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Hidden Gems Around Lowell Offer Alternative Options for Dining and Fun

(Courtesy of USA Restaurants)

Tyler White
Connector Contributor

Over the course of the school year, students say they crave options when they inevitably grow tired of ordinary dining hall food and the familiar restaurants located on campus.

Luckily, there is a way to break this cycle. UMass Lowell students have come to the rescue, sharing some of their hidden gems around Lowell: fun places to visit with which many people may not be familiar. These recommendations from fellow students provide opportunities to find new destinations near campus.

If students are not willing to travel far to find these hidden gems, one option is close by: Eggroll Café on 110 University Avenue on North Campus. According to the café’s website, the restaurant is known for their Asian fusion style, fresh ingredients, quick service and affordable meals.

Anshel Isles, a student at UMass Lowell, provided important advice regarding someone’s first trip to the café. “You have to get the bubble tea. It’s a must have. Oh, and get a large, not a small,” he said.

Isles’s favorite bubble tea flavor is peach, but there is a wide variety of flavors to choose from. In the afternoons, however, be wary of the crowds. “Go any time after the lunch rush,” he said. “It gets a little crowded; I made that mistake once.”

If students have had a long week of classes and want to unwind in a more social setting, those who are 21 can head over to Smokehouse Tavern on the weekends. UMass Lowell student Naydelin Morel says she values it for its inclusive atmosphere. “I like the vibe and the type of people that go there,” sbe said. “It’s very diverse. It’s a good time!”

The Tavern can be found on 98 Middle Street and it is open until 1:30 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Students looking for something more lowkey, perhaps off the beaten path, should check out the Old Court Pub. “It’s downtown, and it’s an Irish pub,” UMass Lowell student Matt Holmes says. “Most of the college kids try to go to the popular college bars, but that place is actually kind of nice.”

The pub is located at the Lowell National Historical Park, on 29-31 Central Street. Holms says, “It’s great for a nice chill night, to just hangout.” For the intellectually inclined, they also have trivia night every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

In the same area, UMass Lowell student William Lyons recommends TreMonte Pizzeria Restaurant and Bar.

“It’s traditionally a pizza place, but on the appetizers, they have the house special wings and these things, their sauce, numbs your mouth. It is amazing,” Lyons said. “Most people go there to grab drinks and those wings. It’s great. They’re known for their IPAs, I believe.” TreMonte is located on 44 Palmer Street in Lowell.

If students are looking for a cheaper food option, Audra Garland, a UMass Lowell employee at the Grill Out on the first floor of the McGauvran Center, says that Eliot’s Hot Dogs is a great spot for an inexpensive bite. “I don’t know when they opened, but it’s been around forever,” she said. “They just have really good hot dogs and they’re pretty cheap.” The restaurant is located on 37 Elliott St in Lowell.

UMass Lowell students expressed interest in finding new locations for dining and fun outside of the regular on-campus options. Each interviewee said that they heard of their favorite hidden gems through friends and family.

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