The Story

Dining Options: Part 1 On Campus

Aug. 1, 2011 | By Morgan Barker, DSJ Co-Editor in Chief

Where to eat may be one of the first questions entering freshman ask, so we’ve compiled a list of all your on campus dining options with pros and cons for each.

The first and most obvious is �"The Commons,” more commonly known as the Caf. Most freshman dorms are situated close to the Caf (Dupont, Yates and Botetourt) and it is the most convenient option. This is a buffet style-dining hall where you can always get pizza and salads. The dining hall also has a grill station and sandwich/wrap stations. Caf regulars know to circle the perimeter and scope out the options before choosing a meal. The Caf is a great dining option because there are many options making it hard to find something you don’t like.

The Sadler Center RFoC is buffet style like the Caf, but considerably smaller. Salads and pizza are available for every meal while grill and sandwich stations rotate meal options. Expert dinners will know to avoid the SC during peak meal times (12-1pm and 6-7pm), as it gets incredibly busy.

The Marketplace located in the Campus Center is an excellent option for freshman living in Taliaferro or Monroe. This is not a buffet style-dining hall and some may find that they do not get enough food per meal swipe (particularly since they charge extra for things like bacon and cheese dip). On the positive side, the Campus Center serves the best breakfast on campus with a made to order breakfast sandwich station, nothing like having your bacon egg and cheese cooked in front of you.

If you need to get your coffee fix, there are several options. There are three Java City locations on campus, one at the Caf, one at the School of Education and one at the Mason School of Business that will gladly serve your caffeine needs. The Daily Grind has excellent coffee and is also a great hangout location since it’s centrally located with nice outdoor tables. And if you’re studying hard at Swem, you can always check out MEWS, which sells Starbucks.

For other on campus dining options, you might stop by the Boehly Café in the Mason School of Business or the Dodge Room (located on the side of Phi Beta Kappa Hall) to grab a sandwich between classes.

New to campus for the 2011-2012 school year, Einstein Brother Bagels will replace the Quiznos on the ground floor of the Sadler Center. The new bagel shop will be a great option for breakfast or grab a tasty bagel sandwich for lunch.

In addition, the new dining options in Tribe Square were announced this week. The Crust, Pita Pit and Subway Café will become new options for students. Be aware though, these eateries do not take meal plans. See our news article on this announcement for more information.

Check back next week for Part 2 of our dining options series, which will focus on great off campus meal options.