Monthly Chinese & English Storytime for kids, starting January 4 at Cooper-Siegel Library in Fox Chapel.

The monthly Chinese-English Storytime will continue in 2025 at the Cooper-Siegel Library with its first session on January 4.

Explore the Chinese language through bilingual songs, books, and playful experiences. This program is designed for kids in grades preschool - 2nd grade with their caregivers. This program occurs on the first Saturday of the month. Please register for all dates you plan to attend.

The event runs from 10:30 am to 11:30 am in the Verne C. Koch Program Room. Future sessions are scheduled for February 1, March 1, April 5, and May 3. (There are also Chinese-English Storytimes scheduled for January 17, February 15, March 15, and May 17, from 10:30 to 11:30 am, at the Sharpsburg Community Library.) Registration is required and can be completed online. The Cooper-Siegel Community Library is located at 403 Fox Chapel Rd. (map).

Shabu Shabu Hot Pot and Grill in McCandless eyes January opening.

Photos from March 2024.

Shabu Shabu Hot Pot and Grill in McCandless is aiming for a January opening. Work has been underway at the spot in McCandless Crossing---across from LaRoche University and in the outparcel shared with Midwest Shooting Center (map)---since July 2023.

Shabu Shabu Hot Pot and Grill is among at least six all-you-can-eat Hot Pot and BBQ places planned for the Pittsburgh area since mid-2023 and in various stages of completion, including: Korean BBQ in Oakland, Kpot in Squirrel Hill, Top Pot Hotpot & Korean BBQ in the Southside, and a second Shabu Shabu Hot Pot and Grill in Robinson; Hong BBQ & Hot Pot on McKnight Road is the only place to have opened so far. Running Dish was announced this fall for the Waterfront, planning to offer revolving sushi and Korean BBQ, but there is no timetable for completion.

2001 Japanese animated film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) in Pittsburgh, February 5, 6, and 9.

The 2001 Japanese animated film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) will play in Pittsburgh on February 5, 6, and 9, part of an Anime Expo Cinema Nights series.

Caught up in a world of dreams, lost in the cruelty of reality. What should have been an easy bounty turns into biological war after a terrorist gets hold of a deadly virus. Drawn in by the pretty price on the mastermind's head, Spike and the Bebop crew are ready to collect a much-needed reward. Unfortunately, the gang's about to find themselves in more trouble than money when the terrorist threatens to unleash the virus on Halloween--effectively killing everyone on Mars. With little time and leads that seem more dreamy than helpful, they'll have to use their own bag of tricks to stop a dangerous plot.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theater in Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Plans for new Thai restaurant in Fox Chapel halted again.

1034 Freeport Road in Fox Chapel has had a string of Thai restaurants in recent decades, most notably one of the city's three Thai Place restaurants and most recently The 98 Contemporary Thai Cuisine for half of 2023. The spot went up for sale in Fall 2023 and The 98 owner and chef was planning to open Breakfast with Tiffany, but now the space is back up for sale.

Jackie Inn Chinese Restaurant opens in North Hills.

Jackie Inn Chinese Restaurant opened on December 26 on Rochester Road in Ross Township.

The moment we’ve all been waiting for 

The Jackie Inn will be ready to roll on Thurs, Dec 26th Chinese Cusine, Sushi  and Penn State Creamery Scooped Ice Cream

Right here next to our market! 533 Rochester Road.

You will also be able to access the restaurant/takeout from our market. Modern open kitchen concept and trendy eats. Share with your fellow foodies 

It's located at 533 Rochester Road, in the WMG Garden & Supply - Peach’s Farm Market next to Rochester Inn (map).

2025 Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Gala, January 25.

The Pittsburgh Chinese Culture Center (PCCC) will hold its annual Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Gala on January 25 at the PNC Theater downtown.

Lunar New Year is the most important holiday celebrated by many international communities around the world. This year, the Pittsburgh Chinese Culture Center (PCCC) is once again partnering with the Pittsburgh Playhouse to present the annual Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Gala, celebrating the Year of the Snake.

For the first time, the Gala will feature an exciting new theme, “CivilizASIAN”, highlighting a remarkable fusion of Eastern and Western artistic elements. The event promises a spectacular gathering of top-tier talent, thanks to the visionary direction of Mr. Xiang Gao, a renowned large-scale arts event planner and producer, who has been appointed as the chief planner and director of the 2025 Lunar New Year Gala.

PCCC’s own Performing Arts Group, together with Yanlai Dance Academy, Xiaobo Waist Drum Dance Group, School of Oom Yung Doe, Carnegie Mellon University and Pittsburgh Chinese School will share the stage at the Gala as well.

Join us for FREE cultural activities starting at 1 pm, featuring street food samples, games, cultural demonstrations, and much more!

Tickets are available online. PNC Theater is the performing arts venue of Point Park University, located at 350 Forbes Ave. downtown (map).

"International Poetry Forum Presents: Kimiko Hahn" at City of Asylum, January 5.

The City of Asylum will host "International Poetry Forum Presents: Kimiko Hahn " on January 5.

City of Asylum welcomes Kimiko Hahn, winner of the 2023 Ruth Lilly Prize, for a reading and discussion of the influence haiku poet Matsuo Bashō has had on her work, particularly The Narrow Road to the Interior. Matsuo Bashō is recognized as the greatest master of Haiku, legitimizing the art form and paving the way for poets like Kimiko Hahn to carry on and expand upon his legacy.

The free event runs from 3:00 to 4:00 pm at Alphabet City (map), and tickets are available online.

Pittsburgh's Kyuramen opening December 27, Cranberry location a couple months away.

Kyuramen has announced a grand opening for its Pittsburgh location for December 27, this time with an updated graphic featuring baseball players rather than Philadelphia landmarks. Its social media team has acknowledged the Cranberry location is about two months away.

All of our ramen are carefully developed by our ramen masters. The founder of KYURA MEN studied and absobed [sic] the essence of the Japanese ramen, to create the most unique and rich Ramen dish. The carefully crafted "white", "thick", “fresh” and “fragrant” soup bases are served with a fresh Japanese-style pork roast, a 7 minute boiled egg, and a pair of chopped green onions. DELICIOUS!

The national ramen chain's first Pittsburgh restaurant will be located at 6204 Penn Ave. at Eastside Bond (map), and will be accompanied by TBaar, a chain of bubble tea shops. The Cranberry location is in the "Streets of Cranberry" development, between Condado Tacos and Rally House. The ramen place is stylized Kyuramen, KYURAMEN, and Kyu Ramen at various times.

Kyuramen is one of several large national and international Asian chains to come to Pittsburgh in recent years---in addition to Paris Baguette, Tous Les Jours, Fresh International Market, Yi Fang, Kura Revolving Sushi, among many others---and though some may look askance at chains, it also represents the growth of Pittsburgh's food landscape that companies that ignored Pittsburgh for the last decade or two are recognizing its appetites.

OCA Pittsburgh Year of the Snake Banquet, February 15.

The Organization of Chinese Americans Pittsburgh will host its Year of the Snake New Year's Banquet on February 15. The event runs from 5:00 to 9:00 pm at Sichuan Spice in Pittsburgh, and tickets are now available online.

The Lunar New Year began in China more than 4,000 years ago and is widely observed in East and Southeast Asia. Over the years, the festivities have spread around the world. It is now celebrated by millions of people all over the United States, including here in Pittsburgh!

Come celebrate Lunar New Year with OCA Pittsburgh! Eat a 10 course meal, watch cultural performances and participate in a raffle!

OCA Banquet is our fundraiser that makes it possible for OCA to provide advocacy and services for Asian Americans in Pittsburgh.

If you are not currently an active member, we invite you become one. Your membership supports the important work we do as well as access to benefits. Please use this link to sign up.

TapiLab soft opens in Oakland in former Gussy's spot.

New bubble tea place TapiLab has soft opened in Oakland. Signage went up a couple months ago at 3606 Fifth Ave. (map), what was most recently, and briefly, Gussy's Bagels & Pizzeria. Its social media boasts of tapioca pearls freshly made daily and gacha gacha machines.