Tom & Chee Begins Construction on First Pittsburgh Restaurant
PPG Place location tentatively scheduled to open this fall
Cincinnati – The Steel City is close to a dose of crave-able comfort food from the Queen City now that construction has begun on the first Tom & Chee location in the city of Pittsburgh.
Construction started this month on the first Pittsburgh Tom & Chee restaurant (4 PPG Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15222), for the Cincinnati-based franchise famous for its melts, soups, salads and grilled donut desserts. Located across from Market Square in the heart of downtown, the restaurant will feature many of the staples that Tom & Chee customers have come to love across the Midwest and will include unique elements for added flair. Construction is currently scheduled to be complete in time for the restaurant to open this fall.
“Guests are going to love this beautiful restaurant right in the heart of Pittsburgh,” said owner Byron Sharp. “There’s nothing better than watching friends and family have a great time together in our city’s center and we’re looking forward to serving them delicious handcrafted melts, soups and salads. Whether it’s after a day out skating on the ice, in the middle of the work day, or simply being out enjoying what the city has to offer.”
“Of course, we’re ensuring that all operations will follow local and federal rules and guidelines for safe operation, and that might look a little different than what we had originally envisioned for this restaurant space for now. We’re confident and looking forward to the day when we can offer a beautiful environment for people to gather and enjoy a wonderful, delicious meal together. In the meantime, we’ll have limited capacity for dine-in seating and a full menu of carry-out and delivery options,” Sharp said.
Tom & Chee is much more than grilled cheese: unique flavor combinations you can’t find anywhere else mean a sensory experience that starts with great service and ends with satisfaction. From adventurous, handcrafted melts to savory soups and fresh salads, the menu offers something for everyone. Tom & Chee believes everyone deserves to be as cheesy as they want to be and enjoy these incredible dishes, which is why they also offer gluten-free bread, vegan cheese and vegan/vegetarian soups.
Top-selling menu items include: The Bacon Mac & Chee Melt (cheddar, mozzarella, bacon & mac ‘n cheese), Cubano Melt (Swiss, ham, pork, pickles and sweet hot mustard), Crunchy Garlic Chicken Melt (Pepper Jack, chicken sautéed onions, tomato, garlic aioli and kettle chips) and the Green Goat Salad (greens, goat cheese, toasted almonds, chicken, croutons and Balsamic dressing). The menu also boats plenty of lighter fare including a variety of soups and salads. Additionally, Tom & Chee is also known for its unique grilled sweet “cheets,” a.k.a. grilled donuts treats. Two of the most popular offerings are the famous Grilled Chee Donut (grilled glazed donut and mild cheddar cheese) and the S’more Donut (grilled glazed donut, graham cracker, chocolate pieces and marshmallow mascarpone).
Tom & Chee is excited to go back to its roots with its new Pittsburgh location. The business got its start in 2009 in a tent adjoining the seasonal ice-skating rink on Cincinnati’s Fountain Square, and now more than a decade later, is opening a beautiful new restaurant right in the heart of Pittsburgh’s downtown, adjacent to that city’s outdoor rink.
The Pittsburgh restaurant will feature Tom & Chee’s new “&-crafted” design that features natural wood elements and elevated design throughout the space that families will love. It also includes a dedicated area for online ordering or catering pickup that allows guests to skip the line. The space will have several special features that make it unique to its downtown Pittsburgh location. A removable rubber floor will be installed during ice skating season so people can walk right up to the restaurant’s inside counter and place an order without removing their skates. New wall protection features will also keep the space protected during the busy season. The restaurant will serve soft pretzels and hot chocolate during ice skating season, along with Tom & Chee’s menu, which will surely come in handy for many visitors looking to grab a meal on the go.
In addition to making sure restaurant walls stay protected during the winter months, the location will include large operable glass wall allowing for comfortable air flow into the dining area during the summer months.
“Cincinnati and Pittsburgh may be rivals in sports, but the two cities have a lot in common in terms of vibrant downtown areas, beautiful riverfront views and now, their mutual love of the comfort food in which Tom & Chee specializes,” said Roger David, President and CEO of Tom & Chee’s parent company, GSR Brands. “We look forward to opening our first Pittsburgh location this fall just in time for what we hope will be a wonderful fall and the start of a longstanding relationship in the city where the Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela rivers come together.”
Tom & Chee currently has eight locations across the Midwest, South and Oklahoma. Tom & Chee is actively expanding its reach in Pittsburgh and beyond. For more information about Tom & Chee franchising, visit tcfran.hyperdrivei.com or visit www.tomandchee.com and connect with us social media via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
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About Tom & Chee
Tom & Chee is an innovative restaurant chain that offers a unique menu based off of the classic meal, Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup. What began in a small tent next to an ice-skating rink in Cincinnati’s Fountain Square quickly but quietly grew to multiple stores in the Cincinnati market, and they began franchising. Tom & Chee has been featured on ABC’s Shark Tank, The Chew, The Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food Nation, Amazing Eats. The Today Show named their Grilled Cheese Doughnut one of the “Best Sandwiches in America.” For more information, visit www.tomandchee.com.
