Cheap Eats: The Coffee Spot

Student or not, anyone can take advantage of the cheap eats available on the UC Berkeley campus at . The food court offers the typical low-cost fast-food student fare, like Subway, but also includes a fresh food gem: The Coffee Spot.

This full service cafe has an impressive selection of healthy picks, from fruit bowls to salads to smoothies, in addition to the tempting array of pastries. The beverage menu is expansive, including coffee and tea as well as a variety of fresh juices, and the counters are packed with snacks like breakfast bars, chips and brownies.

Best of all are the prices. A deluxe sandwich made to order is $3.95. Salads packed with veggies and additions like meat or hummus are around $5. All for under a few bucks, the fruit bowls are bursting with vibrant red strawberries or plump green grapes, and the bagels come complete with cream cheese and a choice of fresh toppings, like cucumber and tomato. A range of breakfast goods are available too, including croissants and breakfast sandwiches with eggs cracked and cooked to order.

Drinks are cheap too, with coffees, lattes and cappuccinos around $1 to $2, depending on size. The Coffee Spot also has a wall of refrigerated bottled beverages for a grab-and-go thirst quencher, and a selection of hot and iced teas.

Take a stroll onto campus and greet the golden bear before ducking into this hideaway and enjoying a traditional Berkeley lunch — without the traditional price tag.