UNC graduates remember their favorite Chapel Hill restaurants and bars

They say you are what you eat. In college, this may be especially true. For these UNC alumni, the places where they loved to eat back in the day still stick out — whether it was 67 years ago or seven.

Restaurants on Franklin Street have come and gone, but the memories of great meals with old friends will last forever.

Turner Vinson, class of 1949

“There weren’t many restaurants when I was in Chapel Hill,” he said. “We ate at Lenoir Hall most of the time.”

“There were a few restaurants downtown, a drug store, it’s not like it is now.”

Don Crane, class of 1956

“You know, my favorite restaurant was our dining hall at the Phi Gam house.”

Ray Respess, class of 1965

“There was a place called Rathskeller that was really good, in the porthole. I can remember they had the greatest iced tea at Rathskeller, all the bread you could eat, always good service and a good place to hang out — the food was really good.”

Harvey Watson, class of 1979

“My favorite restaurant in Chapel Hill was the Rathskeller. The reason it was my favorite is I not only went there when I was a student at UNC, but I also went there when I was in high school with my high school girlfriend. When we’d go out on dates, we’d go to the Rathskeller and order a large pizza. We would sit in a part of the Rathskeller called the cave and in the cave it literally had the sidewalk of Franklin Street right above it. You could see people walking over the restaurant while you were eating.”

Todd Jordan, class of 1987 undergrad and 1996 dental school

“If I go back and think about hanging out with my buddies, we’d like to go to Time Out. That was a great weekend place — cheap food, fun times.”

Lisa Rivers, class of 1992

“My favorite restaurant was the Rathskeller of course. It was between that and Spanky’s, but I’m gonna have to go with the Rathskeller.”

Kasey Munson, class of 2009

“The only place I remember going a lot, is that place, that conveyer belt sushi place Kurama. I really liked Goodfellows for bars, that’s probably my favorite bar. The only memories I have associated with them is going there with my friends, nothing in particular. It was a long time ago. I like Med Deli too — used to go there for lunch a lot. But I really like Kurama.”

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