I received a text message from my older brother the other day that read, “I think it is time for me to come visit you in Athens.”
It was not because he missed his little sister. His text continued: “I have a craving for a chicken-waffle sandwich.”
Some people might have been a little upset about coming in second to a sandwich, but I understood. Athens’ eats are just that good. It seems that every member of my family has developed a favorite cuisine d’Athens that keeps them coming back for more.
My health-nut mother has put aside her dietary “don’t” and has become an O’Betty’s babe, and my father goes ga-ga over Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery and Avalanche Pizza.
After all, I made the decision to enroll at Ohio University while enjoying some creamy Whit’s frozen custard. And what a sweet decision it was.
Athens might be small, but there are ample food options to fill your four-year stay. To begin to pay nommage to the food of this town, we must first separate it into two categories of equal importance: “sober” food and “drunk” food.
Get your “sober” and sophisticated food fix from around the world: authentic Cuban sandwiches at Sol, mouth-watering Moroccan lamb at Salaam, fragrant curries at Purple Chopstix, and fresh sushi at Lui Lui. Not bad for Southeast Ohio.
Even if you are hammered, you can get a high-quality, only-in-Athens meal.
“Drunk” food: the final meal of a long, liquid night that you can afford with a few dollar bills and the spare change you find on the sidewalk. It’s usually something warm, melty and portable that you can look like an animal while devouring.
It is probably a good thing Bagel Street Deli isn’t open into the wee hours of the morning. Imagine walking into the long, heavenly smelling brick corridor and trying to decide on, let alone read, all of the 78,534,294 menu items — with double vision.
Where “drunk” food meets daytime food: O’Betty’s, aka hotdog heaven. Every hot-diggity-dog is 100 percent Ohio beef, so I can feel good about eating a sky-high, bacon-covered hot dog.
What is it with Athens and burritos? Chipotle, Big Mamma’s, Burrito Buggy, Casa Nueva … I am not complaining, but here is some food for thought: When you are stuck in the serpentine line in front of Chipotle’s door, I dare you to be a burrito rebel and ditch the crowd. Burrito Buggy is across the street (usually without a line) and makes “Healthy, not greasy” burritos with local ingredients of love.
If you haven’t gone to the Athens Farmers Market yet, tell the nearest person to slap you in the face. The farmers market is too much of a local treasure to miss out on. A short bike ride down East State Street and you find yourself strolling to the beat of live bluegrass, sampling insanely good cheese, bread, salsa, fudge and fresh-to-death produce. Free samples: Can I get an “amen”?
The real secret behind Athens’ awesome eats is the people in the kitchen. Those local food heroes have put their hearts where their mouths are, dedicating their lives to feeding Athenians the finest.
Did you know that the owner of Purple Chopstix came to Athens in the ’60s for a party and never left? Or that the owner of Fluff quit her banking job to follow her dream of owning a bakery?
The stories behind your favorite Athens restaurants are what give true flavor to this town.
The next time you have an out-of-town visitor, don’t you dare take them to Applebee’s. Break the corporate chain of restaurant conglomerates and support an only-in-Athens eatery.
Because if you didn’t wait 2 1/2 hours to get a table at Casa, it just wouldn’t be Athens. Thank you, local restaurateurs, for making us crave Athens long after we graduate. To make a play on Fluff’s motto: Athens is fun — Eat it up!
Even if your mouth is full, don’t forget to smile — you’re in Athens!
Anna Moore is a junior studying magazine journalism and a columnist for The Post. Email her your favorite Athens eats at am846608@ohiou.edu.
