I'm looking for restaurants hopefully within walking distance of the planetarium but I've never been to Chapel Hill during the daytime. Any suggestions for a nice place to have lunch on Saturday? Thanks

4/27/2006 4:24:33 AM

just walk franklin street and find what looks the most pretentious

4/27/2006 4:28:21 AM

that seems like a reasonable plan but i want to know exactly where i am going before i get there so we arent wandering around trying to decide and then miss this thing i want to see.

4/27/2006 4:32:32 AM

hahah

are you kidding me

that entire stretch is a restaurant haven.

That said, my recommendation would be the Carolina Coffee House (or whatever the name is next to that records store)

They have excellent sandwiches.

4/27/2006 4:33:48 AM

ill keep that in mind i can deal with sandwiches. i was really hoping for some indian or thai cuisine but i might have to settle. im really excited about the idea of walking around doing stuff instead of driving if i can help it. citysearch is being helpful.

[Edited on April 27, 2006 at 4:45 AM. Reason : .]

4/27/2006 4:40:15 AM

I park my car at the planetarium and walk on Franklin Street.

If you want to eat Indian food, your options are basically zero. There used to be one crappy Indian restaurant close to campus but I think it closed down. The other one is quite far away and is also crappy.

But seriously get a sandwich here. They have alcohol and the service is great.

4/27/2006 4:42:48 AM

Franklin Street Pizza and Pasta

or Ham's

4/27/2006 4:57:27 AM

i think we'll try the coffee shop place it but im a bit nervous, it got two bad reviews and two good reviews (not counting yours). hell, worth a shot though. thanks for the suggestion

one day in some city somewhere, im going to find a great indian restaurant, a great thai restaurant, and a great dim sum restaurant all within walking distance to wherever i live. then i will never cook again, unless i want to of course.

[Edited on April 27, 2006 at 5:00 AM. Reason : s]

4/27/2006 4:59:57 AM

If you're single/open, you could just eat some good Indian food at my place

4/27/2006 5:07:09 AM

Is Hectors open in their new location yet? Twas always my favorite.

4/27/2006 7:53:40 AM

Carolina Coffee House (House or Shop? Blue awning, left side if you're coming from the Planetarium) apparently has a hell of a good wine list. And their steak is awesome. I do not recommend the hummus, though.

MacAllister's and RathSkeller's are my usual favorites. Pepper's if I'm in a group (awesome pizza, kinda like Lilly's but different layout/atmosphere). If you go a good ways down (almost into Carrboro), there's also Penang and some other more snooty places which I've never actually patronized.

Seriously, just walk down Franklin and pick someplace.

[Edited on April 27, 2006 at 9:48 AM. Reason : Geez man, just pick someplace]

4/27/2006 9:47:23 AM

Pepper's Pizza?

4/27/2006 10:00:25 AM

Pepper's = Pepper's Pizza, correct.

4/27/2006 5:38:41 PM

man, the planearium is awesome

4/27/2006 6:07:17 PM

top of the hill

4/27/2006 6:16:31 PM

go to banditos... it's kind of downstairs in an alley off to the right side (if you are walking from the planetarium.)

good mexican food/margaritas.

4/27/2006 6:24:19 PM

Quick, cheap Mexican food that's pretty damn good.... Cosmic Cantina

4/27/2006 6:46:47 PM

^thats near duke not near the planetarium

4/27/2006 7:13:25 PM

4/27/2006 7:16:19 PM

There is more than one cosmic.

one of them is right on Franklin st.

Banditos is pretty good, not super impressive.

But I might be biased since there is an incredible (and super cheap) mexican place in my hometown that I eat at all the time when I'm there.

[Edited on April 27, 2006 at 7:30 PM. Reason : ]

4/27/2006 7:29:10 PM

Ham's would be my choice. Great sandwiches, I wish there was one in Raleigh...

4/27/2006 8:04:37 PM

Ham's is OK. Spanky's is pretty good for lunch, too, a lot shorter walk than Ham's. Top of the Hill is WAY overpriced.

No Indian food downtown and the one that IS in town is quite bad, but there's a Thai place on Rosemary Street (one block north of Franklin Street). Supposed to be good, but I've never tried it. Two other pretty good places on Rosemary Street, Breadman's and Mama Dip's.

If you want a true Chapel Hill experience, try the Ramshead Rathskeller. The entrance is in an alley off Franklin Street. The lasagna is legendary, and they have something I really like, which is apple cider on tap.

[Edited on April 27, 2006 at 8:26 PM. Reason : .]

4/27/2006 8:21:37 PM

I reccomend the rathskellar. Back when i dated this lousy whore of a unc girl we used to go there after football games, best damn food and good mid-range price (about 7-8 bucks). Their lasanga is the best. It's across franklin street and sort of down some stairs in an alley, atmosphere is pretty cool too.

[Edited on April 27, 2006 at 8:29 PM. Reason : .]

4/27/2006 8:25:06 PM

If you want Asian, go down West Franklin a little further to Penang.

Quote :

"There is more than one cosmic. one of them is right on Franklin st."

Shame it's not the good one. I miss Durham for one reason alone, and that is the good Cosmic Cantina. I want to eventually go to the one in New York, too.

[Edited on April 27, 2006 at 8:35 PM. Reason : .]

4/27/2006 8:31:21 PM

I used to hate Cosmic because it was always full of drunks when I went. Then again, if you're hungry late on a friday night it's about the only place open.

4/27/2006 8:40:30 PM

The answer to this question is Pepper's Pizza.

4/27/2006 8:57:54 PM

it'd be cool if Zero's was still there

4/27/2006 9:00:41 PM

EXCELLENT thai/chinese place 2 blocks back on rosemary... called oriental garden

but it's run by 2 ladies and they cook everything, so your meal could take a long time, depending on what you order

4/27/2006 9:06:44 PM

Quote :

"I used to hate Cosmic because it was always full of drunks when I went. Then again, if you're hungry late on a friday night it's about the only place open."

There is always Time Out.

4/27/2006 9:41:15 PM

drive immediately out chapel hill and take i40 east to raleigh. get yourself a nice lunch before u get a chapel hill signature Gaywich.

4/27/2006 10:08:31 PM

talula's is really good. but i go there for dinner.

4/27/2006 10:48:17 PM

Hector's for drunk food!!!

4/27/2006 11:49:16 PM

Some of these suggestions are horrible. I am going to have to clean house here...

Don't go to the Rat, it is disgusting. No local eats there. Same with Bandidos (on Franklin)

Pepper's (your best bet), Franklin St. Pizza & Pasta, Sakura Express, Hector's, McAllister's, Cosmic are all good.

No one really eats at Spanky's or Woody's but I've never heard anything bad about them.

Pita Pit sucks as does Coffee Shop (its a bar for chrissakes no one ever actually eats there)

Miami Subs is ok. There is also a Subway and Quizno's nearby.

Qdoba is fine. The are opening up a new restaurant that looks like it might be good i think it is some kind of grill, i can't remember but its right next to Jack Sprat.

Top of the Hill is ok, but overpriced for what you get, and plus their beer is shitty anyway.

Ham's is a good mile from the Planetarium so I wouldn't plan on walking there.

Oriental Garden is good, but again it isn't really around the Planetarium.

Carrburritos is by far the best burrito place I've ever been to. It is on Rosemary right when you get into Carrboro though. Not around the Planetarium but it is worth it.

btw, whatever you want to say about Chapel Hill their food is vastly superior to Raleigh's. Sorry that is the cold hard truth.

/thread

4/28/2006 1:37:09 AM

I was rolling with you there for a while, until...

Quote :

"Miami Subs is ok"

lost all credibility. NOBODY I know likes miami subs.

plus I know a lot of friends that go to Banditos, and Spanky's (or woody's I get them confused). Unless you mean locals as in born in Chapel Hill, then I have no idea.

other than that its a pretty good list.

Along with hectors and FSPP, I like cosmic a lot too. The vegetarian burrito is great.

Quote :

"btw, whatever you want to say about Chapel Hill their food is vastly superior to Raleigh's. Sorry that is the cold hard truth."

It's not really Chapel Hill food > Raleigh food

it's more like Franklin St. food >>>> Hillsborough St. food.

[Edited on April 28, 2006 at 1:45 AM. Reason : edits]

4/28/2006 1:43:27 AM

In one concentrated area Chapel Hill food dominates. There are more good places to eat all near each other. I've lived in both places and I never knew what to go out and get when I was in raleigh. It just seems like Raleigh is dominated by the fast food on Western and CH has more good local places (which I prefer).

I'm not saying Badido's is bad, its just kinda dirty.

FWIW the new Hector's for some reason doesn't seem the same as the old.

4/28/2006 1:58:41 AM

never have i been in banditos and thought it was dirty...

4/28/2006 1:59:54 AM

Quote :

"Some of these suggestions are horrible. I am going to have to clean house here... Don't go to the Rat, it is disgusting. No local eats there. Same with Bandidos (on Franklin) Pepper's (your best bet), Franklin St. Pizza & Pasta, Sakura Express, Hector's, McAllister's, Cosmic are all good. No one really eats at Spanky's or Woody's but I've never heard anything bad about them. Pita Pit sucks as does Coffee Shop (its a bar for chrissakes no one ever actually eats there) Miami Subs is ok. There is also a Subway and Quizno's nearby. Qdoba is fine. The are opening up a new restaurant that looks like it might be good i think it is some kind of grill, i can't remember but its right next to Jack Sprat. Top of the Hill is ok, but overpriced for what you get, and plus their beer is shitty anyway. Ham's is a good mile from the Planetarium so I wouldn't plan on walking there. Oriental Garden is good, but again it isn't really around the Planetarium. Carrburritos is by far the best burrito place I've ever been to. It is on Rosemary right when you get into Carrboro though. Not around the Planetarium but it is worth it. btw, whatever you want to say about Chapel Hill their food is vastly superior to Raleigh's. Sorry that is the cold hard truth. /thread"

haha this guy's an idiot!

4/28/2006 2:34:12 AM

If you are at the planetarium then just go by the gift shop and get some freeze dried space strawberries and space ice cream for desert. It is what they feed the astronauts so it must be good for you right?

4/28/2006 6:11:18 AM

If Cosmic Cantina is the place that is very similar to Baja Burrito, then I would recommend that. I can't remember if that's the name of it or not though.

4/28/2006 11:49:41 AM

I think you're thinking Qdoba. Cosmic isn't that nice.

4/28/2006 12:30:38 PM

I took summer school out there and everytime I walked past the planetarium, the little voice in my head would sing planetarium to the tune of Metalica's Sanetarium.

I'M SO FUCKING CLEVER

4/28/2006 12:35:44 PM

welcome to the plane_arium

4/28/2006 12:43:20 PM

^ yeah, that too, but i couldn't figure out how to spell it phonetically

damn you for besting me. we shall meet at paradise square at daybreak. daggers are the weapons of the day. no pistols.

4/28/2006 12:45:03 PM

Quote :

"I think you're thinking Qdoba. Cosmic isn't that nice."

No, it's not Qdoba...this place is kinda ghetto, but their burritos are pretty good.

4/28/2006 4:08:52 PM

Then it's probably Cosmic. Ghetto as hell. But I love it anyway. Where else can you get a quesadilla for a dollar?

4/28/2006 5:23:27 PM