A Guide to UCLA's Diverse Dining Scene: Exploring Menus and Options
UCLA offers a wide array of dining options as diverse as its student body. From coffee houses to fast-food chains to unique campus eateries, there's something to satisfy every palate. This guide explores some of the restaurants and cafes on the UCLA campus, including a look at menu options, locations, and student experiences.
Coffee and Quick Bites
Kerckhoff Coffeehouse: As UCLA’s first coffee house, established in 1975, the Kerckhoff Coffeehouse is where campus culture and coffee collide. It is a popular meeting place for students, staff, and visitors alike. Located in the historic gothic tower at the center of campus, it offers Sum One coffee, which strives to encompass the quality, sustainability methods, and story that bring people together through the taste of exquisite coffee. Here, you can taste the fresh pastries or have a light meal, try the soup and grilled cheese combo. “This is one of my favorite coffee shops on campus. It’s very beautiful. This place has lots of tables and outlets along the pillars. It’s a nice place to gather and discuss homework, projects or study for any upcoming exams."
Northern Lights Cafe: For those in UCLA’s north campus, swing by Northern Lights Cafe for a cup of coffee, and a freshly pressed panini or poke bowl. The Caprese at Northern Lights got bumped up to $10.50, so students have to pay an extra 50 cents every time. In the Northern Lights food court, there is a section called "the lighter side." Here, they offer a variety of proteins and vegetable sides. Proteins include rotisserie chicken, salmon and other fish. Sides include vegetables, carrots, mashed potatoes and rice with veggies. Northern Lights also features breakfast/lunch paninis and soup.
Cafe 451: Named after Ray Bradbury’s famous novel, “Fahrenheit 451,” Cafe 451 is nestled in Young Research Library where Bradbury wrote his famous novel. Conveniently located next to the extensive study space of Young Research Library, this café offers a cozy place to study or to refuel with a quick bite.
Lu Valle Commons: Named after James “Jimmy” Lu Valle ’36, M.A., Lu Valle Commons has a friendly atmosphere. It's friendly and run by students who work hard every day. Go to study and enjoy the standard cup of coffee and muffins. Lu Valle Commons shows slightly more moderate price inflation, with burritos, bowls, quesadillas and loaded items increasing by roughly $0.40-$1. Some items fall just over the $10 threshold, making them closer to swipe coverage than items at Anderson Café or Blaze Pizza. Even so, most entrees still exceed swipe value by anywhere from 50 cents to several dollars, and add-ons such as extra protein had some of the steepest increases.
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Anderson Cafe: Gone are the days of Il Tramezzino with the newly renovated and renamed Anderson Cafe. Located just down the steps from the new Marion Anderson Hall, this location is also perfect for those attending an event at Royce Hall. It serves Starbucks coffee and some of their most popular drinks, such as a very berry hibiscus. As a college student, the first and last thing you'll always need is coffee. This place is open very early and is conveniently very close to other classrooms, meaning you can run for a coffee before, during or after class for a quick pick-me-up! They also serve frozen yogurt, paninis (which rotate every day) and pastries alongside a large selection of coffees. While they close halfway through the day, it is still a great place to meet up for a quick conversation or a study session. At Anderson Café, most entree items saw noticeable price jumps, with prices increasing by amounts ranging from $0.24 to $1.24. Bowls such as the Chicken Shawarma, Harissa Salmon and Falafel Bowl now cost between $11.99 and $12.99 instead of between $10.75 and $12.75, placing them well above the $10 swipe value. Only smaller items: bagels, muffins and some basic sandwiches remain close to swipe value, but these do not offer the same nutritional level as full entrees.
Diverse Cuisine
Epicuria at Ackerman: This restaurant is an offshoot of Epicuria at Covel, one of UCLA’s dining halls. Visitors can eat like a UCLA student and try Epicuria’s pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salads. Since this place is so new, some say it offers some of the best pasta around. You can always come here to pick up some comfort food when you’re missing home.
De Neve: De Neve celebrates the amazing diversity of foods inspired by North, Central and South America. De Neve is one of those places where you’ll always find something that will fill you up and leave you wanting more.
The Spice Kitchen at FEAST: The Spice Kitchen is a pop-up style concept that features a rotating menu served at a single platform, offering the flavors and aromas of Asian cuisine. Although it's only a limited menu this year, Spice has been consistently serving great food and continues to give students another level of depth when it comes to what is available on the Hill. Whenever Spice is open, students make sure to stop by and get a bite.
Bruin Plate: Bruin Plate is a creative, honest and responsible eatery that provides seasonal, innovative and sustainable cuisine with mouth-watering results. It is an amazing place to get a refreshing omelet for brunch. Students always come here in the spring for the freshest strawberries and frozen yogurt. A healthy staple on the Hill.
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The Drey: The Drey is a globally inspired restaurant that serves fresh, natural, and healthy lunch and dinner options that are made with the best ingredients. This is one of students' favorite places to get a quick bite before hunkering down and putting in several hours of studying.
Cafe Med: Cafe Med serves a wide variety of offerings such as sushi, breakfast favorites, salads and sandwiches. Students love coming to Cafe Med. They typically order the breakfast quesadilla which includes as many veggies as they like, egg, cheese, hash browns and salsa. The portion is huge and it only costs a bargain for Westwood.
Fusion: Fusion featuring rice bowls with choice of shrimp, pork, chicken or tofu with a side of vegetables. Customizable poke bowls, available as vegan/vegetarian options.
Saffron and Rose: Brewed Public Domain coffee, espresso drinks, pastries and sandwiches. They highly recommend their spinach and feta tortilla wrap, which comes with feta cheese, spinach, egg white and sun dried tomatoes in a huge green tortilla - IT IS AMAZING, to say the least. Ask the cashier to heat up the wrap for you. In terms of coffee, stick to the nonfat vanilla latte.
B-Cafe: Comfortable, casual dining. B-Café was one of students' favorite places to get a sandwich and a smoothie before heading out for a long day on campus. Personally, some students are more of a fan of Rende West. The burritos are next level and always satisfy cravings. Freshman year students would always end up here after a wild Thursday night out on the town. The sandwiches alone make this place the best grab and go place on the Hill.
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Fast Food and Quick Service
Subway: Subway offers quick and fresh options. The staff are nice and work fast on the sandwiches. They generously fill extra vegetables whenever someone asks. The drink station is clean and has a lot of options. It gets really busy at lunch and the wait may be long but they're preparing the food fresh so it is worth it if you plan accordingly. They recommend the steak sandwich.
Taco Bell: Taco Bell offers all of your Mexican favorites: tacos, burritos and quesadillas. The service is fast and considerate.
Blaze Pizza: Visit this popular restaurant in the Court of Sciences Student Center and get a personal pizza with your choice of sauce and toppings. Individual pizzas made with fresh ingredients and your choice of classic flour or cauliflower crust! Cheap personal pizzas that come out hot. It's even better if you get there right as they're taking the pizzas out of the oven! Sometimes they have a bunch sitting out waiting for takers. The specials change every day, so you never know. The pizzas fill you up and you don't need to spend more than $4 woo-hoo! What distinguishes this Blaze from every other Blaze is the fantastic service! My server took so much care making my pizza, asking if I was satisfied with the portions, etc. Because Blaze Pizza menu item prices were already above the previous $9 swipe value last year, the move to a $10-per-swipe conversion does little to bridge the gap.
Veggie Grill: Looking for vegetarian and/or vegan options? Or are you just trying to eat more greens? Try Veggie Grill’s all-vegetarian menu - all of the burgers, wraps and salads are plant-based.
Lollicup Fresh: Lollicup Fresh serves boba tea, flavored teas, iced coffee and smoothies. Students' guilty pleasure after a long day on campus is a taro milk tea with boba. They try to come when they’re on special like Milk Tea Mondays or Taro Tuesdays. The servers even give me the option to adjust the sweetness level or the type of dairy they use. One restaurant that remained extremely consistent between years was Lollicup Fresh, where prices only increased by four to nine cents. Interestingly, there were a few items that decreased in price. At Lollicup Fresh, the Strawberry Sunrise Tea used to cost $7.50 and now costs $7.29. Generally, many menu items went from prices being multiples of 10 cents to ending in nine cents, such as $.49 or $.99.
Jamba by Blendid: Order from this unique smoothie-making robot and make your smoothie your own by customizing the amount of ingredients in your blend.
In-N-Out Burger: Charbroiled burgers, chicken sandwiches, chili fries, shakes and a lot more! This place has saved hungry souls many times! They've tried the bacon cheeseburger, a hearty mess of ‘I don't want to know what I'm digesting.’ There is also the constant contender, the teriyaki burger, always packing a one-two with its sweet pineapple and its savory patty. Finally, they often get the spicy chicken sandwich.
Taco Rico: Fish tacos and many more freshly prepared Mexican offerings right off the grill. The flavors, the way the food is cooked, very tasty, melts in your mouth. The staff was so friendly and helpful too.
Panda Express: Gourmet Chinese food, from orange chicken to spring rolls. This spot constantly delivers.
Wetzel’s Pretzels: Fresh-baked pretzels served hot! Lemonade and other drinks too.
Other Dining Locations
Cafe Synapse: This elegant little restaurant is designed as a place for the researchers and doctors of the Gonda Center and MacDonald Laboratories to connect with each other. Paninis and omelets never disappoint.
Music Cafe: Music Cafe is located in Ostin Music Center, 1st FloorA favorite spot for music lovers and artists. Located in the newly renovated Ostin Music School, near the iconic inverted fountain.
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Cafeteria: Guests at the cafeteria may stop by for a delightful and aromatic cup of freshly brewed coffee or a skillfully prepared meal at any of the six meal stations including: the grill, pizza, hot entree, exhibition cooking, deli bar, and soup & salad bar. A great hospital cafeteria! It can get pretty crowded during lunch but lines move relatively quickly. There's indoor and outdoor seating. A wide variety of food throughout the week.
Greenhouse: Soup and salad bar, healthy snacks and drinks. Menus are rotated on a weekly-basis.
Swipe Value and Menu Price Increases
UCLA Housing and Dining announced that effective Sept. Theoretically, increasing the value of a meal swipe should boost students’ purchasing power. However, in many cases, student purchasing power has declined. The prices of most items at UCLA restaurants increased, often by more than $1. Rising menu prices outpaced the increase in swipe value, causing the real value of a swipe to decline for many high-demand items. This decline has affected where students eat on campus. Khan Tran, a third-year chemistry student on the 14P plan, said the $10 swipe value often falls short of covering a full meal under the updated dining system.
tags: #Anderson #Cafe #UCLA #menu
