1. Source Juicery

Source opened its doors in January of 2016 and has since become a hit amongst Edwardsville natives and visitors alike. Serving happy, healthy, and whole options for many, they offer a variety of options such as raw cold pressed juices, smoothies, hydration waters, shots, vegan milks and clean foods. If you're someone who has to keep an eye on allergens, Source is amazing. All food is currently gluten-free, and the ingredients are clearly listed. For those of you who have been interested in the idea of a cleanse, they have the perfect beginner cleanse to kickstart your goals, and before you know it, you could be doing one of their advanced cleanses. They have a limited time 10 percent discount for SIUE students (not applicable on cleanses), so make sure and try them out soon!

Recommendations:

Sweet Green Juice
Early Bird Smoothie
Quinoa Crunch Bowl

2. Chef's Shoppe

Chef's Shoppe is hidden away in the same shopping plaza as Target, so many tend to cross paths with this store and never enter it. Inside, however, you'll find the best popcorn, fudge, and other confectionary goods that you will ever have. They have a lot of flavors to try and sell large batches to share with your friends, so stop by and pick out a bag of popcorn to share with your roommates for this upcoming school year. They also sell large amounts of kitchen appliances, so this place is great to find gifts for your parents so they have more excuses to cook you food.

Recommendations:

Cheddar Popcorn
Peanut Butter Fudge

3. Nori Sushi

Sushi seems very foreign to many who haven't tried it, but Nori provides a great gateway experience into enjoying it. With a large list of combinations and possibilities, Nori provides good atmosphere, good sushi, and good drinks. Many combination specials are available to provide you with the opportunity to try more than one roll, and most specials/combinations come with a small salad or Miso soup as an appetizer. Nori also provides an SIUE discount and a lot of lunch specials, which can come in clutch when you run out of your meal plan money.

Recommendations:

Volcano Roll
Miso Soup

4. 222 Artisan Bakery

222 Artisan Bakery (colloquially known as Artisan) is a great downtown location for off-campus studying. Their coffee is strong and flavorful, their baked treats are flaky and delicious, and their new Pizza Nights will keep you coming back weekly. They are currently expanding to add more seating space for the new year, providing many with more space to study, hang out and enjoy the atmosphere.

Recommendations:

Goshen Coffee
Strawberry Tart
Pizza

5. Laurie's Place

More commonly known for the bar function of the business, Laurie's Place provides wonderful food as well as their nightly bar in the back. They're open late and provide some of the best guilty pleasure foods in all of Edwardsville. Many times, they have live music and a lively atmosphere that is great for relaxing with a cold one (who can beat their stag special?). For those who would like a new bar in town, they have daily changing drink specials that are hard to beat. Keep an eye out on their website for Trivia Nights as well!

Recommendations:

Philly Cheesesteak Nachos
Sunday Bloody Marys

6. Wooden Nickel

Wooden Nickel is a bit far for many who don't explore Glen Carbon much, but it's one of the best hidden gems for those who enjoy a beautiful view and good food/drink. They have some of the best daily specials (including an all you can eat pasta Monday and taco Tuesday with margarita specials). If you're a sports fan and don't already have a set place to watch your game, I would recommend trying out WN, as it's such a fun atmosphere on game days.

Recommendations:

Taco Tuesday
Gyro-Greek Salad

7. Dairy Haven

It's extremely easy to go through your years at SIUE without realizing that Dairy Haven exists, and for those who never visit, I feel so sorry for your loss. Dairy Haven provides some of the best ice cream and frozen treats in all of Edwardsville and provide numerous combinations of ice cream/sorbet and toppings. They also serve a number of meals including an amazing codfish sandwich. If you're taking summer classes, live in the area, or happen to be visiting Edwardsville during the summer, you can't beat the heat better anywhere else in the city.

Recommendations:

Orange Sorbet
Codfish Sandwich

8. Bigelo's Bistro

Of the many businesses that line North Main Street, Bigelo's is one of the best. They provide a mixture of Italian and American cuisine that pairs extremely well with any of their wine or beers on tap. They have a number of unbeatable specials including Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday half-priced wine bottles. Even if you're not of age for drinking, they provide some of the best pizza and pasta in town and have a really modern interior that provides a wonderful hang out for you and all your friends.

Recommendations:

House Made Chips
Greek Pizza
The Bigelo