When in Athens...

There are certain things that make everyone's college experience unique - certain traditions or memories we create that we look fondly on for the rest of our lives. For some, it might involve being part of a club or organization. For others, it could be a sporting event - in the SEC, it's called "football season." It may be a coffee shop or quiet spot on campus that becomes your own personal space. Or, it might be a greasy spoon/dive/loud and obnoxious/hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Little Italy became one of those traditions for me.

Located in downtown Athens and right across the street from the University of Georgia campus, Little Italy is a popular spot for UGA students. With cheap food, ridiculous hours of operation, and quick service, you could always find a steady flow of people waiting for this greasy Italian fare. On a Saturday evening after a football game or during any other crowded night downtown, you could expect to find a line out the door and no one seemed to mind - I know I never did.

During my freshman year, Little Italy became a weekend tradition. It was a five minute walk from my dorm and a great option for some cheap food. Sometimes we'd go on a Friday night, other weekends it would be a Saturday night, and some weekends we'd go two nights in a row - Little Italy was almost always incorporated into the weekend festivities. My friend, Jonathan, was a big part of this tradition. Occasionally, a few others or a group of people would join us, but Jonathan and I were faithful to our Little Italy commitment no matter what. Eating there on the weekend was part of our experience of being students at UGA.

Photo courtesy of Little Italy

The food made it an easy tradition to keep. The slices of pizza were enormous - and only cost around $2.50 per slice! It was the classic New York-style thin crust and one slice was bigger than most textbooks. They actually couldn't even fit a slice on one plate, so two plates were used for support. Of course, we'd each order two slices. Full of toppings sprinkled over the top and served at the counter by an angry staff who would cuss you out if you didn't come pick up for your food...this is a truly unique Athens experience. However, we didn't stick to pizza alone. The calzones were excellent and I think I might have liked the meatball sandwich more than anything else on the menu. It was a piping hot sandwich stuffed with meatballs and covered with melted mozzarella cheese - and again, it needed two plates because it was so enormous. This should be incorporated into any recruiting trip for a high schooler who is considering attending UGA. And as a poor college freshman, I don't think I ever spent more than $6 for a meal.

I loved my time at UGA. I love my wife, who I met at UGA. I loved getting to experience SEC football in Sanford Stadium. I loved being able to receive a great education from a highly regarded university. And I loved that I was able to create so many unique memories during my time in Athens. I will always look back on eating at Little Italy as one of those unique memories.