Au Bon Pain

1 Broadway, 865-5554

YY $$

Au Bon Pain, part of the national chain, is a reliable place for quick meals or snacks. Its location near Old Campus and many of the residential colleges is especially convenient. ABP, as it’s called by most Yale students, offers a basic selection of many items, including sandwiches, bagels, soups, baked goods and coffee. Students often meet at ABP to study or socialize. ABP is also open until midnight and it accepts Flex Dollars.

The News recommends: Chicken mozzarella sandwich

Bruegger’s Bagels

1 Whitney Avenue, 773-3199

YYY $

After trying a bagel from Bruegger’s, you may never want to get a bagel at a dining hall again. Bruegger’s offers hot bagels all day long and sandwiches made-to-order, all at inexpensive prices. Its location on Whitney Avenue is especially convenient for students in TD, although it’s worth the walk for students in other colleges as well.

The News recommends: Salmon bagel sandwich

Claire’s Corner Copia

1000 Chapel Street, 562-3888

YYYY $

Most Yalies would probably not frequent Claire’s on its name alone. As the neighborhood vegetarian restaurant, it doesn’t sound that inviting. However, the food is good — very good. They offer cake, soup, salad and Mexican-style entrees.

At Claire’s, you discover that there are so many ways of cooking vegetables, and all of them are good and appetizing. This isn’t your regular serving of broccoli. The atmosphere is conducive to study groups, friends going out to dinner, and the like. Taking a date here wouldn’t be bad either. And almost every birthday party on campus features a Claire’s cake.

The News recommends: Lithuanian coffee cake

The Educated Burgher

53 Broadway, 777-9198

YYYY $

EB is a diner with infinitely more selection than the Doodle. At the Burgher you can get chicken fingers, French fries, cold sandwiches of all kinds — and, of course, burgers. This place is super-crowded at lunch, less crowded at dinner. The prices are affordable, making it good for a break from dining hall cuisine. A particularly good destination for cheap breakfasts.

The News recommends: Egg-white omelette

Louis’ Lunch

263 Crown Street, 562-5507

YYYY $

Reputed to be the birthplace of the hamburger, Louis’ Lunch dishes up hamburgers on white bread, but does not allow the use of condiments on its creations — they ruin the flavor of the meat. The Crown Street establishment, nestled in an old railway car, is popular among New Haven business men on their lunch breaks and Yale students after Thursday nights at Bar.

The hamburgers are cheap and good, but not worth the fuss if you’re not a true lover of red meat — or a ketchup connoisseur.

The News recommends: Cheeseburger, of course

Rainbow Cafe

1022 Chapel Street, 777-2390

YYYY $

This is a nice, moderately priced restaurant right next to Old Campus. Bright and clean, it offers an assortment of good food for low prices. The menu caters to both vegetarians and carnivores. This is a great place to bring your parents, or just to have peace and quiet while you eat. Keep your eyes open for this subterranean jewel on Chapel Street. It’s worth the search.

The News recommends: Chicken Bombay

Whimsel’s

280 York Street

YYY $

A newly opened Broadway eatery, Whimsel’s offers an interesting alternative to the burger- and pizza-heavy cuisine in the area: the crepe. Yes, you too can partake in such a fancy-sounding but simple dish — crepes are really just thin pancakes wrapped around some kind of filling. Whimsel’s opened with the promise of bringing desert-oriented dishes, like crepes with ice cream, but also offers more filling alternatives.

The News recommends: Santa Fe (a hummus crepe)

The Yankee Doodle

258 Elm Street, 865-1074

YYYYY $

At the Doodle you can get your fill of burgers, shakes and more burgers for very, very cheap prices.

They serve a fast-paced breakfast as well. Most consider eating the famous butter-slathered, relish-drowned burgers a delectable tradition. “Pigs in a blanket” are an equally satisfying selection. People sit at the counter and eat fast because there is always someone waiting to take their place.

The Doodle recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, In commemoration, it went back to 1950s prices, making it by far the cheapest place to go — if it wasn’t already.

The News recommends: Fried doughnut