Lawrence has many aspects that make it unique: it is rich in history, people and “hidden gems” ­— many of which are restaurants. Some are tucked away in a corner on Massachusetts Street, or can be passed in a small shopping strip. Here’s a look at some Lawrence originals to keep in mind next time your stomach starts to rumble.

A.B.’s
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A.B.’s, a locally owned crêpe and sandwich shop, was founded five years ago by the owner, A.B. Riales.

“I knew some things about crêpes from previous employment at other restaurants,” Riales said. “I thought it would be a good idea to have a place dedicated to making crepes.”

And that’s what he does. A.B.’s serves up anything from the typical dessert crêpe to crêpes such as the Italiano, which is pizza in a crêpe, Riales said.

Riales said he dedicated a lot of time and effort to his business. He only has two other employees, and they work around the clock hand-making crepes in a giant, flat waffle iron. Riales said that he also cared about the clientele, and that he tried to ask about the customers’ day.

Abigail Jones, Piper senior, said that she loved AB’s not just for the food, but also for how friendly the staff was.

“I love the crepes, they are seriously melt in your mouth,” Jones said. “Every time anyone I know comes to Lawrence to visit, I take them to A.B.’s.”

Along with good customer service and authentic cooking, the price range is affordable to students. A crêpe ranges from $5-10.

Gran-Daddy’s Que
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This local barbecue restaurant had a not-so-typical start. It began with a father and son cooking barbecue in a Lawrence church parking lot. After several moves, they then settled down in a shopping center at 19th and Haskell Streets.

The restaurant is the only barbecue restaurant in Lawrence to use an outdoor smoker. Located behind the building, the employees nicknamed it the “rib dome,” an eight-foot monstrosity with four levels and six sides.

Jason Parker, caterer and cook at Gran-Daddy’s for about 10 years, said the most popular menu item was called “Da Bomb,” or shredded beef brisket covered in the restuarant’s homemade sauce.

The special barbecue sauce is sweet, tangy and spicy, and Parker said customers used it in place of ketchup. Dinners range from $8-10, depending on how many sides and how many pounds of meat, Parker said.

Conroy’s Pub
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Originally called Kasper’s, Conroy’s Pub is a “divey” restaurant that is a lot like “Cheers,” said Eva Nelson, server at Conroy’s. Many of the customers are regulars, and the environment is relaxed and friendly. Conroy’s offers typical bar food, such fries, nachos and chicken wings, along with a homemade pork tenderloin sandwich. It has a juke box, a pinball machine and old-school video games. Another fun aspect of the restaurant is that it holds late-night poker tournaments. The food is also reasonable, and it has a daily cheeseburger basket special for only $5.50.

Café Beautiful
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Tucked away in an upstairs building at 7th and Massachusetts Streets, Café Beautiful is as unique as the food it serves. The food, known as “Asian fusion,” is prepared by each customer’s own personal chef in an intimate setting of just four other tables. Although pricey — about $65 a person — it delivers an atmosphere where students can enjoy a private, classy dinner. The dinner is a six-course meal, but customers won’t know what they’ll be eating until they get to the restaurant, because the menu is chef’s choice.

Alicia Siegel, Scottsdale, Ariz., senior, said she would recommend Café Beautiful to anyone.

“It is different experience, and you will be there for at least two hours,” Siegel said. “But the food is the best food I have ever had.”

Advanced seating is highly recommended. Alcohol is not served, but patrons can bring their own.

La Familia cafe
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For 20 years, this restaurant has been cooking authentic Mexican food. Antonio Garcia, assistant manager and nephew to the owner, said his aunt first started the restaurant with a little taco and hamburger stand.

“She started to add her own home style ingredients to the cooking,” Garcia said. “After that, the restaurant kept growing and growing.”

Garcia said his aunt still cooked for the restaurant from time to time. He said she was famous for her “Jenny sauce,” or cream cheese sauce put on the spinach enchiladas and her homemade tamales.

Katie Armstrong, Atlanta junior, said she had heard from friends that La Familia was a great restaurant. She tried it out last year, and said that she has been in love ever since.

“The food, atmosphere and their chips and salsa is excellent,” Armstrong said. “I love the prices too. You get a lot of food for one person.”

The food ranges from $6-8 per meal.

— — Edited by Adam Schoof