australia.”

- Frank A. ( Brisbane, Australia)

 

"I just wanted to thank you again for the tour this weekend. We had so much fun and found some real gems right here in our city. We definitely want to do the strip district tour also...."

- Peter M. (Carnegie, PA)

 

"I was in Pittsburgh on business and was able to take the time to schedule a tour in with some of my colleagues. This was absolutely the highlight of my TRIP. Prior to this I did not have a favorable opinion of Pittsburgh however after this tour, I cannot wait to go back!! Sylvia I cannot thank you enough….The history of the Strip was so very interesting and the food was fabulous! I have actually ordered from two of the places we visited since coming home. I plan on going back this August when my daughter in Canonsburg has our grandchild. I recommend this to anyone I know who is visiting Pittsburgh. THANKS!!"

- Donna O. (Suffolk, Virginia)