By SUSAN JONES
If chicken is what you crave, then Oakland is apparently the place to be.
Two new chicken-focused restaurants — Layne’s Chicken Fingers, which opened recently on Forbes, and Raising Cane’s, which is set to open on Fifth in October — will join Chick-Fil-A at the Pete, The Roost at the Cathedral and, of course, CHiKN on Forbes.
Chicken not your thing? Don’t worry, there are plenty of other options on and off campus in Oakland.
Pick your chicken
Raising Cane’s, which will open later this semester where the Thirsty Scholar used to be, seems to be getting all the attention when it comes to those who want their chicken tenders. But Layne’s, located on the corner of Forbes Avenue and Atwood Street, has the benefit of opening first (a grand opening was held Sept. 1).
The Oakland location of Layne’s is just the second one outside of its home base in Texas. Sorry, Panthers, Morgantown won this one, with a location opening next to WVU in June. Founded in 1994 in College Station, Texas (home of Texas A&M), there are just 12 locations now, with three more “coming soon” in Texas, and possibly more locations being added in Pittsburgh. The company bills itself as “Soon to be Famous.”
Layne’s offers marinated chicken tenders (original or spicy), that come in different size meals, with crinkle cut fries, Texas toast, a drink and sauce. The tenders also can be on a sandwich or in a wrap. Sauces include gravy, jalapeno or buttermilk ranch, honey mustard, BBQ and “Layne’s Sauce,” most likely a mix of mayonnaise, ketchup and spices. And there’s grilled cheese and milkshakes for the non-chicken lovers.
Raising Cane’s was founded in Baton Rouge, La., on the premise of just selling chicken fingers. Though started two years after Layne’s in 1996, it has spread much farther. There are now more than 700 locations. The store along Fifth Avenue will be only the second Cane’s in Pennsylvania (this time State College has Oakland beat). The Cane’s website says the Oakland location will open on Oct. 10.
The restaurant’s only entrée is chicken fingers, which come with sides of crinkle cut fries, Texas toast, cole slaw, a drink and Cane’s Sauce, also reportedly a mix of mayonnaise, ketchup and spices. You also can get the chicken fingers in a sandwich.
CHiKN’s claim to fame — other than being a locally created restaurant linked to nearby Stack’d — is it serves Nashville hot chicken. The Roost (with hot, grilled and crispy chicken) in the basement of the Cathedral was a Pitt Eats-run replacement when chicken-selling behemoth Chick-fil-A, which has more than 2,600 locations, moved to the Petersen Events Center in 2020. The only thing missing is a KFC, but you can find one of those not too far from campus in Wilkinsburg.
Just Walk Out
The new Just Walk Out market on the ground floor of Towers is apparently powered by magic. (OK, it’s just sophisticated Amazon technology, but for non-engineering types it might as well be magic.)
You’ll need to download the Transact mobile ordering app for Pitt Eats. There’s a QR code outside the store to link to it or you can download it from the Pitt Eats website. Then you can link a credit card to it or use Panther Funds or Pitt Cash (Pitt login required).
Pull up the Just Walk Out QR code on the app, scan on the machine to the right of the entrance, then the gate will swing open and let you in. The store has basically the same stuff the Market at Towers had before the switch — from cereal to sandwiches to ice cream and frozen meals. If you pick up something, then decide not to buy it, you need to return it to the same location. The shelves have weight sensors to know when items have been removed.
Once you’re done, like the name says, just walk out. You’ll get an email of your receipt in the app within about 30 minutes and one can be sent to your personal email.
The store will be open 24/7 while school is in session, said Steve Schurr, resident district manager for Compass USA, Pitt’s dining provider. There will be a staff person at the store during all open hours. “Their role will include stocking the store, helping customers understand how the store works, and troubleshooting as needed,” he said.
Schurr said so far the reception to the store has been positive, with “lots of engagement and excitement around the technology.”
Any customer who encounters an issue using the Market, such as being charged for something they didn’t buy, can send an email to Pitt Eats at PittEats@pitt.edu for a prompt resolution, he said.
New offerings on campus
Live Fresh Cold Pressed Juice & Smoothie Bar is open in The University Store on Fifth. It’s the fourth location for the Pittsburgh-based business. It offers green, root and citrus juices, acai bowls, superfood smoothies, juice cleanses and more.
Panera Bread Café opened in Alan Magee Scaife Hall in June, as part of the fully renovated building.
Panther Alley is coming soon in the space between Hillman Library and Posvar Hall Quad. It will include an enclosed seating are, the Smokeland BBQ food truck, and another new dining concept.
Steel City Kitchen is a new addition at the Petersen Events Center. It offers chicken sandwiches (of course), classic subs and sandwiches and flatbreads.
The Delicatessen is open to students, faculty and staff outside of the Eatery in Litchfield Towers. It offers pita sandwiches, grain bowls and hummus bowls, with all items kosher and halal certified.
The Eatery, Pitt’s largest dining hall, is undergoing a phased renovation, which began this summer and is expected to be completed by fall 2024. This summer’s work in the Towers facility focused on the back of the house. The Eatery will remain open for service, with different dining concepts coming on and offline throughout the process.
In addition, Pitt has taken a couple steps to help students and others experiencing food insecurity. New food delivery lockers in the Litchfield Towers lobby can be used for mobile orders, grocery deliveries from Forbes Street Market, and for food insecurity meal deliveries, which will look like any other food delivery. Also, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are now accepted at Forbes Street Market.
Coming soon off campus
Pilez, a restaurant based on the “Garbage Plate” concept popular in Rochester, N.Y., is set to take over the space on Atwood Street where Mad Mex got its start. According to visitRochester.org: A traditional Garbage Plate is a choice of cheeseburger, hamburger, white or red hots (aka hot dogs), Italian sausage, chicken or grilled cheese, served on top of any combination of home fries, French fries, baked beans, and/or macaroni salad. The plate is usually topped with a Rochester-style meat “hot sauce.”
Stew Wood Fired Fusion has put up a sign and a liquor license application at 212 Oakland Ave. — the space that held Fuel and Fuddle for 27 years. Pittsburgh Magazine reports that, “The people behind The Colombian Spot, are taking over the Oakland Avenue space where they will specialize in homemade stews and other comfort foods with European and Latin American flair.”
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
Have a story idea or news to share? Share it with the University Times.