UCLA Dining Hall Guide: A Bruin's Guide to Delicious Eats On and Off the Hill

Starting college brings many exciting changes, including navigating the diverse culinary landscape of UCLA. With a wide array of dining halls, quick-service spots, and meal plan options, UCLA offers a dining experience to suit every Bruin's taste and lifestyle. Ranked among the top for campus food, UCLA provides convenient, healthy, and delicious options to fuel your academic journey.

Understanding UCLA Meal Plans and Swipes

For on-campus residents, selecting the right meal plan is essential. UCLA offers various meal plans with a set number of meal swipes per week or quarter. These swipes grant access to all-you-care-to-eat dining halls and to-go options at many campus restaurants. Meal plan changes can be requested via the Housing portal without any fee.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Meal Plan:

Class and Work Schedule: Consider your daily schedule and when you'll be near the residence halls for convenient dining.
Weekend Habits: If you frequently commute home on weekends, explore options that accommodate your absence.
Daily Meal Frequency: Determine how many meals you typically eat per day to select a plan that aligns with your eating habits.

Meal Plan Options for On-Campus Residents

UCLA offers two main types of meal plans: Regular and Premier. The number in the plan name (19, 14, or 11) indicates the approximate number of meals per week.

Regular Plans (19 Regular, 14 Regular, 11 Regular): These plans offer a fixed number of meals each week. Unused meals do not roll over to the following week, and only one meal swipe is allowed per meal period (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). The 19 Regular plan is the most cost-effective, designed for students who eat in the residential dining facilities most of the time, providing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Monday through Friday, as well as for brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday. The 14 Regular plan provides 14 meals per week for residents who generally go home on weekends or who prefer to skip breakfast. The 11 Regular is the most basic plan for students who are not on campus during weekends or for those who eat only one or two meals a day.
Premier Plans (19 Premier, 14 Premier, 11 Premier): These plans provide more flexibility, allowing unused meals to carry over from week to week within the same quarter. All meals must be used by the end of the quarter. The 19 Premier is the most flexible meal plan, offering a preset number of meals at the beginning of each academic quarter. The 14 Premier plan provides the same flexibility as 19 Premier but is designed for residents who generally go home on the weekends or who prefer to skip breakfast. The 11 Premier plan provides the same flexibility as the 19 Premier and 14 Premier but is designed for residents who generally only eat one or two meals per day.

Dining on the Hill: A Culinary Haven

Living on the Hill offers access to some of the best college dining experiences. UCLA's dining halls and boutique spots are just steps from your dorm, providing a variety of options to satisfy your cravings.

All-You-Care-To-Eat Dining Halls

The "big three" dining halls - Bruin Plate, De Neve, and Epicuria at Covel - offer buffet-style meals with rotating menus.

Bruin Plate (B-Plate): Leans towards fresh and health-forward options, with dishes like herb-roasted veggies, seasonal grains, and lean proteins. Bruin Plate inspires mindful-eating through healthy, nutritious and locally procured ingredients. Popular items include roasted Brussel sprouts, arugula topped flatbread, roasted cauliflower soup, yam tacos, bison burger stackers, lemon cod and chipotle chicken bowls, to name a few. Even the desserts are healthy! Bruin Plate’s large floor-to-ceiling windows offer gorgeous views of campus and lots of natural light. Located in the heart of large volumes of student traffic between the UCLA campus and the residential community, Bruin Plate makes the healthy choice an easy choice.
De Neve: A reliable comfort food destination, serving pizza, pasta, chicken tenders, and themed nights. De Neve wholeheartedly embraces its own mediocrity.
Epicuria at Covel: Serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with fresh pastas, pizza, and roasted vegetables. Do not expect authentic Mediterranean cuisine - expect an Americanized, yet very good, facsimile. The atmosphere at Epicuria is truly unique - the noise and clatter makes every meal feel like a celebration.

Boutique Dining Spots on the Hill

For more casual and customizable options, UCLA's boutique dining spots on the Hill accept meal swipes and offer mobile ordering through the UCLA app.

Bruin Café (B-Café): Offers cozy vibes with made-to-order sandwiches, wraps, and salads, plus soups, smoothies, specialty coffees, and rotating dinner specials with global flavors. BCafe is unimpressive even when compared to UCLA’s other dining offerings: There are better soups at BPlate, better pizzas at Epicuria, and better sandwiches at The Study.
Café 1919: Serves paninis, mini pizzas, fresh salads, and gelato, tucked into Delta Terrace.
Rendezvous East: Offers Asian-inspired takeout, including sushi bowls, ramen, curry, and boba drinks.
Rendezvous West: Provides Latin-style comfort food like customizable burritos, tacos, and burrito bowls.
The Drey: Focuses on fresh, ready-to-eat meals, including entrées, salads, snacks, and a wide drink selection.
The Study at Hedrick: A chill hangout where 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): A rotating, pop-up-style experience that reimagines Asian dishes with a creative twist, led by Chef Michael.

Where to Eat on Campus: Beyond the Hill

Even if you live on the Hill, you'll likely need to grab food between classes. UCLA offers various dining options across campus, from cozy cafés to full dining halls. Most locations accept BruinCard meal swipes.

The Bombshelter: A south campus hub with Blaze Pizza, Subway, and Pete’s Coffee.
Ackerman Union: Houses favorites like Epicuria at Ackerman, Wetzel’s Pretzel, Panda Express, Carl’s Jr., and Sambazon açaí bowls.
LuValle Commons: A north campus gem offering Jimmy’s coffee and pastries, Epazote Mexican Grill, Fusion, Burger Assembly and All Rise Pizza.
Northern Lights Café: A cozy escape behind Rolfe Hall with paninis and fruit cups.

Making Eating at UCLA Work for You

With so many options, finding your favorite spots and meal rhythm may take time. Explore different dining halls and cafés to discover what fits your taste and lifestyle. Keep an eye on your meal swipes and use mobile ordering to save time.

Tips for a Successful UCLA Dining Experience:

Explore: Don't hesitate to try different dining locations to find your favorites.
Monitor Meal Swipes: Track your meal swipe usage to maximize your meal plan.
Utilize Mobile Ordering: Save time by ordering ahead through the UCLA app.
Consider Dietary Needs: UCLA Dining Services offers options for various dietary restrictions and preferences.

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