From early morning bagels to after-school ice cream: navigating the food of Oxford

Everyone needs a break from the dining halls now and then.

While the food options in Uptown Oxford aren’t covered by Miami University’s meal plans, there’s still plenty of options to make the trip to High Street worth it. For first-years coming to Oxford for the first time this fall, these are the restaurants you need to try.

Skipper’s Pub

Skipper’s is the first restaurant you see (and hear) when walking Uptown. It’s open until 2:30 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday, making it a perfect option for a late night snack. The restaurant’s fast-paced energy at night adds to the fun as employees call out orders at the speed of light over a loud microphone.

Some of Skipper’s most popular items include Mac and Cheese bites and chicken tenders with fries. Skipper’s is Greek owned, so they also serve Gyros with a wide variety of fillings.

Bagel and Deli Shop

Located next-door to Skipper’s, Bagel and Deli Shop is an Oxford staple. The restaurant has been open since 1975 and also has late hours, open until 2:30 a.m. Wednesday through Friday making it another great late night snack. Bagel and Deli also opens at 8 a.m. every day, making it a good brunch option, too.

Everyone has different opinions on what goes on a bagel, so I won’t try to make a recommendation. With their 90+ bagel combinations, Bagel and Deli has something for every savory and sweet bagel fan. What makes these bagels really famous is the fact that they’re steamed. Bagel and Deli is also known for its t-shirts and sweatshirts, which are practically the uniform for Miami students, so don’t forget to look at those, too.

SoHi Grilled Sandwiches

SoHi sandwiches are extremely underrated. Another Oxford original, SoHi offers a wide range of subs, cheesesteaks and burgers. My personal go-to order is the San Marzano sub, which contains chicken, grilled onions, mushrooms, banana peppers, tomato sauce, provolone, arugula and Pecorino Romano. SoHi also has incredible shoestring fries, which are topped with house-made seasoning, which is very high in pepper flavor, and Pecorino Romano cheese.

Unfortunately, SoHi is not open late at night, so this choice is better for lunch or dinner.

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Chipotle

Most new students have probably already had Chipotle before, but I wanted to include a few warnings about Oxford’s location of this chain.

First, never order delivery. The restaurant unfortunately makes regular mistakes on my orders, whether it’s underpacked, missing food choices or a completely different order. Second, when you go to order in-person, never expect them to have every food option in stock. Chipotle is often out of at least one meat choice, particularly fajita vegetables. This is simply due to the high demand for Chipotle among Miami’s students, especially gym-goers.

Fridge and Pantry

Fridge and Pantry is slightly tucked away on Church Street, but this makes it Uptown’s best kept secret. Fridge and Pantry has a wide variety of options on their menu, from breakfast sandwiches to salads and grain bowls. They also have acai bowls and smoothies, making this a great healthy choice for all college students.

My go-to order here is the avocado toast, which I add eggs to, but I’m a little biased as this is my favorite breakfast choice of all time. Fridge and Pantry has so many options that it’s a delicious choice for any meal of the day.

Fiesta Charra Mexican Grill

Going to Fiesta Charra is an experience that every first-year must have, but other than the free chips and salsa placed on the table when you arrive, I personally wouldn’t recommend any of its food. The vibes at this restaurant are great with loud music and lots of students, and the staff is very nice, but the food is exactly as you would expect from a cheap Mexican restaurant.

Graeter’s ice cream

I made the mistake of not going to Graeter’s until the very end of my first year, meaning I missed an entire year of enjoying this delicacy. I am not an Ohio native, so I had never heard of Graeter’s before and never thought to try it — big mistake.

This ice cream is the perfect mix of thick and creamy. It is a little expensive, so I wouldn’t recommend going to get it every day, but if you are looking for a pick-me-up after a hard week, Graeter’s is the place to go!

They have a wide selection of shakes and ice cream flavors. I tried the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor and I was not disappointed. It had the perfect mix of chocolate and cookie dough compared to other stores that include barely any cookie dough chunks.

mcdowekr@miamioh.edu