What Happened to Adda Coffee & Tea?
After employees announced a new union last week, Adda Coffee & Tea immediately closed all four locations. Employees say they were blindsided; the owner says the shops have been losing money for years. We’re sharing what we’ve learned and our favorite alternatives for where to get your next cup of coffee — plus a few fun restaurant and store openings we’re excited to check out.
We always cite our sources:
- Adda Coffee & Tea employees filed an official petition to unionize.
- After Adda stores closed, employees shared a petition for severance pay and set up a GoFundMe to raise money for a former worker’s surgery.
- Aside from Adda, other Pittsburgh coffee shops have closed after organized labor efforts.
- Redditors crowdsourced some local coffee shops which treat employees well after Adda announced store closures.
- City Cast Pittsburgh founding member Zach Lucas visited a Pgh coffee shop for every letter of the alphabet and shared some of his favorites on the podcast.
Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.
Want more Pittsburgh news? Sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter. We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh!
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Pittsburgh and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
UPMC Yields to Trump, County Bans Big Data Centers & Goodbye Millennial Gray?
UPMC just placed a decade-long moratorium on gender-affirming care for patients under 19 and agreed to pay the federal government $950,00...

A Warrant, a Budget & Pittsburgh’s Missing $250M
Former Mayor Ed Gainey is under investigation and facing allegations of improper contracts, questionable financial decisions, and potenti...

Pittsburgh’s Flock Camera Problem
Allegheny County the most Flock cameras and automated license plate readers in PA, according to crowdsourced data. Host Megan Harris is w...

Can $25M Make Smithfield Cool Again?
In the midst of Downtown’s larger $600 million makeover, Smithfield Street’s been waiting its turn. Crews are breaking ground today on th...

Paid Parental Leave Proposal Gets a Makeover
After weighing over 1,400 public comments — mostly from parents, health care workers, and small business owners — the county health depar...

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Philly Is Reducing Violence With Parks — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
Would Pittsburgh be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime...

Ripping Out Skill Games, Mandatory Fun & RIP Annie Dillard
Will state police start ripping skill games out of convenience stores, vape shops, and other spots? That's what could happen if lawmakers...

Pittsburgh Restaurant Empires, Explained
Did you know a ton of Pittsburgh's most influential dining spots are run by the same six restaurant groups? Some are massive, some are lo...

Measles, Go-Karts & Wylie’s Opening Lineup
Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak is getting worse. At least four people have died and nearly 700 cases are being tracked statewide. Host M...

What To Do During an ICE Encounter in Pittsburgh
Community leaders and business owners in Beechview — the heart of Pittsburgh's Latino community — say ICE activity has been increasi...

