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Purdue University - Off-Campus Dining

Off-Campus Dining:

B

(explain this grade)

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Quick Stats

Best Pizza

  • Mad Mushroom Pizza

Best Breakfast

  • Denny's

Best Chinese

  • China Moon

Best Healthy

  • Bistro 501

Best Wings

  • Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar

Best Place to Take Your Parents

  • Bistro 501
  • Spageddies Italian Kitchen

College Prowler Take

The Greater Lafayette area boasts hundreds of restaurants catering to every food preference imaginable. Students seem more impressed with restaurants that are near the Purdue campus such as Jake’s, McDonald's, and Panda Express. Since these restaurants are so close to Purdue, it sometimes seems that they’re on-campus dining rather than off-campus dining. There are some distinctive restaurants around Purdue as well, such as Harry’s Chocolate Shop and Triple XXX. These spots are distinctive Purdue landmarks and hold a special place in many students' memories. While their food may not necessarily be student favorites, every Purdue student makes sure to pay a visit to these places at least once during their college years.

If you want to head to Lafayette’s more upscale dining locations, it’ll require a car, which can be a deterrent to freshmen without transportation. Some of the nicer restaurants, such as Bistro 501 and Lafayette Brewing Company, can be quite pricey for those on a budget; however, there are plenty of unique burger joints within walking distance of the central campus that are affordable and popular student hangouts. Restaurants serving ethnic food such as Chinese, Korean, and Indian tend to be highly overpriced and thus are not as popular as places like McDonald's and Burger King.

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Students Speak Out

Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:

Anonymous says:

My favorite restaurant out of all...

My favorite restaurant out of all the food places around campus is definitely Triple XXX, an old-style burger joint that has great homemade root beer (it’s not astrip bar).

Off-Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

Lafayette/West Lafayette has the...

Lafayette/West Lafayette has the distinction of having the most restaurants, per capita, of any other city in the state, if not the nation. There are lots of good places to eat; most of them are chains—my favorite is Panera Bread. There is a wide variety of foods: Indian, Japanese, Korean, and a few specialty stores that sell Oriental foods.

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Anonymous says:

I like Bistro 501 and the...

I like Bistro 501 and the Lafayette Brewing Company.

Off-Campus Dining
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Anonymous says:

There are many great restaurants...

There are many great restaurants off campus, most requiring a car to get to. Personally, I love Logan’s. They have great food, and you can throw your peanut shells on the floor.

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Anonymous says:

It’s the standard fare really—you...

It’s the standard fare really—you got your Applebee’s, Logan’s, Chick-fil-A, Arni’s (good pizza), Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden, Grindstone Charlie’s—there is a restaurant for any kind of taste and budget.

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Facts

Student Favorites

  • BW3s
  • Harry's Chocolate Shop
  • Lafayette Brewing Company
  • Spageddies Italian Kitchen
  • Triple XXX

Other Places to Check Out

  • Arby's
  • Arni's
  • Chick-fil-A
  • Don Pablo's
  • Logan's
  • McDonald's
  • Outback Steakhouse
  • Panera Bread
  • Pizza Hut
  • Snowbear Frozen Custard

24-Hour Dining

  • Denny's
  • Steak 'n Shake
  • Triple XXX (except Sundays)

Grocery Stores

Marsh Supermarket
2410 N. Salisbury St.
(765) 463-6725

Marsh Supermarket
3825 State Road 26 E.
(765) 447-2142

Super Target
3630 State Road 26 E.
(765) 446-5881

Restaurant Listing

Applebee's
American
3009 Northwestern Ave.
(765) 423-4501
www.applebees.com
Price: $15-$20
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–12 a.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–1 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Bistro 501
French
501 Main St.
(765) 423-4501
Price: $20-$50
For a taste of Europe, head here for roasted duck, fine cheeses, and exquisite wines.
Hours: Monday 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Tuesday–Friday 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m., 5 p.m.–11 p.m., Saturday 5 p.m.–11 p.m.

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar
Buffalo wings, sandwiches, nachos
360 Brown St.
(765) 743-1188
www.buffalowildwings.com
Price: $8-$15
Interactive trivia on large screens scattered around the bar and restaurant.
Hours: Sunday–Monday 11 a.m.–12:30 a.m., Tuesday–Thursday 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Chili's Grill & Bar
American
3980 State Rd. 26 E.
(765) 423-4501
www.chilis.com
Price: $15-$20
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

China Moon
Chinese
1922 Elmwood Plaza
(765) 447-3224 (765) 447-4062
Price: $5-$10
The take out cup on top of the delivery cars, so you know when China Moon is delivering.
Hours: Daily 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m.

Denny's
Diner, breakfast
4260 State Rd. 26 E.
(765) 448-1007
www.dennys.com
Price: $5-$10
Hours: Daily 24 hours

Grindstone Charlie's
American
3443 State Rd. 26 E.
(765) 449-8692
Price: $10-$20
The decorations are all geared around Purdue University, and the food portions are enormous.
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Harry's Chocolate Shop
Burgers and beer
329 W. State St.
(765) 743-1467
www.harryschocolateshop.com
Price: $5-$10
Harry's is one of Purdue's favorite bars, sports over 30 different shots of liquor, and is home to the best buffalo chicken pasta salad in the greater Lafayette area.
Hours: Daily 11 a.m.–2 a.m.

Jake's Roadhouse
Burgers, wraps, beer, and fries
135 S. Chauncey Ave.
(765) 743-5253
Price: $5-$10
Besides being one of Purdue's favorite bars, Jake's sports several large TVs and a back room that has a garage-style atmosphere.
Hours: Daily 11 a.m.–2 a.m.

Lafayette Brewing Company
Burgers, soups, fries, beer
622 Main St.
(765) 742-2591
Price: $10-$20
The beer and root beer are brewed in a room directly connected to the dining area, and from your seat, you can watch the beverages brewing away through the Plexiglas window. Ask to be seated next to the window if it's your first visit.
Hours: Daily 11 a.m.–2 a.m.

Mad Mushroom Pizza
Pizza, hot sandwiches, cheese sticks
720–8 Northwestern Ave.
(765) 743-5555
Price: $5-$15
Unbeatable daily deals, cheese sticks that are excellent after a long night of partying or studying.
Hours: Monday–Wednesday 11 a.m.–2 a.m., Thursday 11 a.m.–3 a.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–3:30 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–1 a.m.

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
Italian
4151 State Rd. 26 E.
(765) 449-0773
www.olivegarden.com
Price: $10-$20
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Spageddies Italian Kitchen
Italian
3990 State Rd. 26 E.
(765) 449-0773
Price: $10-$25
Unlimited loaves of Italian bread (usually straight out of the oven and still warm) that you can dip into plates of roasted garlic bits and basil-drenched olive oil. The desserts, especially the chocolate truffle, are to die for.
Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Steak 'n Shake
Burgers and shakes
200 Meijer Dr.
(765) 447-3375
www.steaknshake.com
Price: $5-$15
It's open 24 hours, and you can pay with a credit card.
Hours: Daily 24 hours

Texas Roadhouse
Steakhouse
3615 State Rte. 38 E.
(765) 447-3375
www.texasroadhouse.com
Price: $10-$20
Hours: Monday–Thursday 4 p.m.–10 p.m., Friday 4 p.m.–11 p.m., Saturday 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.

Triple XXX
Burgers, root beer, and fries
2 N. Salisbury St.
765-743-5373
Price: $5-$15
Triple XXX is one of the oldest burger joints in the Purdue area, and it's the oldest drive-in in Indiana. Check it out for homemade root beer and the nifty Purdue memorabilia.
Hours: Daily 24 hours (except 8 p.m. Sunday–6 a.m. Monday)

Did You Know?

In 1919 Harry J. Marack opened Harry’s Chocolate Shop. Rumor has it that its name comes from when our nation was in the throes of prohibition. Harry’s was a secret speakeasy, and used the term “chocolate shop” as a secret code for “bar.” The password to enter the speakeasy was “Go ugly early,” which you can find today on the Harry’s Chocolate Shop shirts.

Lafayette supposedly has the highest ratio of restaurants in the state of Indiana.

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