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