Main Gate Square houses some great and not so great restaurants for college students to go and eat, study, and hang out at. My love for food and the three years that I spent at the UofA definitely have led me to culminate this list because I have spent so much time around the area that I would like to promote myself to the title of a Main Gate Square or University Blvd. area connoisseur. I promise that I am joking about the connoisseur part and wanted to say that this list is purely based off of my opinions. Also in the spirit of full disclosure, this isn't all of the restaurants in Main Gate, I have left some off of the list because I sadly haven't stopped at every single one of them and I don't want to give any false expectations or opinions of anything that I have never tried.
20. Jimmy John's
Always have to start somewhere I guess. No tea, no shade towards Jimmy John's but in my humble opinion there are other great options in the area to try other than this spot. It's not a bad option if you're super hungry and in a pinch during finals week and just want to get something handheld that'll be quick and fast. The one and only time I went I got the totally tuna which is a tuna salad, cucumber, lettuce, and tomato on a roll. But if you're looking to venture out of your Subway-esque comfort zone then I'd recommend trying one of the other places in the area.
19. Pei Wei Asian Kitchen
I've eaten here many times so once again I'm truly not trying to diss this place. I've also had Pei Wei in Orlando which is why this spot is at the bottom of my list and not towards the top. Although I do enjoy their pad thai, it is pretty mediocre and there are definitely better options out there. But just like Jimmy John's, when you're hungry and Main Gate is just a hop, skip and jump away then Pei Wei could totally be your place.
18. Campus Candy
I've walked past this spot on University Blvd., so many times but have only been in here a handful of times. There's definitely nothing wrong with Campus Candy and I feel bad grouping it at the bottom with the chain spots but it's just not for me. The place is a frozen yogurt and candy store which sets itself apart from the other restaurant destinations in main gate. My experience with the spot was getting a bag of candy with my friends that I ultimately never finished a couple of weeks into transferring to the UofA. My disinterest for candy/frozen yogurt is solely why Campus Candy is ranked at number eighteen.
17. Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins
I tried to explain the concept of food having nostalgia and symbolism to a person a couple of weeks ago except I don't think that I explained it well enough but fall once get back up. This spot on University reminds me of my second semester of sophomore year when I worked at the Daily Wildcat when I had to get up and go to our weekly staff meetings on Sunday morning on the complete opposite side of campus. After I went to the meetings I would go to this Dunkin' and grab a large iced vanilla latte from the spot and race to the streetcar to take it back to my dorm. This spot reminds me of the craziness that went on that semester from transferring and trying to get my groundings for my new life across the country. But as much as this place is a nostalgic reminder, I will always be a loyal Starbucks fan.
16. Chipotle
If you know me or have scrolled through my food instagram then it's pretty transparent that I love Chipotle. I've definitely contributed my fair share of money to the Chipotle establishment on University from spending a solid amount of time at this spot in between classes or just hanging out with friends. Not to sound too repetitive but this spot is mainly towards the bottom of the list because it once again is a fast-food chain and can be found elsewhere. If you are curious as to what my order is then it is the burrito bowl with black beans, white rice, steak, mild salsa, sour cream and cheese, and of course, guacamole.
15. Starbucks
This place as most of the others on the list, I have a lot of history with. My fond memories were going here after my 8 am creative professional communications class during my second semester of my senior year with my friend and just talking about the class and gossiping about people before I had to go to my internship and she had to go to her next class. It was kind of our morning ritual and fun thing to do and we'd just talk about the future and how excited we were to graduate and be done with school. My current go to are either the tall black tea with sweetener or the tall iced coffee with 1.5 pumps of sweetner. I have so many memories there and I love going to Starbucks but the chain restaurant aspect just sets this large coffee chain at number fifteen.
14. Panera Bread
Panera Bread mac and cheese is definitely one of the best fast-food chain restaurant mac and cheeses out there which is why it makes the number fourteen mark. This former Paradise Bakery location turned Panera Bread was definitely my home for countless lunches and dinners since it prominently resided right next to the building where the majority of my classes were. Some of my cult classic menu classics aside from the mac and cheese are the french onion soup, broccoli cheddar soup, or the caesar salad without chicken.
13. Pelio Grill
I've been to this spot once before with my parents but it was definitely not anything too exciting or enticing to go to. I believe that I just ordered tzatziki appetizer which is a creamy yogurt, fresh garlic, cucumber, dill, olive oil and lemon juice served with two pitas. The food was about average for the price and ambiance of the restaurant but nothing too notable. If you want to go elsewhere that is by the campus for great Greek food then I'd suggest going to the Greek House.
12. Caffe Luce
There are two locations, one on Congress and slightly off University but still in the Main Gate area by the Panera. When I was sick of drinking Starbucks or sometimes when I just wanted to sit and do work at a coffee shop near my classes I'd go here. The atmosphere is your typical locally owned coffee shop vibe but the space is pretty small. I would go and get my typical iced vanilla latte but had to take it to go because there wasn't usually a table to sit at because there usually was a decent amount of customers in such a small space. On the other hand the space on Congress is much larger and has a bigger option of beverages so if I had to pick one, I'd chose the spot on Congress.
11. Espresso
Hello Espresso, my old friend. Out of all of the spots on this list, I have probably spent the most time here. Espresso is a coffee shop and hookah bar that also is a bar during the evening. The coffee drinks are pretty good with different and interesting specialties that change every month. The good coffee and amount of time spent here probably makes you question why it's number eleven out of twenty on my list. The space is pretty small and confined unless you want to sit outside, which isn't too bad at night or further into the fall. The bar area is also pretty crowded with people regularly and overall the atmosphere is very dark with one singular natural light from the front and dark wood furniture around the cafe.
10. Woops!
This small sweet shop that specializes in macarons opened its doors during my senior year and has been thriving ever since. It's a very cutesy spot that like Campus Candy is different from its typical University competition. I went once before I went to Orlando just to check it out and got one cookies and cream, nutella, and vanilla macarons. They are pretty good but I'm really not the biggest macaron fan which is why this spot sits smack dab in the middle of the list. The spot is unique and adorable and would be great for people that want to try out a new dessert spot.
9. Gentle Ben's
This place and I have history. I remember going here on a first date with a boy and getting a caesar salad. I can't really remember much else about the date but I also came back later on with my dad and getting the soup and salad combination the second time. The menu is split into three other sections which are hamburgers, sandwiches, or Mexican food. My caesar salad was fine but I would opt to getting something else such as the carne tacos or the buffalo chicken sandwich. If beer is your drink of choice then come to this spot because Ben's is also a partner with the local craft beer company, Barrio Brewing Co. This sports bar is also the perfect place to watch the game or just eat a pizookie for dessert.
8. Fuku Sushi
As a sophomore, I looked at this spot with fascination as it was always crowded on Friday or Saturday nights as it is a sushi spot during the day and more of a bar at night. Since then I haven't experienced the location as a bar as University isn't my scene for bar hopping but I have eaten lunch there with a friend. I deeply regret not trying their sushi but I got the house salad which is romaine, spinach, and carrots topped with a house ginger dressing which was pretty typical for a house salad. Other recommendations would be the honor roll which is crab mix, avocado, topped with spicy tuna, crunch, eel sauce, and spicy mayo or the teriyaki bowls. They also have some American classic options such as chicken wings, popcorn chicken, or the California burger.
7. Saigon Pho
One of the unique things that I ate a lot when I was in college was pho. It was just one of those things that my friends liked and so I tried it because they enjoyed it. The menu is conveniently pasted on the wall behind the order counter with photos of all of the dishes so that you know what you're getting which is always a plus when you are new to Vietnamese cuisine. My go-to was the pho dac biet- beef rice noodle soup. This was a saigon style beef noodle soup with tender beef slices, brisket slices, and meatballs. Sweet onions and cilantro were served on the side and I would always try different flavor pairing with the different sauces on the table.
6. Sinbad's Restaurant
This spot is similar to Espresso that they are a hookah bar but is different that it is not a cafe and is more of a traditional restaurant. If you're more into the hookah and socializing then I would go to Espresso because there's more of a social atmosphere and the hookah is cheaper. For the dining portion, this spot has the best hummus appetizer that I've ever had and so I would totally recommend that to start off with. Other great options off of the menu are the beef aarayes which is a kafta kabob with with spices stuffed in a pita with hummus and pita or the chicken shawarma. Again, this place isn't necessarily the best spot on University for hookah if you want a social and busy atmosphere but if you want more of a chilled or relax spot then I'd recommend Sinbad's.
5. Scented Leaf Tea House and Lounge
I have so much history with this place that I would say Scented Leaf is in my top three places that I've been to the most on University. I went here a lot during my sophomore and early junior year because this is the place to stop, grab tea, and do work or catch up with a friend. This place will be extremely crowded with college students complaining about their large homework load and exhaustion during finals week. If you want to get away from that, the spot on Congress is slightly larger and definitely quieter than the spot closer to campus. They always have a new tea combination of the month but my two favorite specialty beverages are either the fruit bomb which is fruity teas, yerba mate, and lemon or the grasshopper which is nitro coffee, Moroccan mint, chai, dark chocolate almond milk, and cream. My overall favorite monthly specialty that you can also just order regularly is the orange creamsicle, or orange vanilla cream, honey vanilla nectar, and cream.
4. The Buffalo Spot
Deja vu? I wrote about this spot in my first, Tucson Restaurant Ideas of the Week, but since the Buffalo Spot is on University how could I not incorporate it onto my list. The buffalo fries are always the ultimate cheat day eat but for good reason since they are so tasty and satisfying. The fries come underneath with little boneless chicken bites that comes with your choice of sauce (I usually go with original hot) and their special sauce drizzled on top. Ultimately the fries will get soggy but the delicious combination of fries and chicken make me come back for more.
3. Illegal Pete's
This is another place that gives me a sense of nostalgia. I've been here with sororities sisters and family members but also have grabbed food here quickly for lunch because the food is so great. Pete's is like a smaller scale version of Chipotle with the assembly line style of Mexican style food creation but also has a bar on the other side and upstairs. My favorite dish to get are the nachos with grilled steak, white rice, black beans, sour cream, cheese, jalapeños, mild salsa, and guacamole. Other options are the quesadilla, burrito, burrito bowl, tacos, or salad. The happy hour for Pete's is from 3-8 p.m. daily and 11 p.m.-12 a.m. Thursday through Saturday so stop by and either enjoy the food or the drinks. I don't love Illegal Pete's more than Chipotle but if I had to choose one to eat on University then I would definitely go with Pete's.
2. Kababeque Indian Grill
Last summer when I was living way closer to campus I would go here all of the time. I went here with one of my friends during the school year and they got me hooked on the delicious food. The Indian food spot is pretty small and has average decor for a restaurant but the dishes are so flavorful and delicious that I'll always rave about this spot when I talk about it. My favorite thing that I get every time I go is the chicken tikka kabab, which is boneless cubed chicken marinated in Indian spices, grilled and served with lettuce and rice and it costs only $9.25 for a decent sized portion. I also get the sauces that are at the condiment bar to pour on top because it definitely enhances the already delicious flavor of the dish.
1. No Anchovies
Our countdown finally ends with my favorite spot on University... No Anchovies. Nestled right in between Frog & Firkin and Pasco, this pizza spot has my entire heart and won't share it like the last slice. My favorite pizza here is the hot wing pizza which comes with mozzarella, chicken marinated in hot sauce, bleu cheese and ranch with a side of ranch dressing. I also really love the chicken wings from here in 'MF Hot' flavor in addition to the pizza. Hot wing pizza and chicken wings are an excellent combination but there are other great pizza styles or sandwiches and salads off the menu. They also have loaded tots and fries on the menu with ketchup or ranch and plenty of different toppings and styles to choose from.