A Guide to Restaurants at UCLA's Ackerman Union and Beyond

Starting college brings many questions, including "Where and how do I eat?". Luckily, UCLA offers a variety of dining options across campus, catering to diverse tastes and dietary needs. From all-you-can-eat dining halls to quick-service restaurants and cafes, there's something for every Bruin. This guide explores the restaurants within Ackerman Union and other dining locations on the UCLA campus, providing information on what they offer, where to find them, and how to make the most of your dining experience.

Navigating UCLA's Dining Scene

UCLA boasts a wide array of restaurants, including ASUCLA Restaurants' cafes and third-party locations, ASUCLA Catering for various events on campus, and concessions for other events. With approximately 30 different ASUCLA Restaurants and third-party companies, including UCLA cafes located on campus, such as Kerckhoff Coffee House and Café 451, and other third-party companies, such as Panda Express and Wetzel’s Pretzels. UCLA students can find food on UCLA campus at Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA) Restaurants, which operate on north, south and central campus and cater to a variety of dietary preferences and restrictions. ASUCLA Restaurants serving food on UCLA campus have varying hours of operation, and some may be closed on weekends.

Ackerman Union: A Culinary Hub

Ackerman Union is a central hub for dining options on the UCLA campus. Here’s a closer look at what you can find there:

Level 1 Restaurants

Rubio’s Coastal Grill: Specializing in fish tacos and other Mexican seafood dishes.
Panda Express: This chain offers American Chinese cuisine.
Wetzel’s Pretzels: Fresh-baked pretzels served hot!
Jamba by Blendid: A unique smoothie experience where a robotic food technology by Blendid makes all of the smoothies. Order through the Blendid app or at the kiosk and watch the robot go!

A-Level Restaurants

Taco Bell: A fast-food chain Mexican-inspired foods.
Carl’s Jr.: A fast-food chain known for its burgers and fries.

Other Ackerman Union Dining Options

Epicuria at Ackerman Student Union: Keeping with the Mediterranean theme of Plateia but introducing a more casual atmosphere, the new Epicuria at Ackerman serves favorite recipes from the Epicuria dining hall.
Veggie Grill: For those who are vegetarian and vegan, try Veggie Grill, located right next to Rubios for plant-based meals.

Beyond Ackerman: Exploring Campus Dining

UCLA's dining options extend beyond Ackerman Union, with various restaurants and cafes scattered across the campus.

Central Campus

Plateia: Located in Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center, the Plateia offers Mediterranean-inspired cuisine made with fresh ingredients from California. Guests may choose to sit indoors among the stained glass windows or outdoors on the patio underneath olive trees.
Kerckhoff Coffeehouse: Located in the historic gothic tower, at the center of campus, this location is a favorite meeting place for students, staff, and visitors alike. Kerckhoff Coffeehouse offers Sum One coffee which strives to encompass the quality, sustainability methods, and story that bring people together through the taste of exquisite coffee. UCLA’s first coffee house is where campus culture and coffee collide, since 1975.

South Campus

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. It’s gluten free and vegan/vegetarian friendly, making its food accessible and delicious.
Cafe Synapse: Away from the bustle of the Court of Sciences Student Center, Cafe Synapse serves Peet’s Coffee, all-day breakfast, specialty paninis and gourmet salads at the Gonda Center. Its logo and decor are inspired by a diagram of a synapse.
Yoshinoya: A familiar chain available in the Court of Sciences Student Center.
Subway: Quick and fresh! Available in the Court of Sciences Student Center.
Southern Lights Cafe: You can also stop for a quick coffee and pastry from the Southern Lights Cafe, located right outside the main Court of Sciences building.

North Campus

Anderson Cafe: Drop by for a quick sandwich and Starbucks coffee from Anderson Cafe. If you’d like to sit down to enjoy your coffee and sandwich, seating is available indoors and around the outdoor courtyard of Anderson School of Management.
LuValle Commons: LuValle Commons houses several places to eat. Jimmy’s Coffee House serves Intelligentsia coffee, pastries and light lunch items.
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.

On the Hill (Residential Dining)

Living on the Hill means you’re surrounded by some of the best college dining in the country. There are two main types of places to eat: all-you-care-to-eat dining halls and grab-and-go boutique spots, and most are just steps from your dorm.

Bruin Plate (B-Plate): Leans fresh and health-forward, with dishes like herb-roasted veggies, seasonal grains and lean proteins.
De Neve: Is a reliable comfort food stop, with pizza, pasta, chicken tenders and themed nights.
Epicuria at Covel: Serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with fresh pastas, pizza and roasted vegetables.
Bruin Café (B-Café): Think cozy vibes with made-to-order sandwiches, wraps and salads, plus soups that hit the spot on chilly days. They also serve up a solid lineup of smoothies, specialty coffees and rotating dinner specials with global flavors.
Café 1919: Always will have you covered with paninis, mini pizzas, fresh salads and gelato. It’s tucked into Delta Terrace and perfect for when you want something warm, followed by a sweet treat.
Rendezvous East: Your go-to for Asian-inspired takeout - sushi bowls, ramen, curry and boba drinks.
Rendezvous West: Latin-style comfort food like burritos, tacos and burrito bowls, all customizable and made fresh. Weekday specials keep things interesting, but the real star is the weekend steak quesadilla.
The Drey: One of the newer spots on the Hill, the Drey is all about fresh, ready-to-eat meals - entrées, salads and snacks that are easy to grab and go. They also have a wide drink selection, including agua frescas, coffee and tea.
The Study at Hedrick: A chill hangout for early mornings or low-key evenings. You can build your own sandwich, pizza or salad, and pick up snacks like parfaits, fruit cups and protein plates. In the mornings, there is a bagel sandwich option with a huge variety of pastries and baked goods.
Feast at Rieber (Spice Kitchen): More than just a dining spot, the Spice Kitchen is a rotating, pop-up-style experience that reimagines Asian dishes with a creative twist. Led by Chef Michael, it’s perfect if you want to try something bold, flavorful and totally different from the usual.

Other Notable Locations

Music Cafe: Music Cafe is located in Ostin Music Center, 1st Floor A favorite spot for music lovers and artists. Located in the newly renovated Ostin Music School, near the iconic inverted fountain.
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.

Meal Plans and Payment Options

UCLA offers a variety of meal plans designed to fit different lifestyles and appetites. If you live on campus, you’ll select a meal plan that fits your eating habits. UCLA offers several meal plan options, each providing a certain number of meal swipes per week or quarter. Meal swipes grant you access to dining halls, where you can enjoy full meals with plenty of options, as well as to-go orders from many other restaurants on campus.

Meal Plan Types

Regular Plans (19 Regular, 14 Regular, or 11 Regular): These plans give you a fixed number of meals each week, and if you don’t use a meal during the week, it doesn’t roll over to the next week. Also, you can only use one meal swipe per meal period - so one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner per day.
Premier Plans (19 Premier, 14 Premier, or 11 Premier): These plans are more flexible. You get a set number of meals each week and any unused meals carry over from week to week within that quarter.

ASUCLA Restaurants offers convenient payment options for Bruins living on and off the Hill to use cash, cards or meal swipes.

Additional Services

ASUCLA Catering

ASUCLA Catering offers a variety of services to accompany UCLA events. Some of the catering options at ASUCLA include platters, buffets and displays and extras. To make a catering request, scroll to the bottom of the ASUCLA Catering webpage and fill out the catering request inquiry form.

ASUCLA Concessions

There are also ASUCLA Concessions at Pauley Pavilion for UCLA Athletic events.

Delivery

For those who would prefer to get their food delivered, ASUCLA Restaurants has partnered with Starship Technologies to provide autonomous food delivery service for those on campus. To download the Starship app, click here.

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Discounts and Promotions

Some food on UCLA campus may be discounted through special promotions throughout the quarters, including $5 Fridays. When the deal is in effect, participating ASUCLA Restaurant locations offer regular menu items at a deal of $5 on Fridays.

Job Opportunities

In addition to the diverse restaurant options, there are also many benefits for those working for ASUCLA Restaurants on the service side. According to the ASUCLA student benefits webpage, ASUCLA offers student employees working at restaurants a meal allowance, meaning soft drinks are free and meals can be about half price during days that students work. Another ASUCLA job benefit is the rapid promotion schedule, where the department typically promotes more than half of student employees to supervisory positions, the webpage adds.

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