For students, six hours in the stadium sustained by nothing but a mustard-slathered soft pretzel leaves us with a raging post-game hunger. If we can make it past the concession stands without purchasing an armful of hot dogs, then our game day options usually revolve around scrounging up whatever food is left at the tailgate by the time we get there. Eating the misshapen carrots everyone else left on the vegetable plate is not your only option.
There are plenty of restaurants around town offering fans a fresh new twist on old favorites like barbecue, burgers and fries. Game days in Auburn are marked by tradition, but don’t let yourself get stuck in a dining rut by eating the same meal every time.
Amsterdam Cafe’s crab cake sandwich
The crab cake sandwich at Amsterdam Cafe, located on South Gay Street, is a delectable twist on the typical fare of game day. Instead of a charred burger, sink your teeth into one of the “top 100 dishes to eat in Alabama before you die.”
The crab cake avocado sandwich is served on a flaky toasted croissant with creole remoulade and mango pico de gallo. The subtle blend of flavors in this tasty sandwich makes for a dish you can savor instead of just inhale in a fit of hunger. Get it with a side of sweet potato chips.
Big Blue Bagel’s tiger melt
Another one of the “100 dishes to eat in Alabama before you die,” Big Blue, located on College Street, offers a Tiger Melt consisting of Colby Jack generously melting over its famous chicken salad and served atop two bagel faces of your choice. Play it safe and go with the multigrain bagel or mix it up with cinnamon or blueberry.
The melt comes with a side of bagel chips, which are bagels of different flavors toasted and sliced into bite-sized pieces. A side of the honey mustard makes the perfect dipping sauce.
Tex’s Tacos’ barbecue taco
Putting a Tex-Mex twist on Southern cooking, our favorite campus food truck offers a barbecue taco.
The taco combines a flour tortilla with vinegar-basted pulled pork barbecue, honeylime garden slaw and barbecue sauce. Since the taco truck is parked right outside the stadium, you’ll have to endure the shortest amount of time between you and satiating your roaring appetite.
Top off your barbecue taco with a round of lime fries, a Tex’s Tacos specialty that somehow manages to whip up a deep fried dish that tastes like a funnel cake-french fry hybrid.
Look out for the taco truck parked on campus.
Panera Bread’s turkey cranberry panini
With Thanksgiving just around the bend, you might be looking for something a little more festive than the tried-and-true beef burgers you eat at every game.
Panera, located on Opelika Road, is offering a seasonal sandwich this fall that combines the flavors of the season into a delectable panini. The sandwich features roasted turkey slices on fresh-baked ciabatta bread, cranberry chutney and fresh spinach. The unlikely pairing is reminiscent of a Thanksgiving meal and a great alternative to post-game grub.
The panini is served with a side, but for another fall treat, try the chicken stew that comes topped with a cheese biscuit.
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