Ray's Guide to Eating in the Champaign-Urbana Area

Find short descriptions of some of the many eating choices available below.

View Places to Eat Near NCSA in a larger map

-- Notable for quality or convenience -- Region containing multiple restaurants -- Hampton Inn -- NCSA

Note to attendees staying at the Holiday and Ramada Inns

Unfortunately, there are fewer restaurant choices near your hotels. The closest ones are the hotel restaurant in the Holiday Inn and the Urbana Garden, on the other side of Lincoln Ave. I recommend that you make you dinner plans closer to NCSA. The Illini bus runs late into evening (past 2am).

Restaurant codes used in descriptions below

* -- Recommended for quality or convenience
L -- Lunch only
A -- Serves Beer, wine, and/or spirits.
$ -- Reasonable Cost, particularly for Lunch
$$ -- A little more expensive, more appropriate for dinner

A near walk: University Avenue

Distance: less than 0.3 miles (< 10 minutes walk)

There several restaurants that can be easily reached by foot from NCSA or the Hampton Inn. They are, in rough order of proximity:

Bevande Cafe (* L $)

A walk-up inside the Computer Science building, this convenient cafe offers cold and grilled sandwiches, hummus, fruit and decent coffee (including espresso). Recommended for its convenience and coffee!

Beckman Cafe (* L $)

A decent cafeteria offering sandwiches made fresh, a few hot entrees, soup, salad. Recommended for its convenience.

Perkins ($)

The chain diner adjacent to the Hampton Inn. Also open for breakfast.

Cocina Real (* A $)

One of the 2 best Mexican places in town, this one offers interesting takes on traditional dishes. Good for lunch or dinner.

Various Fast Food

• Hot Wok Express (Chinese)
• Niro's Gyros
• Taco Bell
• Dairy Queen

Einstein Bros. Bagels (* L $)

Bagel-based sandwiches

Short walk: Campustown

Distance: 0.5 - 1.0 miles southwest of NCSA (10-20 minutes walk)

Short walk: East Campus

Distance: ~0.75 miles south of NCSA (15 minutes walk)

While perhaps a bit far for lunch (unless you are keen for vegetarian at the Red Herring), this area has a couple of nice choices for dinner.

Downtown Urbana

Distance: ~1.0 mile east of NCSA (20-30 minutes walk)

Downtown Champaign

Distance: ~1.0 miles west of NCSA (20-30 minutes walk)

Ray's Recommendations