Indian

India Garden

328 Atwood St.

(412) 682-3000

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Oakland residents don’t need to… India Garden

328 Atwood St.

(412) 682-3000

$$

Oakland residents don’t need to book expensive plane tickets to experience India – they just need to take a hike down Atwood Street.

Bikkram “Bikki” Kochher, owner and operator of India Garden, runs the restaurant with the help of his nephew. They are proud to serve “modern Indian” food, which is typical of what you would find in a city in northern India.

The menu is made up largely of different varieties of spiced vegetables, and the restaurant stays open until 1 a.m. every morning with a half-price menu after 11 p.m.

– Eric Miller

India Palace Cuisine

4519 Centre Ave.

(412) 687-0515

$

Maybe you live in North Oakland and you’re hungry. Or maybe you’re sick of loud pop music while you’re trying to eat your dinner. Either way, if you like Indian food, there’s a place for you right above Craig and Centre avenues. India Palace is never too noisy or crowded; in fact, there’s a relaxing hush to the place, and the clientele is varied, from soccer moms to your lit professor.

The restaurant offers a good lunch buffet during the week and a versatile menu for dinner – and, like other Indian restaurants, India Palace operates on the one-to-10 spicy scale. It’s sparsely but neatly decorated, and the neon “open” sign in the window places it squarely in Oakland. Plus, they offer a 10 percent student discount. So come on and give the pizza a rest already. – Heather Bowlan

Prince of India

3614 Fifth Ave.

(412) 687-0888

$$

Pitt students seeking dinner rarely travel Fifth Avenue except for the occasional fast food run. This is unfortunate because one of Oakland’s culinary treasures, the Prince of India, is located on Fifth, between Meyran and Atwood.

Always smelling of traditional Indian curries, Prince of India is a treat for the lover of flavorful Indian food. The biryani, a fried rice dish by which Indian restaurants can be reliably judged, is moist and coated in delicious spices. Also excellent is the lamb pasanda, a nutty curry-like dish. And don’t miss the chicken makhini, with juicy pieces of chicken and a creamy tomato curry.

Holding down the early end of Oakland’s half-price smorgasbord, Prince of India offers cheap dining from 7 to 10 p.m., allowing a thrifty student to get a good dinner for half-price before nightly study time. And, in the middle of the day, Prince of India’s lunch buffet is an affordable all-you-can-eat treat.

– Greg Heller-LaBelle

Star of India

412 S. Craig St.

(412) 681-5700

$$

The understated elegance of linen-covered tables, artfully folded napkins, burgundy decor and soft lights help make Star of India the swankiest Indian-cuisine restaurant in Oakland.

Star of India’s menu reflects the numerous cuisines of India, from shrimp biryani to chicken asharj. The wide selection of breads is wonderful as well. Many dishes are authentically prepared in a traditional tandoor. A hearty and tasty lamb and potato vindaloo can really beat the chill of a cool Pittsburgh evening.

The staff is helpful and knowledgeable about the dishes and keeps your water glass filled when you’ve ordered a spicy curry.

Star of India serves a lunch buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Alcohol is BYOB, and there is a minimal charge for extra glassware.

– Dawn Diehl

Swagath

121 Oakland Ave.

(412) 688-8737

$

Need to satisfy your vegetable, tofu and rice cravings somewhere close to campus for cheap? Head to Swagath for reasonably priced vegetarian and nonvegetarian fare.

Swagath features a generously sized menu of full South Indian meals and appetizers, which are available for dine-in or take-out. If you’re not in the mood for a sizeable dish of piping hot vegetables and rice biryani, Swagath also offers some harder-to-find cold drinks that include lassi, a shake made with fruit and yogurt, and sweeter-than-sweet mango juice. This restaurant also serves a weekday lunch buffet.

Along with superb food, service and prices, Swagath is perhaps one of the most comfortable places to dine in Oakland. With its hardwood floors and basmati rice sacks hanging from the walls, Swagath provides a toasty warm atmosphere where one can enjoy a satisfying meal while watching the world go by.

– Toni Bartone