PHOTOS BY KRISTY LOCKLIN

Long story short: visit Long Story Short, Cinderlands Beer Co.’s retroly revamped Lawrenceville taproom and sandwich shop when it opens Aug. 15. 

Cinderlands, which operates the 17,000-square-foot warehouse in the Strip District and a site in Wexford, closed the Butler Street foederhouse in July to give both the space and the menu a makeover. 

The company started there in 2017 and, in addition to making innovative craft beer, specialized in Belgian pub cuisine. And while it brought something different to Pittsburgh’s dining scene, the upscale fare just didn’t jibe with a post-pandemic crowd. 

Co-founder Paul Schneider says it’s been a challenge finding workers, especially those skilled in the intricacies of the dishes. He wanted to bring something more approachable to the table. He wanted to cut to the chase when it came to satisfying hunger.

Sandwiches, or sandos as they’re known here, were the obvious choice.

No matter what you call them, they aren’t your average eats. 

The Meatball Mac Melt includes smashed meatballs with not only marinara sauce, but yellow mustard, Velveeta mac, Chihuahua cheese, cheese curd and Doritos. What’s on the Curry Sub? Eggplant, chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, butter curry and yogurt. 

My order, the Auntie, came with smoked Isaly’s ham, sharp cheddar, shallot dijon mayo, Ritz cracker gremolata and green bean casserole. I celebrate Halloween in August, might as well throw Thanksgiving into the mix, too. 

Speaking of turkeys, did you hear about the flock that’s causing a flap on the North Side? 

A side of pasta salad — my favorite backyard picnic staple — brought me back to the Dog Days of Summer. 

Raise a toast to the season with a housemade beer, tartshake, seltzer or hard tea. Sixteen-ounce cans of Lil’ Cinder Light Beer are $3 all day, everyday. You can also order a classic cocktail or a draft pour from Goodlander Cocktail Brewery.

Schneider says they’ll continue making funky, foederhouse beers in the basement of the building and serve them at all locations. 

Back to the grub. It’s probably best to approach the Auntie like it’s a hot turkey sandwich and dive in with a knife and fork. Then find a couch because you’ll want to take a nap afterward. 

Luckily, there are lots of places to kick back and relax. While the front of the house is a pretty straight-forward bar and eatery, the back is where the party’s at. 

The small loft area now looks like an ‘80s arcade, complete with a Ms. Pac-Man arcade table. The back room is a throwback to a suburban rec room in the Disco Era. Lots of macrame and owl art, a free-play jukebox spinning a curated selection of 45s, a pool table and local artwork. 

You can make Long Story Short part of your Instagram story from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.