10 college dining programs that students say have top-notch food

The Princeton Review has released its annual ranking of the college and universities with the best dining programs. This latest ranking is based on surveys of 168,000 students at universities across the U.S.

Familiar favorites have once again made it on to this year’s list along with some newcomers. Here’s a look at the schools that cracked the top 10.  

Coming in at number 10, Virginia Tech offer students a wide range of cuisines on campus as well as special events throughout the year that have become annual traditions, including its week-long chili challenge.

This fall, students will have access to a new eatery on campus. Perry Place in Hitt Hall will feature 9 dining concepts, eight of which are original, and have seating for over 600. 

The dining team at College of the Atlantic makes all its meals from scratch and places an emphasis on using local and organic ingredients whenever possible.

The team’s savory tofu/mac & cheese night is beloved by students and the line typically goes out the door when it’s being served at Blair Dining Hall, the school’s main eatery on campus.

At James Madison University, the dining team places an emphasis on sustainability and composts all pre-consumer waste in all dining locations as well as all pre-consumer and post-consumer waste in residential dining halls.

In addition, students can shop for local produce using dining and flex dollars at the school’s weekly fall and spring farmers markets.

McConnel Bistro is Pitzer College's only dining hall; however, it offers students vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options as well as a salad bar and dessert table.

Much of the food served on campus is sourced locally and prepared within 48 hours of harvest, according to the school.

A fixture of the dining program at Bates is the Napkin Board where students can leave shout outs and other feedback to dining staff. In addition, the dining team has introduced a virtual version of the board so students can leave feedback and shoutouts online.

Cornell’s dining program includes seven dining rooms on campus along with a handful of other eateries.  

New this school year, students will have the option to pick up lunch in the morning at select locations on campus to eat it later during the day as part of the school’s Meals on the Move program. The program is intended to help reduce wait times during lunch and provide a convenient meal option for students.

Bowdoin has its own organic garden on campus which provides produce for many of the dining team’s dishes, including its chocolate zucchini cake, roasted root vegetables and pea shoot salad.

The University of Richmond’s Heilman Dining Center offers diners an array of options, including fresh pizza, a pasta bar and plant-based dishes.

Students looking to expand their culinary expertise can also take part in cooking classes taught by members of the dining team at the school’s demonstration kitchen.

As students return to campus this year, the Sodexo dining team at Washington University in St. Louis is rolling out a handful of new dining options for students, including Filipino coffee concept, The Fattened Caf. and Mediterranean cuisine concept, Kalamata.

Students are also able to access food around the clock using Farmers Fridge and Just Baked, two smart vending machines installed on campus.

Coming in at number 1 for the 8th time in a row is the dining program at University of Massachusetts Amherst.

UMass students have access to four residential dining halls as well as over 20 additional cafes and eateries on campus. The dining team places an emphasis on serving students dishes using sustainably sourced and locally grown ingredients. 

In addition to being named the best college food by the Princeton Review, the UMass dining team recently received gold in the “Innovative Dining Program” category for the Loyal E. Horton Award presented by the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS).