PhoEverMore and Fantastea now open in Gibsonia, bringing pho, Korean food, bubble tea, and more.

PhoEverMore and Fantastea have now opened in Gibsonia. Signage first went up earlier this fall for the side-by-side spots, owned and operated by a Korean couple, though the pho restaurant seems to have gone through some different names in the planning phase. In addition to pho, the restaurant's menu includes Korean dishes and appetizers, Korean ramen, fried rice, hibachi rice and noodles, plus other Asian dishes. They are located at the Walnut Creek Plaza, 5316 William Flinn Highway (Route 8) (map).

Get a Grip Clawcade opens in West Mifflin (well, opened August 31).

Get a Grip Clawcade, "The Pittsburgh area's first clawcade experience," has opened in West Mifflin. This is not breaking news, as it opened August 31, but it was newly-posted to /r/pittsburgh. Get a Grip Clawcade contains over 70 claw machines and is located at 1860 Homeville Rd. (map), in The Village Shopping Center.

Sumi's Cakery in Squirrel Hill closes.

Sumi's Cakery, the first Korean bakery in Pittsburgh, has finally closed its doors for good. The bakery had been temporarily closed for much of this year, since opening a second location in the Strip District's Novo Asian Food Hall.

When Sumi's opened in March 2012 it was one of two Asian bakeries on the street, joining the Taiwanese bakery Bubble Pi and followed by Pink Box two-and-a-half years later. It brought Korean cakes, pastries, and patbingsu to the neighborhood, and the city, and was the only Korean bakery around until international chains Tous Les Jours and Paris Baguette opened earlier in 2024.

via @sumiscakery, from November 2023

Miniso now open at South Hills Village Mall.

The much-anticipated Miniso at South Hills Village Mall is now officially open as of December 7, after a brief soft-opening period. Miniso is "a Japanese-inspired lifestyle product retailer offering high-quality household goods, cosmetics, and food at affordable prices," and has been described with terms like a Chinese Five Below or a Japanese Hot Topic with main attractions being Japanese snacks, figures, plushies, cosmetics, and more. It opened its first Western Pennsylvania location in Greensburg this summer, with locations at The Mall at Robinson and this South Hills Village one opening over the last few days.

Miniso now open at The Mall at Robinson.

via @shoprobinsonmall

The much-anticipated Miniso at The Mall at Robinson opened yesterday for a soft opening. Miniso is "a Japanese-inspired lifestyle product retailer offering high-quality household goods, cosmetics, and food at affordable prices," and has been described with terms like a Chinese Five Below or a Japanese Hot Topic with main attractions being Japanese snacks, figures, plushies, cosmetics, and more. It opened its first Western Pennsylvania location in Greensburg in June and a South Hills Village Mall location is still under development. 

Charm Thai Cuisine PGH (ชามไทย พิตต์สเบิร์ก), offering Thai street food, now open for takeout in North Oakland.

Charm Thai Cuisine PGH (ชามไทย พิตต์สเบิร์ก) has just opened in North Oakland at The Mill Food Co. "From the vibrant streets of Bangkok to the heart of Pittsburgh," the website says,

our journey is a celebration of Thai culinary traditions. Inspired by the rich flavors of my hometown, I opened this kitchen to share my passion for authentic Thai food. Join us as we blend heritage and heart in every dish.

It will open at 451 Melwood Ave. (map) and is one of the takeout restaurants at The Mill Food Co, a newish food hall in North Oakland that seems to have a rotation of restaurants.

At The Mill Food Co, our mission is to become your go-to spot for to-go meals. We are a restaurant co-op that's modernizing the traditional food hall experience. From online web ordering to touchscreen kiosks, we make it easy to order from our 20+ partner restaurants.

Miniso in Robinson still coming soon, misses November target.

The Miniso at the Mall at Robinson, one of two of the Chinese-owned Japanese specialty stores under development in the area, remains coming soon. It had announced earlier this month a November opening, but appears to be at least a few days away. It was first announced for the mall in October, and would be the third Miniso in the area, along with the location in Greensburg and the yet-unopened South Hills Village Mall location.

Work progresses on national ramen chain KYURAMEN (九汤拉面) and bubble tea place T-Baar in Cranberry, but in a different spot.

When national ramen chain KYURAMEN (九汤拉面) was announced for Cranberry in September, the township listed the address as a storefront in the Cranberry Mall. Howevr, it was recently updated to a strip mall a mile further north, where signage is up and work is still underway. It will open in the "Streets of Cranberry" development, between Condado Tacos and Rally House. As for the East Liberty location, the joint KYURAMEN-TBaar spot there was most recently aiming for a Fall 2024 opening and is currently hiring for all positions.

Asian beauty store Maison Beauty opening in Squirrel Hill on November 16.

Asian beauty store Maison Beauty will open in Squirrel Hill on November 16, and will have a number of specials to mark the occasion.

Grand Opening Day Special Offers: First 48 customers who spend $25 or more will receive a free keyring lip gloss!! Available in two different colors!!
First 25 customers who spend $40 or more will receive 5% off their purchase!!

It describes itself as "Pittsburgh’s one stop shop for all Asian Beauty products," and signage went up for it earlier this month at 2021 Murray Ave. (map). It will open at 11 am on the 16th.

Asian beauty store Maison Beauty coming soon to Squirrel Hill.

Maison Beauty, an Asian skincare and cosmetics store, is coming soon to Squirrel Hill. It describes itself as "Pittsburgh’s one stop shop for all Asian Beauty products," and will be opening at 2021 Murray Ave. (map).

Bubble tea place Tapi Lab coming soon to Oakland.

Signage is up for Tapi Lab on Fifth Ave. in Oakland. The bubble tea place will be located at 3606 Fifth Ave. (map), what was most recently, and briefly, Gussy's Bagels & Pizzeria.

Fresh International Market now eyes February 2025 opening.

Fresh International Market is eyeing a February 2025 opening for its Pittsburgh location in Point Breeze. The large Asian grocery was announced in 2023 and was initially aiming for a Summer 2024 opening. The location at 7511 Thomas Blvd (map) will also house Ineffable Cà Phê, a Vietnamese coffee shop and cafe that opened in Lawrenceville in 2017. The Fresh International Market press release from March 2023 has more details about the store:

New tenant Fresh International Market will offer authentic Asian flavors to Pittsburgh customers.

A major grocery store chain is set to open its seventh store in Pittsburgh's North Point Breeze neighborhood, within the Rockwell Park innovation center. Known for its unique selection of international ingredients and authentic Asian cuisine, the market's new store will occupy the entire 40,000 RSF Apollo building.

Of the new store, Rockwell Park Principal Al Lardo shares: "We are thrilled to welcome Fresh International Market to Rockwell Park and the North Point Breeze community. This new store will be a fantastic addition to the city's vibrant food scene. The store's unique selection of international ingredients and prepared meals will provide greater convenience and comfort for local residents." He noted that the arrival of Fresh International Market would also contribute to the continued growth and development of Rockwell Park: “The opening of Fresh International Market at Rockwell Park marks a significant milestone for the Rockwell Park’s growth and development as a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and community engagement."

According to Fresh International Market Founder and President Bowen Kou, the store aims to become a part of the local community:

"Fresh International Market is excited to join the vibrant Rockwell Park community and offer our unique range of international brands and Asian cuisine to local residents. We are happy to become a part of this beautiful and dynamic place and look forward to contributing to its growth and development. Our goal is to be more than just a grocery store, but a destination where customers can discover new flavors and expand their culinary horizons."

The store will be located in the Apollo building on 7511 Thomas Blvd, which was built in 1906. The construction work is expected to take up to 15 months.

Ebisu Japanese Life Store soft opening in Squirrel Hill on November 1; Grand Opening scheduled for November 2.

Ebisu Japanese Life Store has announced the soft opening for its first Pittsburgh location will happen on November 1, with the Grand Opening scheduled for November 2. Signage went up for Ebisu a short time ago at 5846 Forbes Ave. (map), the former location of Panda Supermarket before that grocery store relocated in 2021. There are a number of giveaways scheduled for the opening if customers hit certain purchase thresholds (for instance, a snack gift pack for spending $39.99 or more).

Founded October 2013 in Osaka, Japan, Ebisu is a unique life store that offers thousands of product categories from Japan. Quality, happiness, and harmony are core values of Ebisu. High-quality comes from our willingness to provide the best products to our consumers, happiness is the feeling a consumer gets when shopping in our store and harmony is when the consumer experiences everything we have to offer!

Ebisu Japanese Life Store is a Chinese chain specializing in Japanese goods, with its stores featuring cosmetics, snacks, homegoods, stationary, gacha machines, and more.

Ebisu Japanese Life Store coming soon to Squirrel Hill.

An Ebisu Japanese Life Store is coming soon to Squirrel Hill, going into 5846 Forbes Ave (map), the spot formerly occupied by Panda Supermarket before it moved down the block three years ago.

Founded October 2013 in Osaka, Japan, Ebisu is a unique life store that offers thousands of product categories from Japan. Quality, happiness, and harmony are core values of Ebisu. High-quality comes from our willingness to provide the best products to our consumers, happiness is the feeling a consumer gets when shopping in our store and harmony is when the consumer experiences everything we have to offer!

The former Panda was long rumored to be Jho's Pool Hall, but development stalled and the "for lease" signs multiplied.

Greenfield's Wai Wai closes, reopens as Gold Ladle (金汤勺·蜀道香), a Sichuan spot.

Bloomfield Chinese restaurant Wai Wai opened a second location in Greenfield in May, but it was recently replaced by Gold Ladle, which:

offers an authentic Sichuan dining experience that tantalizes the taste buds. With a focus on bold flavors and fresh ingredients, this cozy eatery is perfect for both casual diners and those looking for a culinary adventure. The welcoming atmosphere and attentive staff ensure a delightful visit every time.

The awning came down from Wai Wai a few days ago and was replaced yesterday with window signage for the new spot. Wai Wai was the next in a series of American Chinese places a series of restaurants at 4219 Murray Ave. over the decades. It was, however, plagued by its own set of health code violations and shaky customer service.

Gold Ladle's menu is available online, and it is also served by local delivery services like Fantuan.

Miniso coming soon to The Mall at Robinson.

Chinese chain Miniso, "a Japanese-inspired lifestyle product retailer offering high-quality household goods, cosmetics, and food at affordable prices," is coming soon to The Mall at Robinson. The mall's social media teased this in August, and the retailer is currently hiring staff. The international chain arrived to western Pennsylvania in June with is Greensburg location, and looks to be opening this suburban Pittsburgh location later this year or early next.

MINISO is based on three core principles. Affordable high quality: guides our decisions from design to materials. Joy: the response our customers experience while in our stores. Lighthearted: the relaxed and happy feeling when encountering the large variety of goods available.
MINISO has collaborated with world-famous brands including Coca Cola, Marvel, Hello Kitty, Sesame Street, Mickey and Minnie, Pink Panther, We Bare Bears and Beijing’s Palace Museum, releasing playful crossover products that have been hugely popular with our young shoppers.

Miniso has been described as a "Japanese Hot Topic" or a "Chinese Five Below" and seems to specialize in kawaii products, plushies, Japanese snacks, and various Disney and Sanrio branded products, as well as other Asian products. This is the third Miniso location coming soon to the area, after South Hills Village Mall and Greensburg Mall.

via miniso-us.com

Taiwanese chain Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea (一芳台灣水果茶) coming soon to Pittsburgh.

Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea (一芳台灣水果茶) is planning a Squirrel Hill location. The US-based Taiwanese fruit tea chain recently put up signage at 5825 Forbes Ave (map), in what has been empty for a couple years but what was most recently Classic Lines bookstore. Paperwork and planning for the new tea spot---which will join Mango Mango, Tiger Sugar, Tsaaoca, and Meetcha on the same block---started back in April. Yi Fang currently has locations throughout California, the East Coast, and elsewhere in North America.

Smile Thai & Sushi now open in Oakland.

Smile Thai & Sushi has recently opened in Oakland. It is located at 253 Atwood St. (map), taking over the spot from Spice Island Tea House which long occupied the space. Signage went up a few weeks ago, and the storefront now has its hours posted (and based on what they have posted online, the long hours of operation is not a typo).

Grand Opening for Atarashi Revolving Sushi, October 4 and 5; 30% off coupon for confirmed reservations.

Atarashi Revolving Sushi opened its doors on September 16 in Robinson, but is hosting its full, Grand Opening on October 4 and 5th. Guests with confirmed reservations can enjoy 30% off their order. The restaurant is located at at 210 McHolme Dr. (map), near the Walmart, and reservations can be made online.

At Atarashi Revolving Sushi, a large conveyer belt brings dishes ($3.75 each) by your table, and diners can pull their choices off the belt. Custom orders are delivered by mini robots from Taiwan that zip along another track. Revolving sushi places are ubiquitous throughout East Asia---and larger American cities---but only arrived to Pittsburgh in September 2023 with the Kura Sushi chain.

Sushi Atarashi is a small local chain of build-your-own sushi roll restaurants, formerly known as Sushi Fuku, with several locations in the area. In addition to this concept in Robinson, it has a revolving sushi place planned for Shadyside's East End Meridian development currently under construction.

National ramen chain KYURAMEN (九汤拉面) also coming soon to Cranberry township.

Work began in July 2023 on what was aiming to be the first Pittsburgh-area KYURAMEN location, but one is also coming soon to Cranberry. The national ramen chain with 39 spots already open around the country has a location coming soon to the Cranberry Mall, 20111 Route 19 Suite 302C (map), in a storefront near the movie theater in what was most recently Rajbhog Market Cafe. As for the East Liberty location, the joint KYURAMEN-TBaar spot was most recently aiming for a Fall 2024 opening.