As summer comes to an end, the Fall 2016 semester will soon be upon us. That means there will be about 2,500 new Colonials eager to learn all the best (and most affordable) places to go in and around Foggy Bottom. This one’s for you, incoming freshmen.

Here are some of the best places that you can splurge at, save at and incorporate into your weekly routine.

Splurge

Dining – CIRCA Foggy Bottom

photo courtesy of gwhatchet.com

If your parents come to visit, someone in your squad has a birthday, or there’s another type of special occasion, you should definitely make it a point to go to CIRCA. It is literally right on campus and the menu has everything from steak to kale salads. Oh, and the crab cakes are absolutely delicious.

Shopping – Fresh Farm Foggy Bottom Farmer’s Market

budget

photo courtesy of dcfoodies.com

The Fresh Farm Foggy Bottom Farmer’s Market may be a little pricey, but it is only open once a week throughout most of the fall. It is also worth every penny. You can find organic fruits, vegetables, eggs, meats, cold-pressed juices, and a lot more all while supporting local farmers. The best part: they also accept GWorld.

Save

Dining – Custom Fuel

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photo courtesy of customfuelpizza.com

There will probably come a point when you check your GWorld balance and realize one of two things: 1. you’ve been a little excessive with your spending or 2. someone has somehow hacked into your account and made all those purchases. It’s usually the first option…but when that moment arrives or even if you’re just in the mood for some good pizza, you should check out Custom Fuel. You can get a nice-sized personal pizza for just under ten dollars that will come with cool toppings like chicken alfredo, prosciutto, and fig.

Shopping – Safeway

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photo courtesy of safeway.com

Although Safeway is not located in Foggy Bottom, it’s about a 12-minute walk from the Mount Vernon Campus (for all you Vernies or people who don’t mind some extra exercise), which is definitely worth it if you’re running low on Colonial Cash. It offers a great selection of produce, meats, baked goods, and any other grocery store needs for college kid-friendly prices.

Routine

Dining – Roti Mediterranean Grill

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photo courtesy of foboblo.com

You can never go wrong with Roti, a fast-casual Mediterranean-inspired restaurant. It’s perfect for when you need a quick bite before you head to the library or in between classes. Rice bowls and pita pockets are my go-to and not to mention, it’s definitely more on the healthy side.

Shopping – Trader Joes

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photo courtesy of thegeorgetowndish.com

Where can you find cookie butter, gourmet frozen meals, and all the best fresh produce all under one roof? Trader Joe’s. It is about an eight-minute walk from the Foggy Bottom campus, but with the prices (hint: it’s cheaper than Whole Foods) and all of the cool snacks you can get, it’s definitely worth it.