The Observer, December 7, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 13
The Observer's Best Of: Close-to-Campus Eateries
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Let's face it: dining hall food can be downright awful. Of course Leutner and Fribley have their merits, but sometimes they simply cannot satisfy every culinary craving. Luckily for us, Cleveland has an eclectic variety of restaurants and various food places that are never too far away. Even in the University Circle area, Case students are blessed with affordable places to eat, drink, and people-watch. For all those late-night study sessions, or for a night out, there are plenty of options around Cleveland.
As a student, the most important meal of the day is quite obviously your daily dose of caffeine. For the best coffee on Northside, Arabica is the place to go. Sure, Starbucks is open late and tastes fine, but Arabica lacks the generic taste for which many coffee-drinkers have settled. The atmosphere is a perfect blend of stimulated, yet subdued, which makes an ideal study environment. For Southsiders, coffee requires a little more effort, but Algebra Tea House is hands-down one of the best and most eclectic teahouses around. The drinks, albeit unusual, are downright delicious, house-brewed, and surely satisfying. Various strange objects and nature relics adorn the walls and exude productive homework vibes. It is almost impossible to find a better, yet less-visited, coffeehouse anywhere.
Of course, study environments are splendid, but sometimes a night out, away from all the intense academia, is in order. For a fun but inexpensive girls' night out, La Dolce Vita in Little Italy offers Tuesday night specials for ladies: with the purchase of a drink, ladies get their meal for free. Of course, while this is a sweet deal for the 40 percent of Case students who happen to be female, there are other options for the poor, left-out Case boys. Anthony's, also in Little Italy, offers all-you-can-eat pasta for only $5 on Fridays. This delicious deal is popular among student groups for bonding-dinners, but is fun for all pasta-lovers.
Of course, the options are often limited for food-lovers plagued by dietary restrictions. Conveniently for vegetarians, vegans, and health fanatics, Tommy's in Coventry offers the most options. Never before has any restaurant provided such a delicious variety of vegan and vegetarian entrées. In fact, rarely does any restaurant offer more than one or two vegetarian-friendly options, but Tommy's is practically paradise for the health-conscious customer. Of course, all of their options are absolutely spectacular, and their famous milkshakes will satisfy any customer.
After a truly fulfilling meal, there's nothing quite like the perfect dessert to bring closure to your dining experience. Corbo's bakery, also located in Little Italy, has some of the most divine desserts in Northeast Ohio. Their tiramisu is simply stunning and well worth the walk to the bakery. For birthdays or any other event, Corbo's cassata cakes are quite possibly the most delicious food in existence.
When Leutner and Fribley meals just are not enough for the truly hungry student, there is a wide variety of ways to expand your culinary horizons and escape from campus life without straying too far. Even on a poor college students budget and with the pickiest of tastes, good food is never far away from campus.
