Going to restaurants in your college town for grabbing a quick bite, going out on a date, or a quiet place to study are so fun to have especially when there is a variety of different kinds of food. But, when you find THE place then it will become a weekly routine where you may even become a first name basis with the owners and the employees. I have found that exact place in my college town of Worcester and my goal is to try every single item on the menu to figure out my favorite. At Life Garden Café, the food is amazing and the price is perfect for college kids so it won’t break the bank if you go once per week or even twice per week. I go there to do work and grab a bite to eat. The food tastes like a home-cooked meal and the area in the back is filled with tables, couches, and nice quiet vibes to study. The employees are the nicest people and love students coming by to eat and work. They even have a student combo of spinach, mozzarella, and tomato panini wrap with a cookie and a fluffy pancake for just $10. The wrap is twice the size of my face, so yes it is safe to say I have delicious leftovers I can microwave for dinner rather than risking an interesting meal from the cafeteria.
An interesting dish that I have never tried before is couscous with cheese. It is more of a side to share with others, but the chef instructed me that the proper way to eat it is by putting the butter on the couscous, which is covered in cheese, and then eat it once it melts into the pasta (yes couscous is technically a pasta, not a grain). This was so yummy I am shocked I have never done this before at home and that other restaurants don’t have it on their menus. If you love a classic ham and swiss cheese melt, there is the “misto questo” which is a fancy version of this dish. The parmesan cheese shavings cover this warm sandwich and pairing it with their cleanse green juice, called the “garden life detox juice”, makes the perfect meal.
If you are a coffee lover they have giant flavored lattes and fun different smoothies with creative twists – one has a brownie on top of it! There is also this raspberry ice tea served with a honey stick and sweet agave in a mini mason jar pitcher. The fruit there always tastes fresh. For the colder weather, there is a super dark chocolate hot cocoa to keep you warm while studying. The next treat I need to try is their Nutella-filled croissant and their avocado on toast with poached eggs. It is so nice to have one place with so many options and categories of food.
Ultimately, the best treat item on the whole menu is not even a sweet treat. It is the cheese bread. Trust me! It is a warm pastry type of bread with cheese that’s not gooey but cooked within the bread. It is hard to explain, but this Brazilian dish is something that can’t be missed. For a brand new restaurant, they are doing a great job with customer service and their menu is so different from other places I have been to and is not expensive. I can treat myself to nutritious food guilt-free (wallet wise that is, I can’t not order the cheese bread every time I go) and try to enjoy my study session.
Check out their Instagram to see some of their creations for yourself: @lifegardencafe