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Dining
Out
Bee’z
Bistro & Pub
Family
Recipe
Bee’z Bistro and Pub turns three generations of family influence
into one of SF’s most popular dining spots
By Tim McNellie
 The
hardest thing to come up with was the dough.
When Loretta Hall and
her son Eric took their first steps in the restaurant business by
opening a small pizza shop in South Fayette, it was a tricky
proposition getting the dough just right.
Loretta knew how the
dough should feel. Countless hours in the kitchen with her late
mother had taught her that. But mom never wrote down any of her
recipes, she just prepared dishes from memory. “She was an
excellent baker, and I knew how her bread dough felt,” Loretta
says. “Just not how to make it.”
That forced her and
Eric to spend long days in the kitchen of their new pizza joint
endlessly trying and re-trying recipes. Then one day they got the
texture and the taste just right, and soon after, Bee’z Pizza
was born.
Thirteen years later,
Bee’z is one of the most popular restaurants in South Fayette.
Though the Bee’z name still conjures up images of pizza for many
residents, that tiny shop has grown into a full-service, sit-down
eatery with a varied menu of dine-in dinner options, including
Rib-Eyed Steak, Cajun Pasta, and Macadamia Cod.
“We knew nothing
about this business when we started,” admits Loretta, known as
Mrs. B to her customers. “But we provided good food, and a lot
of food, at reasonable prices. We knew that if we did those three
things with great service, it would work.”
Much of that comes
from her two sons, Eric and John. Eric had just graduated from
culinary school in 1994 when he and his Mom opened the restaurant.
He created original pizza recipes using pure olive oil, home-made
sauces, and fresh dough. When the pizza shop moved to Portman’s
Country Commons in 2001 and expanded into a full-service
restaurant, both brothers added freshly-made desserts, a
constantly changing selection of fresh fish, hand-breaded fish
sandwiches and even more home-made sauces. Loretta added her own
home-made desserts. The dinner menu is updated regularly to
reflect the family’s newest entrée ideas.
The problem was that
Bee’z customers had become so hooked on the pizza and hoagies
that, at first, it was difficult to get them to try new things,
Loretta says. “We kept telling them, ‘Here, try this,’ and
giving them samples.”
Eventually, the
customers capitulated and realized that Bee’z was much more than
pizza shop staples. And more than a few of the restaurant’s
patrons have mentioned that the portions are huge, especially in
light of the more-than-competitive prices.
As for the service,
well, it really is like having dinner at grandma’s, or maybe at
the home of a really fun aunt. Especially after you’ve been
there a few times. Mrs. B is a fixture at Bee’z on most nights,
and it shows. “I get to know a lot of the customers,” she
says. “I make sure that when they come in, I talk to them, ask
how the kids are, ask them what’s going on in their life. Our
customers have been great to us, and they’re the reason we’re
still here after 13 years.”
The warmth and
camaraderie extend from the dining room into the barroom, where
visitors can enjoy six varieties of draft beer, or countless
offerings in bottles. (The actual bar was hand-built by David and
Eric). Bee’z bar runs specials during Penn State, Pitt, and WVU
football games, as well as Penguins hockey nights, and features a
projection screen TV for easy viewing.
Family
Namesake
True to its roots as
a family restaurant, Bee’z Bistro and Pub gets its name not from
one, but from three members of the Hall family. Since she was a
child, Loretta has been known as BeBe, this is because, when she
was born, her slightly-older siblings couldn’t pronounce the
word “baby.” Her husband David has long been called “Buzzy,”
and their son Eric became “Beezer” as a child since, Loretta
says, “he was always as busy as a bee.” When looking for a
name for their new restaurant 13 years ago, the family decided to
combine their nicknames into “Bee’z.”
Bee’z Bistro and
Pub is located at 3249 Washington Pike, Suite 1004 – that’s
right behind Portman’s. Restaurant hours are Monday-Thursday 11
a.m-10 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Bar
hours are Monday-Friday 4 p.m.-2 a.m.; Saturdays noon-2 a.m. For
more information, call 412-257-9877.
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