10 More Dining Halls Worth Checking Out

Summary: College food is rarely considered something to be jealous of, but some of these schools allow anyone to stop in and try their foods because they are so delectable.

Gourmet food is usually something people do not think of when considering college dining halls, but many schools strive to only offer locally grown and upscale meals to their students. Consider these schools if quality of food is something that is very important to you.

See 10 University Dining Halls That Feature More than Just Quality Food for part 1 of this list.

Here is part 2 of the list:

• New York University is in a city with an endless supply of new choices. Despite this the university keeps their menu loaded with options like kung pao beef, kimchi fried rice, and vegetable lasagna. They also feature buffets of fruit, bagels, and pastries, as well as an eggs benedict station and made-to-order waffles.
• Kennesaw State University has been named the fourth best college in America for food by The Daily Meal. They have over 150 different entrees each week to make sure the students never get bored with their food options. The university also has their own on-site herb garden, single-stream recycling, and large-scale composting, as well as farms of fresh mushrooms, cornmeal, and lettuce.
• University of Georgia puts beef fajitas, eggplant parmesan, veggie primavera, and towering ice cream sundaes on their menu to keep students well fed. There are five dining halls and five food courts providing convenient locations for a quick bite.
• Washington University in St. Louis was ranked number 2 by The Daily Meal. They offer the typical yummy options plus their meal plan allows students to take cooking classes from professional chefs and access chef demonstrations and themed dinners.
• St. Olaf College only has one traditional dining hall plus a café and upscale restaurant. It is the quality of the food that sets them apart from other schools through their farm-to-fork vendor commitments. Some of their entrees include mandarin orange chicken, baked tofu with cilantro pesto, and sesame beef with broccoli and pea pods.
• Virginia Tech was ranked number 1 on the Niche’s “Best College Food” list. The school offers food for every craving such as tomato and fig balsamic sourdough pizza, make-your-own waffle bar, and grilled ginger-soy glazed trout. They also have made-to-order steak and Maine lobster every day.
• Cornell University likes to offer dishes from around the world, including Italy-inspired pasta and freshly rolled sushi. They also host themed nights to celebrate cultures and cuisines.
• James Madison University has the typical dining halls as well as themed cafes.
• University of Massachusetts at Amherst enjoys all-you-can-eat buffets for just about every cuisine. They also cater to special diets such as Kosher, vegan, and gluten-free. There are a total of 4 dining halls, 18 cafes, two food trucks, concessions, and a special delivery system.
• Bowdoin College has received numerous mentions for their campus food of gourmet meals like mussels with garlic and white wine or Asian-style pork with duck sauce. Their lobster bakes are what set the school apart from the rest.

Photo: dailysun.bowdoin.edu