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Savor Scout › Campuses › Illinois › DeKalb, IL › Northern Illinois University

Restaurants near campus

Restaurants near Northern Illinois University

84 places to eat within a mile of Northern Illinois University, closest first, including W W Wings, HalalPros and Pagliali's Pizza.

The 50 places to eat closest to Northern Illinois University

Closest first, out of 84 within a mile. Distances are straight-line from the campus, so a walk runs a little longer.

Right by campus · about a 5-minute walk (14)

About a 10-minute walk · a quarter to half a mile (34)

A 10- to 20-minute walk · half a mile to a mile (2)

Listings from Overture Maps open data (September 2026), open places with a street address only. Hours and openings change, so check before you go. Want one picked for what you're craving instead? Ask Savor Scout near Northern Illinois University.

Can't decide between them? Say what you're craving and Savor Scout picks one near Dekalb, IL.

The food scene around Northern Illinois University

84places to eat within 1 mile
55%independent, not chains
1coffee shop or café

Open listings put 84 places to eat within 1 mile of Northern Illinois University, 42 within a ten-minute walk (half a mile), and 145 within 3 miles. The most common: pizza (13), Mexican (9) and sandwiches (8). 6 are fast-food counters; the rest are sit-down restaurants, cafés, bakeries and takeaway spots.

Where to walk: the streets with the most places to eat within 1 mile are Lincoln Hwy (55), W Hillcrest Dr (4), Lucinda Ave (4) and N Annie Glidden Rd (4).

What stands out around Northern Illinois University is sandwiches — a type that is listed here at about 2 times the national rate.

By type of food — tap one for what to order and how to spot a good one:

Pizza 13 Mexican 9 Sandwiches 8 Chinese 4 Burgers 3 Bakery 3 Bar & grill 2 Donuts 2 Seafood 2 Italian 2

Popular cravings near Northern Illinois University, within 1 mile: Mexican food (9 places) and Asian food (7). Each guide covers what to order and how to tell a good kitchen from an average one.

Food guides for Northern Illinois University

Pizza near Northern Illinois University 13 Mexican Food near Northern Illinois University 9

Eating on a student budget near Northern Illinois University

Cheap and bad overlap much less than price filters suggest. Of the places listed nearby, 6 are fast-food counters: the cheapest default, rarely the cheapest good meal. The value is usually in lunch specials, counter service, short menus and dishes built on rice, noodles, bread or beans. Where to eat when you're broke covers what to look for, or search cheap eats near Northern Illinois University.

Need somewhere open right now? These listings do not carry live opening hours, and late at night a fair share of what is listed as open is not. The late-night guide covers how to check before you go, or search late-night food near Northern Illinois University and call ahead.

The campus

  • Location — Dekalb, IL
  • Setting — in a suburb
  • Size — 10,000 to 19,999 students
  • Type — Public four-year institution

Campus figures are from IPEDS, the US Department of Education's institutional survey. Size is reported as the survey's own bracket rather than an exact headcount, because that is what the public dataset gives and we would rather quote it than estimate.

Nearby cities

The nearest city of any real size is Elgin, IL, about 26 miles away, for the nights the options by campus run out.

Guides worth reading

What to eat during finals week Where to eat when you're broke Where to eat late at night Where to take visiting family and friends Eating out with a dietary restriction

Questions about eating near Northern Illinois University

What restaurants are near Northern Illinois University?
A few to start with, nearest first: W W Wings, Pagliali's Pizza (pizza, 0.2 mi), Yen Ching Restaurant | Chinese (chinese, 0.2 mi), The Junction Eating Place (diner, 0.2 mi) and Ray's Chicago BBQ (barbecue, 0.3 mi). They are chosen local-first, then listed by distance; a starting point, not a ranking.
How many places to eat are near Northern Illinois University?
Open map listings put 84 places to eat within 1 mile, 42 of them within a ten-minute walk, and 145 within 3 miles. About 55% are independent rather than chains; one is a coffee shop or café and 6 are fast-food counters.
Where is the food near Northern Illinois University?
The busiest streets are Lincoln Hwy (55 places), W Hillcrest Dr (4 places), Lucinda Ave (4 places) and N Annie Glidden Rd (4 places).
What kind of food is near Northern Illinois University?
The most common types are pizza (13), Mexican (9), sandwiches (8) and Chinese (4). Unusually common compared with the rest of the country: sandwiches.

Nearby campuses

Comparing schools, or eating with friends across town? These are the closest campuses to Northern Illinois University.