2009
Butler Street opens
Espresso a Mano opens in Lower Lawrenceville and quickly becomes a fixture of the neighborhood's revival — named Pittsburgh City Paper's Best Coffeehouse in 2015.
Our story · est. 2009
Coffee made by hand,
Coffee made by hand,
since 2009.
"A mano" is Italian for "by hand." It's how we've made every drink since the day we opened on Butler Street — and it's the standard behind everything that's followed.
Quick answer
Espresso a Mano is a specialty espresso bar and coffee roaster founded by Matt Gebis in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood in July 2009. Today it has three cafes — Lawrenceville, Squirrel Hill, and Dormont — and has roasted its own coffee in-house since 2021.
How it started
A barista's obsession,
A barista's obsession,
a neighborhood bar
Before Espresso a Mano, founder Matt Gebis pulled shots as a barista at La Prima Espresso while studying Italian language and literature at Pitt. The two threads — Italy's espresso-bar culture and the craft of coffee itself — became one idea: a true neighborhood espresso bar, where every drink is made by hand and every guest is treated like a regular.
In July 2009 that idea opened its doors at 3623 Butler Street in Lower Lawrenceville. The recipe hasn't changed since: excellent coffee, no shortcuts, and genuine hospitality.
"We just try to make great coffee and be really nice to people."
— Matt Gebis, founder
Milestones
Seventeen years, three neighborhoods
2020
Squirrel Hill
We open our second bar inside Five Points Artisan Bakeshop on Wilkins Avenue — handmade espresso alongside some of the city's best bread and pastry.
2021 →
Roasting in-house
We begin roasting our own coffee, sourcing green beans through trusted importers — and bring the full bar to Dormont's Potomac Avenue in the South Hills.
What we believe
The three things we never compromise
No. 1
Craft over speed
Espresso pulled shot by shot, milk steamed to silk and poured by hand. If a drink isn't right, we make it again.
No. 2
Hospitality first
Specialty coffee without the attitude. Whether you order a single-origin espresso or a vanilla latte, you'll be glad you came in.
No. 3
Rooted in the neighborhood
Local bakeries, local dairy, local tea — and three bars that belong to the blocks they sit on.
Roasted in Pittsburgh. Pulled by hand. Poured with intention.
Taste the difference a hand makes
Three cafes across Pittsburgh, open seven days a week between them. Come see why we've been a neighborhood ritual since 2009.