Bea Taco Town Serves Tasty Tacos; Independent Brewing Company Supports Local Brewers (Thurs., 9/1/16)

1) In the South Hills, the best Mexican food can be found in neighborhoods beginning with the letter “B.” Beechview and Brookline have each had a Las Palmas Carniceria y Supermercados for a few years now. Now Banksville has its own spot for authentic, reasonably priced Mexican food: the recently opened Bea Taco Town. And whereas Las Palmas is a grocery store and outdoor taco stand, Taco Town offers a sit-down restaurant, where patrons can leisurely munch on chips and salsa while sipping Jarritos (Mexican pop) before ordering their entreés. Customers can order traditional tacos or Americano tacos, the latter of which come with one’s choice of meat plus lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sour cream, and cheese. Burritos and enchiladas grace the menu, and there are plenty of meat and vegetarian options. Taco Town additionally has two downtown locations, both on Smithfield Street. The menus between the downtown and Banksville locations differ slightly, so be sure to check their website. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. 2957 Banksville Rd., Banksville. (CM)

2) Squirrel Hill’s Independent Brewing Company surveys Western Pennsylvania’s craft breweries and serves these breweries’ best libations in one tavern. Beverages from as far as Braddock’s Brew Gentlemen Beer Company and as close as Larrimer’s East End Brewing Company, plus plenty in between, are represented on the draft list. Much of the food is from local farms, and the spirits and cocktails are local, too, like Wigle Whiskey’s popular Monongahela style rye. The tavern’s regional emphasis harks back to the original Independent Brewing Company, a group of pre-Prohibition Pittsburgh brewers who helped to support one another. The new IBC has adopted that same goal as well as the old IBC’s logo. The tavern has daily specials, including “Day Drinking Appreciation Hours,” where they open two hours earlier and cut $2 off of all beers. Sundays, the kitchen is closed, but it’s BYOF, so order to-go from one of Squirrel Hill’s many other fine eateries and stop by for a drink. Monday through Wednesday, 5 – 11 p.m. Thursday 5 p.m. – 12 a.m. Friday through Saturday, 3 p.m. – 12 a.m. Sunday 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Note: kitchen closes two hours before the rest of the tavern. Kitchen is closed all of Sunday. 1704-1706 Shady Ave.(CM)

3) Mario’s East Side hosts Team Trivia Night every Thursday. Win, place, or show and your team will earn Mario’s gift certificates. Play against the Miller Lite Girls, and you could even win Miller Lite trinkets and giveaways! Feed your brain some chewy trivia and your stomach some delicious Mario’s food. 8 p.m. 5442 Walnut St., Shadyside.

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