At the beginning of the school year, many juniors and seniors gained off-campus lunch privileges for the first time. Now that these upperclassmen can venture into Raleigh for lunch, some face a seemingly daunting choice: where should they go? To provide inspiration, Eagle’s Eye seniors experienced in going off-campus recommended their favorite lunch spots.
*All time and distance measurements are from Apple Maps at around 12:00 p.m. on a weekday.
1. Benchwarmers Bagels
Time from Enloe: 8 minutes (2.3 miles)
Primarily serves: bagels
Price: $$
The bagels at Benchwarmers are “just so delicious,” said Elise Kohli, co-editor-in-chief. She added that parking at Benchwarmers can be hard, but students can park at the nearby “pink shop.” She also said bagels tend to sell out by second lunch, so students with first lunch should take advantage of their opportunity. Students who want Benchwarmers should order ahead on their website for pickup, Kohli said, in order to save time and to ensure that bagels are still available.
2. Bojangles
Time from Enloe: 5 minutes (1.6 miles)
Primarily serves: biscuits and fried chicken
Price: $
“In other states, they don’t have Bojangles, and that makes me really sad,” said Danica Cheaz, co-features editor. She said Bojangles is a “treasure,” adding that “it’s close to the school, so … you won’t be late.” As a downside, “sometimes they don’t put enough seasoning on the fries,” Cheaz said, “and [the fries are] the best part.”
3. The Morning Times
Time from Enloe: 11 minutes (2.4 miles)
Primarily serves: coffee
Price: $$
The Morning Times is “a little cafe in downtown Raleigh,” said Mars Mathers, co-sports editor. He said his typical order, a chai latte and a slice of pumpkin loaf, and/or an egg breakfast sandwich, is “delicious.” “The people are really nice there,” Mathers added, “and also, it’s pretty close.” However, “if you don’t like parallel parking,” he said, “you might have an issue.”
4. Cookout
Time from Enloe: 5 minutes (1.4 miles)
Primarily serves: hamburgers, chicken, barbecue, and milkshakes
Price: $
Cookout is “very cheap,” said Social Media Manager Violet Moore. She added that the establishment has “great customer service, is way quicker than the old Cookout, and is so close to Enloe.” Other highlights include being able to go inside the restaurant, Moore said, and that “you can hear them talking in the speaker through the drive-through.” When comparing the recently-closed Cookout to the new version, she said the new Cookout is better. “The meat freaks me out,” Moore said, “but the rest of it is really good.”
5. Raleigh Meat Market
Time from Enloe: 5 minutes (1.4 miles)
Primarily serves: meat and Mexican dishes
Price: $$
Raleigh Meat Market is “my go-to taco spot,” said Co-Arts and Entertainment Editor Julie Ye, “[because] if you order a taco, they’ll take the meat they sell and put it in the taco … it’s authentic, and it’s really yummy.” She said Enloe students should visit because “you’re supporting a local business.” The restaurant is high-quality, Ye added, though “[the orders] take a while.”
6. Sodabox
Time from Enloe: 6 minutes (1.9 miles)
Primarily serves: custom sodas
Price: $
“Fun little drink!” said Graphics Editor and Publicist Minty Parker when asked why they recommend Sodabox. “It costs [a lot] to buy a full lunch out and about, and I don’t like doing that,” Parker added, “but a fun little drink is worth every penny.” In addition to the low cost, Parker said transportation is a big positive for Sodabox. “It’s a pretty quick drive,” they said, “and the drive-through is literally always empty.” Despite the implications of the name, Parker said that students who don’t like soda can still find something enjoyable, such as sparkling water, at Sodabox. No matter the beverage of choice, Parker advised not to order a large size, because “if you get a large, they give you so much ice … it’s the same amount of drink as a medium.”
7. Benny Capitale’s
Time from Enloe: 10 minutes (2.5 miles)
Primarily serves: pizza (by the slice)
Price: $
There’s a plethora of options for someone craving pizza in Raleigh, but for Mathers, Benny Capitale’s is the go-to for off-campus lunch. “You get a humongous slice of pizza for pretty cheap,” he said, “and [there’s] a great drink selection.” However, “a lot of the time, your pizza takes a lot longer than you think it would take,” Mathers said, adding that “I’ve been late to third period at least once as a result of my slice taking too long.”
8. Little Blue Bakehouse
Time from Enloe: 3 minutes (0.4 miles)
Primarily serves: baked goods
Price: $
The closest location on this list to Enloe, Little Blue Bakehouse is near and dear to many students. The bakery is “within walking distance if you’re careful,” said Creative Writing and Copy Editor Ishani Oldham. She added that “they have really great seasonal menus, and there’s that 10% discount for Wake County students on all beverages, which is great if you’re trying to save money on fun drinks.” Though “the people who work there are really nice,” Oldham said, “sometimes the drinks and sweets are a little bit outside of the average student’s price range.”
9. Escazú Chocolates
Time from Enloe: 7 minutes (2.4 miles)
Primarily serves: chocolate
Price: $$
While some establishments are very popular among Enloe students, such as Cookout and Bojangles, Escazú is the opposite. “You don’t see a lot of people from Enloe” said Co-Editor-in-Chief Laura Kohli, “partially because it’s new, but also because it’s kind of a weird place to go.” Kohli, who normally orders hot chocolate, said she recommends Escazú because it’s nice to get a sweet treat or drink “if you want to go off campus, but don’t really want to buy a bunch of food.” The chocolate shop is closed on Mondays and “isn’t open during first lunch,” Kohli added, “so you can only go during second.”
10. Food Lion
Time from Enloe: 5 minutes (1.4 miles)
Primarily serves: groceries
Food Lion: $
Similar to Escazú, Food Lion also stands out from the crowd of off-campus lunch options, though for a very different reason—it’s a grocery store. “I don’t want to have a lunchbox that needs an ice pack,” said Print Edition Editor Emma Sluder, “so, it’s like, let me just go to the local ice pack, the refrigerator in Food Lion.” Sluder said they recommend Food Lion because of the close location and wide variety of food, adding, “I get a sense of gratification not packing a lunch every day and not eating $10 chicken.” Food Lion is an especially good choice for a large group of students going off-campus together, Sluder said, because “it’s accessible and affordable, and they have many options for whatever dietary restrictions you have … everybody’s gonna [find] something to eat there.” As a downside, “they don’t have a drive-through,” Sluder said, so “you have to stretch your legs.”
With off-campus lunch choices spanning price ranges, cuisines, distances, and more, the Raleigh food scene has options for nearly everyone. Juniors and seniors with off-campus lunch passes have the freedom to explore, trying restaurants on and off this list in search of a new favorite spot.
Happy eating, Eagles!
