Theoretically, I’m on a meal plan. In reality, I eat maybe 40% of my meals on-campus (the Hub Chick-Fil-A and I are literally soulmates). The other 60% of the time, my food comes from Trader Joe’s or the lovely, lovely University Avenue. If you’re anything like me, the sheer amount of options gives you decision paralysis – so much so that you end up at Cane’s for the eighth time in a month because you can never go wrong with chicken tenders. But, trust, there’s a better way. As a self-proclaimed “fast-casual connoisseur,” here’s a quick guide to the bowl spots on University!
The Basics
These restaurants have their own vibe, but they have basically the same service model. Everything’s in the $10-15 range depending on what additions you make. Your basic option will usually be chicken, and other proteins will cost you a little more. For example, lamb at Cava is about $3 more and so is steak at Chipotle. Additionally, avocado, guac and queso will always be an upcharge (typically 2-ish dollars). Fortunately, all the restaurants have apps and/or reward programs to make mobile ordering a breeze and encourage you to be loyal to your fav spot.
The Spots
This guide will start with Bolay, at the intersection of University Avenue and 13th Street, right across the street from Publix. The last spot, Pokébowl Station, is at the corner of 18th Street and University, across the street from Murphree Hall and a couple doors down from MacDinton’s.
Bolay: The #CleanGirl
Bolay is that girl that pops up on your For You Page in an all-Alo outfit with the perfect slick back, drinking an iced matcha that she made after her 5 AM Pilates class. She just has it together. Bolay isn’t really a particular cuisine, instead, her niche is Whole Foods in bowl form. And I’m here for it!
Like I mentioned before, I think Bolay’s vibe is good food that’s good for you. Unlike the other restaurants that we’ve gone over thus far, she only serves bowls, well, “bols.” There’s a regular “bol” with the option of three things from the grains, veggies and protein category and a large “bol” that ups your options to four. You have a whooole lot of choices though. In the grains category, there’s sweet potato noodles, rice, chopped salad, just to name a few. As for veggies, she’s got broccoli, roasted sweet potatoes and zucchini. She has a wide variety of protein options as well, such as teriyaki chicken, tofu and steak; this is also one of the only restaurants that offers a seafood option (salmon for a $3 upcharge). She also has quite a few topping options, such as tomatoes, pickled onions and feta cheese, but unfortunately, you’re restricted to three before an upcharge is applied. She’s a little weaker in the sauce department with only five to choose from, including pesto, a garlicky one and, my favorite, chipotle sauce.
Pro Tip: Get everything that sounds good! The flavors are mild enough that everything tastes good together without one overpowering everything else.
Cava: The Queen Bee
In my opinion, Cava is quite literally that girl. She’s my favorite bowl place by far. Not a Gainesville exclusive, but if you’re not from a bigger city like Tampa or Miami (small town girlies rise up), you may have never heard of her before.
Cava serves Mediterranean bowls and pitas (basically a burrito or a gyro) filled with your choice of greens or grains, protein and toppings. She offers a couple of pre-designed options, but I think making your own is the best way to go. Protein options include chicken, two types of lamb and falafel. Luckily, if you’re indecisive, you can go half and half. You can also mix grains with greens for your base if that’s your thing. Honestly, Cava really wins me over on her sauces. I’m a sauce girl to my core and, boy, do they have a selection! They have six different “spreads”, including tzatziki, harissa and hummus, and eight different sauces, such as a Greek vinaigrette, a garlic dressing and my personal fav, a Harissa vinaigrette.
Pro Tip: Ask for a couple sauces on the side! Cava’s sauces are all pretty strong, so I think that’s the best way to find out your ideal sauce pairing without ruining a perfectly good bowl with a sauce you lowkey hate.
JustSalad: Gretchen Wieners
No hate to JustSalad, but to me, she really gives sidekick. She’s right next to Cava, so very rarely do I find myself choosing her over my glorious Queen Bee. But rarely doesn’t mean never! Sometimes a salad really hits the spot, and JustSalad makes a damn good one.
JustSalad, ironically enough, does not only serve salads. She’s got wraps and “warm bowls,” too! I could sit here and list out all of the options you have for making your own salad/bowl here, but that would take like an entire page. Basically, she has any topping you could ever want on a salad. Beets, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons – you want it? She’s got it! Keep in mind that you have a cap of four toppings before you start getting charged per topping! Also, there are a handful of toppings that are “premium,” including mushrooms, pico de gallo and almonds. The dressing variety is just as good with a wide range of mayo-based sauces like ranch and Caesar and light oil-based ones like Balsamic and chipotle vinaigrette.
Pro Tip: Try a pre-designed salad from here before making your own! Unlike Cava, in my humble opinion, all of JustSalad’s options are solid.
Chipotle: The Girl Next Door
I think it’s safe to say that Chipotle is nothing new for most of you. She’s in most towns and cities, so I’m sure a lot of you have your order down pat. If not, no worries! That’s what I’m here for.
Chipotle is a Mexican-adjacent bowl place that serves bowls, salads, burritos, quesadillas and tacos. All of these (except the salads) are rice-based, but you do have the option of adding lettuce as a topping. You can also get black beans, pinto beans or a combination of both. She has a bunch of protein options to choose from including steak, chicken, sofritas and barbacoa. Toppings include fajita veggies, corn salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, guac (for an upcharge – so worth it though!) and a few salsas of varying spiciness.
Pro Tip: Trust me, get the vinaigrette! It’s an apple cider vinegar-based sauce that just adds an extra umph to your bowl or burrito. If you forget to grab it, mixing the Jalepeño Tabasco (the green bottle), honey, lemon juice and a little oregano tastes basically the same
Tela: The Girl Who Likes All Your Insta Posts But You’ve Had Like One Conversation With
If you’re like me, you’ve walked right past Tela on your way into Insomnia a million times. It’s so hidden that I lowkey forget it’s there until I’m right next to it. But, do NOT sleep on Tela! It’s a GNV exclusive that’s so worth trying!
Tela serves up bowls and burritos with a Latin-American flair. Similar to Chipotle, but like not really. Base options here are pretty basic: brown rice, white rice or lettuce. Protein options include chicken, chorizo, steak and carnitas, the last two coming with $3 upcharges. Just like Chipotle, you get a choice of beans, but instead of black and pinto, Tela has refried and red. The toppings department is also similar to Chipotle with a few standouts, pickled onions, eggs, jalapenos and plantains, to be exact. I personally get every single topping she offers, but you do you. Tela’s sauce selection is scant: a hot salsa, two ranches and Tela sauce (which, to me, tastes like plain Greek yogurt with chili powder).
Pro Tip: Get their piña colada! It’s kinda pricey, but like, where else in Gainesville are you getting a frozen cocktail and a yummy bowl?
Pokébowl Station: Your Hometown Buddy
As much as I love my girl, Cava, Pokébowl Station gives her a run for her money. Although she’s a tiny bit out of the way, the extra steps are worth it for one of the best bowls in Gainesville! If you have a poké place in your hometown, she’s probably pretty similar. I get the exact same order here that I get back home.
Pokébowl Station is, you guessed it, a poké bowl spot. You have the option of a bowl or a sushi burrito. Base options include three types of rice, three types of salad and zoodles (zucchini noodles). Beyond the pre-designed options, there are three tiers of DIY bowls which are based on the number of proteins you choose. She’s got both uncooked and cooked proteins: tuna and salmon for the former and chicken, shrimp and tofu for the latter. Like JustSalad, I could sit here and list out toppings and mix-ins, but there’s way too many to list here. Just believe me when I say, if you want it, they most likely have it: edamame, onion, Kani salad, masago, the whole shebang. They also have a category of specifically crunchy toppings, such as crispy onions, sesame seeds and wasabi peas. Like I’ve said, I’m a sauce girl through and through, and with 15 sauces to choose from, Pokébowl Station does not disappoint! Keep in mind that you’re limited to three before an upcharge, but that’s probably for the best, flavor-wise.
Pro Tip: If you’ve never had poké before, a great starting point is to order the ingredients in your favorite sushi roll!
That concludes our little walk down University Avenue. Fast-casual spots are great for when you’re short on time, but deciding between over a half-dozen of them can be a little daunting. Hopefully, this guide has made that decision a little easier to make.
PS: If you’re not feeling like a bowl or a burrito, be sure to check out Grace’s article, placing Cane’s and Huey Magoo’s head-to-head!