10 US colleges with the best food
By FSD Staff on Aug. 31, 2016After surveying 143,000 students at 381 colleges, test prep giant The Princeton Review has released its latest list of colleges with the best on-campus food. See which factors enabled these dining operations to rise to the top.
10. Bryn Mawr College; Bryn Mawr, Pa.
With a menu that changes every six weeks based on student feedback, Bryn Mawr College offers a bevy of bars dedicated to pasta, deli items, salads, desserts and juices, and hosts award-winning themed meals, according to the school’s website.
9. Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis
Run by Bon Appetit, dining services at Washington University in St. Louis has committed to implementing several health-centered initiatives by 2017, including a “wellness” menu option at every meal.
8. Saint Anselm College; Manchester, N.H.
Offering three eateries—Davison Hall, the Coffee Shop & Pub and Common Ground Cafe—Saint Anselm College provides a host of gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options, while its dining hall’s menu rotates every three weeks.
7. James Madison University; Harrisonburg, Va.
In the midst of rebuilding longstanding dining facility D-Hall, James Madison University has debuted a holdover space, D-Hub, which opened in June. D-Hub’s walk-up windows allow students to grab portable menu items like pizza on the go.
6. College of the Atlantic; Bar Harbor, Maine
Though its dining hall and cafe are closed on the weekends (each residence is equipped with an operational kitchen, according to the school’s website), College of the Atlantic's offerings, which include such options as tamarind eggplant and posole, get students’ seal of approval. In the fall, up to 75% of the school’s menu is sourced locally, according to the foodservice program.
5. St. Olaf College; Northfield, Minn.
St. Olaf says it leans heavily on local sourcing and uses a variety of produce from Stogrow, an organic farm run by students. The school offers three on-campus eateries: main dining facility Stav Hall, coffee shop The Cage and affordable fine-dining spot The Kings’ Room.
4. Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, Va.
Slipping from its No. 1 ranking in Princeton Review’s list released two years ago, Virginia Tech’s dining services says it serves 7.1 million meals per year with annual sales of $51 million at its 13 dining locations on campus.
3. Cornell University; Ithaca, N.Y.
Operating upward of 30 on-campus eateries, Cornell University’s dining services says it serves more than 26,000 meals daily. "Our high [Princeton Review] ranking once again is a testament to the effort our incredible staff puts in meal after meal, day after day, to make sure we serve wonderful food,” Gail Finan, director of Cornell Dining, said in a statement on the school’s website.
2. Bowdoin College; Brunswick, Maine
After being caught in a spat earlier this year with author Malcolm Gladwell—who asserted that the school’s high-quality cuisine came at the expense of financial aid for students in need—Bowdoin stood behind its lauded dining program, which took the No. 1 spot in Princeton Review’s ranking last year.
1. UMass-Amherst; Amherst, Mass.
Stealing the No. 1 spot from Bowdoin, UMass Dining—which is comprised of four dining halls, 18 cafes, two food trucks, a bakery and more—took heat earlier this year for taking business from local restaurants. For hungry students who don’t wish to leave their dorm, the school’s dining services also delivers pizza, wings and chicken wraps to campus residence halls free of charge.
“This honor is shared by every member of our staff who work each day to serve healthy, sustainable and delicious meals to our students,” Ken Toong, executive director of auxiliary enterprises, said in a statement, noting the Princeton Review ranking also reflects on the school’s students, “whose high expectations drive our team to excel.”