The tastiest, wildest, and most unique foods of 2024
15 Games. 12 States. 19,297 Miles Flown. And these are the best of the 40+ restaurants I visited during my 2024 college football travels.
The Place (Athens, GA) – Best Southern Cuisine
Just across from the University of Georgia’s famed arches, The Place pumps out incredible Southern dishes, from chicken & waffles with Tabasco candied bacon to an amazing pork chop with apricot glaze.
Gus’s Good Times Deli (Knoxville, TN) – Best Late-Night
Simple, cheap, filling, and good. What else can you ask for from a late-night spot just off of the University of Tennessee’s famed Strip?
Carol Lee Donuts (Blacksburg, VA) – Best Donuts
It’s not often that a donut shop really stands out, but Carol Lee’s — just a short drive from Virginia Tech’s campus — stopped me in my tracks. Delicious.
Lane Leg (Blacksburg, VA) – Best Stadium Food
The smoked turkey legs at Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium is worth the cost and the wait. An iconic stadium concession.
Cantler’s Riverside (Annapolis, MD) – Best Seafood
Cantler’s is (justifiably) one of coastal Maryland’s classic crab shops, located around Greenbury Point from the United States Naval Academy.
2Fifty BBQ (College Park, MD) – Best BBQ
One of the newer eateries on the list, 2Fifty cranks out Texas-style BBQ near the University of Maryland that lives up to the billing.
Lazy Moon Pizza (Orlando, FL) – Best Giant Pizza Slice
I’ll never understand how UCF standby Lazy Moon makes such gigantic pies while maintaining what a certain pizza reviewer might call a “solid undercarriage,” but a crisp crust is necessary to handle the massive list of creative topping options.
Westside Drive-In (Boise, ID) – Craziest Dessert
I swear it’s ice cream. But special freezing methods and expertly coated cocoa powder make it look like one of Idaho’s famed tubers. It will mess with your mind more than Boise State’s blue turf.
Bene’s (Cheney, WA) – Best Breakfast
In tiny Cheney, WA — home of Eastern Washington University — there’s a breakfast spot that feels like it was created just for me. How many different ways can you prepare Eggs Benedict? Bene’s is the place to find out.
And don’t skip the mimosa flight.
Eagle’s Deli (Chestnut Hill, MA) – Best Burger
This Boston College institution serves up everything from breakfast to quesadillas, but their burgers are the showstopper.
Mother Bear’s (Bloomington, IN) – Best Pan/Detroit-Style Pizza
There’s a reason generations of Indiana alumni keep coming back home to Mother Bear’s. Be sure to get the Chicago-style chunk sausage.
Holt’s Cafe (Judah, IN) – Best Regional Dish
Pro Tip: if you’re driving through a rural area and see a small restaurant with (a) cars out front, (b) the Ten Commandments posted on the outside, and (c) serving a regional delicacy, you should absolutely stop in.
Gracie Market (West Point, NY) – Best Sandwich
Located just outside the gates of the United States Military Academy, Gracie Market shows that simple, high-quality ingredients can go a looooong way
Leo’s GW Delicatessen (Washington, DC) – Best Breakfast Sandwich
Last — but certainly not least — is Leo’s GW Delicatessen, right in the heart of George Washington University’s Foggy Bottom campus in DC. The long line moves quickly and is totally worth it for the most bacon-loaded breakfast sandwich I’ve ever eaten.
Click on the restaurant names for full reviews and be sure to follow @cfbtravelguy on Instagram for more photos and videos of the best college town grub from around the country.
CFB Travel Guy 