Lefty's could be leaving Strip District
A popular bar in Pittsburgh’s Strip District could be gone in a matter of weeks.
Lefty’s lease along Penn Avenue will come to an end in late January, owner Rick Krist told TribLive news partner WTAE.
The landlord has declined to renew the lease, he said, and other landlords in the neighborhood are at capacity or not interested in restaurants.
As of now, Lefty’s last day in the Strip District will be Jan. 26.
Its second location on Western Avenue in the North Side will remain open.
Krist told WTAE no matter what happens, he’s proud of Lefty’s legacy in one of the city’s fastest-changing neighborhoods.
“We’re old school Pittsburgh in the Strip District, and now the Strip is a whole different place,” he said. “Chains are great, but the small business is the fabric of the Strip District, and whether we stay here or not, I think we’ve done it the right way and we hope to continue to do so.”
The landlord, Anthony DiCio Jr., could not be reached for comment.
Two other Strip District businesses are set to close soon. New Year’s Eve will be the last night for upscale Cioppino Restaurant & Cigar Bar as well as its less formal sister restaurant, Osteria 2350.
Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter covering the Freeport Area and Kiski Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on Penn Hills municipal affairs. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at jtroy@triblive.com.
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