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7 of the Best College Town Restaurants and Why Students Love Them

Sep 1st 2017 - Guest Blog, 

7 of the Best College Town Restaurants and Why Students Love Them

7 of the Best College Town Restaurants and Why Students Love Them

As thousands of college freshman arrive to campus and bid farewell to life under their parents’ roofs, they’ll be overwhelmed with an insatiable desire to explore. After making new friends in the dorm, they’ll soon check out the campus from end to end. It’s at this point that they’ll discover the dining hall’s offerings likely pale in comparison to the home cooking they’ve grown so accustomed to. The next logical step is to see what food’s available off campus. What they discover varies from school to school, but most colleges have a special restaurant or two that is just part of the culture. The following list is comprised of college restaurants that are thoroughly ingrained in the fabric of their local institutions.

Louis Family Restaurant - Brown University - Providence, RI 

louis family restaurant

Although Louis Family Restaurant has a rich history that includes visits from JFK, Steven Spielberg, and George Harrison, the classic old-school diner mostly serves locals and Brown University students. Featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, the restaurant was praised for its unique barbecued chicken ravioli and granola pancakes.

Louis Family Restaurant has been family owned and operated for over 60 years. Open from 5AM-3PM daily, the food joint’s early opening time is directly responsible for inspiring the “Louis Challenge.” The Louis Challenge has become a time-honored, Brown University tradition in which students pull all-nighters to grab breakfast as soon as the restaurant opens.

Bat 17 - Northwestern University - Evanston, IL

 

bat 17 northwestern

This modern bar/sandwich shop combines a stylish décor with delicious food and an enormous selection of beers. Voted best restaurant in 2017 by The Daily Northwestern for a fifth-straight year, Bat 17 is best-known for its giant burgers and vegetarian offerings. Using locally-sourced ingredients and keeping 19 beers on tap, the versatile restaurant is perfect for nearly any occasion.  

Not at all ashamed of its Northwestern roots, Bat 17 is decked out in Wildcat paraphernalia and frequently shows the university’s televised sports games. While it might be a little pricey for some students, the restaurant is more than worth it according to the multitude of repeat customers who swear by it.

Helen’s Roast Beef & Pizzeria - Tufts University - Medford, MA

helen's roast beef & pizzeria

While Tufts might not have the name recognition of some its neighbors like Harvard and Boston College, it is the only school that can claim Helen’s Roast Beef & Pizzeria as its own. Despite striving to offer a mix of healthy Mediterranean and American cuisine, Helen’s is best-known for its Blue Zone—a buffalo chicken calzone with Ken’s blue cheese dressing and a secret blue zone sauce. The go-to meal for students after a night out at the bars, the blue zone becomes a highly sought-after commodity on campus during early morning weekend hours.  

Helen’s Roast Beef & Pizzeria only uses fresh ingredients that have been purchased locally. Open from 11AM-3AM seven days a week, the restaurant delivers until 2:30AM. While the family-operated restaurant has only been open since in 1996, it has already entrenched itself as part of Tufts University lore.

Collegetown Bagels - Cornell University - Ithaca, NY

collegetown bagels

With several locations throughout Ithaca, Collegetown Bagels has been a place for students to eat bagels, drink coffee, and study for tests since 1976. While the bagel shop only offered bagels and cream cheese at the time of its opening, it did not take long before it grew into the juggernaut it is today. Collegetown Bagels offers a wide range of quirkily-named breakfast sandwiches, deli sandwiches, paninis, smoothies, and more.

The owners of the bagel joint attribute their success to the staff, which is representative of the entire Ithaca community—from locals to high school students to college students. That community-oriented approach spills over into the procurement of ingredients. Committed to green business practices, the forward-thinking bagel shop strives to give local farmers and suppliers priority when it comes to purchasing fresh ingredients.

 

Zingerman’s Delicatessen - University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI 

zingermans delicatessen

The University of Michigan is renowned for its abundance of delicious food offerings throughout Ann Arbor. By all accounts, Zingerman’s Delicatessen is indispensable as any. Satisfying the appetites of thousands of students each year, this historic deli is located across the street from the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market. The deli is a lot smaller than you’d think, but that doesn’t stop it from making a big impact.

A self-proclaimed Ann Arbor institution, Zingerman’s filled an important void around the school’s campus when it was co-founded by a University of Michigan alum in 1982. Today, the deli offers a wide range of unique sandwiches in addition to beverages and desserts. A large part of the local community, Zingerman’s Delicatessen hosts food-related events each month. The arrival of September will bring the 32nd Annual Fiesta de España, which will teach attendees how to cook traditional Paella.


Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Syracuse University - Syracuse, NY

This legendary barbecue joint first opened in Syracuse in 1988. Following its success, the restaurant promptly became a chain and popped up in several other cities. Although Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is beyond walking distance from the Syracuse campus, its location has never deterred students from piling into cars with the goal of achieving barbecue bliss. The restaurant rarely disappoints.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is also a biker bar, so don’t be surprised when you see a bunch of motorcycles lined up out front. With interior decorating that features a retro theme, the bar often hosts live music. The kitchen utilizes a wood-fueled barbecue to cook succulent ribs and BBQ chicken. The restaurant tends to get crowded—especially when school’s in session—so try to get there on the early side.

Lyn’s Food Truck - University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA

lyn's food truck - upenn

For years, Lyn’s Food Truck has been providing UPenn students with the fuel they need to handle an Ivy League course load. Students from all over campus flock to Lyn’s—located between 36th and Spruce near the lower quad gate—to consume the food truck’s tasty all-day breakfast items. The classic bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich is always the best seller, but an assortment of other creative options are also available.

The food truck gets its name from its owner—Lyn, a gregarious woman who has a gift for remembering faces and custom orders. While students will never be able to get enough of the delicious sandwiches offered at Lyn’s Food Truck, it’s also the friendly service provided by Lyn that keeps them always coming back for more. The truck is open for business M-F from 7AM-3PM.

Each college has its own unique culture and tradition. The local food joints that have stood the test of time are special. Students come and go, but they’re all connected by the same experience of dining a particular restaurant.