With some going away to college for the first time, it can be hard to be far from home and their comfort foods. Here are some places in Athens that have the best comfort foods.
Brenen’s Cafe
Brenen’s Cafe, located at 38 S. Court St., is open throughout the week and provides an extensive food and drink menu. Brenen’s serves breakfast sandwiches before 11 a.m. that can be served on a bagel, English muffin, croissant, tortilla or toast. There is also a large bakery menu from which customers can select, and all bakery items are made in-house (besides turnovers).
Brenen’s also serves a deli menu where customers can select almost any sandwich. All sandwiches are served with a pickle and a choice of yogurt, coleslaw or various chips as a side.
During the cold season, Brenen’s also serves a weekly soup for anyone wanting a warm meal. Brenen’s is a great location for anyone looking for a delicious sandwich, cup of soup or breakfast to remind them of home.
Bagel Street Deli
Bagel Street, located at 27 S. Court St., is another great location for anyone looking for a delicious sandwich to remind them of home. According to the restaurant's website, customers can have any “bagelwich” they can imagine, toasted and steamed to perfection. Bagel Street’s menu has many bagel sandwiches from which customers can select, including breakfast, Italian eats, veggie delights and carnivorous cravers.
For those looking for something other than a “bagelwich,” Bagel Street also offers salads, soups and other sides. A dessert the restaurant offers is an "Oweo XL," which is a cookie or two smashed together with cream cheese. Bagel Street also has a large selection of bagels that can be customized for the bagelwiches to fit a customer’s needs best. Bagel Street is a great restaurant for anyone who needs a “bagelwich” just like mom used to make.
Jackie O’s Public House Restaurant
Jackie O’s, located at 22 W. Union St. is near the Ohio University campus for those looking for a sit-down restaurant with delicious comfort food. According to the restaurant’s website, customers can choose from a locally sourced menu, including multiple daily specials, homemade bread from the Jackie O’s Bakeshop and spent-grain crust specialty pizzas. Jackie O’s also has various experimental and traditional beer styles with 30 different Jackie O’s drafts.
Jackie O’s locally sourced menu and atmosphere make for a comforting dining experience. The menu offers foods like a gobi bowl, harissa mint pesto salmon, Appalachian chicken sandwich, Katie berry salad, Ohio hot honey pizza and scally shroom pizza. Jackie O’s is a great location for those looking for a farm-to-table comfort dish.
Union Street Diner
Union Street Diner, located at 70 W. Union St., is an old-school landmark sit-down restaurant with a collegial vibe, traditional American meals and all-day breakfast. USD has a traditional menu that can best fit almost all comfort food needs. The menu offers breakfast specialty plates, omelets, salads, sandwiches, burgers, chicken tenders and steak. USD also offers milkshakes and assorted flavored cheesecakes for those looking for a delicious dessert.
USD is open until 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday for customers looking to have a late-night meal to remind them of home. It is a great place for a meal with friends and family while enjoying some good food.
