Big Mama's Burritos

Big Mama's Burritos is one of Ohio University's treasures. It is a local burrito shop where you can purchase just about any type of burrito. Their menu offers a ton of variety, you can get just about any type of burrito that you want. Their location is also ideal. They are located right in the middle of Court Street so you could be passing it at any time. Their hours are also extremely convenient, they are open late which gives everyone a chance to get there and have a great burrito! 

Everyone loves Big Mamma's Burritos. It has been a successful business in Athens for some time now. Even there is a Chipotle right down the street, people still go to Big Mamma's. It has flourished here and won't be slowing down any time soon. Big Mamma's is a great place for a a late night snack or burrito at any time during the day!

Chipotle: The ALL Natural Mexican Grill

There is no better feeling then taking your taste buds to Chipotle.  As soon as you walk in you get the smell of freshly cooked chicken, and the wonderful aroma of steak on the grill.  Chipotle is never empty and the food never disappoints.  Whether it is a normal dinner, or you decide to go before a fun night out, Chipotle will always be there to fulfill your needs. 

            Located in the heart of Athens, Chipotle is not a far walk for any student.  But because of the size of the building and the number of customers Chipotle attracts at one time, finding a seat can be difficult.  Also the length of the line during the height of dinnertime is guaranteed to almost be out the door.  Chipotle is a wonderful place to sit and converse with friends over a good-sized burrito, but it is definitely not the best place to bring a book and read. 

There are customers roaming everywhere trying to scavenge a seat, or trying to get in line. The best adjective to describe the atmosphere in Chipotle is hectic.  But once you take the first bite of your burrito or your bowl, you will not regret spending the time waiting in line and dealing with all of the commotion around you. 

When it comes to Athens and the college atmosphere that it provides, Chipotle is a wonderful addition.  Chipotle gives students the ability to enjoy a perfectly cooked meal and for a good price.  It’s a great hangout place even though it closes early in the night.  We go about once a week with our friends and it's the perfect escape from the repetitive food that the dining halls serve.  All in all, Chipotle is a perfect fit for the hungry Athens.

 By: Doug Sidwell and Zach Robbins           

The Athens Pyramids

      As you walk down the brick paths of Court Street, you'll come in contact with a wide variety of shops anywhere from the Import House to Big Mama's Burritos, Fluff Bakery to The Pigskin. But as you walk towards the end of Court Street and turn onto Mill Street, you'll come across one of the "chillest" spots on campus: The Athens Pyramids. 
      Located at 5 Mill Street, The Athens Pyramids is the campus's local hookah bar. The Pyramids is the only hookah bar located in Southeastern Ohio (primarily because of the Ohio smoking ban, which The Pyramids was grandfathered in under). Its rarity makes it a big hit with young adults from all around the area. There have been a handful of people, both smokers and non-smokers, who have driven quite a distance just to spend a few hours at this little-hole-in-the-wall shop. That's right, you don't have to be a smoker to benefit from this hookah bar. There are usually non-smokers there that also come to this lounge just to collect themselves and enjoy the different atmosphere.

Open Mic Night - Wednesdays Evenings

      After your eyes adjust to the smokey, barely lit room and your nostrils begin to fill with the overwhelming smell of flavored tobacco, all your worries seem to be left at the door. The walls are wooden with various Egyptian items painted around the room. The lights are usually dimmed, allowing customers to reach full relaxation. The overstuffed sofas are arranged around in the room in a way that almost forces you to interact with the group of people sitting next to you.


      Most people who visit the hookah bar are extremely laid back, a nice change from the hectic scenes of Court Street. Not only is everyone easy going, but they're usually incredibly friendly. It's not unlikely that you'll strike up a conversation with the people smoking across from you. The conversations going on around the room are usually kept at a minimal volume, allowing you to enjoy to the music playing over the speakers. Even though most people come in small groups of four to five, it's not unusual to see someone smoking alone, enjoying the relaxing atmosphere to themselves.

DJ Mike Blau - Saturday Evenings

      The Pyramids allow their customers to simply enjoy time to themselves. Even though the hookah bar's primary function is a place of relaxation, it also offers a wide variety of events everyday of the week: 
Monday - Movie Madness
Tuesday - Buy Two, Get One Free
Wednesday - Open Mic
Thursday - Comedy in the Round
Friday - Karaoke with DJ Marshall
Saturday - DJ Mike Blau with Laser Lights
Sunday - Study Tables


      The Athens Pyramids allows their customers, which are primarily students, the chance to escape their hectic schedules and simply knock off some steam; whether they smoke or not. This shows that even though Ohio University was voted "The Number One Party School," there are still places located on campus for those people who enjoy a more down-to-earth scene, rather than a raging party. 

The One & Only - Bagel Street Deli

Athens, Ohio, home of Ohio University, has many unique stores and restaurants that offer Bobcat students a number of options.  Many of these are found uptown on Court Street, which happens to be the home of the one and only Bagel Street Deli!  The tiny building that the deli resides in is the final piece to the Court Street puzzle.  A slender building that escapes the eye of those not searching offers an exciting surprise for those who find it.  Although the dull exterior deceives what waits inside, the unparalleled interior creates an atmosphere distinct to Ohio University students.  The trademark bricks of Athens make up the exterior and interior walls, ensuring its fit in the community.  To distinguish itself from other Athens’ competition, Bagel Street Deli allows its customers to cover the walls in chalk and personal art creations made of the tinfoil that their meal is served in.  The art creations express students’ interest, from music to personal designs.  Customers can admire or add to this art form while sitting on rather high stools that surround mosaic table tops.

At the front of the shop, a bulletin board covered in flyers and promotions appeals to the average customers, which tend to be students.  The majority of workers are students as well, so the interaction between people within in the deli is definitely laid-back and casual.  This is reflected in the atmosphere and customer behaviors.  Despite the expectations of a typical deli, along with the apparently dull exterior, Bagel Street Deli is typically boisterous and upbeat.  Along with the customers freely socializing around the unique tables, workers behind the counter shout out orders to one another and welcome each and every customer with enthusiasm ringing in their voices.  Do not be mistaken, however, by believing it to be complete chaos! The energetic vibes does not lead to a lack of respect amongst customers.  There is still an understood courtesy within the lively atmosphere.

Special events within the deli are a part of what makes this place attractive.  A customer favorite event is the pickle eating competition.  This comprises of students eating as many pickles as possible in ten minutes.  Another bulletin board toward the back of the store displays photos of participating customers.  Besides the fun features, Bagel Street offers food that is not only delicious but also affordable.  These reasonable prices are part of the attraction with the average customers being budget-restrained college students.  At any time of the day, customers can order a bagel to their liking from the extensive menu.  With a selection of up to 74 types of bagel sandwiches, the deli’s clientele are guaranteed to find something to satisfy their craving. Whether the need be for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, customers are always assured a fresh, made-to-order meal!  

Bagel Street Deli is a great example of how Athens community recognizes the need for the majority of its customers to be able to afford a decent meal because, let’s face it, the dining halls can only offer so much!  It also exemplifies the way in which Athens residents customize the atmospheres to fit the characteristics of Ohio University students.  Next time you are passing through Athens, Ohio be sure to stop in - It will be worth the search!

China Panda Adventure - George Peck and Dan Roy

China Panda (East State St.) - Simply the best

China Panda is located on East State St, a short while away from campus. It is a small sit-down restaurant tucked away in a large complex. The inside is inviting and contains smooth, earthly colors. The aroma of fresh chinese food fills the air. 

China Panda attracts all types of customers because Chinese food is food for everyone. The customers included people from a number of ethnic backgrounds. The atmosphere inside was mellow (a sunday evening feel), with some spurts of laughter due to the delicious food.

Mmmmmmm

China panda provides Athens with a good Chinese restaurant. It offers affordable, high quality sushi. A good way to describe the restaurant is a cross between Chinese/Japanese and American culture. 

China Panda offers a unique dining experience unlike other chain restaurants in Athens. It is not your average chain restaurant on court street (Chipotle, Wendy's, Jimmy Johns, etc..). China Panda exemplifies the diversity and acceptance of all kinds of people in the Athens community. 

Exploring Athens: Big Mamma's Burritos

Students at Ohio University love their local burrito joint, Big Mamma’s. Located in the heart of Ohio University, both students and residents of Athens enjoy eating at this small, thriving business. Big Mamma's Burritos is a Mexican restaurant on Court Street. 


Big Mamma's  is well known in the Ohio University community, and has has been referred to as Athens's better version of the national franchise Chipotle. This restaurant speaks to the culture of Athens because it takes something that has already been done, but finds its own way to make it better. By offering a much wider variety of choices to make their signature burritos, Big Mamma's has expanded what people have expected from the average mexican fast food dish, and this has drawn a crowd. A crowd that makes a huge showing very late at night since Big Mamma's stays open until 3AM which is much later than some of the other places on campus. 


The atmosphere of the restaurant really shows what makes it different from the other more commercial places to eat on campus like a Wendy's or Subway. There are chalk writings on boards all over the walls, instructions on how to order their specialty food, and signs that say things like "Safe Place" plastered around the establishment. It is small which gives it a very home-like quality and music ranging from Beyonce to MGMT is always upbeat and blasting. Big Mamma's injected the very close knit feeling that the community of Athens has into the place where they serve their food. 


When you walk into Big Mamma's Burritos, you expect to walk out with a full stomach. This local burrito shop is a better alternative than other chains like Chipotle which is coincidentally located not a minutes walk south on Court Street. Service is extremely quick and easy if its not a busy Friday or Saturday night but even then hardcore burrito appreciators will wait in line to get favorites like the Philly Mamma or the Buffalo Mamma. 


Burritos are fairly priced at six dollars for a full sized burrito or half that for a mini burrito for the customer who only wants a snack. In my opinion, as a poor college student, Big Mamma's is the way to go to fulfill your hunger because it is cheaper and quicker than Chipotle. My personal favorite order is the Chipotle Ranch Mamma with a soft drink. Other than burritos, Big Mamma's offers an array of tastes from south of the boarder such as nachos, guacamole, churritos, and tamales. 

Big Mamma’s is a wonderful addition to Court Street because nothing else is like it, similar to Ohio University.


-Adrienne Green, Jarrod Dowalter, and Maggie Valerio

Union Street Diner, An Athens Staple

Union Street Diner is as Athens as they come.  It is a place where you can walk in and just feel invited right away.  Right when you walk in there are tables and a cash register and a host dressed in a simple USD t-shirt that greets you with a genuine "hey how you guys doin?" and takes you to your seat.

USD as it's commonly referred to is the ultimate breakfast place to go no matter what time of the day.  It's open 24/7!  Which is great for the drunk college students on weekends or the people of Athens who want a great warm breakfast before a days work.  USD attracts anyone who is looking for a good ole country style breakfast to enjoy by themselves or a big group of friends.


This place just oozes small town simplicity from its simple tables and chairs, to the pictures up on their walls.  It's one of the places that every town needs, where you can go and just grab a newspaper and coffee and sit back and relax.  This place is so important to the Athens community and OU students; without it there isn't a breakfast place like it open 24 hours a day.

Donkey Coffee and Espresso

If you enjoy grabbing a great cup of coffee while you study, then Donkey’s Coffee and Espresso is the best place to be.

As you walk up Washington Street, the smell of fresh brewed coffee immediately takes over the fresh air smell of Athens, Ohio. If you follow the strong coffee scent, you will find yourself at the front door of Athen’s very unique coffee shop. The front is painted with many warm and vibrant colors that make Donkey’s Coffee Shop look like it could belong to one of the major streets of Italy. Flower baskets hang from the story above and below them is a great little patio with tables for anyone to enjoy their beverage or reading on a warm sunny day.

But what if it’s cold outside?

Student’s whom enjoy this venue say that being inside is virtually the best place to concentrate on a good read or study. On the inside, Donkey’s is consistent with their Italian Coffee Shop look as their interior walls are filled with warm colors, extravagant paintings and photographs. The numerous comfortable couches and tables make up for the very little space to walk around in. The bi-story building makes up for this lost space too, however, as there is a whole second floor that consists of study tables, board games, and an outdoor patio. Finding a table to study at Donkey’s might in fact be a hard task to accomplish as students populate the Coffee Shop from open until close.

Donkey’s Coffee Shop is populated with both International and American students looking to get their next ‘A’ on a paper or exam. The atmosphere here is very calm, relaxing, warm, and quiet. Almost the exact perfect place to open up a book and read.

What’s so good about Donkey’s Coffee anyway?

Their variety in coffee! With over 25 flavored coffees and numerous mouthwatering pastries to choose from, it is almost impossible to find a dissatisfied customer. Even students who don’t drink coffee find themselves here because it truly is a great place to study. With “Coffee House Pandora” music playing in the background and comfortable seating throughout, many focused students find themselves coming back to Donkey’s Coffee and Espresso. Having this shop located in Athens shows the community that we can bring any foreign atmosphere (Italy for this example) onto our campus, and our students will more than likely enjoy it.

Discovering Donkey Coffee

Written by Dylan Sams and Brooke Baldi

Photos by Brooke Baldi

One of the best places to be in Athens is Donkey Coffee & Espresso. Walk inside, and a lot of things will hit you at once. First, you’ll feel how warm it is. Not just the temperature, this is a place that is inviting and feels like the building itself wants you here. All of this before you get your cup of coffee (or tea). Both are exceptional, and feel free to experiment with all the different drink options. Also, don’t forget to try the pizza rolls.

Each wall is adorned with different
decorations

Come into Donkey and you’ll see lots of different people, students, townspeople, businessmen/women, musicians, artists, writers, anything you can imagine. This is a place for friends to gather, whether they just want to sit and chat, catch a musical performance, or perhaps see a play.

There are also many opportunities for people to get to perform at two different open mics. The first one, on Tuesdays is called Designated Space, and it is for spoken word performances. People can come in, read poetry either they have written or admire, or just talk about whatever is on their mind. Thursdays are the days for the musicians to try their hands at open mics. Anyone can sign up at all different skill levels. Both of these exist to give people a hand at trying to perform, as well as entertainment for people during the week.

Bruce Dalzell and Matt Moore performing at Donkey Coffee

Friday and Saturday nights are times for performances of many kinds, from well-established Athens musicians, to student plays by the Lost Flamingo Company, to Spoken Word exhibitions. It all depends on what’s scheduled for the weekend. Chances are there will be something for you to enjoy here at Donkey, so come up to Washington to experience a coffee house with something to offer for pretty much anybody, it is well worth the visit.

Nothing Like A Good View

    In Athens shops range from your local and family owned store to the traditional chain restaurants known around the world.  The shop we choose to visit was "Whits Frozen Custard", located on the corner of Court street and Union.  Our first impression of Whits was the comforting and welcoming atmosphere that made it easy to talk with friends.  The furniture and colors used to decorate the inside are visually appealing and inviting.  From the velvet couches to the spectacular 180 degree view, there is nothing like it in Athens.  The natural lighting combined with the dimmed lights inside make it for easy reading and homework.  Whits offers a wide variety of coffee making the customers coming back for more.  They also offer popular favorites like the coney dog and the banana split.  There are always people there but the wait is never more than a few minutes.

      This is the perfect place to catch up and reconnect with old friends.  Customers vary from kids who want a delicious treat to businessmen reading the newspaper.  The location is ideal and convenient for those looking for some coffee on the way to class or work.  Whits also has chairs outside letting people enjoy the beautiful weather.  

                      

        Whits fulfills the community needs by creating an environment for the visiting family and also the college student.  Families love getting custard there after shopping in the hot sun at the local university stores.  You can accomplish many things here and most importantly a good time.  Whits is only one of a few ice cream/custard shops in Athens.  It satisfies peoples taste buds, one lick at a time.

By: Garrett Couche and Spencer Geissel

Good Food Late At Night

          As many of you know there are countless places to eat here at Ohio University.  We have the typical Wendy's and Chipotle that can be found in every city around the country.  There are also those little hidden gems that many students do not even realize we have here in Athens.  I've walked passed Uptown Grill countless times without stopping, probably because of their nontraditional style of serving food to the public.  Uptown Grill's unusual way of serving food is probably one of their best traits.  One that shows people a unique side of what Athens has to offer.  What other restaurant can you think of that will allow you to walk right up and have you food grilled to order right in front of you?  None and I know they’re still faster than any other fast food establishment in the Athens city limits. 

          One of the great benefits of Uptown Grill is their hours they are perfectly setup for the OU student on the go who might not have the time to sit down and eat their meal.  Their greatest creation in my opinion is their Chicken n' Waffle sandwich.  I would highly recommend trying one.  With their convent hours of Monday through Saturday 11-4 you are surely not going to miss out on a good lunch.  Their most notable hours are probably Thursday-Saturday from 10pm-3am.  They are able to capitalize on all of those students that are out wondering the streets of Athens having a little fun.  I can say that I've met some pretty funny characters out front of Uptown Grill late at night, that are always willing to share a good laugh.  Uptown Grill also has that great location for your late night hunger if you are a student who just might happen to lives on west green.

          So the next time you feel hungry after a long night out on the town, make sure to swing by Uptown Grill located on 11 West Union Street.

-Matthew Joseph

An Athens Shop: The Burrito Buggy

Ohio University, being a somewhat secluded college town, is encompassed by many different kinds of shops and businesses to choose from. Low-budget and fast food restaurants are one of the most prominent businesses in the area.

One of many shops in Athens is the Burrito Buggy, located on the corner of Court Street and Union Street. The Burrito Buggy is a street vendor cart that is painted with a Mexican theme. The cart is designed this way in order to show what type of product they offer, as well as catch customer's attention from a distance.

The Burrito Buggy is known for its convenience as it is open late into the night. With all the night owls on campus, it is able to attract young college students as they return to their dorms or apartments after a night out. The kinds of customers the Burrito Buggy often attracts is groups of loud and boisterous, usually intoxicated individuals as they make their way back from the many bars located about Athens. The shop is able to attract these customers by offering cheap food that is easily accessible, and is quick to make.

In a competitive market, the Burrito Buggy is also able to successfully attract some customers because of its differences from other burrito shops. Compared to Chipotle, which closes in the evening, Burrito Buggy is open until 3:00 AM, making it an attractive option for late-night burrito lovers. Another burrito competitor, Big Mama's, is often crowded and busy late at night. Burrito Buggy offers a more convenient experience since it is a street vendor. Because there is no seating, there is less of a cluster and the wait tends to be minimal.

The Burrito Buggy offers several benefits to the community beyond just the product it provides. Since it is a local business, it keeps money in the community and also provides jobs and wages to locals. The cart adds to the city by giving the area some character. With chain restaurants like Chipotle and Wendy's close-by, the Burrito Buggy provides something different that is more homemade and unique. The Burrito Buggy's existence shows that Athens still values the "mom and pop" stores and restaurants.   It also shows that the town is made up largely of young college students who are on a low-budget and are always on the go.


All things considered, the Burrito Buggy makes for an excellent place to eat. The next time you need a quick and inexpensive meal, stop by the Burrito Buggy and support a local Athens business.

-Zach Heming and Jim Banicki