Taste of the Weekend: Perfect Pairs

Grilled cheese and tomato soup, a perfect combination!

Ham and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, chili and cornbread – some foods are just meant for each other. Each is delicious on its own, but when together, magic happens.

This weekend, we’re celebrating these iconic – and heavenly – food combinations. Find your perfect pair! We’ve outlined a few of our favorites to help.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

There’s a reason this combination has stuck around since World War II, when soldiers began pairing easy-to-make tomato soup with their toasted sandwiches to meet nutrition requirements – it’s delicious.

Visit Cafe IO in Mount Lebanon for a choice of grilled sandwiches – a gouda and cheddar toastie called the Plain Jane, a high-stacked version adding bacon egg, pulled pork, tomato, caramelized onions, and spinach rightly named the Monster, and the Big Bad Wolf, which stacks ham, bacon, and pulled pork in with cheese – to dip their tomato basil soup.

Beer and Pizza

The idea of pairing booze and food is nothing new, but beer and pizza are a particularly great combination. Bubbles from the carbonated brew cut right through the fatty, cheese-heavy toppings on a pizza. Think along the lines of wine pairings: a light beer goes with a light, vegetable-heavy pie. Drink something heavier and hop forward if your slice carries heartier ingredients, like pepperoni or sausage.

Driftwood Oven, back open after months of renovations, offers beer to pair with their freshly-baked, sourdough crust pies. Pair their seasonal peach and corn pizza with a lighter-bodied Duquesne Pilsner. For the spicy-sausage-covered fan-favorite, The Archer, grab a four-pack of General Braddock’s IPA from Brew Gentlemen in Braddock.

Sea Salt and Caramel

Salt adds a delicious, savory edge to over-sweet caramel, turning the candy-dish confectionary product into something rich and regal.

This combination is a frequent face in the world of sweets. Find it on the menu at Parisian pâtisserie Gaby et Jules, in pints at Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream, or in vibrant, artisan truffles from Millvale’s A519 Chocolate.

Bacon and Eggs

In 2020, the average American was eating just under 300 eggs per year. If we had to guess, most of these were eating with bacon, the perfect, savory and salty addition to over-easy eggs.

Plenty of Pittsburgh’s long-standing diners serve up this classic combo. Snag quick-flipped eggs at Pamela’s P&G Diner ( along with their infamous, crepe-like pancakes, of course) or stop by their Strip District neighbor, DeLuca’s Diner.

Fish and Chips

It’s no secret that Pittsburgh adores fried fish. But outside of Lenten season, the classic British street fare can be hard to locate.

Find thick, steak-cut fries and lightly-battered haddock on the menu at The Pub Chip Shop, the South Side’s resident British street-food-focused eatery. Atlantic cod gets battered and fried at Luke Wholey’s Alsakan Grill. Don’t forget your tartar sauce!