INGOOD TASTE
Jamie Warden, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Cinderlands Beer Company
Cinderlands Warehouse 2601 Smallman Street, Strip District, Downtown Pittsburgh 412.209.1575; cinderlands. com
On the Menu: This distinctive craft brewery and scratch kitchen serves a thoughtful lunch and dinner menu, ranging from small bites, salads and bowls to flatbreads and house-made pasta. Signature dishes include pasta with whipped ricotta, tomato confit, arugula, shallot cream and onion jam, as well as the Smashed Wagyu Burger featuring two Wagyu beef patties, griddled onion, dijonnaise, American cheese, and bread-and-butter pickles, all on a Mediterra challah bun. The beverage list is equally diverse, offering a range of beers— from a crisp Kölsch-style beer and an unfiltered house pilsner brew to a West Coast IPA, American pale ale and hazy imperial IPA— along with a hard lemonade-inspired sour and“ Cindi’ s Hard Mountain Tea”( a hard tea beverage), darker brews, classic cocktails, wine, ginger beer and non-alcoholic options.
What led you to open Cinderlands? My wife, Joanna, and I traveled to downtown Asheville, North
Candid conversations with the dining scene’ s most engaging chefs
Carolina, and visited a place called Wicked Weed. We enjoyed a fantastic fried chicken sandwich, great beer and spent three hours chatting with the bartender and a California native seated next to us— an ironic coincidence since I’ m a Pittsburgh native who lived in California for a decade. After returning home, we explored craft breweries and brewpubs throughout Southern California, especially in San Diego. We have always been passionate about food and drink, and owning a brewery felt inherently cool. Producing both great beer and delicious cuisine truly resonated with us. We opened Cinderlands in 2017, and while we now have three retail locations, our current focus is on expanding distribution and wholesale efforts locally and beyond. We’ re currently in Ohio, North Carolina, West Virginia and other markets.
What is the inspiration for the name? Cinderlands pays tribute to Pittsburgh’ s history in the steel industry. There was a time when manufacturing thrived and the environment— both sky and ground— was coated in ash, soot, and cinders.
Describe your commitment to“ barn to brewery.” We source locally whenever possible. Nearly all of our spirits, beer and soda come from Pennsylvania producers, and we obtain local meats from Jubilee Hilltop Farms. Additionally,
Super Secret Burger( Super Secret Burger Club) and a Lil’ Cinder Light Lager.( photo by Joanna Warden)
Jamie Warden, co-founder and managing partner, Cinderlands Warehouse.( photo by Melissa Larrick)
our spent grain is given to local farmers who blend it for animal feed. This holistic, full-circle approach aligns perfectly with the values of our chefs and cooks.
What’ s your favorite beer? Our flagship IPAs, Squish and West Coast Squish, are personal favorites. My co-founder, Paul Schneider, and I love the West Coast-style IPAs and we’ re inspired by the great beers coming out of California. On the culinary side, I make a point of trying everything we create. We make our own dressings, and my go-to dish is the chicken Caesar wrap, which is unapologetically hearty. I’ m also a fan of our Smashed Wagyu Burger. Joe Kiefer, our partner and executive chef, aimed to create the best burger in the city. It features a custom blend of meat, house-made pickles and grilled onions, and the option to add an egg or bacon for extra indulgence.
Other than Cinderlands, where’ s your favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh? We love three places: Independent Brewing Company in Squirrel Hill, Fig & Ash in North Side, and Pusadee’ s Garden in Lawrenceville.
What’ s the next big food or dining trend? We’ re already seeing it with the rise of fastcasual dining. Customers want healthful, quickly served meals made with minimal and transparent ingredients. They’ re becoming more curious and conscientious about what they’ re eating, driving a greater focus on fresh, local sourcing. n
— Reese Randall
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