THAT ARE STAPLES MOVING OUT FUEL AND FUNNEL, A LONGTIME STAPLE IN OAKLAND, WHERE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH STUDENTS HAVE MADE MEMORIES FOR DECADES NOW, THE RESTAURANT IS CLOSING ITS DOORS. I WAS DEPRESSED. I’M A BIG FAN OF THE CAJUN ROSIE, WHICH IS THEIR BEST MENU ITEM. SO YEAH, I DON’T KNOW. I CALLED MY BUDDY AND HERE WE COME DOWN AND GET SOME TO EAT BEFORE IT GOES FOR IT CLOSES UP HERE, HERE WITH SOME FRIENDS. WE JUST FINISHED UP GRAD SCHOOL AT CMU, SO WE’RE CELEBRATING WITH ONE LAST MEAL AND IT’S THAT FUEL AND PUDDLE. THE OWNER, BRANDON SMITH, SAYS ONE REASON FUEL AND FUNNEL WAS CLOSING IS BECAUSE THE RENT IS JUST TOO HIGH. SMITH SENT US A STATEMENT SAYING AFTER OVER 20 YEARS OF WORKING AT FUEL AND FOOD, ALL MY LEASE IS UP AND I’M READY TO MOVE ON. TIME TO SPEND SOME MORE TIME WITH THE FAMILY AND GIVE UP THE LATE NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS AT AN OAKLAND BAR. THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND SUPPORT. THIS IS THE THIRD ICONIC RESTAURANT IN OAKLAND TO SHUT DOWN RECENTLY. MAD MAX. CLOSING WAS SAD AND EVEN EVEN AGAIN, JUST THE FACT THAT THE CLOSED IS SUCH AN INSTITUTION IN OAKLAND LIKE THAT WAS SAD. PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN THE PITTSBURGH NEIGHBORHOOD SAY WITH ALL OF THE CHAIN RESTAURANTS TAKING OVER OAKLAND IS LOSING ITS UNIQUE CHARM. IT’S A REALLY SAD DAY. I THINK I GRADUATED THREE YEARS AGO AND I DON’T REALLY EVEN RECOGNIZE OAKLAND THAT MUCH. I MEAN, THERE ARE SO MANY CHAIN RESTAURANTS NOW. ALL THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS I FEEL LIKE ARE CLOSING. SO IT’S A SHAME. AND I FEEL REALLY BADLY FOR THE FUTURE STUDENTS BECAUSE DOLAND IS AN AMAZING PLACE AND THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET TO EXPERIENCE THAT. THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT FOOD AND THE FUN TIMES AND I HOPE MAYBE, I DON’T KNOW, MAYBE THEY’LL RELOCATE SOMEWHERE ELSE. THERE GOT ALL THE OWNER TELLS ME ABOUT 45 EMPLOYEES ARE AFFECTED BY THE CLOSING. THE LAST DAY IS MAY 26. BUT BEFORE WE LEAVE, THE MANAGER REALLY WANTED TO GET SOMETHING ON TV BECAUSE IT’S KIND OF LIKE A PARTY ATMOSPHERE. EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE CLOSING IN TIME. YEAH, YEAH. IT’S THE BEST RANCH IN TOWN. AND I GUESS THAT’S WHAT THEY REALLY WANT TO SHOWCASE BEFORE FUEL AND FUNNEL CLOSES, THERE’S A CHANCE BEST RANCH IN TOWN. REPORTING LI
Fuel and Fuddle in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood will close
![WTAE logo]()
Updated: 7:26 PM EDT May 10, 2023
Fuel and Fuddle has been a staple in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood, a place where Pitt students have made memories for decades.Now, the restaurant on Oakland Avenue is closing its doors."I was depressed," Adam Fitch said. "I'm a big fan of the Cajun Rosy, which is their best menu item, so I called my buddy and I figured we would come down and get something to eat before it closes up here.""Here with some friends. We just finished up grad school at CMU, so we are celebrating with one last meal and it's at Fuel and Fuddle," Andrew Burroughs said.In a social media post, owner Brandon Smith said one reason Fuel and Fuddle is closing is the rent. He said their last day will be May 26, assuming they have enough staff."After over twenty years of working at Fuel and Fuddle, my lease is up and I'm ready to move on. Time to spend some more time with the family and give up the late nights and weekends at an Oakland bar. Thanks to everyone for your kindness and support," Smith said in a statement to Pittsburgh's Action News 4.Fuel and Fuddle is the latest iconic Oakland restaurant to close its doors. Mad Mex shut down earlier this year, and the Original Hot Dog Shop closed in 2020."Mad Mex closing was sad, and the fact that the 'O' closed and was such an institution in Oakland, that was sad," Burroughs said.People who live and work in the Pittsburgh neighborhood say that with all of the chain restaurants taking over, Oakland is losing its unique charm."It's a really sad day," Burroughs said. "I graduated three years ago, and I don't really even recognize Oakland that much. There's so many chain restaurants now. All the local restaurants, I feel like, are closing. It's a shame, and I feel really badly for the future students because Fuel and Fuddle is an amazing place and they aren't going to get to experience it.""Thanks for all the great food and fun times, and I hope maybe they'll relocate somewhere else," Fitch said.
PITTSBURGH — Fuel and Fuddle has been a staple in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood, a place where Pitt students have made memories for decades.
Now, the restaurant on Oakland Avenue is closing its doors.
"I was depressed," Adam Fitch said. "I'm a big fan of the Cajun Rosy, which is their best menu item, so I called my buddy and I figured we would come down and get something to eat before it closes up here."
"Here with some friends. We just finished up grad school at CMU, so we are celebrating with one last meal and it's at Fuel and Fuddle," Andrew Burroughs said.
In a social media post, owner Brandon Smith said one reason Fuel and Fuddle is closing is the rent. He said their last day will be May 26, assuming they have enough staff.
"After over twenty years of working at Fuel and Fuddle, my lease is up and I'm ready to move on. Time to spend some more time with the family and give up the late nights and weekends at an Oakland bar. Thanks to everyone for your kindness and support," Smith said in a statement to Pittsburgh's Action News 4.
Fuel and Fuddle is the latest iconic Oakland restaurant to close its doors. Mad Mex shut down earlier this year, and the Original Hot Dog Shop closed in 2020.
"Mad Mex closing was sad, and the fact that the 'O' closed and was such an institution in Oakland, that was sad," Burroughs said.
People who live and work in the Pittsburgh neighborhood say that with all of the chain restaurants taking over, Oakland is losing its unique charm.
"It's a really sad day," Burroughs said. "I graduated three years ago, and I don't really even recognize Oakland that much. There's so many chain restaurants now. All the local restaurants, I feel like, are closing. It's a shame, and I feel really badly for the future students because Fuel and Fuddle is an amazing place and they aren't going to get to experience it."
"Thanks for all the great food and fun times, and I hope maybe they'll relocate somewhere else," Fitch said.
