BY BRANDAN BLOM // SEPT. 12, 2012 //

California Pizza Kitchen at South Shore Plaza is a good place to eat. // CPK.COM

College students have to pay a host of fees, bills and even fines for various reasons. Already cash-strapped, most students need to find the best deals available when it comes to good eats.

Luckily for Curry students, there are a variety of restaurants close to campus.

At the South Shore Plaza in Braintree, for example—a shuttle takes students there every Friday and Sunday—you can find whatever style of food your heart desires, from a grilled cheese sandwich to sushi, thanks to the plaza’s food court. But there is more than just mall fare. There are a number of good, affordable sit-down restaurants, too.

For casual, cheap dining, try California Pizza Kitchen. They bring a gourmet twist to pizza with classic options like The Original BBQ Chicken or the Mushroom Pepperoni Sausage Pizza. They also bring a California twist on a traditional Mexican dish called Fire-roasted Chili Relleno. It’s described as a “spicy poblano (type of pepper), stuffed with chicken, cheese, corn and black bean salsa, wild mushrooms, spinach and eggplant.” The dish is topped with homemade avocado salsa verde and cilantro.

All of this is relatively inexpensive. Pizzas are about $13, while the Chile Relleno entrée is just $11.25, including tax. You can check out CPK’s entire menu online.

Another good sit-down restaurant for a good price is The 99 Restaurant, which is just outside of South Shore Plaza, adjacent to Target. The 99 offers classic American-style dishes like sirloin tips and chicken tenders. These come with French fries and cost only $10.

Finally, for a different type of dinner experience, you try Dave & Busters. They create a fun environment with classic and new arcade games, and a great American-style menu. It’s a little more expensive than CPK and The 99, but it’s worth it.