“Pancakes” by Der Robert is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Have you grown tired of always eating sushi, Chick-Fil-A and food at Lawrence Dining Hall? Have you found it difficult to find food to eat with many on-campus options closing early and being closed on the weekends? Or would you like to simply try something new and expand your palate?
Rest assured that there are many dining options in and around West Chester that are available at your fingertips. Though the overpriced stigma surrounding downtown West Chester may seem daunting, any student at West Chester University will be pleased to learn that there are many budget-friendly places to feed any and all cravings.
A popular dining option is the Couch Tomato, located in the heart of downtown West Chester at 31 W. Gay Street. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and 9 p.m. on Fridays, the organic restaurant crafts unique salads, soups rotated daily, and pressed sandwiches. Their sandwich creations include types ranging from a classic club sandwich to a spicy “Kickin’ Chicken” sandwich and can be bought for less than $10.
Nudy’s Café is a classic breakfast spot located only a few blocks away from campus at 300 Market Street. The café, open at 7 every morning, offers a wide selection of breakfast, both savory and sweet. From blueberry, cinnamon bun and banana walnut pancakes the size of your head to breakfast burritos and sandwiches, this homey spot makes the perfect and affordable weekend breakfast spot with friends.
Riggtown Oven Pizzeria is located about four blocks away from campus at 551 Matlack Street. Known throughout West Chester for its delectable pizza, stromboli and calzones, the pizzeria sells personal pizzas for less than $8, as well as a diverse array of specialty pizzas for any palate.
If you are looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, West Chester also offers many options. The famed Insomnia Cookies provides a seemingly endless array of cookies, including classical flavors like snickerdoodle, oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip, as well as seasonal flavors of pumpkin spice latte and matcha.
The storefront, located at 142 W. Gay Street, will greet you with the charming scent of freshly baked cookies upon immediately opening the door. Charging $2 for a regular cookie, they make the perfect affordable treat.
Dia Doce, located at 100 S. High Street, is also a local bakery that bakes up gourmet cupcakes daily. The eight-year-old business is unique from others, priding itself in its dedication to using sustainable, natural and locally sourced ingredients.
Open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, the bakery features new cupcake flavors every week, including pumpkin Cinnabon, berry cobbler, lemon berry basil and salted caramel mocha. The bakery sells cupcakes for $3 each.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has done more harm than good to restaurants and small businesses. Many restaurants across the nation have struggled with maintaining reasonable food prices while being able to afford staying open to customers.
According to the International Labour Organization, with the culmination of increasing consumers choosing not to go out to eat because of the pandemic and rising costs in shipping, food and supply chain distributors, many restaurants have had no choice but to raise their prices and cut corners in order to stay afloat.
With this in mind, it is even more of a reason to take a walk off of campus and support one of these spectacular dining spots while getting to eat delicious food, without fear of breaking your budget.