Pittsburgh has many festive holiday drink options, including a variety of pop-up bars like Wigle Wonderland and Miracle on 7th, themed bars such as Blitzen's at the Omni William Penn and the Retro Holiday Lounge at The Industrialist, and other spots like Bob's Garage and Local Bar + Kitchen with seasonal cocktails. Pop-up bars

• Blitzen's at Omni William Penn: Expect an over-the-top, maximalist Christmas theme with extravagant cocktails.
• Wigle Wonderland: A holiday-themed experience at the Wigle Distillery in the Strip District.
• Miracle on 7th: A popular Christmas-themed pop-up bar located downtown.
• The Aspen at Spritzery: A cozy, winter-wonderland-themed pop-up downtown.
• Retro Holiday Lounge at The Industrialist: A 1950s-style holiday-themed bar with classic cocktails. 

Other festive spots

• Bob's Garage: Known as "Pittsburgh's Original Christmas Bar," this Blawnox location is a long-time favorite for holiday decor and drinks.
• Local Bar + Kitchen: Enjoy holiday-inspired cocktails and spiked hot chocolate at their "Christmas on Carson" event.
• Margs & Mistletoe at LowKey Taco: A holiday pop-up with a festive margarita and shot menu in Robinson.
• ShuBrew's Mele Kalikimaka: A Hawaiian-themed holiday tiki bar pop-up in Zelienople starting in late November. 

How to find more

• Check out the lists from Made in PGH and City Cast Pittsburgh for more options and details on their opening dates.
• Follow local pop-up bars on Instagram for the most up-to-date information, such as @sippinsantapgh and @miraclepgh. 

It seems like pop-up bars just keep popping up! Let us help you find the most perfectly peculiar Pittsburgh pop-up for the holiday season and beyond.

Here You Come A-Wassailing

Have you ever wanted to have a night out at the North Pole, partying with Santa, Mrs. Claus and all the elves and reindeer? Well now you can, thanks to all of the awesome holiday-themed pop-up bars in Pittsburgh!

130 7th St, Pittsburgh Pa 15222 | Opening Nov. 2025

Love Miracle of 7th? Us too. You're in luck because the same creators of that experience are opening Sippin Santa. Envision Santa on a surfboard instead of a sleigh, replace the classic pine tree with palms decked with ornaments, and hang hibiscus garlands alongside tinsel—in essence, that is the Sippin’ Santa spirit.

960 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh PA 15222

Cozy up this winter at one of Pittsburgh’s newest holiday pop-up bars, The Aspen. Savor festive holiday-themed drinks in a setting that transports you straight to a charming alpine lodge, fresh off the slopes.

4907 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Step into Mixtape’s North Pole-themed immersive experience and feel the magic of the season! Packed with thousands of twinkling lights, hundreds of glittering ornaments and nods to your favorite Christmas movies, it’s like stepping inside a snow globe. Explore whimsical set pieces like Santa’s Workshop, the Sugarplum Candy Lounge and the White Christmas Forest. These 90-minute ticketed sessions are super popular and sell out fast—so grab your tickets now!

107 6th St, Pittsburgh, PA

Have yourself (and loved ones) a Merry Little Christmas when you step into a winter wonderland filled with festive cheer, where you'll enjoy a specially curated cocktail menu, brimming with seasonal flavors, and holiday-inspired bites that will warm your heart and your taste buds. ❄️🍸🍴

Whether you're looking to toast to the season with friends or simply soak in the magic of the holidays, our merry little pop-up is the perfect place to create unforgettable memories.

130 7th St., Pittsburgh Pa 15222 | Opening Nov. 2025 | 4pm-12am

“Christmas isn’t just a day, it’s a frame of mind.” It’s clear that this is the philosophy used when creating Miracle on 7th. The whole place is bursting with Christmas cheer from its décor, to its drink offerings. Miracle on 6th brings the North Pole right to Downtown Pittsburgh, and this time Santa is bringing adults thoughtfully-named novelty cocktails in festive glassware (glassware available for purchase!) and a wonderful holiday vibe to Pittsburgh!

331 Technology Dr., Pittsburgh PA 15219 

Escape to Snowflakes & Spirits pop up bar, a winter wonderland, with handcrafted cocktails and seasonal mocktails inside beautifully decorated spaces with cozy corners, and a flurry of photo opportunities.

  I grew up on the Gulf Coast where fresh fruits and vegetables and seafood was abundant: Things that were commonplace that we took for granted included giant peaches in the summer; fresh melon varieties; satsumas that are usually shipped from California were grown by the local farmers.  We had plum trees and pecan trees in our back yard. I had two grandmothers who were fantastic cooks.  In retirement, my grandmother moved to Detroit Michigan where she helped her sister (also a great cook) run her restaurant.  My great grandmother grew fresh vegetables. My grandfather, an outdoorsman who hunted and fished, regularly supplied us with fresh fish and crabs. He also was an "urban" farmer.  He kept a chicken coop in his back yard before it was popular. I lived in New England for 15 years prior to moving to Pittsburgh in 1997.

Tell us more about your small catering business here in Pittsburgh, what sort of parties do you oversee?  When I first began catering, it was limited to desserts.  I catered for friends.  My first official catering job was for a friend who was an active fiber artist. I catered an event that she was hosting for 30 people.

  It was primarily a cocktail party where I supplied the appetizers and miniature desserts.  This is still my favorite type of venue.  I have  catered luncheons for friends who are faculty members; confirmation parties; holiday parties; and sit-down dinners limited to 20 people. I custom tailor the menus according to the clients' taste. 

What's on the menu for some of your favorite dishes? I love seafood. Some of my favorite dishes include a shrimp dish made with smoked paprika that I serve over  stone ground cornmeal grits; crab cakes, shrimp creole; jambalaya, gumbo and recipes indigenous to the region where I grew up; I love fish, however I like it simply prepared, preferably grilled with lemon. Growing up, the farmers market would supply a fruit called a satsuma.  It looks like a giant version of a mandarin orange.  It had a dark green peel that opened easily with a super sweet pumpkin colored fruit inside.  I really miss those.

Living and cooking here in Pittsburgh, what sort of local ingredients and foods do you like to use often?There are more ingredients that were previously considered foreign, that are regularly available.  Even the farmer's market is carrying more variety. This past summer I bought gorgeous rhizomes of ginger. I peeled it and diced it and froze it in individual packages.  I regularly use it for tea, vegetable stir frys, soups and roasting meats. Lemon grass is available in some markets.  Dandelion greens which were once shunned are readily available. I also was pleased to find a steady supply of Japanese eggplants that were provided by a Gibsonia vendor at the farmer's market.

Celebrating Black History Month, as a cook, how has food played a role in our history as African Americans in this country? What are some of our traditional foods 

you think Americans should try? Enslaved African Americans did not have access to quality foods. They had to make do with the discards that were supplied by their owners.  They learned to utilize the remnants of slaughtered hogs and cattle.  Much of what is viewed as soul food has it's aegis in slavery. Many of the foods attributed to African Americans are in fact regional. For instance fried chicken is a part of southern cooking for blacks and whites. Greens are too. Many of these foods were prepared by black hands for white consumption. They are not race specific.  What varies is the preparation in accordance with family recipe or region.  For example, red beans and rice are associated with New Orleans.  However, these are a staple in many Caribbean countries too. I think more people should try okra.  It's also used in Indian cooking.  I think people would be surprised as to how good it tastes.

What are some of your specialties and some of your secrets to cooking a great dish or meal? I always start with the freshest ingredients.  There is a caveat that suggests that you don't make a dish that you have never tried.  I wouldn't do this for a catering job. But, I have done it at home when entertaining.  Don't be afraid to try new things.  Things sometimes don't work out, i.e. they burn, you forget to add an ingredient. One of my specialties is seafood gumbo.  In Mobile, we do not included andouille sausage in our gumbo...that is specific to New Orleans and seen as sacrilegious! Kids have been known to hoard my macaroni and cheese...haha. A treat meal includes crab stuffed sole with sautéed spinach and green beans and mushrooms with shallots and balsamic vinegar. I love my lemon tart.

What do you enjoy most about cooking? Cooking is science. Knowing what works well together or figuring out substitutions is experimental. Learning from your mistakes makes a good cook.

Ms. Dom has been catering in the Pittsburgh region for over 10 years, from Baby showers to high end corporate gigs, she has been a personal chef for many families in the region as well. 

You can reach out to Ms. Dom at mortarandpestlepgh@gmail.com