Spice up your dining experience at Lafayette with these student favorites

Are you getting bored of going to the same dining hall every day, perusing for better options, and then resorting to a nice bowl of Cheerios? Well, we are here to help. For such a small school, Lafayette Dining Services has plenty of options for where to eat depending on your mood, you just have to be in the know. Every place has their own specialties that will be consistently good, so you will never be left without a good meal.

Marquis – While we all know about the sweet and savory crepes in Marquis, the dining hall has a wide range of options suitable for whatever you are looking for, but their lunch selection is out of this world. They have a sandwich bar as well as incredible salad options. Also, they have hard ice cream, brought over from Bank Street Creamery, with a wide range of toppings. And on every Friday, Marquis serves hot wings, which is a nice change from the day-to-day dining hall food.

Upper – This is the second main dining hall, and it can be a bit overwhelming and frustrating when the main hot meal options do not seem appetizing. Yet, there is a solution! The burrito bar is open Monday-Friday and mimics the format of a Chipotle or Qdoba. The choice of meat varies, however, it is usually chicken, pork, or beef. There is also always a vegetarian option available, typically being a vegetable medley with beans or tofu. We also cannot talk about Upper without mentioning their weekend brunches. On saturdays, there are eggs made-to-order as well as a fruit parfait bar AND a waffle bar. And, they do not tone it down on Sundays! They offer custom omelets, a bagel bar, and waffles to start off your long day at the library.

Gilbert’s Cafe – Creating a coffee-shop atmosphere, Gilbert’s is a great place to go for breakfast or lunch. The most popular item on their menu is their egg sandwiches. You have a choice of bread (an English muffin, white bread, or a bagel) and meat (turkey sausage, bacon, or ham). It also comes with a side of tater tots which are absolutely delicious. If you don’t want breakfast food, they also make delicious flatbreads: the barbeque chicken and buffalo chicken are amazing. Those, along with most meals, either come with a side of chips or salad.

Lower – This WaWa wannabe is perfect when you need to grab a meal, but you don’t have a lot of time. Everything that you order comes in a to-go container, making it convenient to bring to lunch talks and meetings. The sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can order at Lower, but some crowd favorites include the chicken tenders and fries, quesadillas, and the newly added fried perogies. If you are looking for more nutrient dense options, you can create your own salad or order pasta/stir fry with your choice of protein and veggies.

Simon’s Deli – Though Simon’s can be a hike depending on where you live on campus, their hoagies and pizzas are well worth it. The Simontella is definitely something you have to order in your time at Lafayette. It is a Nutella pizza that is topped with marshmallows and fruit. What a great midnight snack to indulge on with friends.

Skillman Cafe – Some days, you just have to spend the entire day in the library studying for that big exam tomorrow! Good thing you don’t have to leave to get food, for Skillman Cafe is open from 12:00-1:00 on Sunday-Friday for a meal swipe where you get a sandwich/salad, bag of chips, hot or cold drink (includes a Starbucks passion fruit iced tea or iced coffee), and piece of fruit or a dessert.

So, whatever you are in the mood for, Lafayette definitely has an option for you, whether it be a midnight trip to lower or a healthy lunch from the salad bar at Marquis. Once you are ‘in the know,’ the dining hall food isn’t so bad after all!

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