After delay, Over the Bar Bicycle Cafe opens third location in area
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Michael Kotyk stands next to everyone’s favorite Schwinn, complete with a banana seat.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Michael Kotyk stands at the OTB Hastings bar.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
A chandelier built from bicycle parts is the handiwork of Dave Brunger.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Part of a mosaic creation by Elizabeth Klevens on the outdoor wall of OTB Hastings
Harry Funk/The Almanac
The mural on the ceiling of the bar is by Ashley Hodder.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Bill Reddy made lamps from bicycle parts for the restaurant.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
A new trail is in place just outside of OTB Hastings.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
The outdoor patio area, equipped with two fire pits and plenty of heaters, has seating for 80.
A 19th-century bicycle is among the noteworthy items on display at OTB Hastings.
A rare four-seat bicycle was secured for OTB Hastings by Craig Morrow, owner of Bicycle Heaven Museum and Bike Shop in the North Side. Morrow found the conveyance in Bloomington, Ind.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Michael Kotyk put together an appropriate divider between the dining and bar areas.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
OTB Hastings now is open for business.
After a few years of planning, Upper St. Clair resident Michael Kotyk finally got the green light to open a restaurant close to home.
The third location for his Over the Bar Bicycle Café started undergoing construction just across Chartiers Creek in South Fayette Township, and a sign in front announced an anticipating opening of summer 2020.
You can guess what happened.
“Construction was brought to a halt with COVID. They took 11 weeks off, I believe, and it really set us back,” Kotyk said. “We did some ‘soft opening’ events in December, and we were preparing to open. Then we got shut down to carryout only.”
Finally, OTB Hastings opened to the public Jan. 4. At 50% capacity, the restaurant offers seating for 86.
“We have a nice, wide-open space here, so it allows us to socially distance the tables and keep our guests comfortable,” Kotyk said.
His new location, adding to OTB restaurants in the South Side and at North Park, is named for the still-expanding residential and commercial development on the former site of Mayview State Hospital. He complimented Hastings developer Charter Homes for accommodating the venture.
“They’ve been amazing to work with. They built me a beautiful building, and they’re been really good about helping me advertise to their community,” he said. In fact, each of the homes was presented with an OTB gift card to generate some early traffic.
As is the case with the other two eateries, the Hastings location has a menu featuring various sandwiches, appetizers, salads and signature burgers, with much of the food sourced locally. And for diners who stick to vegetables, offerings include homemade black bean cakes, high-protein seitan “wings” and a seitan bowl chili lime sauce, basmati rice, dressed greens, carrots, roasted poblano, cucumber, sliced avocado, cilantro, scallions and a chili lime drizzle.
For folks seeking cold refreshments, Kotyk also has some of the good stuff.
“I’ve been working really hard to develop relationships with the local craft breweries,” he said, as the blackboard listing beers on tap will attest.
One is Dancing Gnome in Sharpsburg, which produced a collaborative beer with OTB called Gravel Grinder. The first batch went quickly, and a new shipment is anticipated by mid-February.
“That’s going to be our staple OTB beer,” Kotyk said. “They’re going to try to keep us stocked with it permanently moving forward.”
Beyond food and drink is OTB Hastings’ décor, which continues the bicycle theme the owner has developed since opening the South Side location a dozen years ago. A native of Sharon, he said that part of his impetus was a decade of working for the original Quaker Steak & Lube, a restaurant that features an automotive theme.
“When I moved to Pittsburgh for grad school, I started getting into the biking community. And then I started seeing it grow, not just in Pittsburgh, but nationally and worldwide,” he said. “So that’s what gave me the idea to do a bicycle-themed restaurant.”
Just outside of OTB Hastings, a new cycling and pedestrian path leads toward Hastings proper. Kotyk has been working with the state Department of Transportation to develop a safer Mayview Road bridge crossing over Chartiers Creek, and with Upper St. Clair officials to link with the trail at nearby Boyce Mayview Park.
By the time the weather allows for more bicycling, Kotyk plans to host more patrons on an outdoor patio that seats 80.
And there may be another special attraction.
“I would love to do live music, especially outside,” he said.