Landmark Pittsburgh Restaurant Celebrates 40th Anniversary

PITTSBURGH, PA — The building at the corner of Liberty Avenue and Taylor Street in Bloomfield has housed several bars over the years, among them C&L Cafe, Letwin's Tavern, Patsy Leon's Bar, Wanock's Bar. But the its most well-known name is the one it has had for four decades: Tessaro's.

Kelly Harrington bought the business in 1985 and turned it into a neighborhood bar and restaurant that has garnered a well-earned, award-winning reputation as a place to get some of the best burgers and steaks in Pittsburgh.

Over the weekend, the tavern marked its 40th anniversary in a simple fashion on social media.

"We are nothing without our amazing team here and our patrons who are more family than customers," a post on the restaurant's Facebook page stated. "We cannot begin to thank each and everyone of you that have walked through our doors for the past four decades. In the most genuine sense, it takes a village to feed a village."

After Kelly’s death in 2009, his mother “Tee” and his sisters Moira and Mike, have carried on the tradition of one of the premier restaurants in Pittsburgh. So much so that it has gotten accolades from publications such as Esquire, Food & Wine, Pittsburgh Magazine and Pittsburgh City Paper.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you for the past 40 years," the post stated. "Here is to another 40 more! Cheers to you, Cheers to us!"