Bite, Bite, Bite, For the Cherry and the White....

For the Cherry and the White, we fight, fight, fight! The only thing I'm fighting is the temptation to spend money at one of Temple's plethora of food trucks and vendors every day! Although I normally pack a healthy lunch or just go home to eat, once in a blue moon I treat myself to one of the variety of options Temple has to offer. So, if you forget your lunch and are starving between classes but only have a 10 minute break, here's where you should go (you might be late for class waiting in one of the notoriously long lines, but just bring your professor a coffee or dessert and you should be in the clear).

1. Maxi's - specialty pizza and garlic knots

I've never been to the back of Maxi's, which is where the bar is located, but everything you need is in the front behind the counter. Forget about alcohol when you have several varieties of pizza like no other, including general tso's, french fry, or my personal favorite, mac and cheese. If these are a little too out there for you, go with the buffalo and barbecue chicken, two classics. There are two types of people in this world- those that prefer buffalo and those the prefer BBQ. Although I love spicy and sweet, I think I lean more towards BBQ. Maxi's on Liacouras Walk, the center of campus, is open until 2 AM, so it's also at the center of every drunk college student's radar for some late night munchies. I recommend going earlier though so you can try their garlic knots before they sell out!

2. Honey Truck - chicken avocado wrap and chicken and waffles

The BEST chicken on campus. No competition. The secret ingredient to the Honey Truck's chicken must be love; the family that runs this truck on 12th street outside of the Engineering School is always so warm and friendly, even when the weather is cold and rainy outside. I've made the long trek across campus and weathered some thunderstorms just for their chicken. Now, that's dedication. If you're going for lunch, definitely go with the chicken avocado wrap; they put a whole avocado in there, and it comes with a generous serving of the best fries on campus. If you're going for breakfast/brunch, go with their famous chicken and waffles, which comes with the tangiest, most delicious sweet chili sauce ever. I want to get this stuff in bulk because it's so much better than maple syrup, and I always use it all before I'm even halfway done with my chicken. And as if it couldn't get any better, this place is also very cheap!

3. Chicken Heaven - egg, ham and cheese on a croissant

Ironically, I've never had the chicken from Chicken Heaven. I've heard it's amazing, but after the Honey Truck, I don't think anything will live up to my expectations. However, when I read an article in the Foodies issue of the Temple News (which I write for) that recommended an egg, cheese, and ham sandwich on a croissant from this food truck on Montgomery Avenue that I've never tried before, I wasn't expecting much. I was wrong. It not only met my expectations; it surpassed them. I don't typically order ham on my breakfast sandwiches, but it's much better than bacon or sausage. And forget about bagels or English muffins; this flaky, buttery croissant was the best part of my day. This sandwich also only cost $5, and it was so big that I was full all day!

4. The Crepe Truck - any crepe

Luckily, I don't have to travel far to fuel my crepe obsession. The Crepe Truck on Norris Street was one of the first trucks I tried freshman year, and it is still my favorite truck to this day. The crepes are inexpensive, and there's rarely a line when you're like me and go the second they open at 10 AM. I've tried almost every crepe off the menu. In fact, I've gone so many times that I've used my buy 9 get a 10th free punch card twice. If I have one gripe, it's that they don't serve breakfast crepes. This truck only has sweet and savory choices, but they make up for it by being open until 8 PM! So, unlike most of the food trucks, you can still get a crepe before your 5:30 night class.

5. Burger Tank - pesto grilled cheese

Also ironic enough is that I did not order a burger from the burger tank. I'm not a big cheeseburger girl, so instead I got one of my childhood favorites- a grilled cheese sandwich! I made mine a little healthier (kinda) though by getting it with pesto, tomato, and a side of sweet potato fries. The Burger Tank is right next to the Crepe Truck, and choosing one or the other is like choosing your favorite child. So, get both! Problem solved.

6. Blaze Pizza - make your own pizza

If you're not feeling Maxi's because you've already been there too many times this week, or you're famished and want a whole pie to yourself, Blaze is your next best bet. You can customize your own pizza with any toppings you want, or if you're way too indecisive and this is overwhelming (me) you can go with one of their pre-made varieties! I personally prefer the white pizza or the chicken pesto. Blaze is one of the more expensive options on campus, but the pizzas are pretty big, and you can probably get two meals out of it. I have no self control, so I can't, but maybe you can!

7. Crisp Kitchen - stir fry

Right next to Blaze is a slightly healthier alternative, Crisp Kitchen, which offers stir fries, salads, and frozen yogurt. I forget exactly what this stir fry was called, but it has chicken, snap peas, red onion, cilantro and, an unconventional but flavorful addition, mango! For the moderately low price, they give you a ton of noods; I honestly think it's a better deal and tastes better than Honeygrow, which is a unpopular opinion. I've only been here once though, since HG is closer to my apartment, but it's definitely on my radar to try again!

8. Bagel Hut - any bagel with any flavor of cream cheese

I didn't include the Bagel Hut on my list of best Philly bagels because I wrote about it here, but I think they may have my favorite bagels in the city. They have daily specials and offer new flavors of bagels regularly. But what really won me over was the cream cheese. Unlike some bagelrys, they're not skimpy. On the contrary, they load each bagel up with a whole tub of cream cheese; when you take a bite (this is the type of bagel you want to eat as a sandwich), it will inevitably start oozing out of the sides, but I love cream cheese so much that rather than take it off, I just eat mouthfuls of straight cream cheese! When I was sitting outside, even one of the notorious Temple squirrels tried to eat my bagel; luckily, I finished before he could have the chance. There's normally a huge line for the Bagel Hut, since it's a well-known staple at Temple, but you can beat the line by getting up early. Believe me- you won't regret losing a few hours of sleep over this pumpkin bagel with pumpkin cream cheese!

9. Richie's - everything bagel with egg, cheese and hash browns with an iced coffee

Ask any Temple student what their favorite breakfast place is on campus, and I bet you at least 75% of them will answer Richie's. Richie, a Temple icon, will serve you an even more iconic meal in record time (I've never seen a man take orders more urgently) after you wait in a line even longer than the Bagel Hut. Pro-tip- call ahead. And when you're calling, make sure to order an everything bagel with egg, cheese, and, drum roll please...hash browns! I never even considered putting these fried potatoes on a breakfast sandwich until a few years ago, but these are not just meant to be on the side! They make a great replacement to meat and take this sandwich to the next level. This was always my 7 AM priority registration breakfast of champions, with one of their popular iced coffees (which is basically a dessert for breakfast), already made and ready to go at the counter, of course. I normally opt for hot coffee, but Richie's is my one exception.

10. Smoothie truck - banana, mango, kale smoothie

If you want some sustenance on the go, you're not super hungry and craving something light, or you just want a mid-afternoon energy booster, get in line at the Smoothie Truck, another one of Temple's food trucks that has an infamous line but is well worth the wait. Their smoothies are cheap (this small was 16 ounces and only $3.50), fresh, and you can create your own out of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. This green smoothie was such a beautiful color and so refreshing on a hot day! They also serve fruit salads and other snacks. But heads up- they're cash only!

11. Champ's Diner - anything off the menu!

I've saved the best for last. Finally, a diner with diner prices! The only cons- it's very small, and it's always crowded on weekends during brunch hours. I recommend placing an order over the phone and doing takeout; it's just as good, and you avoid waiting/sitting in the cramped dining room. From the same owners of the Honey Truck, this diner on Cecil B. Moore Ave is truly the champion of this list. They serve the same recipe of chicken and waffles, and they also have veggie omelettes and hash browns with peppers and onions (pictured), the "dankwich" (eggs and cheesesteak on a hoagie roll), colossal stacks of Oreo waffles, and so much more. But come prepared to have leftover's because the portions are indulgent, to say the least.