Tasty, cheap eating is a staple of every college student’s budget, and it doesn’t hurt if a long walk or drive isn’t required. Luckily, ASU’s campuses throughout the Valley are located near eateries that offer deals to students for food as good as it is cheap.
In Tempe, located at the corner of East University Drive and South Forest Avenue, the Chuckbox has been serving hamburgers since it opened about 38 years ago. Located across the street from the Tempe campus, students can spend just over $5 to treat themselves to a quick, award-winning burger, which claimed the Phoenix New Times’ “Best Of” Award two years in a row.
“We use good quality ground beef,” said Paul Marquardt, who has been the supervisor of the Chuckbox for the majority of its lifespan. “The real difference is we cook over real mesquite charcoal.”
Marquardt described his food as “fast, but not fast-food.”
“You can get a really good meal for a really fair price,” Marquardt said.
At the West campus in Glendale, students don’t have to travel far to enjoy Pullano’s Pizza & Wings, located at North 51st Avenue and West Thunderbird Road.
Pullano’s was established in Phoenix in 1979 before moving to its current location eight years later. It received a 3TV Viewers’ Choice Award for “Best Mom and Pop Italian Restaurant.”
Mike Pullano, owner of Pullano’s, said college students enjoy going to his restaurant for its numerous specials, including free pizza after 10 p.m. from Thursday through Sunday.
Pullano’s offers 40-cent wings (including the rare flavor of spicy-honey-barbecue) on Mondays and Thursdays, as well as dollar drafts from Friday through Sunday.
Located near the Downtown campus on North Central Avenue and East Pierce Street, the cafe in the Downtown Phoenix Public Market offers freshly made soups and sandwiches with ingredients provided by local farmers.
Cindy Gentry, executive director of Community Food Connections — the non-profit organization that operates the market — said the cafe’s menu offers something for everyone, from herbivores to omnivores.
“Most of our food, it’s just different enough that you won’t find it anywhere else,” Gentry said. “Everything is made fresh daily.”
Students who show their Sun Cards to the cashier receive a 10 percent discount with the purchase of their meal.
Gentry said that, because local farmers and companies produce the goods at the market, students who eat and shop there are also helping support the local economy.
Joseph Schmidt loves food. Send him your favorite near-campus eats at joseph.schmidt@asu.edu
