Noteworthy Takeout: Allegheny Wine Mixer

The “Christopher’s Deli” Care Package from Allegheny Wine Mixer.

In the past year, we’ve all eaten a lot of takeout. And if you’re like me, it’s become harder and harder to get outside of your neighborhood and your tried and true comfort dishes. Why drive the extra 10 minutes to pick up something new when your go-to dish is just around the corner?

But there’s no reason – even as the takeout remains the norm – to stop exploring the city’s great restaurants. That’s why we’re here to help, with a series highlighting some of Pittsburgh's noteworthy takeout.

Allegheny Wine Mixer, a cozy wine bar in Lawrenceville, has been putting together weekly Care Packages since the beginning of the pandemic. These kits, a Sunday-only, pre-order menu item first launched on March 20, 2020, feature a spread of small bites and wine.

The Mixer themes most of the packages, designing the small bites and snacks around the pack’s name or edition. (Each week has a different theme.)

Over the last year, themes have included “D&D Night,” a pack featuring savory pies, pizza bagels, and Doritos, “Dip for Dinner,” a spread of chips, dips, and more, and “Eat Ur Veggies,” a package for diners to eat their veggies the AWM way, with bread and cheese.

Collaboration is a big part of these packages; the wine bar often works with neighboring businesses to fill out what can’t be made in-house.

The week we picked up a Care Package it was themed “Christopher’s Deli” (named for their chef) featuring all kinds of deli foods: housemade macaroni salad, beet pickled eggs, a classic potato salad, Italian hoagie antipasto salad, two do-it-yourself pastrami, and swiss toasties with the fixings – kettle chips and a big dill pickle – a mini baguette from La Gourmandine, salt sticks from Breadworks Bakery, a chocolate chip cookie made by PieBird, and a dealer’s choice red wine.

Care Packages are only available for pick-up on Sundays, and orders for the week’s bundle can be made online. Watch for an announcement of the week’s package theme on social media. In addition to the packages, Allegheny Wine Mixer is currently offering AWM to-go, a menu of cocktails, wine, beer, cheese, toasties, and chocolates, on the weekends.

STORY BY MAGGIE WEAVER