Downtown Date Night: A Sweet & Savory Day

By Layla Joseph

Grab your honey for a day of delight at the Rivers Casino and engulf your senses with sweet and savory bites and aromas on Oct. 21 at the Pittsburgh Coffee and Chocolate Festival.

What better way to sweeten up your partner than indulging in a night full of caffeine and cocoa? This 21-year-old and older event is the perfect opportunity to warm up on an autumn day and enjoy the candied offerings of Pittsburgh. 

According to Research Outreach, indulging in chocolate causes the brain to release chemicals associated with happiness, rewards and social bonding. When chocolate combines with another stimulant, such as coffee, activity in the brain and nervous system increases. 

Throughout the day, the event will run in two separate sessions. General admission invites Pittsburghers to indulge in samples of coffee, chocolate, wine, baked goods and more for just $35.

The general admission tickets grant guests one of the two sessions, the first from noon to 3:30 p.m. and the second from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., which include access to an unlimited chocolate fountain, a souvenir espresso cup and a coffee shop-themed photo-op.

If you’re feeling extra sweet and want to savor the moment, consider elevating the experience with VIP tickets for $50. When you upgrade to VIP, you receive everything general admission goers experience with an additional hour for each session. 

In VIP, your day gets a whole lot sweeter with a complimentary made-to-order crepe, special seating, entries to raffles with fun prizes for your next date night adventure and a tote bag to carry your trinkets and snacks. 

Think of Pittsburgh’s Chocolate and Coffee Festival like an adult trick-or-treat with guaranteed treats for you and your boo.