Are you tired of Sodexo but still trying to do lunch on a college student’s budget? Luckily, some of Binghamton’s restaurants offer better-than-dining-hall quality at comparable-to-dining-hall prices. Check out these three lunchtime specials Binghamton has to offer that will keep your stomachs full and your wallets a-singin’.
Currys of India
45 Court St.
Located in the heart of Downtown Binghamton, Currys of India offers some pretty unbeatable prices. If you love Indian food and would like to devote an afternoon to eating, come any day from Tuesday through Friday between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. to take part in their $6.50 all-you-can-eat buffet. Yup. $6.50. Pile your plate high with naan, chickpea masala, rice pudding and more. Offering a wide selection of both meaty and vegetarian options, Currys of India is comparable to University Plaza’s Moghul Fine Indian Cuisine in terms of quality, and absolutely incomparable in terms of price. You’ll spend less here than you will in the Marketplace. When you’re done, head across the street to Jabberwock and buy me a thousand incense sticks with all the money I just saved you.
Fuji San: Japanese Restaurant
4105 Vestal Parkway East
Even if you don’t like Japanese food, Fuji San makes it pretty irresistible with their delicious prices. Open every day, lunch is offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.. and there are several ways you can get a lot of bangin’ spicy tuna for your buck in those four hours. For $10.95, you can get any two rolls plus a soup or a salad. For as cheap as $8.95, you can get a Hibachi lunch, which includes a main filling of your choice (tofu, veggies, shrimp, chicken, salmon, scallops, steak or filet mignon — price varies up to $13.95 depending on what you choose), salad, soup, steamed vegetables and the famous Fuji San fried rice. Think that’s good? Not even close until you hear about the combination lunch boxes. Choose a base order (shrimp, vegetable or chicken tempura, salmon or chicken teriyaki, beef negamaki, six pieces of sashimi or four pieces of sushi), and enjoy the side orders, including a miso soup, a house salad, white rice, gyoza or a California roll. Ranging from $10.50 to $11.95, these combination lunch boxes make me a combination of joyous and ecstatic. And the best thing about Fuji San? They deliver pretty much anywhere, so whether you’re on campus or off, you can have your lunch special at your door in less than an hour. But not for less than $15, so harass a friend until he or she understands the gravity of the situation.
Grande’s Bella Cucina
1171 Vestal Ave. or 1250 Upper Front St.
They should just change the name of this place to “Come Try Our Lunch Specials.” Grande’s is a pretty well-known Italian restaurant among the student population, but not everyone knows about the unbelievable deals they offer around noon. You can come in any day of the week between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and get any two specialty slices and a fountain drink for just $4.97. A $5 bill is all you need, and if you come in between Monday and Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., you can participate in a lunch buffet that, at just $8.95, is almost suspiciously cheap. Not only can you get all-you-can-eat pizza, salad bar and fruit, but there are also daily specials of dozens of different types of Italian dishes that Grande’s offers in its buffet. My class schedule keeps me occupied on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I’ll see you guys there on Monday. And Wednesday. And Friday.