Pittsburgh Restaurant In Landmark Location Closes

PITTSBURGH, PA — A restaurant that occupied a portion of a former landmark Pittsburgh eatery apparently has gone out of business.

Viva Los Tacos on Forbes Avenue in Oakland on the University of Pittsburgh campus has closed.

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Its social media sites have vanished. It's been labeled permanently closed on Yelp. Photos posted to social media on Monday showed workers taking down the restaurant's signage.

Viva Los Tacos occupied a portion of the space that formerly housed the famed Original Hot Dog Shop.

Founded by Syd and Moe Simon, the restaurant opened across the street from Forbes Field during the Pittsburgh Pirates 1960 World Series Championship season. Over the years, the two-story eatery was featured on various TV programs such as The Food Network's "Unwrapped," the PBS special "A Hot Dog Program" and others.

The restaurant closed abruptly in April 2020.

Another portion of the building initially was occupied by Capriotti's Sandwich Shop and is now occupied by a Melt'd eatery.

It is unclear what will replace Viva Los Tacos in the vacated space.