The 34 Most Beloved Food Joints In College Towns Across America

Every school has a hole-in-the-wall restaurant where patronage is practically a graduation requirement.

It’s not necessarily pretty to look at, and sometimes the food is subpar, but by senior year you and your buddies have countless memories of reeling out of the bars and heading there for sustenance.

Whether it’s the late-night burrito hut that consistently kept down your PBR, the bagelry with the best hangover cure, or the cookie delivery service that fueled marathon sessions in the library, these restaurants are central to the college experience.

We dug up the best and most beloved food establishments in college towns across America. They’re listed alphabetically by city.

AMHERST, MASS.: Wings Over Amherst

181D University Dr.

Popular with: University of Massachusetts – Amherst and Amherst College

There are more than 30 Wings Over franchises scattered on college campuses across America, but none is more near and dear to students’ hearts than the flagship location in Amherst. This takeout- and delivery-only chain cooks up wings meaner than ever conjured in Buffalo, N.Y.. Wings come in five degrees of Buffalo-style heat.

One alumna joked that Wings Over is “the reason for my freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior 15. The College 60.”

AMES, IOWA: Hickory Park

1404 S. Duff Ave.

Popular with: Iowa State University

Located in the heart of Iowa, where meat and potatoes reign supreme, Hickory Park feeds roughly 14,000 Cyclones and guests each week. Furnished with church pews and antiques collected by the owner through the years, this BBQ joint has a smokehouse out back and an old-fashioned ice cream fountain.

The Saucy Southerner, Hickory Park’s rendition of a pulled pork sandwich made with chopped hickory smoked pork, beef, and turkey simmered in BBQ sauce, is practically a graduation requirement.

ANN ARBOR, MICH.: Zingerman’s Delicatessen

422 Detroit St.

Popular with: University of Michigan

Co-founded by a UMich alum, Zingerman’s opened its doors in 1982 and has since racked up 11,000 followers on Twitter, a visit from President Obama, a feverish cult following, and this praise from celebrity chef Mario Batali: “Ahhhhh, Zingerman’s … my temple of deliciousness.”

Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw decided Ann Arbor needed a traditional Jewish deli like the ones they grew up with, and today Zingerman’s serves up thousands of made-to-order sandwiches, including its masterpiece, the Reuben.

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The 34 Most Beloved Food Joints In College Towns Across America