Step away from your meal plan: Try a market instead

Upon moving into their first Oakland apartment, new students tend to learn one little fact… Upon moving into their first Oakland apartment, new students tend to learn one little fact pretty quickly, a fact the guide must have forgotten to mention on the walking tour. Oakland, with all its just-off-campus perks, is missing one immense necessity. It’s completely without a large supermarket.

So what’s a hungry, off-campus collegiate to do?

Not to worry! A jaunt down Oakland side streets should convince any recent admission that the vast majority of his or her peers present corporal evidence that the freshman 15 is still attainable without the aid of a cafeteria meal plan.

These weathered students know a thing or two about thwarting Oakland’s main inconvenience. The fact is, although Oakland lacks the Food Lion, Costco or Wegmans from back home, a number of ethnic grocers step in to fill the hungry void of students and locals alike. And for certain dairy amenities or for those students nostalgic for the big boxy supermarket of his hometown, a few choices exist in close proximity.

So whether you’re in search of a late-night snack or just looking for a biweekly food stop, here’s the 411 on nearby grocery options:

Oakland’s Ethnic Groceries

Veracruz Mexican Grocery

This colorful little hole in the wall will tide your habanero hot tooth over. Veracruz stocks mostly Mexican canned goods, but the freezers in the back also offer staples like cheese and eggs. The grocery has a hit-or-miss assortment of fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes and oranges, but fresh avocados and jalapenos make it a magnet for tex-mex addicts. And, of course, a bag of the authentic corn tortillas and a can of pico de gallo will make your back-to-school bash the talk of the neighborhood. Last of all, The Pitt News formally encourages your purchase of the establishment’s frijoles refritas; that is, if you live alone.

You will find Veracruz Mexican Grocery at the far end of Atwood Street, across from the beer distributor, between Bates and Semple Streets.

Groceria Merante

Not much bigger than Veracruz, this Italian grocer is, hands down, the best place to buy fresh vegetables in Oakland. Now owned by the third generation of the Merante family, the two sisters who own the place stock inexpensive, fresh produce. The majority of vegetables from June through October are locally grown.

Merante is the kind of place where you can leave the shopping list at home. As you walk in, you’ll see baskets of bargain-priced grapefruits, peaches, pineapples and lettuce heads. The question is not what to buy, but rather what not to buy. The shelves on the left hold bag-upon-jar of pasta and Italian olives. Besides the cultural fare, Merante also sells milk, eggs and fresh bread.

The back of the grocery houses a deli where you can pick up competitively priced slices of luncheon meats, a hit with local students. The deli also features a handful of spicy cheeses. So whether you’re on the hunt for some delectable cold cuts-maybe prosciutto or fontinella-or just some filler for your fruit bowl, be sure to check out Groceria Merante.

You can find Groceria Merante on the corner of Bates Street and McKee Place in Central Oakland. It opens at 9 a.m. seven days a week and closes at 5 p.m. on weekdays. It is open until 4 p.m. on Saturdays and noon on Sundays.

Salem’s

This pan-Middle East grocery is a hidden gem of Oakland. Although it caters mainly to Middle Eastern Pittsburghers, Salem’s offers a few unusual food products that might tickle your fancy. First of all, one should be aware that the food is halal, a designation that marks it as fit for Muslims and is similar to kosher for Orthodox Jews.

Salem’s deli has some of the freshest meat around, dealing exclusively with a butcher in nearby Washington, Pa. “We sell more lamb and goat than Giant Eagle,” owner Salem Mosoud claims. Salem’s is also probably the only store in Pittsburgh where you can buy boxed curry from Pakistan and stuffed vine leaves from Turkey.

In addition to the meat and canned goods, Salem’s serves hot lunches every day of the week – including falafel gyros and vegetable curry platters. Sarah Hnesh says the store has “the best grilled chicken sandwich around,” and regards her relation to the owner (she’s his neice) as immaterial. So forget about Uncle Sam’s and Subway for one day and stop by Salem’s.

Salem’s is on Bouquet Street kitty corner from the post office. It opens at 9 a.m. seven days a week, closing at 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Bombay Mart

Owned by the same people who own India Garden next door, this little store is a bit larger than the last three grocers. The store sells ready-to-eat Indian dishes, which is the main product that students purchase. Other than microwavable meals, Bombay Mart also sells fruit and an extensive series of Indian herbs and spices. Take special note of the coriander chutney, a spicy relish good on just about everything. So if you like samosas, mathi or rajma masala, or just crave some Indian food but don’t have the bills for India Garden, don’t forget about the grocery right next door.

Bombay Mart is on the 300 block of Atwood Street. It is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Sunday.

Seoul Mart

This Korean corner store carries a wide range of products, giving you the chance to cook your favorite dishes of pan-Asian cuisine. And from dried seaweed to spring roll paper, Seoul Mart has it all. Seoul Mart stocks an extensive array of frozen and dried goods, since it is geared mainly toward the Korean student population of Pitt and Carnegie Mellon. The freezers lining the periphery hold frozen bags of cuttle fish, mussels, mackerel filets and oysters, as well as shrimp and vegetable dumplings.

For the college student on the run, Seoul Mart also features the broadest contingent of instant soups around. And these soups aren’t just your bag of 10 cent Ramen. In the world of instant soups, Seoul Mart sells the Parises and Hong Kongs of noodle delicacies. These are instant soups your mother would be proud of.

Besides bagged goods, the Mart also retails vegetables, such as zucchini and potatoes and a thorough selection of Korean and Japanese teas. And, in the case that you’re already stuffed from the three aforementioned grocers, Seoul Mart has an entire corner dedicated to Korean Cinema. So take your pick!

Seoul Mart sits on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Neville.

Larger Supermarkets

Giant Eagle

This conventional supermarket offers the produce and selection that you are familiar with at your hometown food center. And above all, Giant Eagle is the supermarket that seems to have a near monopoly on the market for big food stores in Pittsburgh. There are two separate Giant Eagles in close proximity to Pitt’s campus.

Giant Eagle Market District in Shadyside

This franchise is in on Centre Avenue. You can reach it by taking the 71A from any stop on Fifth Avenue in Oakland. The Market District store has a wider selection of produce than most Giant Eagles, including a large selection of foreign foods. Of course, this supermarket is a little more expensive. It is open from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.

Giant Eagle in Squirrel Hill

This supermarket is probably the closest for most Oakland residents. With a smaller selection than the Shadyside Giant Eagle, it is also more affordable. But there is one major plus to Squirrel Hill’s incarnation – it’s open 24/7! You can reach it by taking any 61 Bus from Forbes Avenue in Oakland, as well as the 59U. Just get off at Murray Avenue, take a right, and walk three blocks.

Whole Foods

This bastion of organic fodder has its own location right up the street from Giant Eagle Market District on Centre Avenue. For vegans, vegetarians or organicvores, Whole Foods is the place to be. Whole Foods serves up a healthy dose of foreign fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Just catch the 71A and dismount at Giant Eagle Market District.