Where to eat

Most Variety

Great Hall

This hub of campus dining can be stressful for the indecisive. Breakfast all day, Indian, Chinese, sushi, stir fry, pizza and a daunting salad bar are always available in addition to daily specials. Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or a full meal, Great Hall can satisfy even the pickiest eaters.

Best Place to Have a Social Meal

The Loop

Conveniently located in the West Union Building, The Loop is a prime location for grabbing a bite between classes on West Campus. The selection of freshly made wraps and sandwiches ranges from bacon cheeseburgers to ahi tuna. A classic chicken caesar salad is also a must. Watch out, however, for long lines during the lunch hour and slower prep time than typical fast food.

One of the most popular dining establishments on campus, The Loop is a place to see and be seen. In fact, if you run into fewer than 10 acquaintances on your trip for some warm bleu cheese chips (an absolute treat), you are probably missing an event with free food. Aside from awkward encounters with former hook-ups, the atmosphere is also perfect for chatting about your day and plans for the night with the friends you came with.

So grab a bowl of thick tomato bisque and enjoy some people watching on the plaza with a delicious, hearty meal.

Best Place for Your Sweet Tooth

Saladelia @ The Perk

Located in von der Heyden Pavilion at the entrance to Perkins Library, Saladelia (more commonly referred to as von der Heyden or The Perk) is the perfect place to satisfy your craving for a sweet snack. Whether you need a boost of caffeine before a late night of studying or a light snack in between classes, The Perk offers a variety of delectable treats to keep you going throughout the day in addition to delicious wraps and sandwiches.

Many of the sweets are shipped daily from Mad Hatter’s bakery, including homemade chocolate chip, heath bar and oatmeal raisin cookies. Be sure to check out the sumptuous cakes, too, which can be ordered by the slice or taken home for a birthday surprise. And for Valentine’s Day, this eatery offers a special menu with a molten chocolate cake which is sure to mend any broken hearts.

Von der Heyden also offers a cozy environment which is perfect for meeting a professor or planning a group project. Unlike Perkins Library, talking is allowed here, so don’t be embarrassed to savor your desserts out loud.

Best Place to Eat on the Run

Alpine Bagels

Sure, the winding line during brunch hours resembles a queue for a Disney ride. But for many students, the staple morning bagel is well worth the wait. For just a small bit of dough—pun intended—you get a full, portable breakfast, lunch or snack that will keep you full for the walks across campus. In the morning, customers stand in line for their banana walnut bagel with honey raisin cream cheese or a Rise-n-Shine, the classic bagel with an egg combo. Others head toward the front of the West Union Building to get their fro-yo fix. In addition to bagels and lunch meat sandwiches, Alpine Bagels serves up its ever-popular light treat in a rotating selection of flavors and with an array of toppings.

This campus eatery also offers several healthy wraps including the famous Presidential Pardon—with sliced turkey, roasted peppers and a roasted tangy sauce. For those with big appetities, opt for the Butch’s “Mile High” Club which features turkey, bacon, lettuce and crunch veggies. If you’re vegetarian, be sure to check out one of the salads with bleu cheese, walnuts and dried cranberries.

Although the restaurant’s signature bagels do not come close to those that students from New York and New Jersey may be familiar with, they are still filling and are a satisfying alternative to a sit-down meal when you’re on the run.

Best Place to Meet a Pratt-star

Twinnie’s

Located at the crossroads between Trinity and Pratt, Twinnie’s brings the bet of both worlds together. English and biomedical engineering majors may not share the same academic passions, but they both share a hankering for fresh tuna salad wraps and Starbucks coffee. This is the only campus eatery that serves Starbucks, so be sure to arrive here before the lunchtime rush, or be prepared to wait in a long line. So for a mid-day trip before science class or a meeting with your engineering professor, Twinnie’s is the perfect atmosphere to mitigate the stress induced by a tough exam.

Whether you need to get your hands on that first cup of java or simply need to grab some grub before the walk back to the real West Campus, Twinnie’s is a great stop to rest your feet. Don’t forget to grab a sweet treat after your meal to raise your Chemistry grade or simply have a provision to hold you over until you reach the Chapel. Those over 21 can even grab a free beer on Friday afternoons.

And don’t forget to check out the daily specials at Twinnie’s like spaghetti and meatballs and tortellini pasta. The soups—like creamy tomato and chicken noodle—are sure to warm up any cold day. So if you’re in desperate need of caffeine or a good meal—and want to meet the Prattie next door—stop at Twinnie’s and be delightfully surprised.

Best Place to Dine Like an Adult

Plate and Pitchfork

Although the service is notoriously slow and a steak may occasionally appear on your plate in place of salmon, Plate and Pitchfork is the best way to escape the monotony of campus dining while staying just a short walk from your dorm room. The Faculty Commons is open for lunch with faculty and Plate and Pitchfork is open for dinner, making either meal a break from the hectic nature of an on-campus lifestyle. While dining among friends, faculty and staff members, you can chomp on some juicy salmon with ripe asparagus and fluffy whipped potatoes discussing everything from Shooters nights or the Thoreau reading for your English class. Or, opt for a select vegetarian entree of the day and greet your favorite professor who just ordered the same. Whatever you do, make sure you have enough time and good conversation to wine and dine with friends until the food comes—hopefully to the correct table. But a bite into your food may make you forget the wait.

Stepping Off Campus

Best Burrito after 3 a.m.

Cosmic Cantina

Really, it’s best after 3 a.m. But if you find yourself off of East Campus and and are craving food—and lots of it—Cosmic is hard to beat. A climb up the poetically painted steps leads to burritos, chips and tacos that are cheap and—if you’re eating them at the right time of the night—fantastically delicious.

Best Place to Write a Paper

Mad Hatter’s

When you wake up on a Sunday afternoon and remember that Writing 20 paper due tomorrow, don’t bury yourself in an isolated Perkins cubicle. Instead, comfort yourself with a cookie large enough to feed the starting lineup of the Duke men’s basketball team. The decadent concoctions come in just about every mold and color you can imagine, and you can’t go wrong with slice of anything out of the cake case. Also, if you’re up for an early start, the cafe offers delicious eggs, pancakes and other breakfast options. Best of all, it’s equipped with free wireless Internet access so you can surf the Web for pictures from last night—or maybe even research for that paper. The prices are somewhat steep, but comforting treats and meals can ease the pain of all the work you have to do.

Best Place for Comfort Food

Elmo’s Diner

For any meal of the day, a stop at Elmo’s is sure to fill you up and put a smile on your face. The cheerful wait-staff and vibrant atmosphere provide a pleasant accompaniment to the burgers, salads, sandwiches and—best of all—breakfast all day. And, for those who need a reminder that children still exist, it’s always filled with local families. Elmo’s offers a long list of specials, always featuring a different type of pancake, like sweet potato or cinnamon apple. Top it all off with a root beer float or a homemade milkshake and you’ll feel right at home.