Flying 3,000 miles to the home of Heinz was my ketchup-loving dream come true

Heinz might feel like a British institution, after all, what is a full English without lashings of ketchup, but the company actually originated in Pittsburgh, USA.

And it’s here, on the East Coast, that the first ever Heinz factory, producing the beloved condiment, was built.

Before I go on I should make one thing clear: I am a huge tomato ketchup lover. No, seriously.

For my 21st birthday, I received 21 packs of the condiment. I eat it on everything: I’m talking chips, pasta, rice, the list goes on. I’m a puritan when it comes to the sauce – it has to be the Heinz, no other off-brand versions will do.

So, when I got the chance to visit Pittsburgh, I eagerly accepted, purely to see the city’s ode to one of my main food groups, the museum dedicated to ketchup, featuring a giant bottle.

But beyond condiments, I soon learnt that Pittsburgh has other things going for it.

It’s dubbed the city of bridges, boasting more than Venice, and art lovers might also be aware of a little-known artist by the name of Andy Warhol who was born there.

The city is also proudly decorated in its signature black and yellow style to honour its sports teams, most famously the Steelers. Why do you think Wizz Khalifa’s famous song mentions those specific colours? He, too, is from Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh has the feel of a small town coupled with the big-city amenities that travellers love – plus, lots and lots of ketchup.

Here’s everything you need to know for your next USA city break.

Heinz History Centre

Upon walking through the door of the museum, I was waiting to be weighed down by hundreds of samples of my favourite sauce.

Alas, I wasn’t inundated with ketchup – they don’t even sell novelty bottles – but rather with information about the famous red sauce.

I learned how eight-year old Henry John Heinz started the iconic business by growing produce from his mother’s garden in Sharpsburg, Maryland, and selling it to local grocers.

And for anyone wondering why there’s a 57 emblazoned on some of its bottles, it’s because 5 was Heinz’s lucky number and 7 his wife’s. The creator also wanted to make 57 variations of Heinz products – although he never got that far.

Through hundreds of artefacts and interactive displays, the exhibit showcases the Heinz Company’s evolution from a small food purveyor into one of the most recognisable international brands in the world.

Admission to the Heinz History Center is $20 for adults, and $11 for six to 17-year-olds. Under 6s go free, and tickets give you access for two days.

Andy Warhol Museum

Whether you’re into art or not, you’ll know Andy Warhol and his iconic pop art creations.

If you’re in Pittsburgh then the Andy Warhol Museum, which is the largest museum in North America dedicated to a single artist, is worth popping in.

The museum holds an extensive permanent collection of art and archives from the Pittsburgh-born pop art icon. 

One of my favourite pieces was Silver Clouds which is bought to life by the exhibitionists who filled a room with giant silver balloons, allowing visitors to interact with the ‘silver clouds’ and watch them slowly deflate.

The museum is open every day, apart from Tuesdays, from 10am to 5pm. Admission is $25 for adults and $13 for children.

Bike the Burgh

Pittsburgh is a vibrant walkable city, separated by black and yellow bridges, but another way to get around it is to rent out bikes.

We did this on our first day, to get a feel for the city. As someone who is a nervous cyclist in London, I was apprehensive, but Pittsburgh has plenty of bike trails and friendly rental places.

Cycle to Point Skate Park which offers stunning views of the city and catch some of the street performers.

Fun fact, there is a great cycling trail that starts at Point Skate Park which goes all the way to Washington D.C. If you’re into that sort of thing.

We biked with Bike the Burgh, who also offer walking tours. Tour prices start at $49 adults, $34 for children aged from eight to 13. Bring your own bike and save $9.

Food glorious food

I ate the most delectable mouth-watering dishes while in Pittsburgh ranging from Polish, Italian, Mexican, and of course classic American meals. And no, not every single thing I ate was covered in ketchup.

Breakfast is one of my favourite meals. I tried the Salmon Lox everything bagel at several spots, including Sally Ann’s and Farmer x Baker in Allegheny Riverfront Park. Another breakfast joint I enjoyed was Speckled Egg, hidden inside a busy business district with stunning chandeliers.

There are plenty of breweries worth visiting in Pittsburgh, such as Hitchhikers, which offer pretty decent food too.

After an afternoon cycling, we worked up an appetite and landed at Sly Fox Brewing for lunch. Here we had some delicious pierogies (a Polish dumpling) and shared a bunch of appetisers and mains.

Pittsburgh has plenty of eateries that offer perfect sharing plates. Another joint perfect for groups (and very family friendly) was Laurence Hall in Lawrenceville, which had the feel of an old timey American town seen in movies.

If you want to mix sight seeing with eating, you could also opt for a food tour of the city.

Burgh Bits and Bites have loads of foodie tours in the city, but we chose the Strip District tour, a historic market district of the city, where we ate our way around Mediterranean, Italian, Mexican, American treats and more.

Some of the most delicious spots included Mancini’s cinnamon bread, Labad’s hummus and pita, Rayna’s chips and salsa, and Sunseri’s marinara pizza roll.

And, if you want a meal with some star power, Pamela’s is one of Barack Obama’s favourite spots.

Fallingwater

Architecture nerds will love this one. Fallingwater is a house designed in 1935 by renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright  for the Kaufmann family, owners of Pittsburgh’s largest department store, which was later acquired by Macy’s – yes, the famous Macy’s.

Their weekend vacation home (how the other half live), Fallingwater, was donated to Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, a nonprofit conservation organisation through which you can book tours to view the house.

This stunning property, located in the mountains of Southwestern Pennsylvania, also known as the Laurel Highlands, is something you’d see out of the movies.

While no pictures are allowed inside, you can marvel at the water cascading down from the property into the streams below (hence its name).

Frank Lloyd Wright fans can also experience another of his designs at Kentuck Knob – a privately owned hexagonal home not too far from Fallingwater.

The property has plenty of art around the premises, including a piece of the Berlin Wall.

Fallingwater is open 8am to 4pm daily, apart from Wednesdays. Tickets cost $16.

Take to the water

I’m a huge water girlie and will always opt to do water-based activities. And thankfully Pittsburgh has some wet options for you.

You can head to 10.7 Marina for example, which is an oasis nestled along the banks of Pittsburgh’s Allegheny River.

Here, you can rent or bring your own kayaks, and have a smooth paddle along the water. You can opt for one of the many tours offered by 10.7 Marina, or simply take yourself off. It’s just $18 for one hour rental, from Thursday to Sunday.

Once you’re done kayaking through the river, you can opt for drinks or bites at 10.7. Acclamation Brewing at 10.7 offers a selection of beers on tap, plus food like pizza and pretzels. They also host event featuring speakers, karaoke and live music.

Whatever you’re into, Pittsburgh has plenty to offer but is often slept on. If you’re in New York or anywhere else on the East Coast, the Steel city should be on your to-go list.

The best of the rest

There’s something for everyone in Pittsburgh

• This is a creative city, so why not try your hand at some crafts. Give candle-making a go at a Mix Candle Co workshop. The cost varies depending on the size and style of your container, ranging from $21-$40 per candle.
• You don’t have to head to a museum to check out some art. Rivers of Steel offers graffiti art tours, where you can even try your hand at spraying some of your own art. The Hands-On Graffiti Tour is offered on select weekends at 1pm for $30.

• Pittsburgh is home to one of the oldest cable cars, Duquesne Incline, original, wooden cars which first opened in 1877. Hop on between 6.30am and 12.30am every day and enjoy panoramic views of the city. It’s also a steal at just $2.50 each way for an adult.
• I’m not a huge history nerd but I loved the dinosaur displays at the Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural history. It was one of the first museums to have actual dinosaur bones put on display (and yes, you can touch them – I did). There is plenty to marvel at here, including the actual rocks that the camarasaurus dinosaur was found in. Admission is $25 for adults.

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