The Great Debate: Best burrito in Athens

Athens, Ohio and Ohio University are known for many things. The cobblestone streets, rolling hills, Colonial-style brick buildings, and annual Halloween celebration are all things that define Athens. But, did you know Athens is also known for their awesome burritos? OK, so maybe they're not nationally recognized or anything, but any OU student will tell you that Athens is the place to be if you're in the hunt for a burrito.

The traditional Burrito Buggy has been around for over a quarter of a century. Big Mamma's Burritos came in sometime after that and stole the hearts of many OU students with their late hours and unique menu. Then, two years ago when I was a freshman, big, bad Chipotle barged into town and threatened to monopolize the burrito business. Ultimately, that did not happen and all three have been able to coexist relatively well for the past two years. The big question, however, is which place has the best burrito. Traditionalists will say the Burrito Buggy. Non-traditionalists will say Big Mamma's. As for Chipotle, well let's face it; it's almost like a cult for some people.

This won't be the first time this has been debated either. The best burrito in Athens seems to be a hot topic for OU students.



My goal is to analyze each restaurant, get some feedback from students, and then ultimately decide for myself which restaurant has the best burrito.

(Photo credit: www.athenshub.com, The Burrito Buggy)

The Burrito Buggy

PROS:
The Burrito Buggy has many things that make it great. It's been an Athens staple for over 25 years. By supporting the Burrito Buggy, you are supporting local business. The Burrito Buggy is closer to campus for those living in the dorms and stays open much later than Chipotle. They always have fresh ingredients and always give you more meat then needed. All burritos are under $5.

CONS:
The Burrito Buggy closes during winter quarter. Their menu doesn't have much variety. You can get a beef burrito, bean burrito, or veggie burrito. Outside of those three base ingredients, there's not much else.

WHAT THE STUDENTS THINK:
"Burrito Buggy is the best because it's a different meat then the other two," junior Ronnie Corey said. "They give you a lot of cheese, you don't get a bunch of unwanted rice, it's cheap, and it's fast."

"I love Chipotle, but Burrito Buggy is awesome," sophomore Chris Barkley said. "Burrito Buggy gives you so much meat. The seasoned beef is awesome, it's cheap, and I can get it quickly in between classes."

VERDICT:
The Burrito Buggy delivers an authentic, Mexican-style burrito. I don't get that sense when eating the others. The burrito has a fresh taste, but I should have ordered mine with rice. That's my fault. I'll give The Burrito Buggy props though. In my opinion, a burrito without rice usually lacks substance, but Burrito Buggy makes up for that by loading your burrito up with seasoned beef, veggies, and sour cream. Overall, a very solid burrito.

(Photo credit: www.consumer.discoverohio.com, Big Mamma's Burritos)

Big Mamma's Burritos

PROS:
Big Mamma's has the widest variety on their menu than any of the other two places and the longest hours as well. You can order a burrito with Skyline chili, buffalo chicken, bacon, and even marinara sauce. They also offer cheeseburgers and Philly cheesesteaks in the form of burritos. You can order your burrito in a baby size for only $3.75, too. Oh and I forgot to mention, there are five different salsas that you can put on your burrito, which leads me to the biggest pro of all. The mango salsa, enough said.

CONS:
A regular-sized burrito is $6, and no bigger than a Burrito Buggy burrito which costs much less. It also gets crowded with drunken kids late at night, which isn't their fault. Big Mamma's doesn't give me that authentic Mexican taste like Burrito Buggy either, even when ordering a "normal" burrito.

WHAT THE STUDENTS THINK:
"I used to be obsessed with Chipotle, but after coming here, I realize that I go to Big Mamma's way more often," senior Melissa Droske said. "They have way more options and it's cheaper."

"The Chipotle Ranch with the mango salsa is the best burrito in Athens hands down," junior Greg Wilhelm said. "If you don't get the mango salsa, you're just doing yourself a disservice."

"Big Mamma's is definitely the best," senior Andrew Kahan said. "I like that they offer alternative styles of burritos."

"Burritos come down to three things: quality, selection, and of course quantity," junior Matt Razzante said. "I have yet to try every burrito on Big Mamma's menu, which I think I did in the first week at Chipotle. Not to mention, Big Mamma's is home to the most delicious burrito of all time, the Chicken Chipotle Ranch. Enough said."

VERDICT:
I love going to Big Mamma's because I can get something different. The Chipotle Ranch Mamma with the mango salsa is incredible. The Buffalo Mamma is also a great twist to your traditional burrito. It also helps that I'm a buffalo chicken fanatic. I also like that I can get a baby-sized burrito, which you can't do at any of the other places. Sometimes I really don't feel like downing an entire 24-ounce burrito.

(Photo credit: www.bestofathensrentals.com, Chipotle)

Chipotle

PROS:
Well for starters, their burritos are definitely the biggest of the bunch. They're practically the size of footballs. They have a lot of different types of meat to choose from on their menu. You can get chicken, steak, carnitas (Mexican-seasoned shredded pork), or my favorite, barbacoa (spiced, braised beef). They offer four salsas that you can put on your burrito as well. Fresh tomato is the mildest. You can also get sweet corn, green chili salsa, or red chili salsa, which is the hottest. Also, while this has nothing to do with their burritos, the chips and guacamole are awesome. There isn't much else to say. Chipotle is simply amazing.

CONS:
Chipotle, while their burritos are the biggest, is the most expensive of the three. If I go there, I always get the barbacoa burrito, which is $6.25, and I always have to get guacamole on it, which is another $1.25. After getting a drink, my bill is almost $10. Also, double meat costs extra, where as Burrito Buggy just gives you more meat for much less.

WHAT THE STUDENTS THINK:
"It all really depends on what mood I'm in," sophomore Katie Chilcoat said. "If I'm really hungry, I'll go to Chipotle. If I'm not that hungry, I'll go to Big Mamma's and get the baby. If I don't want to walk far, I'll get Burrito Buggy. Chipotle, I would say is the best, though."

"Big Mamma's is great because it's open late, but Chipotle is definitely the best," senior Vanessa Oster said. "If I really wanted to, I think I could eat two Chipotle burritos in one sitting."

"Chipotle just tastes better," junior Nate Slany said. "It's overall better quality. Big Mamma's tastes like cheap Mexican food."

"I feel that Chipotle has a lot fresher taste to it," junior Joey Hurless said. "I feel like I could make a Big Mamma's burrito if I went to Kroger and bought the ingredients."

"Chipotle is the best by far," junior Matt Snow said. "I went to Chipotle once or twice a week for lunch in high school. Nothing will ever top Chipotle."

"I can't think of a particular reason as to why Chipotle is the best," junior Nick Wetzel said. "It just tastes better."

VERDICT:
I'm not going to lie, I love Chipotle, and I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't like it. The burritos are filling and they're delicious. Anytime friends and I, or even my parents for that matter, go out to lunch back home, Chipotle is always an option near the top of the list. Their guacamole is incredible, but it angers me that I end up paying $1.25 extra every single time because I've got to have it on my burrito.

The point I'm trying to make is that everybody will have his or her own opinions on which is better. It's just like Pizza in Chicago. Some people like Gino's East, others like Giordano's, and others are Lou Malnati's fans. Burritos in Athens are the same way. No matter what I say or anybody else says, each place will still have their die-hard fans and loyal customers, which I think is the biggest reason that all three have been able to coexist so well.

Now for my decision. Everybody roots for the underdog. Chipotle, the overwhelming favorite going in, has been upended by Big Mamma's Burritos. Big Mamma's is cheaper and it's still a ton of food even if you order a baby. I like the ability to order a bunch of different types of things, rather than be restricted at Burrito Buggy or Chipotle. Don't get me wrong, all three are great, but Big Mamma's has emerged as my new favorite. What can I say, I guess I'm just a sucker for that damn mango salsa.

Buggies, buggies, and more buggies

The Burrito Buggy is an Athens tradition. The buggy, which has been around for over 25 years, is one of the first things you hear about upon setting foot on Ohio University's campus. I'll never forget visiting OU as a high school senior just three years ago. It seems like just yesterday, but the girl who was giving my campus tour told us we had to do two things before graduating OU: eat at Burrito Buggy and climb the rock-climbing wall at Ping Center. I'm not much for rock climbing, but I love food, and it's sad that three years later I have yet to do either of those things. I decided this needed to change and after my classmate, Anne Culhane, suggested I do a post on all of the buggies by college gate, I finally had a reason to give it a try.

(Photo credit: http://www.burritobuggy.com/, The Burrito Buggy)

While Burrito Buggy is the original and most recognizeable buggy uptown, a few new ones have recently burst onto the scene. Ali Baba's, Bagel Buggy, Zaanti, and A-Town Pies and Fries have all taken up residence in "Buggyville" by college gate. The unique thing about all of these buggies is that they all offer much different cuisine.

Burrito Buggy offers a wide variety of burritos. You can get bean, beef, or veggie buritos. On my first ever trip to Burrito Buggy, I ordered the Beef Supreme. It was loaded with beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, olives, jalapenos, and sour cream. Because I'm a guacamole fiend, I ordered it with guacamole for $0.75 extra. Needless to say, for $5.25, I was absolutely stuffed.

"Burrito Buggy is awesome, especially late at night," junior Ronnie Corey said. "I go through withdrawals when it goes away for winter quarter."

Ali Baba's is known primarily for their gyros. The gyros come in three sizes: econo, regular, and supreme. I've had the regular and it's absolutely delicious, and a ton of food. I don't even want to know what the supreme looks like. A variety of other Mediterranean items are available on the menu such as falavel, baba ganoush, and hummus. There is also a variety of baked goods from cookies to baklava that you can order as well. The majority of the ingredients are purchased at the Athens Farmer's Market and are always fresh. You can also sample some of the items on the menu that you may not be familiar with. Ali Baba's has quickly become an Athens favorite among students.

"I go to Burrito Buggy or Ali Baba's about once a week," sophomore Chris Barkley said. "They hook you up. Burrito Buggy loads the burritos up with more than enough meet. At Ali Baba's, I always get the supreme size. I guarantee you will be stuffed after eating one of those and it's so good, too."

Bagel Buggy offers bagel sandwiches that are much different than the one's you would find at Bagel Street Deli. The bagel buggy offers many generic sandwiches in the form of a bagel sandwich. You can get a pizza bagel, ham and cheese, or even a hot dog bagel.

Zaanti is another one of the unique buggies uptown. "Zaanti" is the Sanskrit word for "peace." Zaanti offers Indian cuisine. According to an article in The Post, "[Zaanti] serves two curries with rice and salad for $5.50, and customers can add a piece of flat bread or a drink for $1 and soup for $2.50." While I've never been to Zaanti, I do enjoy curry and plan on giving it a try sometime. The thing about this blog is, there's so much to try, but so little time and money. Hopefully I get around to trying it at some point in the near future.

A-Town Pies and Fries specializes in essentially what its name suggests. This cart provides customers with slices of pizza and french fries. Although I've never had the pizza or fries, they've gotten good reviews from people around campus.

All of Athens' buggies are locally owned and operated and are some of the many interesting things that make Athens unique. Give the buggies a try, they're cheap, different, and delicious. Who knows what new buggy will surface on your next trip to "Buggyville."