Nearly every Pitt student knows there is no grocery store in Oakland, leading to a food desert in the neighborhood thousands of students and locals call home. The new university-owned Forbes Street Market is still under construction and will not be open in the near future. Students looking for fresh produce, baked goods, somewhat reasonably priced specialty foods, or lunch that is not from somewhere on campus either have to pay exorbitant prices at Market to Go or travel to grocery stores outside of Oakland, which is difficult during the week and for those without a car or someone to drive them. The Pitt Farmers Market provides a weekly alternative to parts of this problem.
The Farmers Market takes places on Thursdays outside the William Pitt Union from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm during September and October. Run by the Office PittServes and University Dining, the Farmers Market is a wonderful place for students, faculty, and staff to grab a quick lunch or find a few groceries. Several vendors took part in last week’s market: La Palapa Cocina Gourmet Mexicana, The Pie Place, Panther Grille, Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream, SaludPGH, Zeke’s Coffee, and Revival Chili, as well as a local farm selling fresh fruit and vegetables. One of the nicest things about the Farmers Market is the ability for students to pay using Dining Dollars or Panther Funds. Students are able to use these payment options to purchase tokens accepted by all of the vendors or can pay in cash or with a credit card at each stand or truck individually.
I decided to get lunch at the La Palapa Cocina Gourmet Mexicana food truck and purchased tokens using Panther Funds. The menu consisted of tacos, quesadillas, and empanadas. Each item cost $3.75, but for $10 diners could choose any three. Fillings included beef, chicken, pork, and vegetables. After waiting in line for almost fifteen minutes I ordered a chicken taco, beef quesadilla, and beef empanada. It took another ten minutes for my food to be ready, but the wait and price were well worth it.
The chicken taco was served in a corn tortilla. The pulled chicken was tender and juicy and came on top of a bed of rice all inside the tortilla. It only took me four bites to finish and each was better than the next. The beef quesadilla came with cheese and was made with a flour tortilla that was pressed to perfection. Its melty and crunchy texture provided the perfect contrast to the soft taco. The beef empanada was the final piece of my lunch. Filled with a delicious ground beef and onion mixture, the empanada was fried to a crisp perfection. The interior of the dough was soft enough to soak up some of the juicy beef fat, which created a melt in your mouth texture. The meal was perfect for any lover of Mexican food.
The Pitt Farmers Market is a fun way for students to try food from local businesses outside of Oakland or pick up a few fresh groceries. Though there certainly could be more options, and cheaper ones at that, the Farmers Market is a nice addition to the campus food scene during the fall months.
Panther Eats 
I’ve walked by the market many times but always seem to be in a hurry and can’t spare the time to stop. I never knew that students could use dining dollars/panther funds. That seems very convenient! Now that I know what time and day the market runs, I’ll have to plan better to be able to finally pick up a few things.
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