As we all know the dining on campus isn’t always the best, but you can also only go to Applebee’s so many times before the Hickey starts sounding better. Many people don’t know how many good restaurants there are in the surrounding area and where to find them. If you are willing and able to drive off campus, there are some places you should definitely try.
Allegany
The Birdcage has many American dishes with a few Italian for a very cheap price. Locals will recommend the Cajun chips (with ranch) and the fish fry on Fridays. They have everything from pizza and wings to spaghetti and sandwiches.
Bar food
- Brick house https://enchantedmountains.com/place/brickhouse-bar-grill
- Randy’s https://www.randysuptheriver.com
These two have classic bar food for a decent price, with daily specials all week long. Burgers and sandwiches, but also make sure to call to know the specials. Both places are known for their wing nights and make sure to try the 24-Karat Gold (Randy’s) or the Gold Fever (Brick House) flavor, it’s the local favorite.
Olean
These restaurants are a little farther away, but worth the drive.
- Beef and Barrel http://www.beefnbarrel.com/menu.htm
A lot of people know the Beef since it is one of the nicer restaurants. The locals love it and the food is really good. It is a little more expensive, but makes for a good date spot since its quiet and the seats are pretty private. When you go make sure to get beef (I mean it’s in the name) and ranch, which all the locals love. Make sure to save room for dessert too!
- On the Side http://www.onthesidesubs.com
If you are sick of Subway and want to try something new, go to On the Side sub shop! With so many choices from wings and pizza, to burgers and tacos, this place has much more than just subs. My favorites are the chicken parmesan sub and the tacos.
- Green Acres http://www.greenacrescafeolean.com
If you are looking for a homemade breakfast make sure to check out Green Acres. After a night of going out it is the perfect cure. Locals recommend the sausage gravy and biscuits, and the pancakes of course.
Portville
When thinking about going to these places make sure to factor the drive into your schedule. Portville is about a 20-minute drive away from campus.
- Red’s and Trudy’s https://enchantedmountains.com/place/reds-trudys
If you have the ability to drive, I would really recommend you try this place. It might not look like much, but it’s worth it, especially considering the price. They only do a few things such as loose meat burgers, hotdogs, fries and onion rings, but they do them well. They don’t have any toppings available, in fact mostly only condiments and onions. The best part, though, is that a cheeseburger is only $3.40! Make sure to get a milkshake while you are there. My favorite is the chocolate peanut butter one!
- Fyre and Ice http://fyrenice.com
If you are sick of Mangia’s and Dominos, think about giving Fyre and Ice a try! It’s a brick oven pizza and ice cream place, with homemade everything. They do more than just pizza and many people recommend the wings and the cinnamon sticks
- Sprague’s https://spraguesmaplefarms.com
Probably the best known in Portville is Sprague’s. This is a home style breakfast place most known for making its own maple syrup, and yes, it is the best. With all you can eat pancakes, it’s hard not love it. They also have a lunch and dinner menu and really good desserts. Everyone should stop here just for the ambiance, it’s not many places you’ll see geese hanging from the ceiling, fake, of course. And while you are there don’t forget to walk the maple trail or take a ride to where they make the syrup.