Taj Mahal

If you’re looking for some of the best authentic Indian food in the Pittsburgh area, then Taj Mahal in the North Hills is the place for you.

What I’m going to write in this post is going to come mainly from personal experience, because my family and I frequent this restaurant often whenever I’m home from college. It’s really close to my dad’s house. I’m actually 50% Indian on my dad’s side, so I’m used to eating a lot of Indian food (I’m mostly used to eating my grandmother’s, and she makes DELICIOUS Indian food.)

Taj Mahal has a menu consisting of several traditional Indian dishes, like samosas, naan, chicken curry, mango chutney, etc. However, in addition to their regular menu, they have a buffet which is open during both lunch and dinner hours. It has a variety of dishes that you can get on the main menu. I think most people get the buffet when they go to Taj Mahal, because it’s quicker and more efficient. Not to mention, it provides more of a variety, which is great if you only like certain types of Indian food (I’m definitely that way, in fact I didn’t really like Indian food at all until I was about 12 or so.) In all the times my family has gone to Taj Mahal, we’ve always gotten our food from the buffet and never ordered from the main menu. But whether you order from the main menu or get the buffet, you’re sure to get authentic, delicious Indian food. 

You don’t have to dine in at Taj Mahal to enjoy what it has to offer. It also has takeout, which is available by calling the restaurant or visiting their website (hyperlinked above.) However, the more popular option is catering. If you call several weeks in advance, Taj Mahal will cater your event, providing many of the same dishes available on their buffet. Either they can come to your venue and set up their buffet-style meal for you, or you can pick the food up at the restaurant yourself. It’s a great option for a party or other event consisting of people who love Indian food. Our family ordered catering from Taj Mahal a few months ago for a family event, and it worked out really well; it saved my grandmother from having to cook, not to mention everyone loved it. You can enjoy all the same things that dining in at Taj Mahal has to offer, by ordering takeout or catering from them.

For a taste of India in Pittsburgh, you absolutely must check out Taj Mahal. 

“Spice” Up Your Day at Spice Island Tea House

Tired of ordering in Chinese food every weekend? Or going to the same Japanese steakhouse and watching the Hibachi chef do the same thing every time? If you’re looking to expand your Asian palette, how about trying a bit of Southeast Asia? There’s no better place to do that than at Spice Island Tea House in Oakland. 

Since I interned in Oakland over the summer, I can tell you that it’s home to several international eateries. And Spice Island Tea House is no exception. While the owners, the Lee family, are from Burma, Spice Island Tea House’s menu is a unique blend of Burmese, Thai, Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean cuisines.

As its name implies, Spice Island Tea House is known for its wide tea selection from all across Asia. The teas are mainly made in-house.

Spice Island Tea House also has an extensive variety of cocktails. Many of these cocktails are made with homemade ginger beer. And yes, you read that correctly, Spice Island Tea House makes its own ginger beer.

The food consists of several traditional Southeast Asian appetizers, side dishes, salads, soups, and 
entrees. These include everything from fried rice, to spring rolls, to curries, to wok-fry.

Spice Island Tea House’s most popular dish is its Java Fried Rice. This fried rice is mixed with shrimp, chicken, onion, bell pepper, and sweet soy sauce. A reviewer on TripAdvisor stated that the Java Fried Rice was “exactly what they wanted and perfectly spiced.” The restaurant is also well-known for its pad Thai. A reviewer on Yelp said that the pad Thai was “the most amazing they’d ever eaten.”

Check out the video below for more information on Spice Island Tea House. Once again, I’m plugging WQED’s “Pittsburgh Eats” series with this restaurant. Also, check out Spice Island Tea House’s website (hyperlinked above) for their lunch and dinner menus, tea menu, cocktail/drink menu, or to order delivery. 

If you’re looking for some homemade Asian tea, a cocktail made with homemade ginger beer, or an eclectic variety of Asian cuisine, Spice Island Tea House is the place for you.

You’re Gonna Be Lovin’ Vic’s Oven

Tired of eating the same old types of pizza all the time? Want something more exciting than just pepperoni, veggies, and sausage? Then Vic’s Oven is the place for you.

Vic’s Oven is a pizzeria located in Bridgewater, a suburb of Pittsburgh. It was opened in 2016 by Vic Stahl, a native of neighboring town Beaver.

Vic’s makes its pizzas from scratch, and makes sure to use only the freshest ingredients. It specializes not only in traditional round pizza but also Sicilian-style square pizza, the latter of which is made on homemade focaccia bread. A reviewer on TripAdvisor said that this crust is “lighter and spongier than the round.”

The thing that Vic’s is perhaps best known for is its specialty pizzas. These pizzas are unique because the toppings on them are toppings you probably wouldn’t expect to find on a pizza, and probably won’t find on a pizza anywhere else. For example, there’s the Gyro, which is a white pizza topped with gyro meat, tzatziki sauce, lettuce, and tomato. And when I say “topped,” I literally mean “topped”; the toppings on this pizza are actually put on after the pizza has already been cooked, to make it more like eating an open-face sandwich. There’s also the Hunky Alley, which is a white pizza with caramelized onions, kielbasa, fried potatoes, and cheddar cheese (that’s basically a Pittsburgh-style breakfast right there.) There’s the Mexican, which is a white pizza with Mexican spices and ingredients such as jalapenos and chorizo. But perhaps one of their most popular specialty pizzas is the Italian Stallion. It is a white pizza with several Italian meats, and topped with lettuce, tomato, and Italian dressing after it’s been cooked. It’s basically an open-face Italian sub. A reviewer on Yelp said that the Italian Stallion is “perfectly cooked and very filling.” Below, you can see a video showcasing Vic’s. 

If you visit Vic’s website (hyperlinked above), you can check out their menu to see what other items they have. You can also order pizza online through the website.

Now, I’d just like to mention something before leaving; for the next several posts, I am going to be heavily plugging WQED, the company I interned at this past summer. They do a series called “Pittsburgh Eats,” where they make videos highlighting different restaurants in the Pittsburgh area and post them on their website and YouTube channel. Since the Pittsburgh Eats series is basically a free playlist full of Pittsburgh restaurants, I’m probably going to come up with topics based on the restaurants mentioned in the videos, and include the videos in these posts. The video above is from that series, and it’s where I got the idea for this post. At this point, I’m running out of places to get information from that’s not complicated, so this is all I’ve got for a while.

If you want to have some of the most imaginative pizza on the block, Vic’s Oven is the place for you.

Mama Lucia Pizza

Tired of ordering from all the same, average pizza places? In the mood for Italian, but don’t want to go too fancy or expensive? If you’re looking for something right in between, Mama Lucia Pizza in Wexford is the place for you.

I thought I’d blog about this place because I’ve been there a couple times and I think it’s awesome. My dad’s lease expired on the apartment he was renting in Cheswick this past summer, so we moved into a house in the Mars/Wexford/Pine area. On the night we moved, we decided to grab dinner somewhere in the area to check out what was around. We came across Mama Lucia, which is conveniently located in Wexford’s shopping area, Pine Plaza. That was the first time we went, and it definitely exceeded my expectations.

Mama Lucia is a very casual pizzeria, but at the same time, it screams “classic Italian.” I was shocked to see when I went in there for the first time that it is a quick service restaurant rather than a sit-down. I’ve seen a lot of places like this: typically, they only serve things like pizza, fries, wings, pepperoni rolls, etc. However, I was honestly amazed that this place was not only serving the typical pizzeria fare I just described, but also homemade pasta dishes, calzones, and even homemade Italian-style desserts like cannoli. Below, you can see a picture of Mama Lucia's dessert display.

The food, at least the food I’ve gotten to eat there so far, is delicious. I remember having a pepperoni calzone that was really good (however, it was HUGE. I had to take it home with me.) I also had one of their cannoli, and that was also really good. Based on how good the food I’ve had there so far has been, there’s no doubt in my mind that the rest of the food on their menu is just as good. Our house is only a few minutes from Pine Plaza, so I’m hoping that Mama Lucia is a place I can eat at often when I’m home. They also have a takeout option. I honestly think that’s great, because you no longer have to just “order a pizza” now; instead you can order an authentic Italian meal if you want.

If you don’t believe that a tiny pizza place can serve such authentic Italian food, you’ll just have to visit Mama Lucia and see for yourself.

The Purr-fect Spot for Relaxation

Do you enjoy curling up with your cat after a long, exhausting day? Or sitting down and enjoying a glass of wine? Have you ever wished there was a place where you could do both of these things at the same time (besides your living room, that is)? If so, your wish just came true, because at the Colony Café, you can do just that.

The Colony Café is located in Pittsburgh’s Strip District neighborhood, around the corner from the Heinz History Center. It is unique in that it is both a home for Pittsburgh’s rescue cats as well as a café.

The café is located on the lower level. The food is mainly standard café/coffee shop fare, such as sandwiches, wraps, soups, etc. All of the café’s food items are made in-house. It also serves coffee and tea, which can be enjoyed in-store or purchased to go. Finally, the café offers a selection of wine, beer, and cocktails. You can even purchase a bottle of wine to go. The café offers take-out for its food items as well. Plus, the lower level café can accommodate up to 30 people for any private event. A reviewer on TripAdvisor said that the café is “definitely a place to meet friends for coffee, wine, or beer.” So if you’re in the Strip District and looking for a relaxing spot to grab a bite or a beverage, stop by the Colony Café.

Now onto the part I’m sure you’re anxious to hear about: the cats. On the second level is the Cat Loft, a home for Pittsburgh’s rescue cats and a place for the Colony Café’s customers to interact with the cats. Colony Café is partners with Animal Friends, an animal welfare organization in Pittsburgh; this organization provides the café with vaccinated, neutered, and microchipped cats. While the café encourages its customers to enjoy spending time with the cats, the safety of and respect toward the cats is also a priority. Therefore, the colony asks that the cats do not be disturbed by flash photography, physical violence, or loud noise. Plus, while you are allowed to bring your food and beverages from the café into the cat loft, you may not feed any of it to the cats. It is recommended that you make a group reservation for the Cat Loft in advance, but walk-in visits are also permitted when it is not at full capacity. And just like the lower level café, the Cat Loft is a great place to hold a private event, but it only allows for up to 12 people. A waiver is also required for the Cat Loft, and can be filled out either in person or online. The café also allows customers to adopt its cats. In order to do so, however, a certain fee is required; the fee depends on the cat’s age. The fee is waived for active duty service members or military veterans, and is discounted for those over the age of 59. The proceeds go toward Animal Friends. The adopter must be 21 or older. Applications can be filled out in person or online. A reviewer on Yelp referred to the café as a “cat paradise.” If you’re looking for a place to adopt or just play with a cat, consider bringing your group to the Colony Café’s Cat Loft (that is, unless you’re allergic, like me.)

Whether you’re looking for a new cat, a bunch of them to play with, or just a glass of wine, the Colony Café is the place for you.

Oakmont Bakery

There are only so many so-called “attractions” in Pittsburgh that I can blog about. So I finally gave in to something I’ve been telling myself I wasn’t going to do: I decided to start blogging about some of the well-known restaurants in Pittsburgh as well. I feel like restaurants should be included as portions of blog posts, not as their own blog posts, which is why I didn’t want to do it; but as I said, there’s only so many places I can blog about. I’m going to start with one of the best places in Pittsburgh to get baked goods, the Oakmont Bakery.

The Oakmont Bakery is one of the best-known bakeries in the Pittsburgh area. It’s located in Pittsburgh’s Oakmont neighborhood, and I’m happy to say that it’s only about 10 minutes from my dad’s place.

The Oakmont Bakery is an incredibly traditional bakery, selling every type of baked good imaginable. You can get simple items, or you can get made-to-order items such as cakes. Like any bakery, it makes several types of bread, from traditional loaved bread to banana nut bread to bagels to rolls to baguettes. It also features several cakes and cupcakes, which you can either go to the bakery and simply buy or custom order. Then there’s the bakery’s “Chocolate Dipping Station,” which features several “dipped” items such as chocolate-dipped Oreos, cake pops, chocolate covered strawberries, truffles, caramel apples, etc. Then there’s the cookies, which can either be ordered individually or by the dozen. You can also get cookie trays, which contain an assortment of cookies. I haven’t been to the bakery itself, but I’ve had its items a couple times; one of the things I had from there was a cookie tray. A few years ago, my dad bought one for Memorial Day; the cookies were DELICIOUS. I highly recommend getting one of the bakery’s cookie trays for a party. Then there’s donuts. It’s always great to get donuts at a place like a bakery; as much as I love donuts, it’s hard to find bakery-fresh ones all the time. The donuts come in several flavors, and can either be traditional or long-john (the latter is basically a casual term for an éclair.) There is also what the Oakmont Bakery calls a “doughsant,” which is basically the same thing as a cronut: a croissant-donut hybrid. The Oakmont Bakery is well-known for its maple bacon donuts (although that doesn’t really appeal to me.) Then there’s a variety of pastries you can get, such as cannoli, cream puffs, scones, and muffins. Then there’s a variety of pies, which can either be bought in full-size or mini form. And what better place to get your holiday pie this year than one of Pittsburgh’s best bakeries? And speaking of the holidays, the Oakmont Bakery also has specialty items available for pretty much every holiday you can think of. For example, around the holiday season, you can get items such as gingerbread men cookies and fruitcake (I’m not kidding, this place actually sells fruitcake.) The bakery also sells Pittsburgh sports-related items. For example, back in May of this year, me and my family celebrated the Penguins being in the playoffs with a Penguins cookie cake from the bakery. Below you can see a picture of one. And finally, if you want to get some actual food rather than just sweets, you can get breakfast sandwiches, sandwiches, soups, and salads at the bakery as well. If you want to order items from the bakery, you can stop in, call, or visit the bakery’s website (hyperlinked above.) Whether you’re looking for a good lunch, a quick item to satisfy your sweet tooth, or some treats to liven up your party, the Oakmont Bakery is the place to do it!

Now, I wanted to do a separate paragraph on the Oakmont Bakery’s wedding services, because there’s a lot you can say about them. People come from all over the Pittsburgh area to get a wedding cake from the Oakmont Bakery. It is recommended that you contact the bakery to schedule a tasting, in which you can sample various wedding cakes and decide on the perfect one for you. Each wedding cake is made with buttercream icing, but you are allowed to choose from a number of fillings, cake batters, and additional toppings. You are also allowed to choose any design you want. They are also willing to color-coordinate, if you want your cake to be decorated to match the bride’s or the groom’s clothes. And as with any wedding cake, it’s best to have the cake delivered to the venue; the Oakmont Bakery is certainly willing to do so. The Oakmont Bakery also provides assorted cookie, donut, and cupcake platters for weddings. For these, you have the option of either picking them up at the bakery or having them delivered to the venue. A reviewer on Yelp described her experience ordering her wedding cake at the Oakmont Bakery: “The tasting was really good, and they made a fantastic cake matching the colors of the wedding party, could not have been any better.” The Oakmont Bakery is one of the best places in Pittsburgh for all of your wedding cake/wedding dessert platter needs.

Whether you’re looking for the wedding cake of your dreams, to have some of the best baked goods in Pittsburgh, or just to grab a delicious lunch, the Oakmont Bakery is the place to do it.

Peoples Gas Holiday Market

There are only so many places in Pittsburgh that I can blog about. And some are harder to blog about than others. So rather than always blogging about specific places in Pittsburgh, I decided to also include seasonal events. And since the holiday season is upon us, I figured I’d do one or more posts on Pittsburgh’s annual holiday events. To start, I’m going to talk about the Peoples Gas Holiday Market. It’s a great place to check out during the holiday season, whether you’re looking to shop, embrace the cultural diversity of Pittsburgh, or just get into the holiday spirit!

As you may know, in past posts, I’ve backed up my information by including online reviews, and occasionally information from people I’ve interviewed. Well, the information in this post is mainly going to be backed up by a student at my university who I interviewed; I didn’t find too many helpful reviews online, seeing as this is event is only held annually.

The Peoples Gas Holiday Market is an annual event held in the Market Square area of Pittsburgh. It takes place from the weekend before Thanksgiving to a few days before Christmas. It is based on German Christkindlmarkts (or “Christmas Markets”), featuring several vendors selling all types of items from all over the world. And to really get folks into the holiday spirit, The Peoples Gas Holiday Market also features meet-and-greets with Santa, as well as holiday entertainment for visitors to enjoy and participate in.

As I mentioned, the market aspect of the Peoples Gas Holiday Market is modeled after German “Christmas Markets.” Therefore, all the vendors’ stands are built in the form of Alpine-style wooden chalets. And you can buy all kinds of things made both locally and overseas, from clothing items to trinkets to jewelry to food. To see what exactly you can buy there, check out the online list of vendors. But for a few examples, let’s take a look at what my interviewee had to say. She told me that, “There’s lots of things that represent different countries, from jewelry such as necklaces to hand-knit scarves and hats.” Nowadays, it’s difficult to find a lot of international goods in shops without having to travel overseas yourself. But you don’t have to worry about that if you’re in the Pittsburgh area around the holidays, because the vendors at the Peoples Gas Holiday Market have got it all.

It may seem as though a market filled with international handmade goods would be hard for the younger crowd to appreciate. Well, that’s not the case. The Peoples Gas Holidays Market brings something to the table for both kids and adults. To put it bluntly, it’s very family-oriented. For example, at the market, kids can stop by Santa’s house, where they can meet Santa. Plus, families can make a $5 donation to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank in exchange for a photo with Santa. But Santa isn’t the only thing that’ll appeal to kids at the Peoples Gas Holiday Market. My interviewee gave me her thoughts on this: “Everything is very visual and very tactile, so that people can almost ‘feel’ Christmas. It’s so lit up that kids are going to be drawn to it even if they’re not there to buy anything. There’s also an open spot for kids to run around in.” So if you’re contemplating whether or not to bring your kids to the Peoples Gas Holiday Market, go for it! They’re sure to enjoy it just as much as you are.

One great way to get into the holiday spirit while at the Peoples Gas Holiday Market is with the live performances. Several local artists, bands, and school groups perform holiday music on various days at the market. To see the lineup of performances, check out the event website (hyperlinked above.) And visitors to the market can not only enjoy but also participate in the live entertainment as well; starting in 2017, the Peoples Gas Holiday Market is featuring a Holiday Karaoke Contest. You can sign up for it on the website (I think, don’t count on me for that; the contest started this past week, so I don’t know if you can still participate in it or not. If not, try again next year!) Contestants can participate in a singing battle held every Monday and Tuesday for a chance to make it to the grand finale, in which the winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize. “I would say that having live music definitely brings a personal atmosphere to the event,” said my interviewee. “It’s a better idea than having holiday music playing over a speaker, because you can hear that anywhere.” If you’re sick of hearing the same versions of Christmas songs over and over again on the radio, at the Peoples Gas Holiday Market you’ll hear versions that are not only brand new but also live.

There are a few more things I want to say about the Peoples Gas Holiday Market. First, it definitely transforms Market Square. My interviewee will tell you that, “Market Square is a lot more open other times of the year.” This is true; it’s a more open, park-like area, and features shops and restaurants on the sides of the streets. There aren’t any vendors, so it isn’t much of a “market,” as the name might suggest. So the Peoples Gas Holiday Market really transforms it into something special; it provides the perfect holiday atmosphere in more of a “market-like” environment. I actually put two pictures side-by-side below, so that you can compare Market Square around the holidays to what it looks like other times of year. Also, one of the great aspects of the Peoples Gas Holiday Market is its cross-cultural appeal. The vendors’ stands that are based around different countries really help bring together a lot of cultures, which I think is really important in a big city like Pittsburgh. “When I was at the market, it was cool to see that the vendors were talking to each other and making relationships. I really think that kind of thing helps bring their cultures together,” said my interviewee. “It’s cool to bring all of Pittsburgh’s cultures together into one location.” Another thing I should mention is that Market Square is right next to PPG Place, which is well-known for its ice rink which is open around the holidays; this is another thing to check out if you’re near the Peoples Gas Holiday Market. The Peoples Gas Holiday Market truly transforms Market Square in more ways than one.

To get into the holiday spirit, buy some Christmas gifts you may never find anywhere else, or take in the cultural diversity of Pittsburgh, stop by the Peoples Gas Holiday Market this holiday season.