In case you haven’t noticed, the Homestead area, and Pittsburgh as a whole for that matter, is crawling with great craft beer destinations. All offering quality beer, superb food, and genuine experiences. As more and more enthusiasts continue to seek out the latest and greatest from craft breweries throughout the city, state, and country, these destinations are obliging by keeping tap lineups fresh and lively with some of the best products around. Without doubt, it’s a great time to be a beer fan.
But what if you’re simply not into beer? Does that mean you’ll struggle to find an establishment that will cater to your desire for a tasty adult beverage sans the hops and grains? Absolutely not.
Duke’s Upper Deck Cafe on 8th Avenue has been a craft beer hotspot for years, featuring 48 rotating taps combined with an extensive food menu. Now, they’ve taken their game a step further as Eighth & Hays has opened up next door. This luxurious, comfortable new extension of their current craft beer concept emphasizes wine, craft cocktails, and elevated cuisine. These two establishments working together as one have created the ultimate destination no matter what alcoholic beverage you desire.
Eighth & Hays most recently was home to Tom Diner’s and, before that, Eat ‘n Park, which has since moved a few blocks into The Waterfront. In true “it’s a small world after all” fashion, Eighth & Hays Co-Owner Karen Ducar was an employee of the Eat ‘n Park when it frequented the building. She and her husband, Joe, have owned Duke’s since 1988 and they bought the neighboring building 10 years ago simply for the parking. Seeing an opportunity to create a complementing wine and cocktail bar concept, they moved forward with the development of Eighth & Hays and opened their doors in early November 2016.
“Our goal was to bring something completely different to the avenue,” Pam Wantland, Eighth & Hays General Manager and daughter of Karen and Joe, shared. “A place where people could relax and enjoy the laid back atmosphere.”
Eighth & Hays showcases an impressive list of wines that you can experience in 1oz., 3oz., or 6oz. pours. Or, you may purchase the entire bottle. A unique element to the concept is their climate-controlled preservation system (pictured right) that allows you to imbibe on high-end offerings without having to purchase the entire bottle. This makes experimenting with new wines and expanding your palate a bit more realistic and affordable.
“We offer high quality wines that you won’t see in most places in the city,” Pam said. “We give our customers the ability to experiment with wines by the ounce, half glass, or full glass. We took a lot of time to make sure everything was perfect before we opened our doors!”
In addition to the wine list, Eighth & Hays has a creative, rotating specialty craft cocktail lineup guaranteed to pull your eye and take the edge off. From Martinis, Manhattans, and Mules, and more, the gamut is run from classic to innovative with every cocktail served.
Here’s a look at the current cocktail menu:
No destination is complete without something edible to pair with your beverage. Eighth & Hays has a complete menu featuring exquisite wood-oven pizzas, sandwiches, salads, appetizers, desserts, and an assortment of cheeses, roasted vegetables, and cured meats that rotates weekly.
“Our Executive Chef, Kevin Harris, made sure he was making a creative menu that’s based on high-quality ingredients,” Pam stated.
Eighth & Hays is open Wednesday-Thursday 4:00pm-10:00pm and Friday-Saturday 4:00pm-12:00am. Every Wednesday and Thursday from 5:00pm-7:00pm is Happy Hour featuring $4 off select premium wines and $20 bottles of select wine.
Below is a small preview of what’s in store for you when you visit Eighth & Hays. If you’re in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by Duke’s for a beer and this beautiful, brand new destination for the best wine and cocktail selection in the area!
