What is now 17th Street Cafe started out in the late 1800s as a butcher shop and single-family dwelling. Back in those days Steel was King, and the South Side was home to mainly immigrants who came to America and Pittsburgh to work in the steel mills. The South Side at the time was a soot-ridden, work hard, play hard environment.
In the 1940s Al Bendick and his wife Kay bought the building and converted the butcher shop to a shot-and-beer joint called Bendik's Tavern (pictured below). Al also had another bar in the South Side, and brought the back bar to 17th Street with him.
Kay died, and Al married her sister Millie. When Al died in the 1970s, Millie ran Bendick's on her own, but the joint had turned rough-and-tumble and it eventually became too much for her. She sold the business to Sam and Patty DeRoss in 1988, and thus began 17th Street Cafe.
Fresh out of culinary school, I went to work as executive chef, where I stayed for eight years, and meeting my wife-to-be Brigitte, who also worked in the cafe. In 1997 I left 17th Street for four years, exploring other restaurant adventures.
In late 2001, Sam and Patty decided to retire. Sam contacted my father Phil and asked if "Pat was ready yet", and my father replied yes. Brigette and I became the new 
proud owners of 17th Street Cafe, and took over daily operations in April 2002.
We kept the core staff 17th Street Cafe was built on--Janie Zangarro, Jackie Fruend, Tina Pierce and chef Blair Grant. Without their continued support 17th Street Cafe wouldn't be what it is today.
Our credo is simple: exceptional food and unsurpassed service. That's how we built customer loyalty, and that's how we'll keep it.
Your patronage is appreciated, and we look forward to serving you today and in the future.
Pat & Brigitte Joyce, owners