Grapperia

One of my favorite places. I love it here!
The atmosphere is just right. The staff is very knowledgable and attentive.
The drinks are crazy and always delicious. I highly recommend for anyone who hasn’t tried it out and is looking for a different feel of alcohol.

Try the Italian 75 cocktail. With the balance of sour and sweet you won’t be disappointed. Don’t let the balsamic vinegar scare you, it makes the drink.
The bartenders are great. Very knowledgeable and provide great recommendations. Tell them how you like things and you won’t be disappointed in your cocktail.
Great for a date night or girls night out.

Ahh, Grapperia. Where do I begin?! My roommates and I discovered this little gem about a year ago and have been hooked ever since.
First of all, the atmosphere is wonderful. It’s such a cute hole in the wall place. If you’re just walking past, you may not even notice it; it’s in what looks like a small renovated garage. I love the tasteful antique touches, such as the large gilded mirror on the far wall and the suspended wooden shelving with old piping that they use to hold some of the grappa bottles. It’s a small space, but they’ve made it work perfectly for them. Grapperia feels exclusive, yet not cramped or overcrowded.
The cocktails are phenomenal. Grapperia is my #1 cocktail bar in all of Pittsburgh by a long shot. They have a full menu of cocktails, grappa-​based cocktails, and bar snacks (along with wines and other liqueurs, of course). The drinks are STRONG and pack a serious punch, so prepare yourself — aka eat a snack before you come or you’ll be out after one drink, haha. The bartenders are extremely knowledgable and will tell you all about the exotic liqueurs on the menu. They change the menu every season which is exciting, but if you find that you are partial to a certain cocktail, the wonderful bartenders will make it for you even if it’s no longer on the menu. My roommates and I are obsessed with a drink called the «C+D» which has not been on the menu since early 2015, but they still make it for us from memory every time we come in. This goes a very long way in my book. You don’t find this sort of customer service at many establishments these days!
The bar snacks are pretty good as well — I’ve had the cheese plate on a few occasions, and the cheeses and spreads offered are always different and always very interesting. They recently started making paninis too, which are delicious, fairly large, and only $ 6. If you’re looking for a place with a trendy atmosphere, great service, and top notch cocktails, then Grapperia is an absolute must-​try for you!

What a great little spot to grab cocktails! Not only do you get a little taste of Italy, but the bartenders will share their knowledge with you as well (and potentially some chocolate they have hidden behind the bar!).
I LOVE negroni’s, so therefor it’s only natural to love the Aperitivo on the menu, which is Aperol, Prosecco and Blood Orange Soda. Once I got through the first delicious drink I went on to my negroni. Both were excellently made!
I had a small sip of the Italian 75 from their Grappa menu, which was incredibly different than anything I’ve had before… Mainly because it includes balsamic vinegar. I love that they’re offering cocktails you can’t get anywhere else in the city!
Im looking forward to getting schooled more on the various drinks and can’t wait to be back to work my way through the menu. I am Italian after all… It’s my obligation!

Unfortunately I am not a fan of grappa. I did enjoy tasting the drinks though– it was fun to uncover each new layer of flavor. The bar tenders were friendly and gave excellent suggestions. I would suggest spicing up the appetizer/​food menu a bit. Overall, its a fun place to try!

Asino
Vodka — Limoncello — Ginger Beer — Lemon Juice
This drink is amazing. It is poured over ice and in a moscow mule mug. YUM. The ginger beer mixed with the limoncello is really not something that I would have thought about, but boy does it pack a punch. It was a nice fresh lemony mixture that really is a nice end of the evening drink.
If you are wanting to drive home I would suggest to NOT pick this drink. I was able to walk home but after one I was skipping! I have had it a few times and the punch to the drink has always varied. BUT this last time it was strong!
The ambiance of the place is just so welcoming. In Lawrenceville new and cool places sometimes have a sense of upity-​ness that makes me avoid them like the plague, not this place. The service is always on point. They are friendly, they are caring, and they don’t ignore you if you only order one drink like a lightweight.
Aperitivo
Aperol — Prosecco — Blood Orange Soda
I also highly recommend this drink. It is not a large drink but it is really good. The blood orange soda mixed with the bubbles in the prosecco is so refreshing. It was a better fuzzy, light drink than the Asino but if you are looking for more of a punch this is not the drink for you. Refreshing but no punch to it.

What a nice surprise when told we’d have an hour wait at Piccolo Forno. Great place! We’ll definitely make this a destination.

Grapperia is my favorite addition to the Lawrenceville selection of bars and restaurants. It adds depth to the Lawrenceville roster in a way that none of the other recent additions has been able to, with a truly unique concept. The bartenders are extremely knowledgeable in the world of grappa and when they’re not totally swamped, will spend the time to explain the differences between them all and guide you through a few options to help guide your grappa journey.
At my last visit, the bartender asked me how adventurous I wanted to get, and after hearing that I wanted to dive right in, he smiled and started pouring a few small tastes of grappa and told me how they were each made and how they differed from each other. They were each quite unique, some tasting sweet with notes of maple, and others being closer to what I’d imagine paint thinner tastes like. With my head swimming from all the grappa, I moved onto a grappa cocktail and ordered a LaVanda, which was pleasantly tart and herbal; just the thing I needed to clear my head from the intense flavors of all the grappa.
When the time came to pay the tab and move over to Piccolo Forno for dinner, the bartenders were quick with producing the check and sent us off feeling like we were old friends. Perhaps at some point we will be, because I’ll certainly be going back often.

A new cocktail spot that offers alcoholic chemistry beyond bourbons. Great drinks and a selection of flavors. Nice vibe and a great happy hour.

The Grapperia is a nice addition to Lawrenceville.
The space itself is very rustic tavern looking. I like it. A lot of wood. It has a nice amount of light between the bar lighting and the windows. They really pulled off the décor.
The bar is great. I just wish I had a taste for grappa. They have a nice mix of cocktails, straight grappas, and infused grappas. I tried a little of each and was thoroughly impressed.
It really fit in with Piccolo as my after dinner spot. I only wish I could get Piccolo’s deserts. I’m going to have to take a desert to go and eat it there.

This little addition to the Piccolo Forno family is a nice addition to Lawrenceville for sure. I loved the décor (cork, wood, metal). It was sort of dark, but a really nice open atmosphere. It’s a nice place to grab an after-​work drink or wait on a table at Piccolo (since they basically have no place to wait).
The cocktail selection is definitely something different, which I love. Grappa infused cocktails and several other spirits with interesting little twists. All of the people near me seemed to like the custom concoctions. There are a few (maybe 5) small plates if you want a little snack, but that’s it for food. I sampled the cheese plate, which was a good little app to go with my wine.
I have mixed reviews on the service. The bartender was great. Experienced and personable… when you got his attention. He was working alone and several patrons really monopolized his time. He spent at least 15 minutes with a couple at the end of the bar. By the time he was done, 4 people in a row at the bar had empty drinks and a patron from the tables had gotten up and stood at the end of the bar with his empty. Not sure this was entirely his fault since there appeared to be another employee, but he was outside on the phone when I arrived and was still out there when I left (after a glass of wine, cheese tray, and 15 minutes of waiting on my tab).

Piccolo Forno is already a Pittsburgh gem, and Grapperia makes for the perfect compliment. The décor is intimate and tasteful, and the grappa drink infused with lavender and pepper was pretty much the best cocktail I’ve ever had. Prices are more or less comparable to every other cocktail bar in the area. Bartenders were also friendly – no snobbery at this one!
Thank you Piccolo and Grapperia for being some of the few Lawrenceville upscale spots that actually master quality AND service.

One of my favorite spots in lower Lawrenceville. The atmosphere is tops. It feels like you are in a rustic farmhouse; the space is dimly lit and very intimate. They also have a window/​doorway opening to the outside, and a few tables/​chairs out front, that are great when the weather is nice.
You will receive some of the best service here. They are always properly staffed so you don’t have to wait very long (if at all) to order, even on crowded nights, and every bartender I’ve interacted with has been very friendly and attentive.
The drinks consist of a sizable grappa list, italian wines, regular– and grappa-​based cocktails, two rotating tap beers (one local, and one italian import) and one rotating arsenal cider. The cocktails range from classics (like the Negroni) to highly inventive (like the Italian 75, which is a take on the French 75 but with balsamic vinegar as the acid and fresh rosemary). I always get a grappa Negroni here. They are fantastic, especially if Michel is bartending. I have not yet moved beyond cocktails to sample their grappa selection, but you can get samplers here which makes learning about and trying different grappas very easy to do.
They serve espresso and snacks (cheese plates, etc.) here as well.
I wish that they had more beers on tap, and that their imported Italian craft beers were a little less pricey (though the price is totally reasonable given the cost of importing). The ones I have tried have been surprisingly delicious. But beer is not the focus of this place, and they do have a decent bottle selection here. I will definitely be back!

I think I found my new favorite place in Pgh! One day after work we decided to stop by and check this new place out, and since then we have been back a handful of times and each visit just seems to improve upon the previous one.
Staff is friendly and professional, drinks are awesome, and the little meat, cheese and pâté plates are pretty yummy. You cannot go wrong here. Whether you want to grab a quick after work drink and a quick snack, or are waiting for a table at Piccolo Forno and want to get a drink and enjoy a cool vibe, Grapperia is the place for you.

For what this place seems to be striving for, it’s perfect.
Piccolo Forno is absolutely one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Grapperia seems to be there to pad their no reservation policy (unless you’re a party of 5).
My lady and I enjoyed a great cheese and meat tray while waiting for our Piccolo table.
Friendly & helpful bartenders. Solid beer and wine selection.
Couldn’t stand as a bar on it’s own, but could also be great for a quick meeting.

A great addition to Lawrenceville, and the perfect place to wait for a table at Piccolo Forno. The space is intimate (that’s code for «really small,» but I love it). The bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable, and happy to educate you if you’re not familiar with grappa and some of their more esoteric offerings. Some other reviews state that the non-​grappa offerings are limited, but perhaps the menu and bar have been updated since their visits. There are plenty of cocktails, beer, and wine, and the bar is more than fully stocked and able to make whatever you’d desire. There are a few small plates for munching, but this is definitely a pre– or post-​dinner stop, not a place to go for a meal. Highly recommend!

I liked the atmosphere of this sister to Piccolo Forno. There’s a lot of potential here. Why stop at grappa though? Increase your wine list, for sure! The beer list (bottles) was respectable, but with two taps in Lawrenceville, you could be teaming up with a local brewery! So much potential to go grappa and full wine bar!
The bartender made a great effort to personalize our visit there. He let us know that if we were called by the hostess at Piccolo to let us know our table was ready, we would be able to finish our drinks, and they would still hold the table for us.

Perfect sit-​down bar for enjoying good company, great cocktais and delicious simple food plates.

Awesome new cocktail bad focusing on grappa and grappa cocktails. They also have a few wines and beers.