A Picklesburgh preview, a major supermarket sale, and more Pittsburgh food news

Hey Babe 120 S Whitfield St., East Liberty.  heybabepgh.com Hey Babe announced the debut of its newly renovated dining area, nearly a year after opening in the Maverick Hotel. The work expands on the East Liberty restaurant’s “throwback lounge” appeal, as described in a 2025 Pittsburgh City Paper review , which complimented the space’s warm lighting, plush seating, and colorful accents. Make a reservation and sample Hey Babe’s shareable menu items and cocktails in the refreshed space. Giant Eagle x Kroger kroger.com Pittsburgh’s most notable supermarket chain now has new ownership. Kroger announced on July 1 that it acquired Giant Eagle, described in a Kroger press release as a “leading family-owned food and pharmacy retailer.” Kroger will take over Giant Eagle’s 197 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies, which cover western Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, and Indiana. Kroger purchased the chain for $1.65 billion, and the transaction is expected to close in 2027. Kroger emphasized that it will retain Giant Eagle’s branding and name, as well as its current employees, per a TribLive story . The deal comes a year after Giant Eagle sold its gas station wing, which includes approximately 270 GetGo and WetGo locations, to the Canadian company Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Shoppers at Giant Eagle Credit: CP Photo: Mars Johnson Costco costco.com Is it happening? Is it really true?! Costco announced it will start selling its Kirkland brand alcohol in Pennsylvania, a state notorious for making liquor and wine sales more convoluted and difficult. PennLive reports that the members-only big box store, famous for its $5 Rotisserie chicken and $1.50 hot dogs, acquired a Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board restaurant liquor license for its Cranberry Township store in Butler County (located about 35 minutes outside of Pittsburgh), mak