Sub slumps are hard to avoid; choosing the same tasteless lunch meat and grabbing the same bag of chips every day while rushing to the next class or next meeting on the agenda. Bun Mi brings a much needed lunchtime shake-up. There’s bbq pork, curry chicken, mock dock, and tons of other Vietnamese flavor choices to pile high on a crunchy baguette with daikon, cilantro, pickled carrots and jalepeños. PSA: The fries here are a crisp potato nirvana complete with sriracha mayo dipping sauce.

This teeny tiny middle eastern deli dishes up overflowing styrofoam containers of heartily spiced kofta (a flat ground lamb meatball), sticky saffron rice, tangy tabouli, and some of the smoothest hummus in town. Also available are the classic gyro, shwarma, and falafel sandwiches for grab-n-go meals.

Foggy windows and only one small sign keep this small counter-service spot shielded in mystery from the surrounding neighborhood. Once inside, the blasting aroma of spicy kimchi, marinated mushrooms, and bubbling oil hits, and the behold, the Twin Cities’ most authentic Korean delicacies. One highlight is the bibimbap served in a huge sizzling earthenware bowl: crunchy rice, marinated meat, a sunny-side up egg, and all the fixings.

After a tough exam or yet another Gopher loss, a stiff drink is just what Dr. Goldie ordered. At the grungy but beloved “Sterbs” you can just that and a side of fries. Or tots. Or nachos. Or cheese curds. Nothing pairs with (the right kind of) greasy bar grub than dirt-cheap beer and rail specials. The hoppy notes of $7 all-you-can-drink kill-the-keg-Thursdays really accentuate the buttery notes of those battered onion rings.

Punch brings a slice of Napoli, where pizza is king, to eight Twin Cities locations. With piping hot, flame-treated crust serving as the base, choose from the classics — the Margherita with basil, fresh mozz, and tomatoes, or the Napoli with crushed tomatoes, oregano, and shredded cheese. For the gourmand experience, try the Bufalina with arugula, prosciutto, and mozzarella di bufala — now that’s amore.

The latest branch of the much-lauded szechuan specialty resto family sizzles with the same hot stuff made famous first in St. Paul and later St. Louis Park’s West End. Many dishes are smothered with an insane amount of chilis like the “Red Revolution” fish in a hotpot, and the traditional ma po tofu. To fill up without overheating, there are plenty of mellow neutralizers like the poached Chinese broccoli and slippery dan dan noodles.

The cozy Hong Kong Noodle has a menu that reads like a phone book. It’s got everything from congee to Thai style fish dishes. As a general rule, if a restaurant has a food item in its name, it’s a safe pick from the menu. HKN is no different. The noodle soups here are impressive bowls of steaming broth, with different proteins ranging from roast duck to BBQ pork wontons. The noodles themselves are chewy with a rich egg-y flavor. Slurp slurp.

A bit further down University Ave. towards St.Paul, you can spot this bakery/cafe by the gargantuan bright blue coffee mug stuck to its brick exterior and its sunny orange awnings. The sweet treats here may look tiny, but these little devils have enough cream and sugar packed into the tiny cake liners to satisfy the most dire dessert cravings. There are 20-25 varieties of cupcakes served daily as well soups, paninis, and salads for those avoiding a major sugar crash.