In the middle of another fall semester at Stony Brook, our food choices quickly become limited by campus dining at East and West. It gets repetitive, dull and boring. Sometimes you have to spice it up and treat yourself to a night of dining. The town of Stony Brook and Port Jefferson are filled with many restaurants with delicious foods. It’s even better that many of these popular places are less than a ten minute drive from campus. Here are the best off-campus restaurants you have to check out with your friends.
1. Del Fuego
Del Fuego is a Tex-Mex restaurant so the food there ranges from fajitas to burgers, to quesadillas and burritos. If you are in the mood for some spice, this is your place to go. Del Fuego is the perfect place for a dinner with a bunch of your friends and spending the night laughing, talking, and eating chips and salsa. Del Fuego is perfect for any day of the week: Margarita Monday, Taco Tuesday, Wing Wednesday etc.
2. Gourmet Burger Bistro
Located in Port Jefferson, you’ll find the most amazing burgers you could ever ask for, and reasonably priced. Given the name, the menu is mainly burgers but you can build your own custom burger. I highly recommend the Sweet Onion Burger!
3. Sweet ‘N’ Savory
If you want to try something new and fun, go to Sweet ‘N’ Savory. They serve all kinds of crepes drizzled in chocolate and Nutella, covered in whipped cream, and filled with strawberries and bananas. Your sweet tooth will be thrilled with you.
4. Cheesecake Factory
Cheesecake Factory is one of my personal favorites. It can be pricey, especially for the college student on a budget. That being said, it’s perfect for special occasions like finishing final exams and celebrations! Cheesecake Factory has a wide variety of options to choose from. Salads, burgers, pasta, chicken, seafood, and steak. The limit does not exist! I recommend getting Fried Macaroni and Cheese as an appetizer. It’s seriously heavenly! Speaking of heaven, the infamous cheesecake. A trip to Cheesecake factory with no cheesecake is like Stony Brook without Wolfie! Unacceptable.
5. Crazy Beans
If you’re looking for a coffee place with a cute aesthetic, Crazy Beans is your place! It’s a small coffee place that serves all things coffee! Go to Crazy Beans on a weekend morning for brunch. It’s right next to Avalon Park, so you can make a day out of it as well. Call ahead because it can get pretty busy throughout the day
6. SE-Port Deli
Bring your appetite. SE-Port deli hands down has the best, filling sandwiches. My favorite sandwich is The Port Jeff (Chicken cutlet, melted muenster cheese, bacon, tomato, potato salad with Russian dressing on a toasted garlic hero) They seriously will fill you up! The portions are huge and definitely worth the price!
7. Soul Brew
Another coffee place you should try. Just like Crazy Beans, Soul Brew is an adorable little coffee shop to feed your coffee lover soul. Soul Brew gives off chill, peaceful vibes: murals, inspirational quotes, dark lighting, and the aroma of bitter coffee. The perfect place to stay put on a rainy day.
8. East Coast Burrito
Who doesn’t love a good burrito? You can custom make your burrito or choose from tacos, quesadillas, salads or soups. Similar to SE-Port Deli, the portions sizes are huge and filling!
We all get cravings every once in awhile. Sometimes, campus dining just doesn’t cut it. Luckily, Stony Brook is surrounded by affordable, delicious restaurants to satisfy our hunger in our desperate times of need (ahem… finals week!) Invite all of your friends to go exploring the town and try these awesome and appetizing restaurants!