Oregon City campus surrounded by many food options for a study break

By The Clackamas Print Staff

With the college located at the intersection of Molalla Avenue and Highway 213, there are plenty of nearby places to grab a bite to eat. We asked The Print staff about the best spots to get food at or near the school. Here’s what we came up with.

Clackamas student Jacob Gordon whips up a Cup Noodles, available in the bookstore for 89 cents.

Bookstore – If you’re short on cash and don’t want to leave campus, the bookstore has a variety of snack foods and is usually open later than the cafeteria. They have a few options under $5 such as Tornados, hot dogs, nachos, and premade deli sandwiches. If you’re thirsty they also carry energy drinks and Arizona tea for 99 cents.

The Cougar Cafe – Also on campus is the cafeteria, run by Trio Hospitality, which offers many foods varying from pizzas to soups, wraps and even rice bowls. My personal favorite is getting a large bowl of coconut chicken curry, $3.95, and a small bowl of jasmine rice, $1. For a drink I always get a Perrier sparkling water, $1. They also have a soda bar featuring RC Cola products, $1.25 for a small and $1.50 for the large. It is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays.

Wendy’s and Starbucks – When I’m near campus and hunger cries out to me, I usually look for something to hold me over until I have time to eat something sensible. My go-to is Wendy’s grilled chicken wrap for $1.79. If I want a pick-me-up treat, I pop into Starbucks right across the street on the corner of Molalla Avenue and the highway. For $3.25, I get a tall Green Tea Crème Frappuccino, no classic, just one scoop matcha, and no whip. Yum.

Hawaiian Time – Located across the street in the Starbucks parking lot, Hawaiian Time is a convenient and delicious restaurant, one I find myself eating at all the time. They offer a $6 student special, which is a small portion of teriyaki chicken with a side of rice, a scoop of macaroni salad, and a regular sized drink. I generally get enough to eat from the student special, but find myself sometimes getting larger portions off the menu, which are still reasonably priced.

VIP Deli & Teriyaki – This deli is a great place to go for lunch or long breaks in between classes. I love getting their teriyaki bowl, only $4.75. It’s filling and cheap. It’s open Monday-Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. They have a wide range of food choices, are fast and only 2 miles away from the college.

Thai Chef – Whether you like noodles or curry, Thai Chef, down the street from the college at 2262 Molalla Ave., is a great spot for Thai food. The pad see ew, wide noodles stir-fried and mixed with veggies, is a giant portion that fills an entire plate. For $6.95, it comes with chicken, tofu, pork or beef.

Biscuits Cafe – One of my favorite places to grab a bite to eat, close to campus, is Biscuits Cafe, where prices run about $12 a plate. They open bright and early and close at 2:30 p.m. One of my favorite things is their Country Omelet. This omelet has bacon, sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions and potatoes, and is topped with gravy. I also highly recommend the blueberry pancakes.

Sushi Valley – Off of Molalla Avenue in the Safeway parking lot is Sushi Valley, a great, cheap option for lunch. Their happy hour is from 2-4:30 p.m. An average of four plates usually fills me up. It’s only $1.35 for the green plates, and $1.85 for any other color. I’m not a huge fan of sushi, so I’ll get the veggie roll with rice paper, available only upon request.

Abby’s Legendary Pizza – Right down the street in the Berry Hill Shopping Center you can find Abby’s Legendary Pizza. Mini pizzas (7 inches) start at $5.65 and are perfect for students flying solo. Giant pizzas (16 inches) start at $21 and they are a fantastic option for a group of friends. My favorite is the Greek Vegetarian, topped with spinach, red onions, roasted garlic, red bell peppers, black olives, artichokes, and four cheeses. If you’re looking for something a bit lighter they also have a pretty decent salad bar.

Singer Hill Cafe – Always a great stop for breakfast or lunch, Singer Hill Cafe sits on the corner of Seventh and John Adams in Oregon City. A grilled cheese and a side cup of soup is $10, and can be enjoyed on the delightfully green cafe patio with vertical garden walls. The chai tea latte is my favorite.

That’s the list. Just don’t try it all in one day.