When you’re living on campus, it can be hard to go beyond just eating dining hall food, instant ramen or mac and cheese every day. There are so many better food options out there, and I’m on a mission to showcase the diverse palate that Columbus has to offer. If you’re a fellow foodie, I highly encourage you to get into the food scene of your city, and I’ve found that the best way to do so is through social media.
This summer, I made a separate Instagram account solely to post about what I eat and to follow local restaurants, and it’s helped tremendously in my mission to expand my culinary horizons; you’d be surprised how many restaurants are active on social media! Many of them post about specials or deals so you can be the first to know and solidify your dinner, lunch or breakfast plans.
I, like many underclassmen Ohio State students, live on campus and do not have a car here, so a bonus of this list is that all these places are close to campus and easily accessible. I’m eager to share my recent favorites with you and I hope you can find that eating in college does not have to be boring!
Buckeye pop tart from Happy Little Treats
Happy Little Treats is a vegan bakery located in the Short North. Along with this homemade pastry pop tart filled with chocolate icing and peanut butter, I got a huge pumpkin croissant that tasted just like fall. This was my first time there, but I will definitely be back to try more sweet treats and fun-flavored drinks!
Chicken shawarma pita from Pitabilities
The Pitabilities food truck on campus has never failed me. Their pitas are delicious, fresh and come with a side of fries! You have the option to add veggies, feta and sauces to build the pita of your dreams. They also have a salad option that comes with a piece of pita for a completely healthy meal.
Quesadilla from Dos Hermanos
Continuing with the on-campus food truck options, I had to include the quesadilla from Dos Hermanos. This truck is new to campus this year, and I can already tell you that I will be a regular. The quesadilla is fully customizable and mine came absolutely stuffed with steak, chicken and veggies. I added a side of chips and guac because I can never say no to that, and this stuff was restaurant-quality, which is tough to find on campus!
Buckeye bowl from Rush Bowls
Rush Bowls is one of the more slept-on spots around campus. Located on Lane Ave., it’s just across the street from North Campus and is the place to go for smoothies and smoothie bowls. They use fro-yo in their bases to create the best texture; it’s like healthy ice cream! The buckeye bowl is exclusive to the OSU location and comes with granola, house-ground peanut butter, chocolate sauce and mini buckeyes. I could eat their peanut butter by the spoonful!
Chopped salad from Northstar cafe
Northstar is a cult favorite around Columbus with several locations, the closest one to campus in the Short North. It’s a classy yet casual spot with a lovely ambiance and fresh food made with nutritious and filling ingredients. Their salads are loaded with delicious toppings, the chopped salad consisting of turkey, bacon, avocado, blue cheese, almonds, apples, homemade croutons and a generous slice of house-baked focaccia. They don’t cut corners in delivering only the best dishes, plus they have a great brunch menu on the weekends.
Cookies from Lion Cub’s Cookies
Lion Cub’s Cookies puts all other cookie competitors to shame. They serve freshly baked cookies warm out of the oven that are huge, crisp on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside. Flavors rotate weekly, and the lineup I tried was incredible- almond iced sugar, banana pudding, cookies and cream and (of course) buckeye. It’s located in Grandview, about a ten-minute drive from campus, and many agree that they produce the best cookies in the area. Ditch the nationwide chains and give this local gem a visit!