Hungry on UWindsor Campus? Here are Some of the Best Spots to Grab a Bite to Eat

The University of Windsor is surrounded by a wide variety of restaurants and cafes- a quick Google search of ‘restaurants near UWindsor’ will leave you overwhelmed with dozens of options. To help make the decision a bit easier, this article will take you through some of the best spots on and around campus to stop for a meal between classes. 

Green Bean Café is a quaint and cozy spot located on the lower level of the University Community Church at 2320 Wyandotte Street West, and it might just be the best place around campus to do some studying over a cup of coffee. This independent coffee house provides fair trade and organic coffee and tea beverages, along with a variety of soup and sandwich options. 

The atmosphere of this café is warm and inviting, making it a great place to sit and relax. Café owner Chelsea Butler describes the restaurant as a safe space for all students and staff to come to enjoy a bite to eat, study, or simply hang out with their friends.  

Butler speaks about the difficulty the café encountered over the provincial restrictions surrounding indoor dining. “The shutdown was a very difficult time for all involved. We maintained by doing take out and catering jobs to get by.” 

Since the January 31st reopening of indoor dining, Butler says that the café is “thriving and better than ever” and that staff has noticed an abundance of new students coming out to enjoy the restaurant. Green Bean Café is one of many campus partners that accepts UWindsor’s Flex Card. 

The café has many soup and sandwich options available on the menu. Butler shares that the most popular item seems to be the Ambassador Sandwich, which is a spicy chicken sandwich. The menu has recently been upgraded, and Butler recommends her personal favourite: the pulled pork grilled cheese. There are also plenty of vegan and vegetarian choices and fresh-baked in-house goods. 

If you’re looking for a burger that packs more punch than your average McDonald’s burger, look no further than Whamburg. This counter-service restaurant is located on 401 California Avenue, right across from the Toldo Health Education Centre, and has the only smashburger (meaning that the patty is pressed into the grill to create a ‘smashed’ effect) in Windsor. Whamburg has also recently been nominated for the best burger in the city by Tourism Windsor-Essex Peele Island. 

According to their website, the ground beef blend used to make the patties is locally sourced from the Butcher of Kingsville, is pasture-raised without the use of antibiotics, hormones, or steroids, and is gluten-free. 

Owner/operator Adam El-Dika gives some insight into the beginnings of Whamburg. 

“We opened in 2020 as a ‘ghost kitchen’ (a cooking facility set up for the preparation of delivery-only meals). We got popular quickly and decided to leave our old concept behind and transition permanently to Whamburg.” 

This ‘fast casual’ restaurant boasts a menu with a variety of options, including fried chicken sandwiches, vegetarian mushroom patties, fries, and handcrafted malt milkshakes. 

El-Dika personally recommends the ‘Double Whammy’ burger, which is a double smash burger with their signature Wham sauce, leafy lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, American cheese, and diced red onion. He also talks about a brand-new item on the menu called ‘The American’- no spoilers, but if you love spicy, you’ll love this burger. 

If Whamburg sounds like it’s right up your alley, check out their Wednesday special- a Wham Combo for $9.99. 

One of the things Windsor is known for is having amazing pizza. Located on 2215 Wyandotte Street West (near the CAW Student Centre), Sam’s Pizzeria and Cantina is sure to satisfy your cheesy, saucy cravings. 

According to their website, Sam’s Pizzeria has been offering an ‘absolutely authentic Italian pizza dining experience to residents of Windsor since 1946.” Using both imported and locally sourced ingredients, they are able to freshly prepare traditional Italian dishes and modern Italian fusion meals. 

This restaurant’s menu contains several twists on the average pizza, including a honey mustard chicken pizza and a Mexican-style pizza, complete with salsa and sour cream. They also offer different types of soups, salads, and pasta. 

If you’re unsure of what to order, their website recommends trying the Stracciatella, Baby the S.P.C. Classic pizza, or the Son of Sam pizza. 

Like the other restaurants discussed, Sam’s Pizzeria can be ordered on Skip the Dishes for a hassle-free dining experience.