As the final bell rings and crowds of students leave their classrooms, Walt Whitman students slip through the side gate that leads to various restaurants on the left side of Jericho Turnpike. Watching groups of friends and students pass those gates made me wonder: Which restaurant is the place to be between the peak hours of two and six pm? The editors of PawPrint selected four restaurants to personally vet and rank: Dunkin’ Donuts, Toby Pierre Cafe, Jalapeño Shack, and McDonald’s.
Toby Pierre Cafe, a new addition to Jericho, sparked the interests of many students at Whitman directly after its opening. The small cafe offers drinks and sweet eats, like crepes, boba, milkshakes, etc. When we visited, we found Whitman junior Meyleen, who said that she comes to the cafe every other day and keeps coming back because “the food is so scrumptious.” To test if she was correct, we asked Ethan, a Whitman Junior and employee at the cafe, what his favorite crepe was. He said the Berry Delight Crepe was his favorite, and when we tried it, it became our favorite too! The crepe was uniquely delicious and the other desserts looked equally as appealing. Also, the cute and inviting interior of the whole cafe added bonus points to the whole experience.
Dunkin’ was the next location on our list. The fast coffee stop is known for its quick service, affordable coffee, and of course, donuts. We ordered the seasonal pumpkin donut and a pumpkin ice coffee and sat down on one of the many small tables scattered beyond the register. Whitman students who we interviewed said that they visit the location after school around twice a week and their most ordered item is an iced caramel latte and a chocolate sprinkled donut. Dunkin’ is a well-known classic with many options for everyone and great affordable prices. The donut we ordered was fresh, delicious, and cheap.
From these two restaurants, a personal favorite would have to be Toby Pierre Cafe. The atmosphere of the cafe and the amazing food really set Toby’s apart from other cafes and bakeries in the area. Dunkin’ is still an amazing place if you are looking for a quick treat or a caffeine pick-me-up. Find out in our next issue whether Jalapeňo Shake or McDonalds is the best place for your afterschool meal!
