Courier Cafe (Urbana)

Tonight, my girlfriend and I went out to the Courier Cafe in downtown Urbana. Having been there before, I knew that it was a good place to go for a relatively cheap meal (which is why I capitulated rather quickly). Courier Cafe is one of the older restaurants in downtown Urbana, having been open since 1980. As such, it has outlasted many other downtown Urbana businesses, and enshrined their memory in the names of its burgers.

Speaking of burgers, they are the primary reason I go to the Courier Cafe. Burgers are around $5-6, and are 1/3 of a pound. The burgers also tend to be higher quality than the standard pub fare, considering people go there for food, instead of ordering a burger as an afterthought.

On this night I opted for the Darcy's burger, which is a burger with mushrooms and bleu cheese. The burger comes on a plate with all of the other assorted toppings, including onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles, off to the side, so you can add them to taste. The burger comes well done unless you specify otherwise. The meat itself is relatively juicy for being a grilled burger, and the bun tastes more like it came from a genuine bakery, instead of a store-brand 8 pack of buns, which often ends up being the case in burger restaurants.

Another thing Courier is known for is its old-style sweet drinks, such as its phosphates and New York egg creme drinks. These are sugary soda-type drinks with flavored syrup, with the egg creme being a phosphate with an egg cracked into it and creme added. Courier also has a variety of ice cream desserts.

Courier's wine and beer menu is not very extensive, but they have had Rogue Dead Guy on draft for $4 the last few times I have gone, which is cheaper than most bars in the area. In addition, their bottled beers are relatively cheap, and the wine by the glass is inexpensive as well. Though the menu is not extensive, there is a good enough variety to please most individuals.

For two people with burgers, drinks, and one order of fries, the total bill ended up being $18.84. This is much lower than one would pay for an equivalent meal anywhere else, even a place like Murphy's (which has a similar food menu, though lower quality food). Courier is a perfect spot for a cheap date, where your date won't know you're being cheap unless you let her see the check.