1. Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St.
Brunch can’t get much better with breakfast and margaritas. Casa is known for its margaritas. The Mexican restaurant has them by the glasses or by the pitchers. There are quite a few options, including the basic margarita, the agave margarita and the Schafferita, made with Pabst Blue Ribbon.
2. Donkey Coffee and Espresso, 17 W. Washington St.
Who doesn’t love a Donkey latte? With two floors and a balcony, Donkey is the spot to study or chat with friends, not to mention the free Wi-Fi and locally-sourced coffee. Every Tuesday at 9 p.m., Donkey has Designated Space, which is an open stage dedicated to poetry, prose and spoken word. Every Thursday at 8 p.m., there is an Open Stage hosted by Allison DeWitt.
3. Union Street Diner, 70 W. Union St.
Four words: Mac n’ cheese bites. Are you drooling yet? The 24/7 diner is a hotspot for late night munchies. The diner has breakfast available all day, handmade milkshakes and ranch so good you could drink it.
4. Fests
Athens is home to fests like Mill Fest and Palmer Fest that take place off campus and in various locations around campus. The off-campus streets are filled with music and drinking. While it’s no secret that the campus is stereotyped to be a party school, it has also been proven that Ohio University is trying to rid itself of that stereotype, according to a previous Post report. Whether you’re a student or visiting during fest season, you can’t deny it’s unlike any other college atmosphere.
5. Lucky’s Sports Tavern’s $5 liquor pitchers, 11 N. Court St.
The popular drink at Lucky’s is a $5 Wednesday night special. You’ll have to fight a long line to get it, but once you have a drink in your hand, the dance floor will be calling your name.
6. Big Mama’s Burritos, 10 S. Court St.
Cincinnati natives, you’re in luck. Big Mama’s is your ticket to beating the homesick blues. The Chili Mama comes with Skyline Chili, rice, hot sauce, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. The burrito and beer shop is open late and delivers, so gear up for those study sessions and night outs.
7. Pumpkin the cat
Kelsey Boeing | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Bagel Street Deli sits at 27 S Court Street in Athens, Ohio and has been serving the area since 1993.
The unofficial king of Athens lives in the Athens County Board of Elections office, 15 S. Court St. For those needing a smile, Pumpkin is always there for a pet or just to admire. In 2017, Pumpkin had a guestbook that had more than 1,100 entries in it, according to a previous Post report. The Black Sheep Ohio U’s Instagram page is notorious for posting Pumpkin-related content. If you are missing Pumpkin right now but are too lazy to walk uptown, watch the page’s video edit.
8. Bagel Street Deli, 27 S. Court St.
Bagel Street Deli makes the world feel right. Bagel Street needs no introduction; it’s just an Athens staple. Whether you’re on a lunch break, meeting friends or just need a really good bagel, BSD has your back.
9. Your friends
Possibly one of the hardest things about college is leaving your friends in the summer and during holiday breaks. Luckily, when you’re back on campus, you’ll see their gorgeous faces for another year and make a year’s worth of memories.
10. The bricks
The iconic red bricks are a telltale sign that you’re on campus. The bricks also have some history behind their prominence, which eventually amounted to people stealing them, according to a previous Post report. Walking on them is tricky, driving on them can be annoying, but admit it, you miss the bricks.