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Located east of campus, just past the LaBar Football Practice Fields, the Café at the Overlook offers a creative and refreshing menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is located within the Overlook at Notre Dame, a professional student and faculty apartment complex. The setting is casual and cozy, complete with decorative hanging lights and comfortable seating areas. There are also booths and tables perfect for studying that pair well with bottomless cups of coffee. 

When asked what sets them apart from other eateries, employee Tyreik Brown claims “the menu is very unique.” The offerings are certainly unlike those at your average café. For breakfast, you can build your own breakfast sandwich, selecting from a variety of buns including croissants, waffles, pizza crusts and tortillas. You can also choose from a number of hot meals and snacks, including the “Hella Nutella” crepes and “Parfizzle” yogurt. 

Brown says students should realize that the café “is more on the restaurant side.” Though the offerings may seem standard, their unique twists on these old favorites are not. Brown says people are often caught off guard when they receive their food. The food is more artisanal than greasy, and certainly more inventive than average. As a bonus, the menu also denotes Gluten Free, Vegan and Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian offerings. All of the food is available for carry-out, and there are also daily specials.The lunch and dinner menu is more extensive with choices of different sandwiches, salads, pizza and nachos. I chose the “Hipster” Panini (Brie, raspberry jalapeno jam and fresh apples), though it was hard to turn down the Asian Nachos (Teriyaki chicken, bok choy, wasabiranch, sesame salsa, cheddar mozzarella blend and sriracha).

If you’re in a rush, the café offers a $3 Quick Grabs To Go breakfast with a different offering each day of the week. There is also a hot lunch option, which rotates daily and is available extra fast for take-out.

The café is open from 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m.–6 p.m. on Sunday. Breakfast is served from 7–11 a.m. and lunch and dinner are served from 11 until close. According to Brown, they have just received their liquor license, so customers should look out for extended hours and new offerings. 

The Café at the Overlook is a refreshing and eclectic option if you’re looking to try something new. The café is located just a few steps off campus and accepts Domer Dollars. The menu is available at www.cafeoverlook.com. In addition, you can follow them on Facebook to see mouth-watering pictures of their daily specials.