Who hasn't at some point in their life said, "Oh God, I wish 7/11 had a salad bar!" Wait...what? You've never thought that thought? Not once? Not ever?

Regardless, Mac Kelly's Greens and Things is that wish come true, only without the all-important "7-11" logo to foot the bill. Though it's most prominently a small, corner grocery store with a heavy emphasis on soft drinks, candy bars, potato chips and the like—you know, the usual corner store inventory—there's also the aforementioned salad bar (with salad on one side and hot food on the other) and a fairly expansive deli on hand to feed your stomach full of sandwich. Payment is by the pound, not the item, and a pile of salad might run you as high as, say, $4.99. Unfortunately, you're bound to find flavors of foods you're not familiar with, and some you'd never in a million years add to any salad ever. Welcome to the world of smorgasbords, where people eat like pigs at the trough and subsequently drop their food (if you're lucky) into other unrelated food. Shameful, but true.

Which is really a testament to how high the salad-bar quality is, to be honest. Despite knowingly eating bits and pieces of things you've never seen or scooped before, you only barely care because the food is so good. Mac Kelly's is a place that lets you eat what you want to eat, truly; it's not just a choice between a limited number of options on a fledgling sandwich and salad menu. And really, isn't that why you went to finishing school in the first place, to be independent, self-reliable and to learn how to find for yourself? Time to put those skills to the test.

Average cost: $10-$20

Centerstage Reviewer: Benjamin Andrew Moore