The student-friendly eatery Pasta-In-A-Box is the latest restaurant to grace Telegraph Avenue, offering students a cheap and quick bite between classes.
The privately owned restaurant — located at 2384 Telegraph Ave. — opened its doors on Saturday, serving customers sandwiches, salads and its specialty pastas for as little as $3.60 a box.
“We are located right next to campus, and with students always on the go, putting the pasta in a box makes it easier to manage,” said employee Alexander Viera.
Furthermore, Pasta-In-A-Box is set apart by how much control the customer has over the order, Viera said.
“Pasta-In-A-Box is not just a menu with options,” Viera said. “Here, you can choose the pasta, the sauce and the meat — it was meant to cater to the customer.”
Roland Peterson, executive director of the Telegraph Business Improvement District, said the eatery’s launch — along with the other business openings on Telegraph Avenue — is a positive change for the area, which was devastated after the November fire that closed down Cafe Intermezzo and Raleigh’s Bar and Grill.
“It definitely shows that it is a district that has a lot of potential and that entrepreneurs are interested in,” he said.
Despite featuring similar options on its menu, the Italian eatery Pasta Bene does not see Pasta-In-A-Box as competition. Rather, the store may even be beneficial for Pasta Bene by attracting people to the area, said Pasta Bene manager Ladan Jalani.
“It might attract others to the area, and we hope they do well,” she said.
For UC Berkeley senior Bichen Wang, the restaurant’s affordability makes it an attractive option for dining.
“My friend and I were just talking about what would be the next fast food trend, and then they opened this place,” he said. “It’s a pretty good deal for $5.”
Contact Andrea Guzman at [email protected].
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It is nice to get some better options than just more cafes.