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.