Speckled Egg, Commonplace Coffee share a dining space in SouthSide Works
Pitt students Lila Ost, Bella Jameson and Ellie Hawkey had breakfast al fresco on Wednesday.
The incoming seniors were looking for a coffee shop, which they found with Commonplace Coffee. What the trio also discovered was The Speckled Egg hosting a grand opening in the shared space.
The Speckled Egg cracked open its second location, this one in collaboration with Commonplace Coffee.
Located at the SouthSide Works, both businesses are housed in 6,120-square feet of space that was formerly occupied by BD’s Mongolian Grill, which closed during the 2020 pandemic.
“We saw the balloons out front,” said Ost, who had the Hot Girl Summer — fried green tomatoes, bacon, Boston lettuce, pimento cheese on white toast and a watermelon wedge. “I loved the fried tomato, and there was salt on the watermelon, which gave it a sweet and salty combination.”
Jameson went with the I Am…Kazaam, which is Moroccan spiced tomato, two poached eggs, red pepper, fennel and crispy shallots on sourdough toast.
“All of the flavors mixed together gave it a great taste,” said Jameson. “I really liked it.”
One of the popular items is the T.S.E. Breakfast Sando, which is what Hawkey chose. It has two broke yolks, T.S.E. sauce (which stands for The Speckled Egg and is a mayonnaise and hot sauce combination), American cheese and Boston lettuce on an onion and poppy bun. She said it was well seasoned and the bun was the perfect complement.
Inside, customers were dining and having drinks at the bar.
The Speckled Egg, which has another location in the Union Trust Building in Downtown Pittsburgh, also serves beer, wine and cocktails. It occupies approximately two-thirds of the new building and is twice the size of the Downtown restaurant, which opened in March 2020.
Pittsburgh-based artist Jason LeViere painted a colorful mural of items including eggs and bacon above the open kitchen.
Diners can order espresso and cappuccino with their meals and the drinks will be made by Commonplace Coffee baristas. Commonplace Coffee plans to add some Speckled Egg grab-and-go sandwiches.
They use fresh and locally grown ingredients.
“This is something we definitely have been wanting to achieve,” said Jacqueline Schoedel, who co-owns The Speckled Egg with her husband Nate. “It was more than two years in the making, but it’s wonderful. I feel like I will have to split my time between two children, but they are close enough that I can get to both of them in the same day.”
The couple, who have a 16-month-old son Bennett, met in culinary school. They were working at Smallman Galley, a launch pad for new restaurant concepts, at a business called Josephine’s Toast, inspired by Jacqueline’s grandmother, who often served her granddaughter toast covered in raspberry jam with seeds.
Jacqueline walked to the cooler to get more eggs and noticed they had speckles, hence the name. Commonplace Coffee owner T.J. Fairchild met the couple at Smallman Galley. They teamed up for an espresso for The Speckled Egg.
The businesses are giving away one golden ticket — the winner will be announced later this week and receive one free breakfast sandwich and a coffee daily for a year.
Jacqueline said she always wanted to be Willy Wonka, the character who hides golden tickets in candy bars, which allows the bearer to get into the chocolate factory.
“I hope the person who wins this has fun with it,” she said. “That person must bring the ticket in every time. It’s a big ticket. I hope it brings joy because we are so happy to be here.”
It brings joy to Fairchild.
“Does it get any better than this?” said Fairchild as he ate the T.S. E. Breakfast Sando. “Jackie and Nate are great partners.”
The Speckled Egg and Commonplace Coffee are located at 428 S. 27th St. in SouthSide Works Town Square. The Speckled Egg hours will be 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Commonplace Coffee hours will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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