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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!
Find it from NCSA: Exit NCSA through the south doors (not toward the parking garage), walk across the quad, and enter the CS building. Once in the lobby, turn left toward the large wall LCD screens.
Beckman Cafe (* L $): A decent cafeteria offering sandwiches made fresh, a few hot entrees, soup, salad. Recommended for its convenience.
Find it: The cafe is located in the Beckman Institute building which is just west of the parking garage. Inside, you can find it at the west end of the ground floor atrium.
Perkins ($): 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.
Find it: This is 2 buildings east of the Hampton Inn on University Ave.

Various Fast Food along University Ave. east of NCSA and the hotel

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

Einstein Bros. Bagels (* L $): Bagel-based sandwiches
Find it: From the parking garage side of University Ave., walk east 3 blocks to the next traffic light; you will find it on the corner with Lincoln Ave.

Short walk: Campustown

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

Campustown, with Green Street as its main drag, hosts a variety of restaurants and pubs that cater to the campus community. There's lots to choose from, including Greek, middle eastern, pizza, Asian, Mexican, Indian, burgers, and bar food; here is a selection:

Jerusalem (* L $): middle-eastern
Address: 601 S. Wright St.
Wonderdogs ($): Chicago-style hot dogs
Address: 605 S. Wright St.
Mia Za's (* A $): custom pizzas, pannini's, pasta
Address: 627 E. Green, south side of Green in the 1st block west of Wright.
Zorba's (* $): Gyros and Souvlaki, serves beer.
Address: 627 E. Green, south side of Green in the 1st block west of Wright.
Panera ($): Sandwiches and soup.
Address: 616 E. Green, north side of Green in the 1st block west of Wright.
Murphy's (A $): Decent bar food in a college atmosphere.
Address: 604 E. Green, north side of Green in the 1st block west of Wright.
Bombay Grill (* $): Best Indian in town.
Address: 401 E. Green, south side of Green in the 3rd block west of Wright.
Papa Del's (* A $): Their stuffed, Chicago-style pizza is the best pizza in town. While a little far to walk for lunch, it's worth the walk for dinner.
Address: 206 E. Green, north side of Green in the 5th block west of Wright.