Adventure 32: Babcock Hall

Babcock Hall Dairy Store (website)
1605 Linden Dr.
3 Adjectives: Fast, cheap, tasty.
Price: subspecial (5), entree (3-7), ice cream (2-5)
Authenticity:
Atmosphere:
Overall:
Other Opinions: madisonatoz ...
---

The Babcock Hall Dairy Store's ice cream is the stuff to introduce guests to the delicious dairy produced on this campus. The store is located near the Biochemistry Addition building and Bock Labs, if you ever happen to be that far west on campus.

The Dairy Store features lots of good ice cream flavors and cheese-related products produced right here on campus. However, a less known fact is their yummy sub special that is offered on Thursdays, one that is certainly better than the stuff you'd get at Subway about two blocks East.

Upon entering the store, there are generally two lines: a packed one (especially during the summer months) near the back counter for ice cream and one to the left for the savory foods. There is also some seating inside as well as some nice picnic benches right outside the store.

The ice cream is tasty and you'll undoubtably feel a swell of pride as to the ice cream is produced right on campus and sold in a variety of places such as the dorms and the Unions. The taste may be a small step back from that found in the Chocolate Shoppe and Ben and Jerry's, but the ubiquitousness of the ice cream on campus makes it a perfect alternative.

What is less known to most Babcock Hall's visitors is the sandwich special they offer on a day to day basis. The best special of the lot is the Thursday sub special where you can get a large 12 incher (the wheat bread is less long but more wide) and chips for $5. The bread, veggie, and meat options might not be quite as varied as Subway, but moneywise this deal is a much better one. The sub comes with two meat options (and they don't skimp like Subway does), veggies of your choice, and a deliciously thick slab of Bucky Badger Babcock Hall cheese. Be sure to come early because the line for this can get quite long during rush hour and they sometimes run out of toppings.

On my recent visit, I went with some friends on a beautiful day and lounged outside around the picnic table. I made the mistake of going during rush hour where the line took about 10 minutes. However, the result was worth it: I had a turkey and salami sandwich with a nice thick slice of chivey jack (sometimes their cheese options get amusingly specific) on wheat. Since the sub was so big, I could hardly eat more than half of it let alone even touch the chips. Therefore, I'd recommend going with a big appetite (or splitting one with a friend).

Babcock Hall Dairy Store is a great place to stop by and get some ice cream if you are anywhere on west campus. However, you are even luckier of you are around there on a Thursday. Skip Subway and go get your sub special.