No matter where you live on campus (a dorm, an apartment, a frat or sorority) there is no doubt that at one point or another you are going to want to find somewhere to eat. Lucky for you, the Champaign area has a huge amount of choices, and you are more than likely to find what you are looking for.

Before you go looking on your own, however, let me through you a few ideas of great places to eat, and, maybe most importantly, when you should go to these places.

Breakfast Merry Ann’s Diner

There is no doubt in my mind that if you are looking for a really good plate of eggs of flapjacks, there is no better place than Merry Ann’s Diner. Open for 24 hours a day and in two locations on Main Street and Neil Street, Merry Ann’s allows for you to enjoy a tasty meal any time of day.

I think the best time to go is breakfast. Merry Ann’s has a great breakfast menu, from eggs and omelets to pancakes, french toast, and biscuits and gravy, and of course, in diner fashion, the food is very greasy, adding the taste value up another level. If you actually happen to be up before noon and you want a delicious breakfast, Merry Ann’s is the place to be.

Lunch Papa Del’s Pizza

Directly on “the strip” of Champaign (Green Street), Papa Del’s Pizza is, in my humble opinion, the best pizza on campus. From deep dish to thin crust, the pizza at Papa Del’s is authentic and made from great quality ingredients. The menu also includes hot sandwiches like the Italian Beef, Italian Sausage, or Meatball sandwich as well as cold deli sandwiches. All around, the menu is fantastic.

So why go at lunch? Simply because between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Monday through Saturday you can get pan pizza by the slice and, if you get really lucky and these slices don’t sell out, after 3 p.m. the slices are half off until they sell out.

Firehaus Restaurant and Bar Located just off Green Street on Sixth Street is Firehaus Restaurant and Bar. A hot spot for drinks at night, Firehaus is primarily a restaurant by day.

Firehaus always has something on the menu to keep you wanting to come back for more. With a menu that has 14 different appetizers and 20 different sandwiches and burgers, you can’t go wrong.

Of course, Firehaus is also a bar, so you can also be sure to grab your favorite beverage to go with your meal as well. Who doesn’t love a gin and tonic in between classes at lunch? I know I do.

Dinner/Late Night Fat Sandwich Company I may be ridiculed by health enthusiasts out there for suggesting this, but Fat Sandwich Company is an experience that you can’t pass while at Illinois and provides the best late night/drunk food on campus.

Let me put it this way. Pick three of your favorite appetizers or meats you can get at a standard restaurant. Now pick a sauce: maybe ketchup, mayo, ranch, tzatziki sauce, or marinara. Alright, now add on a servings worth of fries and stuff it on an eight-inch roll. That is a Fat Sandwich.

There are numerous choices that you can get, all with their unique names, or you can even create your own sandwich. Personally, I’d go in and ask for my personal favorite, the Fat Dilf (bratwurst, onion rings, mozzarella sticks and marinara sauce).

You don’t want to miss out on a place like Fat Sandwich when it’s late at night and you are starving. Just beware that you may regret eating so much grease when you wake up the next morning.

Flat Top Grill A create your own stir-fry restaurant just off of Green Street, Flat Top Grill is a great place to grab a classier dinner right on campus.

The format of Flat Top is a buffet style line where you grab your favorite vegetables and meat and pair them with one of many sauces to create your own personal stir-fry.

I’d recommend any dish with one of their homemade lemonades such as raspberry or pomegranate. Both are absolutely delicious ways to wash down your stir-fry.