Considering everyone in this class is a first-year student, it’s safe to say that the newly established DUC-ling is a go-to place for everyone trying to get breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a day-to-day basis. However, what happens after a while of eating the same over-grilled chicken? Hopefully, a change in menu. Of course, you might think of going to White Hall for a quick lunch bag, or even to the WoodPec for some chicken tenders. But in all honesty, the first place you think of, and rightfully so, is Cox Hall.
Located right by Asbury Circle (only 10-20 feet from the DUC-ling) Cox Hall is one of the most prominent dining facilities on campus. Operating from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, it is a food court holding up to 8 different dining options, with overall prices averaging from $8 to $10. By now you must be interested in what a Cox Hall experience is really like: Well, let me be your guide for today.
Let’s start off with the first restaurant you’d see when entering Cox, a traditionally Mexican joint that serves everything from burritos to tacos filled with your choice of chicken, beef, seafood or veggies along with different sauces, rice, and greens. Suffice it to say, for all you weird vegetarian folk, all tacos can be filled with seasoned tofu as a substitute for meat. Items on the menu average $4. With a menu featuring 16 different kinds of tacos and burritos, it really is hard to go wrong at this place. My personal favorite item on the menu is Buffalo Bill, which is a taco composed of crispy fried chicken strips in buffalo sauce along with tomatoes, lettuce and ranch dressing. In my little private personal ranking, I’d give twisted taco 2nd place on the personal Cox food leaderboards. To personally check out the menu as well as the prices, click on the following link: http://twistedtaco.com/wp-content/uploads/Emory-Menu.pdf
All the pizza boxes you see throughout the day that isn’t Dominos or Papa Johns belong to Ray’s Express New York pizza place. Located right next to Twisted Taco, it’s as the name suggests: a New York-style pizza joint. Giving you the choice of pizza or pasta, averaging around $6, it is the perfect place for anyone craving a good satisfying meal. The most popular menu items, which also happen to be my personal favorites, are “Momma’s beef lasagna” and a few slices of their cheese pizza. In terms of personal ranking and rating, I’d give this restaurant 5th place overall. Attached you will find a menu in case you haven’t started drooling yet: https://www.raysnewyorkpizza.com/copy-of-georgia-state
Following that row half way down is a traditional American restaurant called Char’d House. There you’d be able to find menu items starting from burgers and fried chicken to sweet potato fries and salad bowls, all averaging a price of around $8 for a fulfilling meal. The most popular menu item is the chicken strips with a side of french fries, getting that first bite really brings you back to the first time you had chick fil a, which in my case was pretty amazing. Placing number 4 on my personal leaderboards, it offers a very\ fulfilling quality meal at a fair price.
Next, comes the traditional Indian joint, the Bhojanic Market. With a menu featuring everything from Thalis to different types of curry and salads, as well as up to 8 different types of bread, this restaurant is another place where it would be really hard to go wrong. This is a more pricey restaurant within Cox hall, with food items averaging around $15. Being a huge fan of spicy food in general, my personal favorite menu item is the Chicken curry. Consisting of boneless chicken with all kind of spices, garlic and some sort of onion based sauce, it really makes it worth your money, just like every other menu item at the Bhojanic. In my personal leaderboards, I’d give Bhojanik 3rd place overall due to my biased, spice loving self. If this has you interested for more, please click the following link to access the Bhojanin menu: http://www.bhojanic.com/restaurantmenu/
Right in the corner of Cox Hall, you will find Maru, a traditional East Asian restaurant. Featuring everything from Rice bowls with chicken to noodle soups with beef, as well as a wide variety of vegetarian salad bowls, all averaging $8 in price, Maru provides excellent quality food at a very reasonable price. My personal favorite item on the Menu is a rice bowl with Ginger chicken and vegetables with hot sauce, it provides an exquisite balance of spicy and sweet, and to top it off the blend of the soft aromatic chicken pieces with white rice is excellent. Having been in love with Asian food since I was little, it is my go-to place every time I am inconvenienced by the DUC-ling and therefore ranks number 1 on my leaderboards. Maru provides an excellent mix of quality food at a very reasonable price.
Next in line are ITP and Dooleys farm. ITP is a classic Italian pizza and deli place, averaging prices of around $7, it provides a perfect alternative to Ray’s Express. With thin crust pizzas and finely made deli sandwiches, ITP provides a little fake back-to-home experience for all the Italian students. Dooleys farm is just what it sounds like, averaging prices of about $9, it’s a less popular all salad place in the food court always offering refreshing, yet fulfilling bowls at fair prices. Both joints together place at number 6 in my overall personal ranking.
Finally, last but not least are Freshens and Beans Kaldis coffee shop providing smoothies and coffees as well as healthy salads and little dessert food items for all the passer byes, both joint prices averaging around $6. These two places are pretty much in a different category because of the type of items available, which are mostly different varieties of healthy or energizing smoothies and beverages.
After you’ve picked out food from any of the food places available, you either go pay with Dooley dollars or a credit card, indicate whether or not you want a drink with your food (which would add somewhere around $3 to your overall charge ), sit down and enjoy your meal with your friends or alone if you’re into that. I do have to mention to the first-years in the class that having $150 Dooley dollars automatically on our Emory cards, it’s best to pay with those, keeping in mind that we’ll all be getting another $150 starting from next semester.
And hey, if after all of this you still can’t find something to eat, just go to the local store and get some chips, candy or a granola bar with juice/ soda, and go on back to your dorm room to eat there.
In conclusion, if you’re hungry and looking for some place to eat that’s not the DUC-ling, Cox hall is a place for you. Offering a wide variety of meals as well as its own little store, there’s something for all of us.