INTEL: Where to find desi pizza
…. in a Latham gas station?
In 2019, when I reviewed Masala House for the Times Union, I was impressed to find desi pizza — that’s pizza with Indian toppings from paneer to curry. You find it in the UK, Detroit, Cali + India, but isn’t something you see upstate. With Masala House closed, I hadn’t found another spot — until now.
Where can you get desi pizza? Head to One Dream in a Mobil Gas Station, Latham
Pull up to this shiny new Mobil on Columbia Street Ext. in Latham and treat yourself to take out lunch.
One Dream 616 Columbia Street Ext, Latham Visit
The 2024 revamp of this gas station made the Business Review for good reason: It’s near the $56 million Ayco headquarters and the reno plans included eight new technology fuel pumps, charging stations and 4,100-square-foot mini mart. Walking through its sliding doors feels space-agey even if you’re first met with all the usual vape, smoke, beer and car snacks you’d expect. But when the town didn’t approve an A&W Restaurant due to traffic concerns, owner Sandeep “Sunny” Singh, president of One Dream Properties, shifted to an in-house deli with fresh sandwiches and prepared foods. And this is where the desi pizza comes in.
“I went home to Punjab (northwestern India) and that’s where I first tried Indian pizza. I hadn’t had it before and I just thought maybe it was something I could do here. We’re starting off with chicken tikki masala in the sandwiches, wraps, paninis, and pizzas, but we have several more dishes like palek paneer and korma and if it’s popular we can add more.” - Sandeep Singh
To order in advance, there’s an app called Qwikserve. Otherwise, walk in and place your order on a touchscreen. You can (of course) get a standard egg-and-cheese breakfast sandwich or deli meat sandwiches, but click the button for Indian Cuisine and choose among palek paneer, korma or chicken tikka masala with basmati rice in small (28-oz) or large (38-oz) portions, or order desi sandwiches like a chicken tikka masala sandwich, panini, quesadilla, wrap or… yes… pizza. There are crisp samosas too. Place your order and head to the One Dream Cheese Melt Deli counter in the back of the store where your sandwich or pizza is made fresh to order. Pick up some OJ or a tub of Bart’s Mass Mocha ice cream while you wait.
Singh’s family own 15 gas stations in the area. This location is the only Mobil and the only one with food. Their other gas stations vary from Mobil to Sunoco and Gulf in cities as widespread as Buffalo or Whitehall, near Lake George. One Dream Latham opened in November 2024.
