Ah, college. A wondrous place with freedom, room for exploration, new faces and interesting classes. Along with all of these attributes, the mere mention of the word “college” inevitably triggers thoughts and memories of food. Whether these conjure up images of dorm room ramen, bottomless ice cream in the dining halls or midnight delivery Chinese food, every person will most likely graduate with a few extra pounds in addition to a shiny new degree at the end of four (or five or six…) years.
Mizzou is absolutely no exception to this rule. With such a large student body, our campus is covered with various locations to satisfy a hungry student’s many cravings. That being said, quantity is not always synonymous with quality. To help you navigate the occasionally bumpy terrain that is college food, here is a comprehensive review of Mizzou’s swipe-centered culinary scene… complete with tips, tricks, do’s, and don’ts.
The Restaurants at Southwest
Though a bit removed from the center of campus, this location offers six à la carte options with great variety. At Southwest you’ll find Truffles, Olive + Oil, 1 • 5 • 3 Salads & Soup, 1839 Kitchen, Legacy Grill and Tiger Deli. These restaurants offer desserts and smoothies, pasta, salads, soups, rotisserie chicken, baked potatoes, cheesesteaks, burgers, nachos, and fries. With so much to choose from, dinner might seem daunting… but do not fear! Here’s my personal advice: DO try the veggie burger (Legacy Grill), pasta with pesto (Olive + Oil), black bean soup (1 • 5 • 3 Salads & Soup), gooey butter cake (Truffles) and rotisserie chicken (1839 Kitchen.) Also ask for salmon at Olive + Oil! Sounds a bit risky, but they cook it to order and it’s a major game-changer. DON’T trust the “vegetarian chicken” for your pasta and watch out for 1839 Kitchen’s green beans as they can be super salty.
The Mark
As Mizzou’s smallest full-service dining hall, Mark Twain’s location isn’t the most popular but that is by no means due to its offerings. This dining hall has the usual salad bar, grill, and cereal menagerie, but it also offers great grab-and-go options. Venture to this edge of campus next time you’re in the neighborhood.
Rollins / Rollins @ Night
Located in the same building as Hudson and Gillett Halls, Rollins is a classic and convenient option at any time, day or night. Though the full-service dining hall has a salad bar, grill, sandwich station, waffle maker and daily specialties, my personal favorite reason to ascend the stairs of Rollins is the omelet bar, open every morning before 10am. If you don’t have time to wait in line for your eggs, Rollins breakfast also has top-notch quiche on weekends. Another one of Rollins’ claims to fame is Rollins @ Night, open every evening from 6 to 11pm. Once darkness falls, a condensed late-night menu boasting pizza, cinnamon sticks, and boneless wings lures students from their study sessions for a sinfully delicious snack.
Plaza 900
If dining halls had personalities, Plaza would be the most popular kid in school. Centrally located and extremely versatile, Plaza is almost always the place to be. In addition to the best salad bar on campus, daily themed specialties, grill options and pizza on rotation, Plaza boasts a stir-fry station, made-to-order sandwiches and wraps and soft-serve ice cream. With so many choices comes a few tips and tricks: DO try the spinach tortilla at the sandwich station, ask for extra veggies in your stir fry, put toppings inside your cone before loading up on chocolate ice cream, but be wary of the grill’s chicken patties.
Emporium
Attached to Plaza 900, this location is a great grocery store-lunch counter hybrid. The menu is small and does not allow for improvisation or customization, but the salads are fresh and gluten-free bread is an option. Though the turkey and Swiss sandwich is yummy, my personal favorite reason to visit Emporium is for groceries. The market is stocked with pita chips, granola bars, hummus, pretzels, Nutella, ice cream, juice, yogurt and fresh produce. DO try the salsa (it’s fresh and super spicy!) but DON’T get too excited about their iced coffee… the Starbucks in Memorial is a much better bet for your daily caffeine fix.
Baja Grill
A favorite among students living in Hatch and College Ave., Baja is a restaurant-style dining location that offers quesadillas, burritos, tacos, chips and dips. Though no one seems to complain about the entree offerings, the jewels in Baja’s crown are definitely its guac, queso and smoothies. Perfect for a quick bite between classes or a study break, these offerings have upperclassmen begging to be swiped in once their meal-plan days are over. Take note that Baja is closed on weekends, so make sure to get your fill of fiesta Monday through Friday.
Sabai
Though residents of Johnston Hall aren’t huge fans of this establishment’s unique scent, Sabai can be a welcome interruption in the occasional monotony of dining options. Offering southeast Asian-inspired fare, the menu includes ramen bowls, lettuce wraps, curries and egg rolls. DO pay attention to the sides (sweet potatoes and green beans are personal favorites), chicken satay skewers and tofu rice bowl, but DON’T be surprised if they run out of certain dishes… college appetites are tough to keep up with! Also note that this location is closed on weekends.
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