Athens Farmers' Market

If you really want to get an authentic feel for Athens, stop by its famous farmers' market.

Located in the University Mall parking lot near the new Bennigan's Restaurant, it is THE place to be on a Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to the farmers and their families, you'll see undergraduate and graduate students, professors, town notables and assorted Athens families. (During warmer months, it is also open on Wednesdays.)

For those who like to people watch, this is the place. However, let's remember why we're here -- the food!

What can you find? Well, it depends on the time of year. All the fruits and vegetables are seasonal. Right now, that means lots of apples, squash and pumpkins. You can also find peppers, garlic, onions, potatoes -- you name it.

For those who love salsa, there are two to three great stands. My personal favorite is Bungtown Salsa, which is made locally by a Hocking College student. The Jose Madrid stand has several great varieties to try. Occasionally there are others.

I always stop to visit the stand run by the owners of the Ali Baba food truck. You can get homemade hummus, fattoush and baba ganoush. You'll also find cous cous or taboulleh. On occasion, they have AMAZING potato candies. Stock up because these are soooo good.

Sometimes, I also pick up some whole wheat bread or rolls from Crumbs Bakery. They have a couple vegan options -- the whole wheat or herb varieties. My only problem with them is that they go bad fast. If you're not going to eat it right away, put it in the refrigerator. The peanut butter cookies are good, too. You can buy them in an eight-pack.

Over time, everyone finds their favorite stands. When you know what you like, it will save you time.

However, when all is said and done, you will still have to stop at Kroger. Most of the stuff is not cheap. However, at least you will know you helped support the local economy -- and got some tasty fresh food, too.

Quick Bites In Athens

(Click on photos to see their captions.)

College towns are a vegetarian or vegan's best friend, and Athens is no exception. For whatever reasons, universities tend to have larger vegetarian and vegan populations. Perhaps they are just more socially conscious. Perhaps they pay more attention to healthy eating. Either way, local restaurants respond to the demand.

Today, I intend to look at local restaurants that offer quick vegetarian and vegan eating. (I'll save the sit-down joints for later). In other locales. this might be difficult, but the choices are many in this socially conscious town.

Yes, you can get a bean burrito at Taco Bell or even a Veggie Delight at Subway, but why?

BURRITO BUGGY
Before moving to Athens, I did some advance scouting. I couldn't believe when I read that VegOhio.com cited a little food truck as being among Athens' best. Now I know why. With everything made to order at the Burrito Buggy, vegetarians can leave off the meat, while vegans can subtract the sour cream and cheese. You can even add tofu if you would like. Fresh ingredients make for great flavor.
My favorite:The black bean, tofu and rice burrito. Yum.

O'BETTYS RED HOTS
When people hear that I love this place, they're surprised. How can a vegan eat hot dogs? However, O'Bettys answers with "shy" dogs, their brand of tofu dogs. Not rubbery or tasteless like some supermarket varieties, they provide this former hot dog lover with his fix. Add some french fries if you would like. The cream sodas and root beers are huge.
My favorite: The Salome "Shy." This is essentially a Chicago-style tofu hotdog with tomatoes, onions, pickle relish, sport peppers and celery salt.(I prefer to leave off the mustard.)

BAGEL STREET DELI
The atmosphere, good music and friendly staff are not the only great things about this place. Choose from a variety of bagels, add whatever vegetables or toppings you want, and you have a great meal. Check out the long list of vegetarian bagel combinations on BSD's chalkboards. Vegans can omit the cheese. Baked tofu adds more variety. If you like salads, BSD has adds freshly sliced tomatoes, onions and cucumbers. The dressings are amazing.
My favorite: The Kung Fu on a six grain bagel. It features baked tofu, sprouts, peppers and teriyaki. If that doesn't fill you up, add a side salad with sesame ginger vinegrette.

ALI BABA'S
Ali Baba's food truck has become a fixture next to the Burrito Buggy over the last year. Although it may feature gyros for carnivores, it has vegetarian options, too. Choices ranges from falafel, hummus or baba ganoush to couscous or taboulleh salads. Vegans beware: the pitas come with yogurt sauce, so remember to ask for one without.
My favorite: A falafel pita with fattoush. Don't ask me what's in fattoush (I don't remember, but it's vegan). Thow on some veggie and some hot sauce, and it's a winner.

PITA PIT
Pita Pit is just like a Subway, but with made-to-order pitas. For vegetarians/vegans, try a falafel, hummus or baba ganoush pita with all the vegetable fixins and your favorite sauce. If you can get there soon after it opens, get the falafel grilled; but any later and the grill has already been used for several rounds of meat. Most people scrape the grill well, but watch out for the long-haired skinny guy who does not understand why you don't want your falafel grilled next to the bacon!!
My favorite: A falafel bagel with hummus. It's twice as nice and more filling if you have just a bit more hunger. I add nearly every veggie and top it off with teriyaki sauce to bring it all together.