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    La Prima Espresso

    4.5 (72 reviews)
    ModerateCoffee & Tea
    Closed 6:30 am - 2:30 pm

    La Prima Espresso Photos

    LA PRIMA ESPRESSO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Bobb S.

    I rate every cafe through the lens of my favorite iced americano back in Madison. La Prima hits the mark. While I needed to added another two shots to get at my level, the quality of the bean and roast shines though with almost a chocolate undertone. Cute inside with seating both in and out. Solid find close to my hotel.

    Kind sign nearby
    Stan H.

    Staff is friendly and coffee slushie had real coffee flavor blasting out and the whip cream is a nice optional touch! The turkey croissant decent I wasn't like I gotta have it deal. Hours are a bit earlier than other places because there is a hotel next door. Besides a general history museum of the Heinz Center, the section is industrial and has decent parking that probably gets filled for the sports games and maybe the convention center as well. Decent area to park for the convention center if you can get a spot.

    Coffee cheers from La Prima.
    Kate M.

    I was in Pittsburgh for 3 days and got coffee from La Prima 4 times...so it is safe to say that I loved it! It was located right next to our hotel, the AC Hotel, and they had such fresh and delicious coffee. The staff was super friendly and the line moved quickly when I was in there each time. I love finding and supporting local spots when I travel and this coffee shop did not disappoint!!

    Iced caramel latte
    Cathy F.

    Cute coffee shop in downtown Pittsburgh. The barista was very nice and made an excellent iced caramel latte. My daughter got a blueberry muffin too and said it was delicious. They also had grab and go sandwiches and other drinks.

    Lattes
    Brianna G.

    Love La Prima! Their espresso is the best. And it truly works. I love the location and the aesthetic here. It's definitely a must visit if you're in the strip district! I love their iced vanilla lattes.

    atmosphere
    Rachel W.

    I love going here for a few hours to get some work done. It's in a great location if you live downtown, and everything i've ordered has been tasty. I can't drink coffee, so I get a hot chocolate lol but it's still very good and my friends love their coffee. I also got their ham and swiss cheese scone which was the perfect lunch. I love the views and decor inside as well.

    Tammy L.

    The space was very lovely and the staff was great, but the iced latte I received had way too much milk. Otherwise, I've had la prima espresso beans before and I've had better experiences. Also, it's almost impossible to park at this location with the museums next door. I prefer the one on Penn ave and 21st.

    a cup of coffee on a table
    Mike M.

    Had the Tanzanian coffee which was a nice blend. Staff were nice. The inside had a bit of a market food stand kind of vibe where the outside had a bit more personality. Convenient place to grab a tasty morning beverage. Slightly limited menu but has the basics for your morning needs

    Samantha R.

    Delicious espresso and fast service! I had a lavender oat milk latte today and overall it was good. I wasn't asked what size I wanted so I received a 20 oz. I was a bit surprised that a 20 oz iced latte has two small shots of espresso. It was mostly milk and I didn't love that. I couldn't taste much of the espresso or the lavender syrup. Next time I would ask for a smaller size with two shots instead if possible. The staff was super busy so I don't blame them for not asking about size but maybe in the future they should be a bit more communicative on the sizes of their drinks and numbers of shots up front.

    16 oz latte and 12 oz cinnamon mocha
    Jason F.

    I stopped by here earlier today with my wife for our morning coffee. Every Sunday we try to hit up different local coffee shops and on this day it happened to be this location of La Prima. It's located right on Smallman and 11th Street at what I would consider to be the gateway to the strip district and this was actually my second time having coffee from here but first time going inside. The inside was bigger and brighter than I imagined with windows wrapping around the outside and plenty of seating. There was also a refrigerator space with grab and go food as well as a pastry display case on top of the counter. For our coffees on this morning I went with a 16 oz latte while my wife went with a 12 oz Valentine's Day special of cinnamon mocha. Then the pastries also looked good and so we ordered a ham and cheese croissant as well as an almond croissant to share. Within a few minutes we had all of our food and were on our way. The coffee itself here ended up being quite good in my opinion. There was a good ratio of coffee to milk and just a touch of bitterness which worked perfectly against the milk. My wife also really enjoyed her cinnamon mocha. The pastries here also ended up being quite good. The ham and cheese croissant, while a bit light on the ham and cheese interior, was flaky and delicious, especially with the herb topping on it. Then our almond croissant looked a bit dark, even for a croissant. However it still tasted good and the almond filling in the middle was sweet and tasty. The bottom line for me is that I would stop by here again in the future. My wife and I both enjoyed our pastries and our coffee and it's convenient enough, even if the parking for it isn't.

    a plastic cup of iced tea

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Friendly staff but coffee is just average- espresso shot was good nothing special, and cold brew is pretty watery.

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    8 months ago

    If you want coffee made expertly in an atmosphere that is truly "the 'burgh" this is the place. Saturday is the best experience.

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Clean, cute and friendly coffee shop. I got the honey lavender latte and it was amazing. I will definitely be returning.

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    best oat chai latte i've had in a minute...vibes were good inside and service was quick.

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    2 years ago

    Starbucks was packed and this was right around the corner. So glad I switched things up. My latte was great and the staff was friendly.

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    1 year ago

    coffee is nothing short of amazing. Get a mocha and a chocolate croissant and you wont regret it

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    878 Coffee Shop

    878 Coffee Shop

    4.0(6 reviews)
    2.5 miLawrenceville

    Coffee is americas past time. Well maybe not quite. But maybe it should. I love coffee and I love…read moretrying new flavors out. Along with new coffee shops. The staff here walked me through their menu. My drink was delicious. And I'll be sure to. One back again. The decor was cool and this place was very clean. I was glad I stopped in.

    I feel very mixed about this coffee shop. We set out to find a coffee shop where we could sit down…read moreand enjoy a coffee. After walking around the neighborhood, this one had seating, so we went inside. First, I'll say the coffee we tried was pretty good - a cappuccino and a brown sugar cinnamon latte. The barista asked "for here or to go" and the drinks still came in a paper cup anyway despite us saying "for here". I really enjoy having a coffee in an actual glass/mug when I say "for here". The ambiance was a bit confusing... not really sure what they were going for in the space, things were a bit choppy and thrown together. Kinda felt like you were in someone's garage with cluttered items on rickety shelves behind the counter. Our barista was very nice, but an awkward moment occurred when they were ringing us up - barista asked for a tip but then told us not to put the tip on the credit card because the owner steals from them. We felt this was a little uncomfortable and gave some unwelcoming energy. We also tried a Nutella croissant, which was very good! I think this shop has a lot of potential with some changes to service and decor.

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    878 Coffee Shop
    878 Coffee Shop
    878 Coffee Shop

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    The Commoner

    The Commoner

    4.0(989 reviews)
    0.3 miDowntown
    $$

    LOVED our dinner at this place…read more We came here for dinner while visiting Pittsburgh. The first thing that struck me was the interior decor. Very industrial and moody with an open kitchen/preparation area that adds some intrigue. I do like to see the happenings of what's going on as someone with zero attention span. Service was excellent. George was fantastic. He kept a close eye on us without being overbearing. He anticipated what we might need so we didn't spend one second waiting to order anything. The menu is not endless or overwhelming which, presumably, allows them to focus on the items that are listed. I have decision panic so it was kinda nice to have less things to choose from. They asked if there were any allergies or dietary restrictions so I mentioned my vegetarianism. George went through the menu and pointed out the vegetarian options including what seems like it is vegetarian but isn't. They had TWO vegetarian entree options and fortunately the non-mushroom one was something I probably would have ordered anyway: pesto with walnuts, arugula, and a very generous amount of grated cheese. To start, I ordered the Brussels sprouts whichc I was warned had fish sauce. This was fine but nothing that blew me away. GF, on the other hand, loved this. GF ordered the wedge which was brought to our attention as vegetarian with the bacon on the side, which was her request. We ended up sharing both, a large part of that was because hers came out first and I couldn't wait but I'm so glad because the wege was FANTASTIC. The dressing? holy fuck pure ecastasy. The wedge was more like a filet shape which was much easier to eat. Who decided on the wedge shape anyway? The lettuce was so fresh and crisp and went wonderfully with that orgasmic dressing and breadcrumbs. Back to my pasta. Also delectable. Noodles were al dente. The sauce was creamy and packed that pesto umami flavor. The walnuts were a really nice contrast in texture. Everything about it absolutely fucking slapped. GF ordered the mushroom entree which came served on a bed of barley which, don't mind if I do, had a few forkfuls to "sample" for "my review". Again, so fucking good. Because it was my birthday, George provided a dessert (yuzu maybe?) that was served inside a meringue-esque igloo, creamy perfect balance of sweet and tart custard with some berry business underneath. Wonderful. I almost forgot their spectacular cocktails! Holy shit, literally they have a CORN CHIP cocktail that I could not pass up. It comes with two massive cornchips on top of a flavored foam. When you bring the glass up to sip, the cornchips are right in front of your nose and their aroma sets the stage for the drink which was STRONG. It wasn't as corn chip forward as I expected but I understand that flavor is probaly hard to create. For my second drink, I ordered the blue one which was refreshing, light, and really good. GF ordered a spritz which was gorgeous "it was good". For second round, I picked out some uranium thing that was very cucumbery, GF says, "it was good". I just read it outloud to her. "it's true!" Fantastic meal at a great place.

    Decor was impeccable, service was top notch, and the food was solid. Wasn't the biggest fan of the…read moreseasoning of the half chicken, but the cook on the chicken was perfect. Really liked this spot. The staff was great, the location was central, and its very upper crust. Great place for date night, drinks, and fellowship. I definitely will need to try another dish on my next visit.

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    The Commoner
    The Commoner
    The Commoner

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    Nicholas Coffee & Tea - Interior

    Nicholas Coffee & Tea

    4.2(155 reviews)
    0.6 miDowntown
    $

    I stopped by here a couple of Saturdays ago with my wife and our twins for our morning coffee…read more Every weekend we try to visit a new local coffee shop, and on this morning we decided to go to Nicholas Coffee and Tea. How I have not reviewed this iconic Pittsburgh coffee shop before, I do not know, but it has been a number of years since my last visit. Its location in Market Square makes it prime real estate in Pittsburgh, but with Market Square currently being renovated, parking is not exactly easy to come by. Because of that, I had my wife run in while I circled the block. She came back out with an eggnog flavored latte for me and a gingerbread latte for herself. My eggnog latte ended up being pretty good, as I could clearly taste the nutmeg and cinnamon flavors. What really stood out was the texture of the drink, as it was thick, almost milkshake thick. I can only imagine how rich the eggnog they used must have been. While the strong eggnog flavor mostly masked the coffee, I did still get a bit of coffee flavor on the finish. My wife also enjoyed her gingerbread latte. The bottom line for me is that I would stop by here again in the future. Our coffees were good, and I would really like to head inside and see the shop again after being away for so long.

    I first reviewed Nicholas Coffee & Tea in 2013, when I did not drink coffee at all. Well, these…read moredays I'll drink coffee with stuff in it (yay lattes!), which means I have a whole new appreciation for this place. Prior to starting to drink coffee, I really only came here if other people wanted to...because this isn't just a shop that serves drinks. They roast their beans on-site, store them on-site (in an eye-catching storage display), and package and prepare them on-site. As you might imagine, there is an overwhelming smell of coffee in this store. It's taken me a while to get there, but I can officially say: that's part of the store's charm. They're still operating in Market Square, in a cozy space that can quickly fill up with a line of fellow coffee drinkers. If you're ordering a single beverage (i.e. me every time I visit), you'll walk from the front door to the back counter; this is where their baristas work and whip up made-to-order brews. Shoppers can also browse their tea selection (it'll be to your right about halfway between the front door and the back counter); and most impressively, their vintage coffee bins are lined up behind a separate counter, which runs the length of the left side of the store. I've only bought single to-go drinks at Nicholas Coffee & Tea, but a relative orders their beans/grounds in-bulk and has done so for years. Maybe I can get her to write her own review about that! I however will end my update by saying: this place, its drinks, its coffee...it's all great. I mean, I feel like other yinzers already knew that, seeing as this place has been in business for over 100 years...but I had to say something since my 12-year-old review absolutely does not represent my feelings about Nicholas Coffee & Tea in 2025. I now always come here when I'm downtown, and I always look forward to it!

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    Nicholas Coffee & Tea - Interior

    Interior

    Nicholas Coffee & Tea
    Nicholas Coffee & Tea

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    La Prima Espresso - coffee - Updated May 2026

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