Oh, the Places You'll Dine

 

College Dining On and Off Campus

On-Campus Eating: Where to Start

By: Julia Jablonski, Team L Mentor

Coming into Penn State all first-year students are required to have a meal plan, I am here to tell you about how you can spend it! I lived on campus for my first two years of college, so I consider myself an expert in on-campus dining. Here at Penn State, we have five main dining halls. These are North, South, East, West, and Pollock. Each of these dining halls has many different options.

 

There are a few things that are universal regardless of where you are eating. The dining halls all have a buffet. Not all of these buffets serve the same food though. If you want to check what a buffet is serving at mealtimes, you can go to the website: http://menu.hfs.psu.edu/

You can also find this information on the Penn State Go app. It is a great idea to check out the menu before you head into the buffet, just to make sure you enjoy the things being served. I always start my day by looking at the menu options for each of the dining halls and planning where I will be eating for the day! It is a great way to organize your time and create a bit of structure for you.

This is the menu available to all PSU students

Dining hall breakdown

 

 North is located on the northern side of campus, across the street from the business building. Along with a buffet, North has the "Blue Spoon Cafe". At the "Blue Spoon Cafe", you can order and create sandwiches and wraps. This is a great way to get a quick bite to eat. Doing this allows you to avoid the long lines of the buffet. I have spent the least amount of time in North, so I am not as familiar with the dining hall, but I have heard from others that lived there that it is the best dining hall. I am not sure I agree with that, but oh well!

South is my favorite place to eat on campus. I say this because of all of the options. South has multiple options including “In A Pickle”, “Fresco Caliente”, “City Grill”, and “Bowls”. At “In A Pickle” you can get paninis, sandwiches, and wraps. This year salads were also sold at “In A Pickle”! All of these food options are customizable, which is great. “At Fresco Caliente” you can order burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, walking tacos, and nachos. At “City Grill”, you can get burgers, fries, cheesesteaks, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, and grilled cheese. These are very quick and easy options for you if you are in a hurry. The newest addition to South is “Bowls @ South”. Here you can get oats, Greek, and acai bowls. This is a great place to have breakfast and it is super cheap! South is a great place to eat for the options alone!

This is "In A Pickle", my favorite place to eat on campus!

            Pollock has one of the best markets in all of the dining commons area. In these markets, you can buy snacks, premade salads, and sushi. I ate so much sushi from Pollock last year. It is a very quick and easy way to get a meal on the go. There are also premade sandwich options and frozen meals you can microwave in your dorm. This is a great option if you are getting tired of Penn State food, but still want to use meal points!

East is also a great place to eat! East has a special section in the buffet called Pure. At Pure all of the food is gluten-free, lactose-free, and nut-free. This is a great section to eat at if you have dietary restrictions. I had a gluten-free friend and she spent almost every night eating at Pure. She loved the food! East also has many different side food places including an acai bowl place, a pizza place, and a burger place. East is the newest dining commons, and you can tell, it is beautiful. Many of you may be living in the East so this is great news for you! 

This is Pure in East

Finally West. I am not sure if you are all aware of the BEST food that Penn State has to offer, but I am going to let you in on a little secret. West has fresh baked cookies, and they are AMAZING. These warm gooey cookies melt in your mouth and are perfectly paired with a cold glass of Penn State Creamery milk, which is available in all buffets on campus. West has another eating option called “West Wing”. At “West Wing”, you can order food beforehand and pick it up. When you order food on the Penn State Go app it is linked to your meal plan, so the food is paid for when you pick it up. It makes things much simpler for the user.

Here are some delicious West cookies!

There are so many different and great dining options here at Penn State. I am glad that I was able to share some of my secrets with all of you. I love eating on campus and I hope that you guys will too! Some bonus content as well: My favorite buffet meal is the pulled pork sliders with onion straws in South. I ate it every time they served it and I recommend you try it as well! Happy eating!

Off Campus Eating

By: Hadley Sager, Team L Mentor

State College has food offerings for everyone, whether you’re in the mood for a quick breakfast or a sit-down dinner with your family. I’m going to share some of the most popular eateries near campus, and hopefully reveal a few hidden gems.

Irving's Downtown

For breakfast, you can never go wrong with “Irving’s”. They serve the classic egg and cheese on a bagel that has become a staple among Penn State students. Don’t miss out on their coffee either (my favorite is their cold brew). Be careful through, “Irving’s” will get busy quickly, especially on weekends. If you’re looking for a slightly cheaper option for your bagel fix, my go to is “Bagel Crust”! There are two locations downtown, so it’s convenient to get to no matter what side of campus you live on. If you’re looking for a sit-down breakfast, “Waffle Shop” is a State College classic. Here you’ll find a diner breakfast and some of the best hot chocolate you can ask for. “Sower’s Harvest Café” is also one of my favorites. It’s a smaller store off the main road, so it tends to not be as busy as other spots.            

Yallah Taco

            A definite favorite for a quick lunch or dinner with friends is “Snap Pizza”. Snap has personal pizzas and space to sit inside and out. My usual order there is the Kennett Square or the Farmer’s Market pizza. “Yallah Taco” is the perfect spot to visit if you want a big burrito or a few tacos. If you’re looking for a quick eat, I highly recommend “Penn Kabab” or :Big Bowl Noodle House” right across the street from South Halls. “Penn Kabab” is a go-to for me. The owner is always very nice, and they cook your falafel fresh when you order. There are no bad choices at “Big Bowl”. I usually go with the Thai noodles, and I can always get at least two meals out of my order. They only take cash, but the food is worth it. 

Farmer's Market

            On Tuesdays and Fridays there is a famer’s market on Locust Lane. There are apples, tomatoes, baked goods, fresh flowers and more. Pro tip: if you pay in cash, the vender may give you a slight discount. The fresh produce is the absolutely best and the baked goods are the best around

            You can’t go wrong with the restaurants in State College. My biggest advice is to take advantage of being in our small town and try as much as you can.