Welcome back to my Pittsburgh Coffee Shop Adventures! It’s finally nice out so you will be reading about a lot more of these. Chris and I were finally able to cross another coffee shop off of our list that has been fairly popular around Pittsburgh.
Ironically enough, Black Forge Coffee House was on our list of local coffee shops we should check out, and it’s a small concert venue. It’s fairly popular amongst the small local bands you see and hear about. A local pop punk band, Atlantic Wasteland, had asked me a few weeks ago to come shoot their show when they opened for 7 Minutes In Heaven, since they loved what they saw on my social media. Of course, I said yes, and I was free so we made the journey down on the outskirts of the South Side of Pittsburgh.
While we waited for the show, we “explored” the coffee house… and by “explored” I mean we looked at everything around us, by standing in the same place, trying to avoid getting in the way. I was itching to try their chai (duh) so we ordered. I, of course, got an iced chai, and Chris got a simple cold brew coffee.
We’ll start with the coffee/chai ratings:
Iced Chai: 10/10; Oh… my… God. This is up there next to the Espresso a Mano chai. I can’t say that one is better than the other because they are both made so differently. I noticed the barista put some chai spices and honey in it while I waited to pay. Once I had my first sip… I was in heaven. That was FIRE. Highly recommend it. Also, they served it in a Mason Jar glass which was awesome.
Cold Brew: 9/10; Chris said his cold brew was very good and had a very strong taste to it.
Environment: 9/10; I give the environment a 9 because there is just so much to look at. Show day or not, there is so much all around you. From handmade paintings all over the wall, to dark decor surrounding the cafe bar, you could see something different every time you went there. Not a lot of seating, but again, I’m sure it looks different when there aren’t 4 bands set up to play and sell merch. Now, I will warn you… if you’re the super religious or conservative type, this coffee shop is not for you. You can just tell from my photos. But if you aren’t easily offended and love coffee or tea, go for it.
Overall, it was a wild experience and I’m still thinking about how awesome and delicious that chai was. I linked their Facebook page above!
Check out my photos below! (They’re also on Flickr)
Abigail McNatt Photography 
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