Best Grub

Italian: Joe Mama’s

If you’re looking for authentic Italian food with an extensive menu, Joe Mama’s is the place to go. Offering specials such as bacon-wrapped center-cut sirloin steak and sun-dried tomato-glazed salmon, it is sure to leave you happy and full. It’s also an ideal spot to take your parents for lunch or dinner.

Editors’ pick: Buca di Beppo

Chinese: Taiwan Cafe

With a wide selection of Chinese food restaurants around Pitt’s campus, it can sometimes be difficult to choose among them. Taiwan Cafe came out on top, though, boasting tasty food, as well as exceptionally quick service. Favorite menu items include General Tso’s chicken and sushi.

Editors’ pick: Sushi Boat

Indian: Prince of India

Prince of India offers the standard fare of Indian cuisine paired with a friendly atmosphere, complemented by Indian background music. Located on Fifth Avenue, Prince of India provides relatively inexpensive and quick Indian food that doesn’t skimp on the seasoning and spices.

Editors’ pick: India Garden

Mexican: Mad Mex

Mad Mex is the perfect combination of great food, fantastic drink specials and a wonderful atmosphere, which make it the perfect college happy-hour hangout. Serving a wide variety of standard Mexican cuisine offerings, Mad Mex is best known for its great happy-hour margarita specials, including the Big Azz Margaritas, which are $7 from 9 p.m. until midnight. Nothing pairs better with your loaded Mad Mex burrito then a healthy dose of Mexican-inspired quitting-time libations.

Editors’ pick: Veracruz

Sushi: Oishii Bento

Oishii Bento is the standout provider of Japanese cuisine in the Oakland area. Located conveniently in central Oakland, Oishii Bento provides a variety of both sushi and traditional Japanese dishes. Both creative and traditional sushi rolls with fast, friendly service combine to make Oishii Bento a must-lunch for any sushi fanatic.

Editors’ pick: Nakama

Japanese: Oishii Bento

After almost burning down this summer, Oishii Bento is back in business. The renovated restaurant is bright and friendly with just a few seats to eat-in, but its extensive menu more than makes up for the lack of seating. The menu is jam-packed with delicious sushi, bento and udon options that won’t make your wallet anorexic and will have you back again in no time.

Editors’ pick: Hokkaido

Thai/Southeastern: Spice Island Tea House

Definitely the coziest Thai restaurant around, Spice Island is an Atwood hole in the wall worth visiting. Worn wooden floors, white Christmas lights and quirky furniture give off a relaxed ambience while you munch on your favorite Thai dish, including the popular pad thai. Along with a menu that has tons of options, they offer beer, wine and exotic teas.

Editors’ pick: Thai Place

Vietnamese: Pho Van Vietnamese Noodles and Grill

One of the most stylish eateries in the Strip District, Pho Van specializes in traditional Vietnamese cooking and is BYOB. The minimalist, tropical-themed decor is subtle enough not to feel kitschy and, most importantly, doesn’t take away from the amazing pho, spring rolls and other Vietnamese specialties offered at low prices.

Editors’ pick: AZN Bistro

Korean: Oishii Bento

This local eatery has a vast menu featuring a wide variety of foods. For busy students, hospital workers or University personnel, Oishii Bento has a prime off-campus location for those looking for a Korean meal. Gallop and dance (and grab a sexy lady) to Oakland Avenue ­— Oishii Bento-style.

Editors’ pick: Korea Garden

Middle Eastern: Ali Baba

Ali Baba serves traditional Middle Eastern cuisine in a casual, well-decorated atmosphere. For those looking to experience something replicative of authentic hummus, grape leaves and falafel, Ali Baba has both lunch and dinner menus to accommodate diners. The good service accompanies the delicious menu, bringing some of the Middle East to Oakland.

Editors’ pick: Salem’s Halal Meats and Groceries

Half-price menu: Fuel & Fuddle

The consistently long wait outside of Fuel & Fuddle’s doors proves that students love this late-night eatery more than any other. Serving half-priced food after 11 p.m., Fuel & Fuddle feeds hoards of hungry diners coming from work, the library and other, less savory, places. From burgers to pizzas — such as the quirky smashed potato and flying buffalo pies — the menu says it all: Good food is best served after dark.

Editors’ pick: Hemingway’s Cafe

Restaurant for a date: Union Grill

Oakland lacks many romantic places for couples, but Union Grill has a nice atmosphere that can turn a mediocre date into a delicious meal. Expect to spend a little more here, but the price is worth a great night.

Editors’ pick: Shady Grove

Restaurant for parents: The Porch

There’s a reason why the Porch at Schenley has ample seating outdoors and a walk-through window that suits the restaurant’s name. It’s situated beautifully between the bustling college campus and the tranquil Schenley Park. The Porch is an attractive location for student-and-parent banter when coupled with tasty dishes, a slightly more upscale ambience and a wide variety of alcoholic beverages.

Editors’ pick: Church Brew Works

Lunch: Panera Bread

When a bakery cafe can combine nutritionally savvy meals, ample room to study and free Wi-Fi Internet access, the shop is simply catering to student’s needs in the most delicious way. As Pitt gears up for the annual chilling change in weather, it’s no wonder why Panera Bread becomes filled with a constant flow of warm soup and productive laptops. If you plan to stay awhile, don’t forget the very generous drink refill policy.

Editors’ pick: Food carts

Coffee: Dunkin’ Donuts

In an era of commercial coffee shop battles and general snobbism relating to the topic of caffeine pick-me-ups lies an undercover hero that disguises itself as a donut shop. Fortunately for us, the secret is out that Dunkin’ Donuts reliably brews some of the most flavorful and rich-tasting coffee on Forbes Avenue. Besides, sometimes coffee just tastes better with a traditional sugary-sweet pastry to satisfy your palette.

Editors’ pick: Caribou Coffee

Wings: Quaker Steak & Lube

Quaker Steak & Lube is famous for its wings but with good reason. If you’re daring, you can try their atomic sauce — as long as you sign a medical waiver first. With more than 20 sauce choices to slather all over some wings, Quaker Steak knows all things wings.

Editors’ pick: Pizza Romano

Vegetarian: Red Oak Cafe

Cute and informal Red Oak Cafe offers a wide selection of healthy and fresh vegetarian options when another cheese pizza or frozen veggie burger just won’t cut it. Red Oak strives to provide a variety of options to diners. David Gancy, the co-owner of Red Oak Cafe, recently said that, “healthy [eating] is more than a trend — it is a way of life.”

Editors pick: Quiet Storm

Vegan: Red Oak Cafe

Red Oak Cafe has several vegan options, including a rice-and-beans plate with vegan chili and a veggie blue plate. The restaurant, which has decorations depicting Pittsburgh’s past, is also willing to accommodate any other vegan requests. For Red Oak Cafe, dining shouldn’t be a challenge.

Editors pick: Eat Unique

Sandwiches: Uncle Sam’s

The large mounted menu on the wall indicates the size of the sub. Uncle Sam’s will load up any sub with meats and toppings. A few of the more popular items on the menu include the pizza cheese steak and the cheeseburger sub. And don’t forget, if you dine in, you get free fries on the side.

Editors’ pick: Campus Deli

Meal under $5: McDonald’s

There are so many combinations that will cost you less than $5. A McDouble, medium french fries and small drink. A double cheeseburger, small drink and apple slices. Get five McDoubles! If you’re running low on your meal plan or you only have $20 in your bank account, you can always count on McDonald’s to keep your stomach filled without emptying your wallet.

Editors’ pick: Schenley Cafe breakfast

Pizza: Pizza Sola

Pizza Sola is one pizza place growing in popularity on Oakland’s pizza street — Atwood. Patrons can order individual slices, which are huge, so they won’t need to order more. Pizza Sola experienced renovations over the summer that added a bar, so now you don’t even need to go to more than one place for beer and pizza.

Editors’ pick: Mineo’s Pizza House

Ice cream: Dave & Andy’s

Nothing is better than walking past Dave & Andy’s — even if you don’t plan on going inside — to take in that delicious smell of malted cones and ice cream. Dave & Andy’s on Atwood Street provides freshly churned ice cream daily, with flavors ranging from chocolate and vanilla to birthday cake and chocolate-chip cookie dough. The cones feature Dave & Andy’s signature M&M at the bottom, a trick the business established to keep the ice cream from dripping out of the bottom of the cone.

Editors’ pick: Razzy Fresh

French fries: Essie’s Original Hot Dog Shop

With flashing neon lights unchanged since our parents went to Pitt, Essie’s Original Hot Dog Shop — fondly referred to by students as “The O” — beckons on Friday and Saturday nights with promises of salty deliciousness. Like a holy pilgrimage, students from all corners of Oakland make sure they come here at least a few times a semester, if only so they can have the chance to reminisce during their eventual returns as Pitt alums. Try the gravy on the side at least once.

Editors’ pick: Sweet potato fries at Fuel & Fuddle

Bagel shop: Bruegger’s Bagels

When Market Central bagels just won’t cut it, a short walk down Forbes Avenue is all you need for a more relaxed bagel experience. Bruegger’s serves fresh, New York-style bagels with types including cheddar pesto, sun-dried tomato and rosemary olive oil. Mix up your bagel with cream cheese flavors such as cucumber dill, bacon scallion or garden veggie.

Editors’ pick: The Bagel Factory

Breakfast: Pamela’s Diner

You can’t go wrong with a breakfast that has the U.S. president’s cachet. While waking up early on a weekend to avoid lines can involve more planning than most of us can handle, those who can avoid hitting snooze 10 times are rewarded by Pamela’s famous crepe-like hotcakes, which are perfectly soft with crispy edges. While the hotcakes are delicious plain, try the ones stuffed with strawberries, brown sugar and sour cream or the chocolate-chip ones stuffed with bananas.

Editors pick: DeLuca’s Restaurant

Hamburger: Five Guys Burgers and Fries

You can swipe in to Market Central and enjoy an infinite amount of burgers, or go to McDonald’s for a McDouble from the dollar menu. But they don’t quite measure up to the burgers at Five Guys Burgers and Fries. At Five Guys, you can get giant burgers with unlimited toppings, along with other favorites, such as kosher-style hot dogs and huge orders of fries.

Editors’ pick: OTB (Over The Bar) Bicycle Cafe

On-campus eatery: Cathedral Cafe

Who would ever have guessed that the best place to dine on campus would be in the basement of the Cathedral of Learning? Students flock there for Chick-fil-A waffle fries, sushi, wraps, soups and salads. The atmosphere is also a little more quiet and relaxed than the bustle of Market Central.

Editors’ pick: Petersen Events Center

Bar food: Hemingway’s

Pitt students often forget that Hemingway’s Cafe is actually a cafe. While most people don’t go to Hem’s just for the food, after a couple of beers, you may want a burger, cheese fries or pizza. When you need a late-night snack, Hemingway’s has you covered.

Editors’ pick: Papa Da Vinci’s

Dessert: Razzy Fresh

Razzy Fresh is the place where you end up spending way too much money on toppings and strange flavors of yogurt, and then immediately forget the guilt after you finish it. This never-ending cycle is totally delicious and worth it at Razzy. Plus they have two locations near Pitt, so you’re never far from some fro-yo.

Editors’ pick: The Milkshake Factory