Philadelphia may be known as the City of Brotherly love, but it’s also a city full of scrumptious food venues and convenience stores. Therefore, one of the perks of being a student at Drexel University is the endless amount of options you have—from pizza places to grocery stores to coffee shops, University City is full of awesome locations for students to fulfill all their needs. The question then arises: with all of these choices, which ones are the best?
Starbucks vs. Joe
Starbucks: Conveniently located on campus in LeBow, you’re just a short walk away from a Frappuccino that you can purchase with dinning dollars. Score! And since it is part of the larger corporate chain, you can pay with your rewards card, too.The downside? If you are craving a white mocha in between classes, you may find yourself stuck in a really long line and might be late for your English class. Basically, if you are in a rush, you may want to skip this location.
Joe: If you find that the smell of coffee is filling your nostrils while walking past Creese, Joe is probably responsible. Joe serves tasty coffee and has a wide variety of caffeinated beverages to choose from. Normally the line is not too long, and while you wait, you can enjoy people-watching from their Chestnut Street windows. When you go, don’t forget to punch your card since you’ll get a free coffee after the 10th cup you buy.The downside? It is a little pricey.
Savas vs. Ed’s vs. Axis vs. Pdubbz
Savas: When you are craving a good slice of pizza, seek no further than Savas! Fortunately, Savas is located on campus, near the 7/11 on Lancaster Walk. It has a huge selection of food and is a great place to go for brunch when Sabrina’s has a long wait. The prices are affordable and there is enough room to sit down and enjoy a hoagie. It also has a small area designated for those who are craving just a slice of pizza, which makes the wait easier.The downside? It can get a bit crowded on weekends, it closes at 2 a.m., and if you order takeout you may find that delivery is slacking.
Ed’s: Ed’s is conveniently located next to Savas on Lancaster Ave. While the seating is limited and can fill up on peak times, the pizza is great, and they always a have a good selection of slices. In addition to other standard pizza shop options, they have milkshakes that are out of this world. Bonus: their prices are a little less than Savas.The downside? Their pizza quality is a little inconsistent, ranging from dry to doughy.
Axis: If you are willing to trek a little further for some pizza, Axis may be right for you. It’s located on Penn’s campus at 36th and Chestnut Street. The variety of pizza is impressive, and all of the options are equally as good. It is the only 24-hour pizza place around, so it is perfect for when you are craving a midnight snack while cramming for midterms during week five.The downside? The walk there might be too much for people with other options so close.
Pdubbz: Freshmen, if you have not discovered Pdubbz yet, then now is the time. Since it is so close to the dorms, this location is extremely convenient. It has pretty decent pizza, and has a great variety of fast food.The downside? There’s no place to sit, and if you go on a busy night, your food might not be as good.
Trader Joe’s vs. Fresh Grocer
Fresh Grocer: If you are looking for a one-stop shop for fresh fruits and veggies, as well as a never-ending array of healthy snacks, then Fresh Grocer is for you! It has everything you will ever need, with a huge selection of food at your disposal. If you open an account you can order your food online and they will deliver your groceries to your place. You will quickly discover the joy of discounted items and tons of coupons that Fresh Grocer has to offer. So, staying on a budget will not be a problem! There is also a prepared food section for those nights when you are too lazy to cook, and the pizza there is good too.The downside? It is at 40th and Chestnut, but you can hop on the Drexel shuttle and get dropped off right on the corner.
Trader Joe’s: Trader Joe’s is a great organic supermarket carrying a selection of healthy food options. If you are into feeding your body organic food or are looking to try more unique items, then this grocery store is for you. They have a great selection of healthy frozen meals that are perfect for the busy college student. Though they don’t accept coupons, their prices are always competitive with bigger chain stores.The downside? It is quite a walk since it is on 23rd and Market, and they don’t have a huge variety of basic items .
CVS vs. 7-Eleven
CVS: CVS carries most of the things you will need for personal care, plus a mish-mosh of Hallmark cards, candy, snacks, and school supplies. If you are ever sick, the multiple aisles filled with medication and other remedies are sure to keep your body running long enough to finish that paper. Signing up for an extra care card will get you weekly discounts on select items and coupons to use on your frequently purchased items. The downside? Some of their food prices are inflated and the lines can get pretty long.
7-Eleven: You can never have too many 7-Elevens, which is apparent when you have two located within three blocks of each other. Questionable logic, maybe, but convenience is at an all time high! 7-Eleven is a great place to buy small items that you forgot at the supermarket and a quick place to buy cheap coffee and doughnuts. It is cheaper than other places, and you will most likely find what you need here. If you are living in the dorms or are in Greek life, then 7-Eleven is probably the closest place for you to fulfill any last-minute needs.The downside? It can be sketchy at night and is very limited on food that doesn’t qualify as snacks, candy, or junk food.
No matter which location you decide on, you are almost guaranteed to find what you are looking for. Whether you need a slice of margarita pizza at 2 a.m. from Axis or some shampoo from CVS, a quick walk or bus ride will get you where you need to go. Do you have an extreme loyalty to a spot on campus? Let us know!