The Pittsburgh Dish

075 Angie Carducci, From Veggie Plates to Zero-Proof Pours

• Doug Heilman • Season 2 • Episode 75

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Craving a dining scene that welcomes everyone at the table? We dive into the moves Pittsburgh restaurants and bars are making to create truly inclusive menus—thoughtful vegetarian mains, standout zero-proof cocktails, and the kind of service that makes every guest feel seen. 

(00:36) We kick off with an update from author Maria C. Palmer and the story of her father Joseph Costanzo Jr. and the legendary Primadonna Restaurant. From pre-production to first interviews and a set at Rico’s, it’s a family love letter to the city’s culinary grit and ambition.

(09:12) From there, we sit down with hometown journalist and content creator Angie Carducci (AngieLovesPGH) to explore what “welcoming” looks like today. Angie shares the small-business roots of her platform, her lifetime of vegetarian eating, and a recent health shift that led her to embrace the non-alcoholic movement. The insights are practical and personal: why listed NA options matter for inclusion, how Gen Z and wellness are reshaping bar programs, and what real craft looks like when mocktails stand shoulder-to-shoulder with cocktails.

(44:38) Plus, a fall comfort pick from DiAnoia’s is back to delight Karen Hoang and their many pumpkin-loving patrons. 

Enjoy the conversation? Follow, share with a friend who loves Pittsburgh food, and leave a rating or review so more curious eaters can find us.

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Doug:

Welcome to the Pittsburgh Dish. I'm your host, Doug Heilman. How can food and beverage establishments create a more welcoming menu experience for all? Angie Carducci of Angie Loves Pittsburgh weighs in. From vegetarian options to the non-alcoholic movement. As we move into fall menus, Darren Wong shares a signature dish at one of her favorite dining spots. But first up, it's always fun to hear a good news update from a former guest, and that's where we're starting on this episode. Hey everybody, we're joined today with Maria C. Palmer. You may recall that she was on the podcast at the beginning of season two with her dad, Joseph Costanzo. Maria is the co-author of the book On the Rocks, which chronicles her dad's extraordinary journey in the restaurant world with his restaurant, The Pri madonna, which was located in McKee's Rocks. Maria, thanks so much for taking the time to uh jump on a call for the Pittsburgh Dish.

Maria:

Thank you, Doug. It's always great to talk to you.

Doug:

Maria, I understand that since we talked with you and your dad at the beginning of this year, some things are happening.

Maria:

Yeah, some big things are happening. So you never know what's gonna happen, right? When you write a book and put your story out there to the world. And um, we are very fortunate and very excited to announce that uh October the 5th, we officially go from the pre-production stage of our documentary to the active production stage of our documentary.

Doug:

Um I just want to say, wow, congratulations. So what we're saying. What you're saying to us is that someone has taken the book, and this is this is going to be a feature. This is gonna be an actual documentary that people are gonna be able to seize.

Maria:

Yeah, 100%. So um I'm I know that this is the Pittsburgh dish, and this is um certainly uh the story of On the Rocks is a Pittsburgh story of the rise and fall of my father, Joseph Costanzo Jr. in the Pri Madonna restaurant. The documentary is also a Pittsburgh story. So um the documentary, I actually met the director, Ryan Russ from Venture Road Productions. Whenever I was out promoting On the Rocks before it came out, he was promoting his first documentary called Hive about uh his uncle, who is a very interesting beekeeper. And Ryan and I connected um on the set uh for a radio show at the time and you know, always loosely stayed in contact and supported each other on social media. And, you know, I was trying to find other avenues to sort of keep the steam of the book going, other than I know, some of our events uh that we're still doing the cooking books and the pop-up restaurants.

Angie:

Yes.

Maria:

And initially just looked for some advice uh from Ryan about, you know, if we were looking to translate this either onto a stage or onto film or TV, like what are the steps that we'd have to take and what is the language that we'd have to speak, right? It's all the same things that I did for the book. Ryan was incredibly insightful and helpful. And the wonderful piece of it is by the end of that conversation, we realized that there was a lot of synergy between the two of us, um, both in what our greater vision um would be for the production as well as kind of where we would want to see it go ultimately. And we decided at that moment that we were gonna partner together and try to make this happen. And now six months later, um maybe a little bit more than six months, um, eight months later, somewhere around there, we are actively in production, which is is wild. Um you know, there's a whole crew behind this and um a set tomorrow, and we are starting uh with you know the backbone of three key interviews, which will be my father, my mother, and our cousin chef, you know, Costanza was who was the former head chef at the Primadonna.

Doug:

Yes.

Maria:

And that's going to lay the foundation for the next next round of filming as well. Um, so this is just sort of the very infancy stages of production here, but you know, it's happening. And for most books, um, you know, there's there's always a lot of aspirations that it goes to a different level or a different medium, but not many things actually get made. So that's really cool. And and hopefully it'll uh create a nice foundation for others to join, or you know, possibly maybe a streaming agency coming in and and scooping it up after they see some of the footage from tomorrow.

Doug:

You know, as we talked on our first interview and were wrapping up, you were sharing all of those ideas, a stage play or actors to play your dad. I think he had a couple people in mind, but I think a documentary is so good because it's that storytelling that you've already done in just that more visual medium. And to your point, it's such a Pittsburgh story. So to revive that and to hear from your dad and your mom and everyone else involved, I'm very excited for everything that's going on for you and your family.

Maria:

You know, with anything, the primadonna as an example, you had to have all of the components. You had to have the good food, but you had to have the great service, you had to have the ambiance, you had to create that experience, um, you had to have excellent customer service. All of the elements to sort of elevate it to the next level. And one of the things that I really admire about Ryan and Venture Road Productions is they're really looking at this not as um, you know, small family history piece that's you know gonna just premiere on YouTube. They're really looking at this as, you know, how do we get this to mainstream audiences all over the world? So um I like that because that's certainly how my dad and I think too. Think big. Absolutely. Absolutely.

Doug:

Well, I wish you all the best. I know that uh our recording is gonna air after you've done the initial recordings, which is happening uh at Rico's, correct? In is that the North Hills? Yeah.

Maria:

Yes, it's it's in the North Hills, and um, you know, we're very gracious uh that Rico was able to offer his space. Um for those of you who aren't familiar with Rico's, Rico's has been in business probably for as long or longer than the primadonna was in business. Rico still cooks in the back, um, and he's a great entrepreneur. It's really wonderful food. And um, you know, we're we're very gracious that he was able to offer his space on his day off because as you know, if you've worked in the food service industry, you normally get one day off, and that's the time where you're fixing the heating and air conditioning and prepping for the week and getting deliveries. So, you know, the fact that he was able to modify all of that knowing that we were having this production, um, you know, we're we're very grateful and we hope that uh Pittsburgh people will will support him because he's a great guy and a great entrepreneur, and we're very gracious and thank him for and his entire staff for all of their hospitality in this in this process as well.

Doug:

Well, I can't think of a better sort of collaborative place to have these initial interviews. So hats off to Rico. And Maria, I just want to say I'm so excited again for your family and for the next steps after you do these initial interviews and market the documentary. I hope you keep us posted on the process and uh we'll be rooting you on.

Maria:

Oh, thank you. Absolutely. Doug, you get a front row seat at the premiere, no matter where it is. We'll walk the carpet together.

Doug:

Maria, I just want to thank you again for keeping us updated on all of the fun things. And thank you for spending some time with us on the Pittsburgh Dish.

Maria:

Thank you, Doug. And you know, we're always excited with everything that you come up with and all the cool collabs and how you truly support the food um world, not only just in Pittsburgh, but far beyond. So thank you for all of your um insightful ways that you sort of spread the good message about food and hospitality and just the overall industry. We we need more advocates um like you out there for sure.

Doug:

Thanks so much for the kind words. Up next, we talked to a local content creator who doesn't want to limit her dining and drink spots to ensure everyone has a good time. Let's learn a little bit more from Angie Carducci. Thank you so much for coming over and for being on the show.

Angie:

Thanks so much for having me.

Doug:

Would you introduce yourself to our listeners and what you have going on in the world of food?

Angie:

Yeah, sure. Um, so my name is Angie Carducci. I go by Angie LovesPGH on Instagram. Um World of Food. Uh certainly never envisioned I would be doing a food-based Instagram. Uh really? Yeah, I just never uh never really thought I would be doing all of this. But um about five years ago during the pandemic, I I my my parents had a small business.

Speaker 05:

Okay.

Angie:

And I started thinking about how many small businesses were going to be in real trouble. And uh just had the idea that what if I go out and get some takeout? What if I post about that? Maybe I drive one or two people to that business, maybe I just make a little difference. Yeah. So really liked that idea, started doing it, and was really surprised at the community that you start building that way. There are a lot of people that really care about small businesses in this city and really care about buying local, supporting local. And you know, from there it just really grew. Um, doing that organically, things in places that I go to. Um, I'm very involved in Yelp and a Yelp elite. So um go places through that and love to discover new places and just love to get the word out. You start to get invited to places and learn about places that way, which is really a lot of fun.

Doug:

I think you and I met now several years ago. We've been to a couple events where it's like a foodie meetup. Um, how do you describe yourself? Do you say content creator?

Angie:

Yeah, I think I like content creator. I certainly don't really love influencer, it just feels like a little different of a thing.

Doug:

It sounds manipulative sometimes too. And I'm like, I'm not trying to do that, but I am trying to promote small business or businesses I love here in the region.

Angie:

That that is what I care about is helping to, you know, really helping to support these businesses that are putting their heart and souls into what they do. And I always think about the fact that these small businesses are somebody's dream and somebody's livelihood. This is how they're, you know, I just think of my own family. This is how they're putting their kids through school. It's how they're putting food on the table. And it's just it means everything. So when you're supporting those businesses over a chain, that's what you're doing. Right. So I I care about it a great deal.

Doug:

Angie, I don't want to also just chew you into the box of food creator. I I know that you do a lot of other lifestyle and things for Pittsburgh. I I, in fact, I think the latest post I just saw was for the Pittsburgh Zoo. Yeah. So it's really Angie does love Pittsburgh. There's a lot of Pittsburgh things in there.

Angie:

It really is. And I hope to keep branching out to talk more about things to do and see and and love here in Pittsburgh. There is so much. I have um posted a lot about things with, you know, for example, uh River Life is an organization I love. And they've done this really cool thing on the river this summer, uh, shore thing, they call it. It's like a floating barge. And I went to highlight that, which I thought was just such a great example of um helping to make great use out of our rivers. I think that's something that we haven't always done is really utilize the river space that we have here. It's one of our best attributes. They've also done this chalk fest that's one of the really neat things our city has now. Um so really cool organization that I love. I love theater and um, you know, I I I actually have a um, you know, through my own, I'm I'm not invited, but through my own money, have a uh a subscription to the local Broadway series and go to all of those shows and love highlighting stuff like that. So um just really there is so much wonderful culture and things to do here. And I I just love talking about it all.

Doug:

I love it. And I don't want to go too far away from food, but I do want to ask you one more non-food related question. Can we talk about your love of Pittsburgh in terms of your professional career and what you do?

Angie:

Absolutely. So I went to school to be a journalist. That is my um my background. I I went to Duquesne University, so also local. You're like a hometown girl. I am a hometown girl. Spent some time in New York City, so uh there was that for work. I love New York City, uh, big Broadway girl. Uh-huh. But um, yeah, really loved Pittsburgh, uh loved my Duquesne experience. And I had um two internships at Duquesne. I had an internship in sports journalism and had an internship in corporate communications, and learned that corporate communications was really going to be the lifestyle that fit me better in terms of the pay and the sort of nine to five as opposed to the schedule of sports journalism, but really wanted to keep my foot in sports journalism too. So today my full-time job is corporate communications for a local bank, and I love doing that. I I cover um corporate philanthropy and community and just feel like that's a wonderful job for me. And then my um sort of side gig for actually 20 years ending last year. I've got gotten uh a foot out of that now, which feels very unusual because I spent uh about 20 years very, very close to the Pittsburgh sports world as a credentialed uh sports writer.

Doug:

This is what I know about from you is this side of the professional Angie.

Angie:

Yep. Uh spent 20 years uh covering the Pittsburgh Penguins for a variety of publications.

Doug:

Wow.

Angie:

And um a variety of broadcast outlets, did a lot of radio, did a lot of podcasts, just a lot of fun.

Doug:

Thanks so much for telling us a little bit more about that. I knew about the hockey side of things too, and I just find it so intriguing. If we bring it back to food, I would love to ask, since you are this hometown girl, are there a couple of spots that are just really near and dear to you when you visit and when you post for them?

Angie:

Oh that might be tough. That is, it is. It is super tough. So I I think about the places that I go to time and time again when I can choose, you know, where where I'm gonna go. Like um, my birthday's next week. And I think about, you know, like, oh, where would I like to go out for my birthday? I feel like I'm always picking Dianoias as a place I like to go for my birthday. It's just it's an easy pick. Everything is consistently delicious. One of our favorites. Love that bread. Love that bread in the uh whipper cottage. That's just an easy pick every time. Um love uh Pussid's Garden. Oh, yes, is such an easy pick too. Uh the garden atmosphere, if the weather is nice enough.

Doug:

Uh Pussadies comes up often on this show.

Angie:

I have no doubt. It's it's just a shining gem in the Pittsburgh dining room, right? Like you feel like you're not I not to disparage Pittsburgh, because obviously I adore Pittsburgh, but don't you just feel like you're not in Pittsburgh?

Doug:

Well, you're transported. You really do. Yeah, the garden and the inside, you're like, wait, where did I just go?

Angie:

Yeah, yeah. It feels like like another world entirely. And I love to take visitors from out of town there and show them, like, hey, you know, you might think Pittsburgh is the you know, sandwich with fries city, but we also have this, you know.

Doug:

These other hidden gems, exactly.

Angie:

We have some beautiful things. And and aside from that, I obviously um I obviously love Italian food. So after that, I feel like some of my other picks would be in the Italian food world. Like I love um Alta Via.

Speaker 05:

Oh yeah.

Angie:

Um just went to a family dinner last week at um alla Familia. Oh yes. Love those kind of places.

Doug:

Up on Allentown.

Angie:

Yes, the uh the cheese wheel.

Doug:

You know, there is one thing, if you don't mind me mentioning it.

Angie:

Yeah, you're a vegetarian. Yes.

Doug:

So although you pick some phenomenal spots that would have anything on the menu, this is also important to you to go to a place where you can order and your friends and family can order, and everyone's having a good time.

Angie:

It's huge, you know, and none nobody else in my family is a vegetarian. So when I I started this at age five.

unknown:

Oh wow.

Angie:

I learned um in kindergarten where meat came from. And I just came home and told my parents I don't understand the difference between the family pet and the animals that we would eat. I I don't I I have a disconnect here and I just don't want to eat that. Wow.

Doug:

Yeah, it's just I'm such a formative age.

Angie:

Yeah, it just was a philosophical thing for me, and I didn't get it. And I said, I I just don't want to eat it. And my parents were really freaked out, you know. They they really were, and so they tried lying to me for a little bit.

Doug:

Oh and uh the best intentions for sure.

Angie:

They they just were scared, they were like, our young daughter, uh what's gonna happen? You know, is she gonna be healthy? Is she going to be deprived of protein?

Doug:

Right.

Angie:

And then they realized I was not kidding, and they took me to children's hospital to a dietitian and helped me learn where protein sources would come from. Which was really progressive and amazing.

Doug:

That is amazing. How old were you at that point?

Angie:

I was like six, seven years old at my. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. They wanted me to learn, they wanted to learn, and I really appreciated that.

Doug:

I'm so glad that you had the even those resources and that forethought to go to children's to find out.

Angie:

It's incredible. Yeah. So yeah. Um, so I definitely grew up feeling supported in that, but the local dining scene was not as supportive. Um you would go places and just see menu option after menu option that was meat-based. Yes, meat heavy. Yeah, maybe and and this city growing up was not great for it. It really wasn't. You know, you had a salad. Maybe you could spot two or three things on the menu that you could ask to be made without meat. But most of the things, you know, just not great options.

Doug:

Oh my gosh. Tell me a little bit more about like some top dishes then. Like, do you have a few recipes you make at home all the time or places that when you go there, you know you're gonna go to get that particular dish?

Angie:

Yeah. So at home I'm very heavy on um, I think I used to be much more carb heavy. I I love carbs, I love pasta. Oh, me too. Yeah, I mean, you know, I I still love them. Um a few years ago, I dropped about 70 pounds. I did that primarily um getting rid of white carbs. I switched to a lot of wheat carbs. Okay.

Doug:

Intentionally going to a more whole grain or less processed diet.

Angie:

Exactly. Okay. I do a lot of sheep pan meals. That's a big thing for me. Um, a lot of veggies. I subscribe to a CSA over the summer. That is an absolute joy. Um, all the fresh vegetables, and maybe it isn't something I usually work with. Um, this week I had a couple of butternut squash in there. Um, next week I have an acorn squash coming. So you just think about what am I gonna create?

Doug:

And for any of our listeners who don't know, CSA Community Supported Agriculture, you're usually prepaying a subscription to a farm that's gonna provide you a box every week or some time. Uh who is your CSA through?

Angie:

Yeah, mine is called Kristoff Farms. They are located in Bridgeville. Okay. And uh I've been subscribing to them for a few years now. They offer, I believe, quarter, half, and full baskets, I guess, half. Um, it feeds two to three people every week.

Doug:

Perfect.

Angie:

And just a ton of food. It's a challenge to use it all every week. Um, but it it's a lot, and it's just um everything that's abundant in in season at that point. Right now, yeah.

Doug:

So you're getting great nutrition, local produce. And this is the challenge that I I wish more people would go for, which is the think-for-yourself cooking. Like you mentioned, a sheet pan meal where you're putting, you know, sort of many items on just a baking sheet in the oven and it goes, or you do a stir fry, or you do some kind of stew or soup. All of those things can kind of use up all that stuff, but you gotta be flexible and not thinking that I have to stick to a recipe.

Angie:

Absolutely. And I think the best things are the things that you come up with. Um, for a few years, I was subscribing to something like a hello fresh or blue apron blue apron. And I think those were very helpful to me in helping to teach myself to cook better. Yes. Um, I learned a lot from the recipes, and then those give you ideas. Right. And then you learn, okay, when I get these ingredients, here's what I'm gonna make for myself, and here's how I'm going to riff on that recipe to do something that I like.

Doug:

Yes. I so love that you have sort of taken that on, and it's so much more than just going out to eat all the time as well.

Angie:

Yes. I mean, I certainly love to go out to eat, but I also really love the satisfaction of making yourself a really great meal.

Doug:

Me too.

Angie:

Yeah. This is Angie of Angie Loves PGH, and you're listening to the Pittsburgh Dish.

Doug:

Well, I do want to transition a little bit because when we were talking before uh coming together for this interview, I knew you through the food world. And we were at an event that happened to be at a brewery, and we both started talking about how we don't or no longer drink alcohol. And that brought up like a whole new conversation about mocktails or the NA movement, the non-alcoholic movement. And on this show, I think the only folks that we've had on, I haven't really had breweries on, but I did have Jack Worth ginger beer because I appreciated that they were brewing a non-alcoholic ginger beer as well as their hard ginger beer. And you could go and sort of have either in any drink and you didn't feel left out. And you've been doing some research on all of these things as well, is that right?

Angie:

I have. Um, I love Jack Worth so much, by the way. They're great. They are really great. I love their space, I love their ginger beer. Um, so yeah, so I've been doing research um because I have sort of been um forced into it. Um so that kind of happened to me.

Doug:

That was sort of a health thing. Yeah. It's not that I really want to, and every once in a while I might still have a beer.

Angie:

Yeah.

Doug:

But it's not something I can do all the time every day.

Angie:

It makes sense. You know, I I used to love wine. I still have a basement full of wine that I have to figure out what am I gonna do with at this point. So about a year ago, I had a bad accident. Um, fell down a very uh steep flight of concrete stairs, had a bad head injury. Um so the the great thing is I'm still here. You are it could have ended very differently. I am super grateful. Uh the not so great thing is I have lingering effects from this uh this brain injury. So one thing I started noticing is every time I would have alcohol, I would start to get these migraine symptoms triggering for me. And I I was trying kind of different things, like, well, what if I have wine? Does it happen? What if I have beer? Does it happen? And then as it consistently kept happening, I realized what am I doing here? Like this isn't worth it. I I think I'm done. So I stopped.

Doug:

And stopped drinking alcohol.

Angie:

Stopped it drinking alcohol altogether. So that really was at the end of last year, beginning of this year. So I'm pretty new to this.

Doug:

And did it stop the triggering of the migraines?

Angie:

It really did. So I still have occasional issues with the migraines, but I'm not noticing a direct cause and effect relationship from something like that.

Doug:

Yeah. But you do you were really finding that from alcohol?

Angie:

It was a very direct trigger. I would be I I sometimes wouldn't be, I would order a glass of wine and I wouldn't even be through the glass of wine.

Doug:

Oh.

Angie:

And I would start feeling the those effects. Yeah, just kind of the oncoming of the effects. And I would realize it was going to happen, and it was just not worth it, worth it, unfortunately. So um, so I realized, okay, I'm done. I'm getting away from alcohol now.

Doug:

But you're such a social person.

Angie:

Well, and that's the problem is, you know, I go to a lot of these food-related events, yeah, and I I felt like it was really sad that you go to a social event, you're with friends, and they're ordering these lovely drinks. A lot of times they're these beautifully crafted cocktails, and they're having these beautiful drinks, and you're ordering what, a coke product. You know, it's just sad. It doesn't make you feel included, it doesn't make you feel thought of. It just makes you feel sad, frankly, and left out of sort of of the occasion. So I started asking everywhere I would go, what do you have that's non-alcoholic? What can you make that's non-alcoholic? And in a lot of cases, you do have to ask. They're not actually on the menu. Um you're starting to see now that more places are putting them on the menu. More places are thinking this through. They are thinking through the options, they're putting them on the menu. And I think there's several reasons for this. There is a lot of research out there about how Gen Z is driving a lot of this change. They are not drinking as much. Um, a lot of this is a wellness thing. And uh, you know, with with a whole generation um changing their habits, restaurants and bars, they have to start thinking about this more.

Doug:

They have to recognize it now so they can still get those new consumers.

Angie:

Exactly. So that's happening. Um, there are people, there are so many reasons why people choose not to drink. And I have to say, I'm I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't really think about all of these reasons until I was one of them. But there's medical reasons, like you know, you and I spoke about. You know, someone could be pregnant, they could be the designated driver.

Doug:

Just want to be responsible. Right?

Angie:

Like you're in a group of your friends and you're the designated driver and you like something nice, but in addition to being responsible, like wouldn't it be nice if you felt like you were included and you weren't just having something that felt like an afterthought?

Doug:

That's right.

Angie:

So I really think for and then there's people that are in recovery, which is really important. Like a lot of these people end up feeling social isolation.

Speaker 05:

Yes.

Angie:

And making them feel included in an outing is so important and so valuable. I've gone to a couple of events recently with this wonderful Pittsburgh organization called the Teetotal Initiative. They are a group focused on um supporting people in recovery, people who are committed to being sober. And they've educated me about those reasons for people relapsing, which largely are loneliness and isolation-related reasons, and how nice it would be for these people to feel that there was an option for them if they went out with their friends.

Doug:

It's not so much that they're going to a place where there's alcohol and they're like, oh, I'm gonna go have the alcohol. They're just they don't want to be left out. Right. And if they can make the right decisions and you see things on the menu, I I would echo to your point. I'm seeing more and more uh menus where they're offering at least two or three non-alcoholic options, clearly stated. Exactly. And they'll usually make even other things if you ask.

Angie:

Exactly. It it's just so nice. Like, I I don't mind asking what they have, but it's really nice to see it. It's really nice that you don't have to feel like initially when I started asking for this, I felt like, okay, I'm a problem. You know, I'm I'm the person who has to be different, who has to raise my hand and say, I can't have what you have here. Can you make something for me? And um, I was reading this book. Um, there's a woman, Katrina. She goes by the Northeast Ginger on Instagram. She owns loaded.

Doug:

Yeah, she's a local food person.

Angie:

She's amazing.

Doug:

Yeah.

Angie:

Um, she's really cool. Um, and she wrote a book about being a non-drinker herself and how she has navigated that in her life. And I was speaking to her about this and saying, you know, I always feel like I'm a problem. And she said, You are not. You know, restaurants and bars are leaving customers on the table. They're leaving business on the table if they don't think about this.

Doug:

They really are.

Angie:

And, you know, as a restaurant owner. Herself hearing that really made me feel empowered. And when I go in somewhere now, I feel like you should have something like this on the menu. You should have thought about this population because it's not a small population and it's growing. So I I really feel like I've become a bit of an advocate for this movement, and I will continue to advocate for it. Um, my friend Sarah and I, she goes by uh Yin's Love Local on Instagram. Yes. Um, we are doing a series of posts. We're calling it Zero Proof, and we're finding the places that are doing a good job of this, and we're posting about them.

Doug:

I'm so excited for this. And I know we already just mentioned Jack Worth. So can you give us a little bit of a preview of some of these posts? Like what are just a couple of the places that are doing it right right now?

Angie:

Absolutely. So I'll tell you the places we've highlighted so far. The first place that invited me out to try a few of their mocktails was Cosign, Speakeasy. What a cool place. I don't know if you've been there. It's in Homestead.

Doug:

Okay.

Angie:

Yeah. Um, really cool. Um, you it's very uh you enter through like super secret entrance. There's a couple little um It feels like a speakeasy, right? It really does. Like a couple little tests you have to go through to kind of satisfy the ghosts to like get in. It's really cool. Um, but they have really thought through their mocktail menu, had some really delicious mocktails, very talented bartender, just did a beautiful job.

Doug:

What was one of the drinks that you tried there?

Angie:

Oh, I I think the one that stands out the most is they had um I asked the bartender, I tried a couple that appealed to me. And then for the last one, I like to try like three at each place to make a for a good post. Yes. And I said, What which would you recommend out of these last couple? And he said, Oh, the lemonade. Try the lemonade. And it was a blueberry lemonade type of cocktail.

Doug:

Interesting.

Angie:

It was so delicious, really, really well done. So yeah, that that one stands out there. And then uh Sarah went to Olives and Peppers. Yes, very popular restaurant out in Greensburg. And they have a location, I believe, in Trafford as well. Very popular. I I went there last year actually for my birthday in October. Just a really great spot. They have done a seasonal fall mocktail menu, which is amazing.

Doug:

And we're in fall right now as we record, so this is perfect.

Angie:

Right. To do a seasonal mocktail menu. Like not only to think about doing a mocktail menu, but to do a seasonal specific. How cool is that?

Doug:

That's right.

Angie:

Then I went to uh just last week for a family dinner. I went to a la familia, was shocked uh when I asked, because I I know a la familia for, you know, when I previously went there, you get a great glass or bottle of wine.

Speaker 05:

Yes.

Angie:

And I thought, well, what are you gonna have for me? And I asked, and she gave me the cocktail menu and opened it to the mocktail page, and there is literally a mocktail page.

Doug:

How wonderful. I mean, this is really thoughtful of them.

Angie:

They're thinking honestly about their customers, but also it's a great business decision. You're thinking about who's coming through your doors, and there are gonna be people who aren't drinking, and you're giving them a beautiful option to go with their dinner. Then the other thing is between Sarah and I, we've been to two different places um that are doing these. You see on Instagram, these big towers of drinks when you go out places, you know. So two places I've been to recently. Um, one was Siena Mercado.

Doug:

Okay.

Angie:

And one was uh the Urban Tap. And both of them had these beautiful towers. Uh Siena was for uh brunch and yeah, Urban Tap actually was brunch as well. And both of them were able to make them non-alcoholic.

Doug:

Non-alcoholic.

Angie:

And how cool. Again, you feel super included.

Doug:

Yes. And you know, also if it is for brunch, it's a daytime thing. Maybe people just don't want to drink like full bore. The whole party's like, we'd love to have that, but we're we're not into this at this time of day.

Angie:

Exactly. Yeah. And I that's a really good point, is I have friends that aren't non-alcoholics strictly, but they will go out and for whatever reason that night, they might like to order a non-alcoholic drink. So you never know who you're appealing to by putting this on.

Doug:

Before we get away from a la familia, what was the cocktail you picked at a la familia? If they had that whole they had the whole page.

Angie:

Yes, they had that whole page. Um, it was a combination of pineapple and coconut flavors. And uh my nephew who was with me got a cherry limey that I kind of regretted not getting because it just looked so, so delicious. Yeah. Just just really delicious. Um, so those were some examples of ones that are doing more with like juices and lavender, lemon, those types of flavors. But you're also finding a lot these days that are doing the non-alcoholic spirits.

Doug:

Yeah, spiritless spirits. I was going to ask you, I just recently stopped into the open road in Garfield.

Angie:

They're so awesome.

Doug:

They are Mel and her team, and they used to be in Allentown. They moved over to Garfield, they have a bigger space, and we're talking about a bottle shop that has zero-proof spirits. So if you want a bourbon or a Kempari, they have all those things. So you can actually make the drink the way you always make it, but it's going to be a zero-proof drink.

Angie:

It's incredible. And I have been to places that are involving those in their mocktails. Um, so I think sometimes I've I've had friends say, Oh, I I don't want to pay, you know, the same price for a mocktail that I would pay for a cocktail. And I think that's kind of outdated thinking. I think sometimes now we're going to see mocktails that are going to be the same price as a mocktail a regular cocktail, possibly even a little bit more, because those zero-proof spirits are not really cheap. Um, they're very carefully crafted and they're going through this process in some cases to, you know, de-alcoholize them.

Doug:

Right. They're distilling, like, say, a gin, and then they're taking it even further to remove the alcohol component.

Angie:

Exactly. So um, I'm really thankful that these options exist. And I was just thinking about with the holidays coming up, you know, hey, I might be able to get a bottle of, you know, something bubbly that will make me, you know, it feel celebratory. And it's just really nice to know these options are out there.

Doug:

I I agree. And I love what you and Sarah are both doing, promoting what's going on and also sort of nudging other places that maybe aren't doing the best job yet or aren't thinking about it and getting places to think about it and get some of those options out in front and on the menus.

Angie:

That is actually my goal by doing the series. I would love for businesses to reach out to us and ask us, you know, hey, we're doing a good job. Please come and feature us. That would be great. But also I would love businesses to notice it and think, wow, we don't have anything on our menu, and maybe that's a miss. The the posts that we've done have done fairly well on Instagram in terms of the engagement. And I'm surprised at how many people have reached out to me either through their public comments on Instagram or privately and said, hey, I don't drink either. This is great.

Doug:

Yeah.

Angie:

So it's hitting a nerve. It's time.

Doug:

Well, you are striking at such a good moment because I think there's enough momentum to really get that exponential acceleration in all of our local places that we love to go out to anyway.

Angie:

I love that. You've really hit it by saying the places we love to go anyway, because just like being a vegetarian, I don't need to go, although there are some really fantastic vegetarian-focused restaurants in the city now, which is incredible. And actually, EYV, where I went recently, had a stunning um mocktail selection as well.

Doug:

EYV over on the north side.

Angie:

I went to their chef's table experience, which was incredible, and um, and had several mocktails there. So they're doing a great job. But I don't need a restaurant to be solely vegetarian. I can have it be inclusive of everyone. That goes for me as a vegetarian, that goes for my friends I go out with who are gluten-free, and that goes for people that are non-drinkers. It's just really nice to be thoughtful of the variety of different needs people coming to your space may have.

Doug:

Angie, I love what you're doing, and I love that you're kind of spreading that thoughtfulness. It's keeping it positive, and yet it's still making some business owners think. So thank you.

Angie:

Thank you. That's that's who I try to be as a person, Doug.

Doug:

So I know. That's why we love you, Angie.

Angie:

Thank you.

Doug:

So before I let you go, there's so many more things I want to talk about. But you know, we've already established you're a hometown girl. Can I ask a couple more family questions? Sure. Uh number one, I'm just curious, what was the family business?

Angie:

So my family's business was actually an entertainment agency. Um so yeah, not a retail business. Um, it was an agency who at the time, if you wanted a if you wanted a clown at your party, if you wanted a DJ at your, you know, event, things like that.

Doug:

They would find that talent.

Angie:

Exactly. They would find the talent and book them for your event and be, you know, the agency in between. So then the internet came along. Yes. And suddenly the talent books themselves. Right. And there's no need for that agency anymore. Um, so at at that time, my my dad had passed away by that point, and my mom was running the agency, and she uh she went back to school and um actually uh a call out to the Goodwill Training Center. Goodwill actually has yes, an employment training center. I had no idea until my mom somehow found this and went back to school through them, got an internship at UPMC. You're talking at the time she's probably 50 years old. Um, got an internship at UPMC and um forged her second career in the medical field, um, doing like medical records. So here she is, still doing it.

Doug:

What a good news story.

Angie:

Amazing.

Doug:

I did have one more family question.

Angie:

Please.

Doug:

I know that you went vegetarian, but what was food life like at home? Like, did you guys cook at home a lot? I mean, you go out so much now.

Angie:

We really never went out. We did not go out a lot as a family. Yeah, that's that's a great question. And I've never thought about it too much. We were not a going out to eat family. We were um when my parents were both alive, my my mom was a homemaker and she she cooked. She cooked for the family, and it was a lot of very sort of comfort food type of dishes. And I feel she was very wonderful and accommodating at making two versions of things to for you, because at such a young age, you had it you had made the announcement.

Doug:

You're like, I'm gonna be vegetarian.

Angie:

So I was the special case, yeah. So you had um uh my mom, my brother, and my dad, who were all meat eaters, and then you had me. So yeah, she would try very hard to make you know things that here's a version of it for you, and here's the version the rest of the family's gonna eat. Yeah, we were very much an eating at home family.

Doug:

Did that spark you to help cook as you started to get older to cook your version of the meal?

Angie:

Well, um, my dad passed away early. And so I was uh I was 16. So I took over a fair amount of of home duties at that point. So so yeah, so I think I was I was well prepared through through watching at that point. Um, but yeah, as I as I got older and have relationships in my own life, I I was very good at the concept of I can prepare meals that have a version that is a vegetarian one and a version that is not. I'm never going to force someone to be a vegetarian for me. Um you can eat the way you want, and that's fine with me, but this is what I'm gonna do.

Doug:

It sounds like you could host the ultimate dinner party that caters for everybody.

Angie:

I probably could, but I would hate it because I hate the cleanup before a dinner party.

Doug:

That's right. That's right. It's the impending doom.

Angie:

I know. I just hate it. I'm like, please don't make me host that. Oh, I have dogs. We have to figure out what we're gonna do with them. No, thank you.

Doug:

Well, I like that you go out to eat and go out to explore vegetarian options and the NA or mocktail options in the city. I think we should bring it back. You mentioned it earlier that folks can reach out to you. Can you remind our listeners of your social media handle? You're mostly on Instagram, is that right?

Angie:

Yeah, primarily on Instagram. I am kind of starting to dip a toe into TikTok, which I can see is getting a lot of engagement when we do post there. But um largely Instagram and it's Angie LovesPGH.

Doug:

Angie LovesPGH. And can you remind us again, since Sarah is helping you, what Sarah's handle is?

Angie:

Absolutely. Sarah is Yin's Love Local.

Doug:

Yin's Love Local.

Angie:

Yep.

Doug:

I love it all. All right, Angie. I have one more customary question for you. The name of the show is the Pittsburgh Dish. What's the best dish you've had to eat this past week?

Angie:

Well, we talked about um that I went to a la familia this past week, and it has to be the Caccio Pepe in that cheese wheel.

Doug:

Oh, yes. They, if someone has not been to alla Familia, you're talking about like a traditional round of cheese, like the huge wheel from Italy. Is it the Loccatelli?

Angie:

Locatelli cheese wheel.

Doug:

Yeah, that's right. It's a Romano cheese.

Angie:

Yes.

Doug:

Yes. And so they're preparing the Caccio Pepe in that, they're finishing in that big wheel.

Angie:

Yes.

Doug:

So delicious.

Angie:

They bring a table side, they prepare it right there in front of you. It's just so rich. Amazing.

Doug:

Well, I I can agree. That would be my best bite this week.

Angie:

Yep, definitely.

Doug:

Angie Carducci, thank you so much for your time. Thanks for what you're doing for the city, promoting small business, promoting the NA movement. Thanks for being on the Pittsburgh Dish.

Angie:

It has been such a pleasure. Thank you so much, Doug.

Doug:

Since Angie mentioned this place earlier, and we're in the throes of fall, let's hear about a favorite dish of the season from Karen Huang. Hey everyone, we're back with our friend Karen Huang. She's a content creator and self-professed foodie on Instagram. Karen, it's been a little bit since we talked. Uh when we spoke last, it was the dead of summer. It was super hot, but we're now moving into some chillier months. As we move into cooler weather, is there a spot that you're like, yes, I am so ready to visit this place again because you love that food at that time of year?

Karen:

Doug, I've been waiting for this question. You understand I've been stalking this place's reservations for months in anticipation of when I can make a reservation again. And I know everyone loves Dianoias, but what you need to know that at Dianoias, during the fall, they have a pumpkin gnocchi bowl.

Doug:

Oh, yes, that pumpkin bowl.

Karen:

It is, it is beautiful. But even more importantly, it is delicious. It is delightful. It's creamy, it's perfect. The gnocchi is so soft and pillowy. Oh my gosh. Um, I've been thinking about it for months and months and months. And um, yeah, the last time we had it, it was beautiful. And then I foolishly thought I could eat the whole thing in one sitting and I was like, I don't need a to-go box. Lamais. Lumise for told because um once was all said and done, I was like, no, no, I I can't finish this. Oh, number one leftovers. So I put it in my to-go box, and it was packed to the brim because you have all this beautiful cooked pumpkin inside the pumpkin too. Which you can eat. Yes, it's not just exactly. It's so good. It is your quintessential fall dish. And there's just something so comforting about pasta when it gets cold out.

Doug:

I don't know if they'll bring this one back, but the other thing that they've had in the past that I love is a pasta dish that will have sausage and squash in it. And that's another just really like stick to your bones, delicious dish I love there. The pumpkin though just rolls. I mean, on all their Instagram, everybody orders it. So the pumpkin gnocchi is what we're talking about at Dianoia's, usually shows up on the fall to winter menu. Karen, thanks so much.

Karen:

Yeah, no problem. Thank you.

Doug:

You can follow Karen on Instagram at Karen.huang. If you enjoyed the show, consider buying us a coffee for this episode or supporting the show monthly. You can find links to those options at the bottom of our show description. And if you want to follow my own food adventures, you can find me on social media at Doug Cooking. That's our show for this week. Thanks again to all of our guests and contributors, and to Kevin Selecki of Carnegie Accordion Company for providing the music to our show. We'll be back again next week with another fresh episode. Stay tuned.

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Douglas Heilman

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