5 Favorite Restaurants in Downtown Oberlin

Oberlin might seem small, but that doesn’t stop us from having some killer restaurants downtown (good food + student-friendly prices!). Here are some of my & a lot of other Obies' favorite restaurants downtown. 

*Disclaimer: I am a vegetarian! 

Name: Slow Train Cafe & The Local 

Food: A typical cafe menu with mostly hot & cold beverages and some light (but delicious) snacks: bagels, croissants, cookies, sandwiches. 

Vibe: Your typical small-town local cafe in a college town vibe. You’ll see everyone from Oberlin students to townies grabbing their coffee/tea. It’s a great place to meet someone new, write that paper you’re procrastinating on, or just read your morning newspaper. But beware, you might like this place a little too much and burn a mini hole in your pocket (lol)! 

My favorite: 1. A classic oat milk latte. 2. Chai latte with pumpkin spice (when the flavor is around). 3. chocolate/spinach + cheese croissants. 4. Everything Bagel with cream cheese/pesto. 

Name: Thi Ni Thai

Food: Mouth-watering Thai food! My friends from Thailand have told me that the food here is quite authentic. This is my favorite place to eat, like a proper meal on campus. 

Vibe: Cozy Thai restaurant vibe with outdoor, indoor, bar seating. Friendly staff and super happening on the weekends with students splattered all around. Fair warning, I think the spice level can be a hit/miss for some people. The general consensus is that you love or hate Thi Ni Thai based on how well you do with spicy food.

My favorite: 1. Classic veggies stir fry (can never go wrong!). 2. Khao Soi. 3. Phat Thai, Phat kee mao. 

Name: Kim’s Grocery & Carry Out 

Food: Dumplings, Ramen, Fusion Korean food & grocery. 

Vibe: Small takeout shop vibe with limited seating indoors (tables & chairs are outside, though!). 

My favorite: Hot & Spicy vegetarian Ramen and Matcha Bubble Tea. 

Name: Blue Rooster Bakehouse 

Food: Any and all mouthwatering baked goods.

Vibe: It feels like you just walked into someone’s kitchen with the sweet & rich smell of all the baked goodies filling your senses. It’s a classic place to buy something sweet to celebrate any occasion, be it your friend’s birthday or a particularly trippy meeting. 

My favorite: Sea salt & chocolate brownie warmed up! 

Name: Bingo Chinese Restaurant 

Food: Classic American Chinese restaurant with Lo Mein, Phad Thai, Bok Choy, and more! To be fair, I do not typically sit down and eat here. The beverage menu is also quite. 

Vibe: The ambiance is definitely more on the trendy side in comparison to most other places downtown. You’d definitely feel like you went out someplace nice to eat when you come here. 

My favorite: Passionfruit or Thai bubble tea is to die for (so good!). 

Honorary mention: RIP Agave ~ but Burritos. 

Those were mine, what are yours?