Jazz Bar and Restaurant Con Alma to Expand

Photography by Adam Milliron/ Story by Maggie Weaver

Popular Shadyside jazz bar and Latin-American-inspired restaurant Con Alma has announced plans to expand to the heart of the Downtown Cultural District.

The Downtown branch, housed in the space formerly occupied by Peter Allen’s, will preserve the same “eat, drink, jazz” motto of the flagship location on Ellsworth Avenue. Aimee Marshall, General Manager of the eatery and jazz hub, says this means they’ll pay an equal amount of attention to food, music, and the bar program.

The menu will look similar to that of the Shadyside location, covering a multitude of Latin cuisines, though Marshall notes that they’re planning to add a mix of global dishes and cocktails to the Downtown menu. Classic Con Alma drinks will still be available, but Beverage Director Manami York and Marshall, who runs the wine program, will expand offerings to match the global scope of the menu.

Marshall says the founding trio – herself, Music Curator John Shannon, and Chef Josh Ross – are committed to keeping the Con Alma experience, one that preserves the rich history of Pittsburgh jazz, alive at their new location.

Currently, Marshall says, there aren’t any other jazz-dedicated bars in the city. The Con Alma trio plans to continue to highlight local musicians and merge those performances with the theater, dance, and visual and literary arts already present Downtown.

When finished, Con Alma Downtown will be able to seat 60 in the dining room, have a 12-foot bar, a lounge, and a considerably bigger stage than the Shadyside location.

The team is hoping for a spring or summer opening. In the meantime, plenty is going on at the Ellsworth Avenue space. Or, you can bring Con Alma home by making one of their signature cocktails, the Carrot Sangrita.

Carrot Sangrita

Ingredients:

Jalapeño

Fresh juiced carrot

2 oz. lime juice

1 oz. sour orange

.5 oz. agave

Sea salt

Mezcal

Instructions

Muddle jalapeño before adding carrot juice, lime, sour orange, agave, and a dash of sea salt to a shaker. Add ice, shake, and serve with Mezcal on the side. Sip the mezcal, then sip the sangrita.

Not to be confused with sangria, all sangritas contain heat, tang, and salt. Marshall says it’s a great before-dinner option, to prime the appetite. Ingredients can also be shaken and served as a martini.