B52’s logo (pictured on the front of its menu)!
*Note*: Neither Omar Abuhejleh nor B52 asked me to write this blog post. I am a Pittsburgh Foodie and Yogini, who enjoys sharing her foodie and yoga adventures with others! Photos captured with an iPhone 5s, and were edited with Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended and Instagram.
The first full day back from my vacation in April, I decided to take an additional day off from work to practice Ashtanga Yoga at The Shala of Pittsburgh Ashtanga Yoga and go to brunch at B52 in Lawrenceville! I first fell in love with the food of B52 at the Back of the House event last fall (which I was lucky enough to attend, thanks to winning tickets from The Food Tasters). Leah Lizarondo (a.k.a. The Brazen Kitchen) was kind enough to introduce me to Omar and his food. B52’s dish at Back of the House (a rice and salmon dish) was THE best dish I had at the whole event! Thus, when B52 finally opened up in Lawrenceville, I made it my mission to pay a visit for brunch!
B52 is a vegan cafe that combines its love for Palestinian and American cuisine to produce house-made baked good, chocolates, a full-service expresso bar, and all meals of the day (including brunch, which was my meal of choice on this Saturday)!
B52’s brunch menu!
Even though I didn’t take a picture of it, I REALLY enjoyed the “bottomless” coffee with almond milk!
Brunch dish #1: Thick Cut Toast with Avocado, Preserved Lemon, Tahini sauce and black Sesame Seeds.
This Avocado Toast was one of THE highlights of brunch! Since Omar also owns Allegro Hearth Bakery in Squirrel Hill, I knew the bread was going to be good! This bread reminded me of a Texas Toast. The avocado tasted INCREDIBLE, and I loved the addition of the Tahini Sauce and Black Sesame Seeds!
Brunch dish #2: Tofu Scramble with Latke, Shiitake Mushrooms and Greens!
I LOVED the Latke (this part of the dish very much reminded me of hash browns), and I appreciated the meaty taste of the Shiitake Mushrooms paired with the crunchiness of the greens. The only thing I didn’t love was (ironically enough) the main part of the dish: the Tofu Scramble. I’ve noticed throughout my journey of trying different types of tofu that I am be discerning towards tofu. I will say that once I brought my leftover tofu home and added some black pepper, sea salt and Sriracha sauce, the tofu tasted MUCH better! Thus, maybe that’s all that tofu needed.
Mom’s Brunch dish (and the second highlight of brunch): Thick Cut Toast with Almond Butter and Raspberry Preserves!
As you can probably tell, Mom was nice enough offer me a few bites of her toast. oh. My. GOSH! This toast was INCREDIBLE! You already know that I am in love with the thick cut toast at this point. The almond butter was EVEN better than the typical Almond Butter that I buy from the grocery store, and the raspberry preserves were absolutely PEFECT! So in love with this dish!
After brunch, I bought some chocolates, a brownie and a chocolate chip cookie (all vegan) to take home and enjoy! My Mom’s treasure of the day was this jar of preserved lemons! She’s still figuring out how will she will use her treasure, but luckily, these preserved lemons are good for MONTHS!
Thank you B52 for an enjoyable and healthy vegan brunch, as well as all of the treats that I brought home!
A shot of B52’s door (as well as a snapshot of my reflection in the doorway)!
Next post: Winter and Spring Foodie Adventures. Stay Tuned!
-Friendly Pittsburgh Foodie
Mindful Pittsburgh Foodie 
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