Moving to a new state meant I had to locate new alternatives to some of my favorite places from back home. These five places can be found almost anywhere in California and are all decently priced, as college students we know the struggle of being broke. I explored around Syracuse and found some similar great places near campus that weren't too expensive to fulfill my cravings.
1. Jamba Juice -> The Original Grain
So apparently the closest Jamba Juice is at the airport. Well no need to worry, I found a really great place called The Original Grain that has good smoothies and smoothie bowls. I tried a delicious smoothie bowl called "Purple Swag", it has açaí, blackberries, blueberries, granola, chia seeds, and coconut flakes.
This is as close as I will get to a Jamba Juice açaí bowl. Of course, Jamba Juice is not the best açaí place in Cali but it was one I had expected to find here at Syracuse. The Original Grain is also not too far from campus if you either have a car or don't mind taking the Connective Corridor.
2. Poke Bar -> The Bleu Monkey Cafe
If you like Poké, the Bleu Monkey Cafe on Marshall Street is the closest thing I found to get a decent poké bowl near campus. If you don't know what poké is, it is a raw fish salad served as an appetizer or entree in Hawaiian cuisine. It has rice, raw fish, veggies and various sauces.
If you are willing to go a bit further from campus, The Original Grain in downtown also has a pretty good poké bowl. Another great place is in Destiny USA called Poké Noodle, it is similar to Poké Bar where you create your own bowl, and it is also really good.
3. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf -> Dunkin Donuts
So I couldn't help but noticing that Dunkin Donuts is the go-to place for coffee on campus. Well, there weren't many Dunkin Donuts near me so when I first ordered from the one in Schine, I asked for a caramel ice-blended. Yeah, the lady was confused and so was I actually, but that's what it's called at Coffee Bean and it'd be like a caramel frappuccino at Starbucks.
So lesson learned, I now get a caramel frozen coffee with almond milk at Dunkin Donuts as an alternative to the caramel ice-blended from Coffee Bean. Of course, Starbucks is THE actual closest thing to Coffee Bean and my all-time favorite coffee place, but sometimes I don't have time to walk to Marshall Street in between classes so Dunkin Donuts is most convenient.
5. Urth Cafe -> Strong Hearts Cafe
Urth Cafe is one of those cute and trendy cafes in Los Angeles. From the variety of coffees and teas to the delicious, simple, healthy foods, this place is a gem. Also, they have a nice variety of vegan food and desserts (the vegan carrot cake is so GOOD). This is one of my favorite places in Cali but I have found a pretty good alternative here in Syracuse, Strong Hearts Cafe.
There is one near campus in the Marshall Square Mall and it has become one of my favorite places here. If you get the chance to try it, I recommend the buffalo kale wrap.
5. In N Out -> The Evergreen
Okay, so this one was the hardest one to find. In n Out is a fast food place in California that is open late and has delicious burgers that can't compare to the fast food places here like Burger King or Wendys. The menu at In n Out is simple, not too pricey, and the burgers are delicious. I gave up on finding a good burger at a fast food place so instead, I found a great pub in downtown.
The Evergreen is a nice pub in downtown, which you can also get to on the Connective Corridor, that has great burgers, appetizers, and sandwiches. Though this place is pricier than a combo from In n Out, it is definitely worth it. Five Guys also has good burgers if you're looking for something fast and a bit cheaper, but we had those in Cali so I wanted to try and find something different.
