From sushi to manicures, Uptown has everything you need right within walking distance. When I was a first-year, I didn’t have a car and found myself practically living on Greenleaf Avenue. Here are of few of my favorite places to go in Uptown:
Mimo’s Cafe for casual and versatile dining. Mimo’s is a great family-owned restaurant that offers a variety of options, whether you’re in the mood for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They also have coffee, ice cream, and pastries. The best part is how affordable their food is and they provide a 15% Whittier College student discount.
Veggie y Que for delicious and loaded vegan meals. As a vegetarian, Veggie y Que is just amazing, as everything they serve is plant-based and served in large portions, which can be hard to find. I’ve even taken my carnivore friends to this vegan deli and they loved it. Try anything on the menu, even if you’re skeptical, and you won’t regret it.
La Monarca Bakery and Cafe has a great selection of coffee and pastries. They even sell individually sliced cake with flavors ranging from mocha to horchata. A large latte and a slice of dulce de leche cake is a personal favorite of mine to stress eat during finals week. Between the caffeine and sugar, this combo is sure to push you through that last essay.
During my first year, I spent a lot of time at the Starlight Whittier Village Cinema. A group of friends and I would get together on either Tuesday or Thursday nights and venture to the theater which lies only a few blocks from campus. The reason for the specific days? 5 dollar movies for Whittier College students! Seeing a movie in theaters was the perfect way to spend a slow Tuesday night with friends.
Overall, Uptown Whittier has so many great places worth a visit. These are my favorites, but there are so many more as well. Another cool thing is most of the businesses are involved in a rewards program that provides you with different discounts across Uptown. So don’t forget to sign up the next time you visit a participating restaurant or store in Uptown Whittier!
