Most Toros know CSUDH is a commuter campus. For some students, the trip to campus is just a routine series of back-and-forth trips – from home to class to work and back again. Meanwhile, the fact the campus is located in a semi-industrial part of Carson can sometimes make engagement in extracurricular activities feel less than exciting.
But what some students may not necessarily realize, is there actually are a lot of hidden gems around the university, particularly when it comes to food. Students hoping to get a break from the regular fare offered at the Loker Student Union food court may want to take a trip to any one of the interesting eateries near campus.
Take the coffee shop – the quintessential hub for college students to study, dream, and caffeinate. So where can Toros grab a solid cup o’ joe?
Patria Coffee Roasters in Compton is the go-to spot for senior psychology student Jaiden Villanueva. The store is owned by a Dominguez Hills alum on the corner of Compton Boulevard and Alameda Street. Discovering the shop was a happy accident, according to Villanueva.
“I just searched up coffee shops on Apple Maps and it appeared,” Villanueva recalled. “My go-to is the honey lavender latte, or when I need to be alive and awake, the espressos are done in, like, five seconds and taste really yummy!”
Coffee may very well be a lifeline for some students just trying to make it through a long, hard day of assignments and lectures, but what about at the end of the week? After all, everyone needs some time to decompress and spill the tea with friends and family – and if there’s a delicious meal to accompany all that juicy gossip, all the better.
Korean barbecue is a favorite among many Toros, especially given how interactive and lively the restaurants can be. Senior child development student Evee Martinez recently dined with friends at Ko Ryo Jung, an all-you-can-eat joint located on Sepulveda Boulevard in Torrance.
“We were looking for a place to hang out, eat, and celebrate that we finished finals and found it on Yelp,” Martinez said. “We put it on the QCRC (Queer Culture & Resource Center) board for whoever wanted to join us to celebrate the end of the semester, and a group of 10 friends joined us. We ate, drank green apple Soju, and bonded.”
Chinollo, located less than two miles from campus on Avalon Boulevard, offers fresh fare, including a hearty vegan burger and a Thai chicken curry bowl.
(Kamran Garcia-Hosseinzadeh, The Bulletin)
CUT: Some students who have big gaps in their schedules may opt to just go off-campus to eat, but options for something a bit fresher and healthier than fast food are often few and far between. Luckily, Chinollo is only about two miles away from campus, on Avalon Boulevard. Junior sociology student Ash Fernandez said they often stop by the restaurant to grab a “Groovy Burger” (For any inquiring minds, that’s a grass-fed beef burger topped with arugula, dijon-aioli, apple-smoked bacon, mushrooms, and provolone, on a brioche bun.)
“Depending on traffic, it’s about a five-minute drive from campus, and about a 20-minute walk,” Fernandez said. “I found out about this place from a friend’s recommendation.” Fernandez added that they also like Chinollo’s drinks, which include a variety of boba milk and iced teas.
Customers keep coming back to Nook Coffee Bar in Carson for their signature iced lattes. (Kamran Garcia-Hosseinzadeh, The Bulletin)
And then, there are the third-wave coffee shops – small chains and businesses that source their beans from individual vendors. These shops have become increasingly popular, especially for Toros who aren’t interested in corporate chains like Starbucks, Coffee Bean, and Dunkin’ Donuts.
Conveniently located down the street from campus, on West 190th Street in the courtyard of The Enclave business park, Nook Coffee Bar is a lovely spot for students. The Torrance location offers a modern and airy space, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that stay open throughout the day. Customers can pop in for a latte, tea, pastry, or just sit back and relax on any of the shop’s cozy and comfortable seating options.
Nook is another local favorite for Fernandez, who said they would always notice it during their commute home from Dominguez Hills. The shop was also strongly recommended by Fernandez’s friends.
“It got me curious to check it out for myself,” Fernandez said. “My go-to from there would be an iced matcha latte. But their croissants and kokonut puddings are pretty good too.”
