Smokin' Brews

Smokin' Brews is one of those places Pittsburgh cigar folks talk about with real affection, and once you spend an afternoon here you understand why. It's a cigar boutique and bar rolled into one, run by two owners, Mike and Paul, who have a knack for making the room feel like home. Old school and smokey in the best way, with couches, tables and chairs to settle into, no pretenses and no attitude. As one regular put it, this is a cigar bar for everybody.

The cigar selection is well kept and well chosen, and locals will tell you the smokes are fresh and priced fair. What surprises first-timers is how much else is packed into a small space. There's a whiskey, bourbon, scotch and rye lineup that punches well above the shop's size, plus a wide and varied beer selection that leans nicely into imports. Ask at the counter and they'll suggest a beer or bourbon pairing to go with your cigar, which is the kind of small touch that keeps people coming back.

Then there are the sandwiches, and this is where the word around Bloomfield gets loud. The pastrami and corned beef are the stuff of legend, piled high with a homemade pickle on the side and optional sauerkraut and thousand island. People who grew up on East Coast delis say these hold their own, and folks have driven a good distance just for one. There's an Italian on the menu too if you want to branch out.

Paul is often on hand to help you find a cigar or strike up a conversation, and the crowd is easy company for anyone who walks in. With close to a perfect reputation across a lot of happy patrons, Smokin' Brews has earned its place as one of the top spots in the Pittsburgh area to sit down, light up something good, and stay a while. Just don't come expecting a date night, as one regular gently warned. Come for the cigars, the brews, and those sandwiches.