After four seasons of Man v. Food, we've seen a lot of crazy food challenges go down. These epic battles and tests of endurance are sure to have taken a toll on the host of the show, Adam Richman.
While Adam is no longer doing food challenges (health concerns?), he’s left us with some great spots to pig out at.
Being that college students love free food and will go to great lengths to get it, and the fact that many food challenges are free if they are completed, you can see how a grub spot with a food challenge can be such a big attraction on a college campus.
In honor of the Sweet 16 (NCAA Tournament), we’ve rounded up Man v. Food’s top 16 college town episodes showcasing some of the best college town grub spots.
These episodes show some of the most famous food challenges found near college campuses across the country.
Warning: Reading this may make you hungry.
Man v. Food: College Edition
1. New Brunswick, NJ
College: Rutgers University
The Challenge:
The Fat Sandwich Challenge: Eat 5 fat sandwiches weighing nearly a pound-and-a-half each in 45 minutes and get a sandwich named after yourself on the menu.
Signature Sandwich:
The Fat Darrell: A sandwich stuffed with chicken strips, fries, mozzarella sticks, lettuce, tomato and marinara sauce.
Eat five of these and get a fat sandwich named after yourself at the R.U. Hungry food truck.
YouTube Video
Challenge Location:
R.U. Hungry
40 College Ave.
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
View Map
Other nearby campus eateries featured in the episode:
Stuff Yer Face
49 Easton Ave.
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Specialty: Over 30 different styles of Stromboli. Their largest is 18-inches long and weighs 2 lbs.
YouTube Video2. Columbus, OH
College: The Ohio State University
The Challenge:
The Dagwood Challenge: A huge 2.5 pound cold cut sandwich with smoked turkey, ham, roast beef, Swiss and American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and roasted garlic mayo served along with a pound of fries. Finish in under 30 minutes and you get a free T-shirt and your picture on the wall.
Challenge Location:
Ohio Deli
3444 S High St.
Columbus, OH 43207
View Map
3. Ann Arbor, MI
College: University of Michigan
The Challenge:
The Mt. Nachismo Challenge: 45 minutes to finish 5 lbs. of nachos loaded with beef, chicken, beans, Cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese, tomatoes, green peppers, black olives, lettuce, onions, sour cream, guacamole and queso. Complete the challenge in the allotted time and receive a free T-shirt and get your picture on the wall.
The Mt. Nachismo Challenge: 5 lbs. of Nachos.
YouTube Video
Challenge Location:
Tio's Mexican Café
401 E Liberty St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
View Map
Other nearby campus eateries featured in the episode:
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Maize and Blue Deli
1329 S. University
Ann Arbor, MI 48104Specialty: Named after University of Michigan school colors, the Maize and Blue Deli is a favorite among college students. Famous for their Triple Play Reuben, the deli serves over 85 different sandwiches.
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Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger
551 S. Division St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104Specialty: A local favorite since 1953 with over 30 different burger toppings to choose from.
4. Knoxville, TN
Nearby College: University of Tennessee
The Challenge:
El Gigante Comida Challenge: Eat a 4-pound burrito stuffed with barbecued pulled pork, beans, coleslaw, shredded Cheddar cheese and barbecue sauce wrapped up in four flour tortillas, plus a half pound of mac and cheese and a half pound of banana pudding within one hour. Finish the challenge and receive a free T-shirt and poster.
El Gigante Burrito
Challenge Location:
Sweet P's BBQ
3725 Maryville Pike
Knoxville, TN 37920
5. Chapel Hill, NC
Nearby Colleges: NC State, University of North Carolina
The Challenge:
The Roast Grill’s Hot Dog Challenge: In this episode Adam attempts to beat the current Roast Grill record for hot dogs eaten in one hour (16). The dogs are covered with mustard and homemade chili (a 70-year-old recipe). Complete the challenge and you get your picture on the Wall of Fame and have the honor of naming the challenge.
No Ketchup Here: Hot Dogs from The Roast Grill.
Challenge Location:
The Roast Grill
7 South West Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
View Map
Other nearby campus eateries featured in the episode:
Time Out Chicken
133 W Franklin St.
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Specialty: Chicken and Cheddar Biscuit, a UNC tradition.
6. Syracuse
College: Syracuse University
The Challenge:
The Frittata Challenge: Eat a massive breakfast scramble consisting of over 6 lbs. of eggs, sausage, pepperoni, broccoli, peppers, onions and home fries along with toasted pieces of Italian bread for a T-shirt and a spot on the Wall of Fame. There is no time limit, but those participating in the challenge must follow "mother"-themed rules: sit up straight, keep elbows off the table, etc.
The Frittata Challenge: a 6-pound scramble.
Challenge Location:
Mother's Cupboard
3709 James Street
Syracuse, NY 13206
7. Austin, TX
College: University of Texas
The Challenge:
The Don Juan Taco Challenge: Eat 8 Don Juan El Taco Grande breakfast tacos weighing in at 3/4 lbs. each (totaling over 6 lbs.) to break the record and get your picture on the "Juan of Fame" and be crowned the Don Juan Taco Champion. Rules of the challenge: eat as many Don Juan tacos as possible, no time limit, no bathroom breaks.
Challenge Location:
Juan in a Million
2300 Cesar Chavez St.
Austin, Texas 78702
8. Boston, MA
College: Boston College
The Challenge:
The Eagle’s Challenge: a 12-pound Burger complete with 5 lbs. of beef, 2 lbs. of bacon and cheese (20pcs of bacon and 20pcs of American cheese), 5 lbs. of fries and a giant deli pickle. If you fail to finish, your picture goes on the Wall of Shame.
The Eagle’s Challenge at Eagle's Deli near Boston College.
Challenge Location:
Eagle’s Deli
1918 Beacon St.
Brighton MA, 02135
View Map
9. Durham, NC
College: Duke University
The Challenge:
The Doughman Challenge: A 15-mile relay race that has each team member start at a different local eatery where they must eat a meal then perform an athletic event (running, cycling, or swimming), then race to a central location where they meet up with their teammates, eat dessert together, then run to the finish line while holding hands.
Challenge Location:
Various locations in Durhman, NC.
Other nearby campus eateries featured in the episode:
Wimpy's Grill
617 Hicks Street
Durham, NC 27705
Specialty: The Garbage Burger, a 20-ounce bacon double-cheeseburger with the works including chili and coleslaw.
10. Atlanta, GA
Nearby Colleges: Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, Emory
The Challenge:
The Carnivore Pizza Challenge: An 11-pound, 30-inch pizza covered in pepperoni, ground beef, Italian sausage, ham and bacon. The pizza is so large the restaurant has this set as a two-person challenge.
It's $50 to try, but a $250 prize is given if you complete the challenge within the 1 hour time limit (and are able to keep the food down).
The Carnivore Pizza Challenge: Bring a Friend.
Challenge Location:
Big Pie in the Sky
2090 Baker Rd.
Kennesaw, GA 30144
Other nearby campus eateries featured in the episode:
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Gladys Knight and Ron Winan's Chicken & Waffles (near Georgia Tech)
529 Peachtree St. NW
Atlanta, GA 30308Specialty:
The Midnight Train: four southern fried jumbo chicken wings on top of a huge waffle. -
The Vortex Bar and Grill (near Georgia Tech)
878 Peachtree St NE
Atlanta, GA 30309Specialty : Burgers.
11. Pittsburgh, PA
Nearby Colleges: University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne
The Challenge:
The Atomic Hot Wings challenge. Eat six wings that are 40x hotter than a jalapeño (150,000 Scoville units). So hot, they make you sign a waiver. Complete the challenge and get a bumper sticker and listed on their 'Wall of Flame'.
Challenge Location:
Quaker Steak & Lube
Multiple Locations in Pittsburgh
Other nearby campus eateries featured in the episode:
Primanti Bros.
Multiple Locations in Pittsburgh
Specialty: Their sandwiches, which consist of grilled meat, a vinegar-based coleslaw, tomato, and fries between two thick slices of Italian bread.
12. Philadelphia, PA
Nearby Colleges: Drexel, Saint Joseph's University
The Challenge:
The Ultimate Cheesesteak Challenge: Eat a 5-pound cheesesteak made with 3 pounds of beef, 1 pound of cheese, fried onions and a 20-inch roll within one hour and get listed on the Wall of Fame.
Challenge Location:
Tony Luke’s
39 E. Oregon Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19148
13. Kansas City, MO
Nearby College: University of Missouri
The Challenge:
The Ultimate Destroyer Challenge: a 5-pound barbecue sandwich loaded with 7 different hickory-smoked meats (pulled pork, sliced pork, ham, turkey, hamburger, beef brisket and sausage) plus 1 1/2 lbs. of fries. Eat it within 45 minutes and the meal is free, you get your picture on the Wall of Fame, and an “I survived the Ultimate Destroyer” button.
Challenge Location:
Papa Bob's Bar-B-Que
11610 Kaw Dr.
Bonner Springs, KS 66111
14. New York, NY
Nearby Colleges: NYU, Cooper Union
The Challenge:
The Spicy Curry Challenge: Eat Spicy P'haal, claimed to be the hottest curry in the world (60x hotter than a jalapeño). No time limit; finish the dish and receive a complimentary beer, a certificate of completion and be added to the restaurant's "P'hall of Fame".
Challenge Location:
Brick Lane Curry House
306 E 6th St.
New York, NY 10003
15. San Diego, CA
Nearby Colleges: USD, UCSD
The Challenge:
The Broken Yolk Iron Man Challenge: a 6-pound 12-egg omelet filled with sautéed onions, mushrooms and cheese, topped with chili and cheese, and served with home fries and two biscuits all on a 15-inch pizza pan. Complete the platter in less than an hour for a T-shirt and a spot on the Wall of Fame.
Challenge Location:
Broken Yolk Café
1851 Garnet Ave.
San Diego, CA 92109
16. Indianapolis, IN
Nearby Colleges: Butler, IUPUI, Ball State
The Challenge:
The Big Ugly Burger Challenge: This challenge is a test of how many 1.5 lb. Big Ugly Burgers one can consume (with no time limit). Considering they brush each bun with an entire stick of butter, we don't even want to know the calorie count of these burgers.
Finish one Big Ugly Burger and you’ll get a 4x6 picture of yourself on the "Champions of the Big Ugly" Wall of Fame.
Eat Two: Get an 8x10 picture on the wall.
Eat Three: Get a poster-sized picture on the wall.
Eat Four: Get a life-sized cut-out of yourself on the wall.
The Big Ugly Burger at Bub's Burgers and Ice Cream
Challenge Location:
Bub's Burgers and Ice Cream
210 W. Main St.
Carmel, IN 46032
