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Parkhurst’s downtown Pittsburgh eatery draws street traffic

Corner Mercantile in downtown Pittsburgh’s PNC Tower functions as a commercial restaurant emphasizing fresh, local meal options.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

February 19, 2016

2 Min Read
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Opened in December 2015, Corner Mercantile is unlike most other dining outlets operated by Parkhurst Dining, the onsite foodservice arm of the Eat ‘n Park restaurant chain that operates primarily in the college and B&I markets.

Located at the street level of the new PNC Tower in downtown Pittsburgh, Corner Mercantile serves employees of the financial services firm who work at the location, but it is also open to walk-in customers, who now represent around 40 percent of the business, says Jim Shones, Parkhurst general manager at the location.

Corner Mercantile is separate from Parkhurst’s onsite dining operations inside the building, which include a cafeteria that is open only to the company’s employees. There is no discount or subsidy for PNC employees at Corner Mercantile.

The menu is based on fresh, especially seasonal ingredients, and is designed by Shones and Executive Chef Megan Rieger, both veterans of the Whole Foods gourmet market operation.

“We try to change aspects of what we do to keep things fresh,” Shones says. “The rotisserie is different each day while other things change less often. The salads, for example, are seasonal.”

The lunch menu typically consists of a half dozen or so sandwich selections, several soups and salads, plus an entrée combo offer that lets customers choose a protein and two sides for a set price. When FM spoke to Shones, protein choices included provencale spiced salmon (“salmon is always a favorite and we try to have it on the menu as often as possible in some form,” Shones offers), apricot glazed chicken and herb turkey, plus a vegetarian spinach/artichoke/tofu rollatini dish. Sides ranged from Mediterranean kale salad and grit cakes to two very popular options, per Shones: broccoli salad and roasted root vegetables.

Sandwiches ranged from barbecued tempeh/collard/pickled fennel (using a root beer barbecue sauce) to the very popular mushroom and herb crusted prime rib, and salads included Italian (kale, chickpeas, olives, pepperoncini and red wine vinaigrette) and fall house salad (mixed greens, dried cranberries, blue cheese, walnuts and balsamic dressing).

Hot specialty coffees featuring prominent local supplier Coffee Tree Roasters, hot tea and sweets are also available, with the latter being the only items not made on the premises. These are produced at another Parkhurst operation where there is a full bakery kitchen and skilled pastry chef.

Corner Mercantile is open for breakfast with a menu that includes selections like quiches, biscuits and gravy, breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal and bagels. “Breakfast sales are taking off,” Shones offers. “We started slow but word seems to be spreading,” though lunch remains the peak period.

Shones says is optimistic about the restaurant continuing to build business, noting that winter weather has discouraged pedestrian traffic that would otherwise flow by the establishment’s frontage, which is prominent on a busy corner. He says he will also begin to do some active marketing in the spring.

Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (5:30 on Friday) during the week. The restaurant is closed on weekends.

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

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