In the past few months, the food scene in University Heights has experienced significant changes. One of the biggest changes came at the intersection of University Ave. and Bleeker St., with the opening of the Newark location of RU Hungry.

Established in the 1970s as one of the original “grease trucks”, RU Hungry quickly became one of the most popular and recognizable eateries in New Brunswick, with their famous fat sandwiches winning awards and appearing on TV, making the restaurant an iconic part of life at Rutgers University – New Brunswick. The opening of a second brick and mortar location in Newark marked the restaurant’s outreach to the other Rutgers campuses.

When I walked in, I was immediately impressed by their setup. Despite catering to endless to-go orders, the restaurant had several tables inside that were full of people enjoying their food, and there were refrigerators stocked with a large selection of sodas and other drinks. However, the most impressive thing was the menu. With 42 fat sandwiches and numerous options for burgers, wraps, and more, it is almost impossible to not find something to eat; the real difficulty is picking just one item.

For my order, I went with one of the most popular items on the menu: the “Fat Knight”, which is comprised of cheesesteak, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, French fries, and marinara sauce all on one roll.

Now, growing up just outside of New Brunswick, I’ve had food from the original RU Hungry—including the Fat Knight—back when it was actually made in a food truck, so I had high expectations going into this new location. Every one of them was exceeded. The sandwich itself was just as amazing as I remembered, with each part coming together perfectly into one glorious meal, and the service was quick and friendly, just as you’d expect from a food truck.

Now, for those who don’t want to cram this all into one sandwich, there are lighter sandwich options, as well as sides like chicken fingers and fries. For those with religious or dietary restrictions, RU Hungry offers a wide variety of halal options, salads, and even vegetarian fat sandwiches. My personal recommendation is the “Veggie Indian”, which includes falafel, mozzarella sticks, French fries, lettuce, tomato, onions, and marinara sauce.

You can also come in the morning to get breakfast food, including breakfast fat sandwiches and more traditional options like sausage, egg, and cheese on a bagel (no pork roll, though, which is a shame). There are even baked goods and desserts, including muffins, cheesecake, and milkshakes. I had the peanut butter shake, which had the perfect blend of chocolate and peanut butter and was topped with whipped cream.

Another great thing about RU Hungry is its prices. Both the “Fat Knight” and the “Veggie Indian” include every aspect of a great sandwich, plus sides of mozzarella sticks and fries, for $6.99—a reasonable price when you consider just how much food you’re getting, and the fact that they don’t sacrifice quality to offer these prices. You can also get breakfast sandwiches for roughly the same price as other restaurants and food trucks in the area.  

With great food at great prices just a block off of NJIT’s campus, RU Hungry is a welcome addition to the area. Who knows? Maybe one day soon, NJIT students will be able to order a “Fat Highlander”.

Photo by Andrew Edmonson. Photo depicts the Fat Knight sandwich.