Local Food on Campus
We are excited to partner with Baylor Dining to increase the artisanal dining experience on-campus that will introduce students, faculty, and staff to the varieties of cuisine throughout the City of Waco. Our goal is to offer an array of local foods that support the growth of Waco small businesses.
This year you can look forward to a robust line-up of food trucks rotating every two weeks Monday thru Friday on 5th Street. We will also have many of your favorite local eateries rotating at our Revolve space housed in the 1st Floor Lobby of the Bill Daniel Student Center every four weeks.
Below is more information about local partners serving with us on-campus this year.
Waco Partners
A modern twist on classic favorites.
Boardwalk on Elm was founded to continue the tradition of East Waco flavor. Family-owned businesses like Lee's Drive Inn set the standard for this neighborhood.
We pay homage to these restaurants by cooking food inspired by the dishes we grew up eating. We want to ensure that the next generation can taste the rich history of this community.
Established in 2008, this family-owned and operated business makes some of the most delicious churros that earned them the title of Texas Food Truck Showdown Grand Champions 2019!
At Di Campli’s Italian Ristorante, we are committed to providing an Authentic Italian Experience through exceptional service, delicious food, and a family environment. Massimo Di Campli traveled the world after getting his master’s degree at a prestigious Culinary School in the Abruzzo Region of Italy. Massimo built his experience always knowing that his dream would be to one day open his own place. A place where guests will be delighted with traditional homemade recipes and outstanding service.
Texas. Homemade. Gelato. The Italian dessert you love with all the Texan hospitality y’all!
Long, long ago (January 2013) in a town full of peaches and snow (Grand Junction, CO) a little company called Gelu Italian Ice was born. With a handful of recipes handed down for generations, a single batch freezer, and a pair of pushcarts, Gelu went to market and began to win the locals’ hearts. With a marketing plan built on free samples, Gelu was so busy their employees were nearly trampled!
As the years passed, one batch freezer became two and production moved very fast! The two little green carts multiplied to six, and soon there were twice as many employees in the mix. Gelu seemed to be everywhere, but this wasn’t enough for the Gelunatics who clamored for more of this good stuff....
In summer 2015 Gelu grew again and the “shack” opened its doors. With over 20 flavors to mix, the Shack became the best place in town to get your sweet fix. Locals could now get their daily dose of dairy-free perfection; it was so popular they voted Gelu BEST in The Dessert Election! (4 years in a row).
Winter hibernation was the routine for Gelu in Colorado, so in January 2019 we knew we had to leave the snow. Beaches, palm trees, and warmer (ok, HOT!) weather beaconed, we gotta go we reckoned. Texas was the spot that won our hearts; we knew it was the right place to showcase our carts. While tasting thousands and thousands of samples of Gelu, Texans quickly became Gelunatics, too! One short year in The Lonestar State and Gelu’s future is clearly fate.
We are home now in Houston, Waco, and Maybank; for this, we have YOU to thank!
Clay Pot chef Nhung Le and her mother Song Pham opened their food truck in 2021 serving delicious Vietnamese street food, including banh mi sandwiches; tacos; skewers (beef, chicken, pork, shrimp); sticky and fried rice; egg rolls and spring rolls.
OMJ is a local eatery that offers juices, smoothies, acai bowls and other healthy treats. All menu items are made to order with fresh ingredients with no added sugars or preservatives. Nothing is prepackaged or processed. The end result is the ultimate rainbow of healthy goodness.
But the tale of Denitia and Tierra is one of two very distinctly different journeys that came together at one very gloriously yummy final destination. While Denitia and Tierra both ran track for Baylor, their paths never actually crossed on campus. Denitia majored in education and graduated in 1988, while Tierra majored in health science studies and wrapped up her MSEd in exercise physiology in 2004.
These two Baylor grads actually met in Arizona at the 2014 Fiesta Bowl where Baylor took on UCF. The outcome of the game itself was ultimately not-so-great for Baylor football fans, but for Wacoans who love a yummy healthy-food alternative…the game was definitely something to celebrate.
When Denitia and Tierra met they realized there was a shared passion for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As former athletes, they certainly have the know-how for physical activity. But there was also a mutual zeal for healthy eating, specifically juicing. It was then and there that these two decided they were going to bring Waco its first juice bar.
Known as the sweetest spot in town, this lemonade company has a mission that goes beyond tasty beverages.
Owner Omari Head not only named the company after his father, Andre Head (Pop), but also uses his recipe. “I have this recipe that my dad taught me when I was ten-years-old and it is the best lemonade that you will ever have in your life,” Head said. “We have taken his recipe and we have revised it a little bit to make it our own so that it’s approachable for everybody. My wife Abby and I worked together on my dad’s recipe to make it what it is today.”
Head said the business was built on the foundation of his loved ones. “Family is super important to us. We like to incorporate our family into whatever we do,” Head said.
After losing his father to COVID-19 this past November, Head said he hopes to use this company to honor his father. “My dad was all about hospitality. He really loved to host people. He wanted people to feel loved all the time,” Head said. “Part of honoring him with the business is just making sure that people feel loved, people feel accepted, that lemonade does more than quench your thirst, but it brings a smile to your face.”
The desire to open The Salad Stand restaurant came after owners Leo & Jenee Spann felt compelled to invest in their own personal health following the announcement of the Covid-19 world pandemic. As current owners of another local restaurant in town, finding the time to invest in a nutritious diet can be limited. So, while finding a healthy option was the goal, finding something quick would also be the key to their success! Upon analyzing the local Waco, Texas market, they soon realized that the area was somewhat lacking in healthier food options – especially ones that were easily accessible. With an unrelentless desire to invest in their personal wellness, they decided that if they couldn’t find something that already existed, maybe they could create an option that would not only cater to their needs but to many others in the community! So, they set out to do just that!
After some consideration, the couple felt that regardless of restaurant specifics, the menu offerings needed to meet several goals…
The menu needed to be full of fresh & local options. The menu items must be able to be prepared quickly. The menu selection should be customizable in order to serve a variety of health needs.
Knowing that these were the main objectives of their new restaurant, they then began to analyze current offerings in the market and brainstorm the best ways to create a new fun & healthy option for the community. Within a few months, they settled on a build your own salad & smoothie concept
& The Salad Stand was born!
Waco Cha, LLC - now known as Cha Community- was inspired by husband and wife team - Devin Li and Jaja Chen - after a season of building community through Taiwanese and Chinese food and tea. As Asian Americans with immigrant backgrounds, Devin and Jaja found that they had difficulties finding the food and drinks they grew up loving in Central Texas. In addition, community and finding a place to belong was a challenge.
Devin and Jaja found that cooking, food, tea and hospitality was not only a hobby, but also a way to bridge cultures and create community.
With their passions for authentic Chinese and Taiwanese food and beverages, Devin and Jaja dreamed of Waco Cha** in 2017 and submitted an application to the Waco Downtown Farmer’s Market. After over a year of waiting, Waco Cha was accepted into the Farmer’s Market and eventually launched on Saturday, June 16, 2018.
Waco Cha launched a mobile tea truck in downtown Waco summer 2019. A sister company, Waco Bao - with a Chinese & Taiwanese-inspired food menu- currently offers Waco Bao Dumpling Night workshops and private dumpling night events. Be on the lookout for what is next for Waco Cha!
In the Fall of 2021, Waco Cha, LLC rebranded from the original name of “Waco Cha” to “Cha Community” to better encompass our mission, values, and vision for the company -- bridging cultures and creating community through handcrafted dumplings and premium boba tea. We plan to continue creating community within our team, with our guests, and within the local communities Cha Community is a part of.
** 茶 (chá) - “Cha” is the Chinese word for tea (in which the Chinese character is in the logo).
Food is not just eating energy. It’s an experience.
Waffle Chic was opened so people could enjoy a home cooked meal without the stress of cooking. Whether you are eating with your family, friends, or by yourself you will taste the comforts of home. Our dishes all start with our Classic Chic which is a traditional chicken and waffle. This staple can be enjoyed that way or you can choose one of our other dishes that offers a modern twist with unique flavor combinations.
We create the freshest cookie sundaes for you! Name a more iconic dessert duo than cookies and ice cream. Go ahead, we'll wait.