Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Dining Options

Eating Out-

NC State students have a wide variety of off campus food options. There are four well patronized eating locations within walking distance of campus: Hillsborough Street, Western Boulevard, Mission Valley Shopping Center, and Cameron Village.

Hillsborough Street (directly across from the NCSU library) offers students about 25 restaurant, bar, café, or deli options. There is a little something for every culture and palette, with Mexican, Greek/Mediterranean, Indian, American, Chinese, Japanese and Italian options ranging from casual to fine dining.

Western Boulevard (between Main and Centennial campus) is home to many well known convenience food options including McDonalds, Wendy’s, Bojangles, and Pizza Hut. A student favorite, Cookout (an all American hamburger and milkshake joint) is also located here.

Mission Valley Shopping Center (on the corner of Western Boulevard and Avent Ferry Road) is like Hillsborough Street in that it offers a broad selection of cultural food. Ethiopian, Oriental, and Mexican restaurants are among American delis, cafes, and bars.

Cameron Village (off of Oberlin Road, about 5 minutes driving from campus) is the longest walk from campus so students typically drive. The restaurants, amid local shops and boutiques, are convenient for lunch between shopping. The village’s reasonably priced American style bars and grilles make this location well known for its thriving nightlife, and the perfect spot for a date or a night out with friends.

Most of these restaurants offer discounts or daily specials for students. Coupons can be found in the Technician (our university newspaper) and at Talley Student Center.

Additional information on off campus eating:
http://www4.ncsu.edu/~misra/LieConf2005/foodguide.pdf

Eating In-

Students can also prepare their own meals. Food Lion (with Western Boulevard and Avent Ferry Road locations) is closest to campus. The Avent Ferry location is on NC State’s Wolfline bus route, which provides transportation for students without a vehicle. Harris Teeter (in Cameron Village) is also a popular option.

One of the most cost efficient and sustainable locations to purchase produce is the North Carolina Farmers Market (off of Lake Wheeler Road, about 5 minutes driving from campus). Local farmers sell fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat, nuts, cheese, milk, bread, pastries and more. This semester, NC State University worked in collaboration with the NC Farmers Market to provide weekly markets on campus.

North Carolina Farmer’s Market website:
http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/facilities/markets/raleigh/index.htm

Hope this helps in choosing from NC State’s wealth of off campus food options. Happy eating!

-Erin Whitley