Meet Main Street: Digging into the College Food Scene in Newark, Del.

by Henry Grace

A young adult’s perspective on food during the formative college years is more than askew. Often the traditional four food groups are supplanted with beer, caffeine, burritos and everything else. No surprise, millennials demand customizable dishes, a modicum of healthy offerings and big—GIANT—flavors. Main Street in Newark and its surrounds offer more than a token share of choices to capture the flights of impulsive, en masse feeding for University of Delaware students.

Culinary recklessness is an adventure all on its own, and options abound. I’ve plucked some of the spots to witness collegiate feeding of the flock:

El Diablo MealThe “burrito triangle” is the trifecta of El DiabloCalifornia Tortilla and Chipotle. Dotted along Main Street, these popular stops offer their own twist on the over-stuffed, rolled tortilla. Newest on the scene, El Diablo’s third location is playing to a packed house at peak hours with featured choices like braised lamb, mahi mahi and portobellos in the bursting tortilla loaded with the likes of sherry-cured onions, jalapeno slaw and habanero-pineapple salsa.  El Diablo, 127 E. Main St., (302) 439-4541; California Tortilla, 55 E. Main St., (302) 292-2910; Chipotle, 136 E. Main St., (302) 861-8002

Ali Baba is still one of Delaware’s best places to really enjoy a meal. Service is crazed, low-cushion seating is ridiculously comfortable and the food is profound. The fattoush—Lebanese bread salad—is bursting with verdant, bright smacks of lemon, radish, parsley and onion tossed with crisped pita. Absolutely required is the Moroccan carrot salad, a simple, marinated pile of carrots given a magical once-over. Dajaj mashwi is the ethereal roasted chicken with garlic sauce of which masticating dreams are made. In line with the post-secondary demographic, portions are perfect for sharing with a crowd. Go for the food, stay for the hookah. 175 E. Main St., (302) 738-1111

Klondike Kate’s. Beer. 158 E. Main St., (302) 737-6100

Timothy’s. Beer. Burgers. 100 Creek View Rd., (302) 738-9915

Deer Park Tavern. Go for the history lesson. Stay for the beer. 108 W. Main St., (302) 369-9414

Ramen KumamotoRamen does not have to be the dime-a-pack, overly salty, starving-student diet mainstay. Ramen Kumamoto elevates the crinkly noodle and broth to crave-worthy. It warms straight to the soul; the ramen bowls are laced with traditional noodle-house ingredients like fish cakes, baby bok choy, sprouts, pork belly and opulent stock. Share an order of tempura shrimp shumai dabbed with spicy bean paste sauce. The traditionally appointed space is jam packed at lunch, so it must be good. 165 E. Main St., (302) 733-0888

Burritos. Donuts. Noodles. What’s an older student to do? Smack in the middle of Main Street is Home Grown Cafe in all its graduate student, faculty, professor glory. Vegan, vegetarian and customizable dishes make for grown-up college fare. The bar still has a cheap can of beer or two, but the food shares top billing with the libations. The vegetarian cauliflower wings are standouts in a land of “our famous wings” at every bar. 126 E. Main St., (302) 266-6993

Duck Donuts OfferingsThe duo of frozen yogurt places along Main Street go beyond basic with the pay-by-the ounce pricing and topping options. Ranging from squishy tapioca beads, chopped peanut butter cups and gummi bears to shredded coconut and granola, Yogurt City and Yogoberry can keep dessert healthy. Or not. But for the real feeding frenzy, Duck Donuts goes a long way to define the college gastronomic indulgence. In a true sign of the times, the made-to-order donuttery takes up residency left vacant by the shuttered Post House Restaurant and short-lived Melt Down grilled cheese place. No illusion to health benefits other than pure gratification, the Maple Bacon donut is the best seller. This donut boutique is open until 9 p.m. later in the week, so a meal at nearby Cheeburger, Cheeburger can end in a ring of just-made, warm, glazed, deep-fried guilt. Yogurt City, 157 E. Main St., (302) 292-8881; Yogobery, 129 E. Main St.; Duck Donuts, 145 E. Main St., (302) 266-6000; Cheeseburger Cheeburger, 137 E. Main St., (302) 368-1105

BrewHahaBrewed AwakeningsSaxby’s and Starbucks are among the caffeine dealers, and there are plenty of users. Need a tall, skinny, iced, vanilla three-pump, caramel macchiato? Covered aplenty. Brew HaHa, 45 E. Main St. #205, (302) 369-2600; Brewed Awakenings, 64 E. Main St., (302)345-3320; Saxby’s, 57 S. Main St. #101, (302) 731-9500; Starbucks, 141 E. Main St., (302) 454-8810

Peace A PizzaNo campus is complete without good pizza. University of Delaware is fortunate to have some of the best in the area. Grotto Pizza brings the flavor of their beachbound institution northward. The sauce “swirl” iconic, thin-crusted pizza is served in a raucous hangout for the campus dwellers. 45 E. Main St. #100, (302) 369-0600

More sublime, the unassuming Margherita’s Pizza has been a long-time resident for good reason. Honest, deck oven-baked pizza is never out of style. This is the pizza place some students’ parents may have enjoyed back in their campus shenanigan days. 134 E. Main St., (302) 368-4611

Peace A Pizza offers a twist on the traditional but implores classic baking. The honey lime pie is topped with mandarin oranges, craisins, chicken, honey-lime white sauce and mozzarella on an herb-laced crust, baked the old fashioned way. 44 E. Main St., (302) 737-6766

  • Photos: Henry Grace