In search of a new way to procrastinate before my midterms, I spent a few hours walking around Boston University and visiting the four main dining halls, playing food critic.
I’ve ranked them from best to worst, and have listed some of the things I observed.
- Marciano Commons
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Marciano is my personal favorite. I love the view of Bay State Road and the atrium seating areas. There’s usually a good amount of people milling around, but the lines aren’t too bad – except for the upstairs Asian grill.
It is fairly quiet, with no music, but the more seating areas have big tables that foster a more social atmosphere.
There are more drink choices at Marciano. The produce is much fresher looking, and it’s easy to reach everything. There are also more sophisticated pasta options, as well as Caesar salad and focaccia.
The best part is the dessert options. The cakes are good, and there’s almost always vanilla and chocolate soft serve.
When I visited, I tried a charcuterie spread and was pleasantly surprised by the quality. The chef told me this was something they only do a few times a month, so I came on a good day!
The downside is that I find it hard to see all my options here, as it’s split on two levels. Marciano is also far away from most classes, but often worth the walk!
- West Campus
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West seems to be the fan favorite on campus. There are lots of people, yet it’s not hard to find a seat, and I always run into people I know!
There’s lots of talking, and the sizzling sounds of cooking are noticeably loud. The layout is confusing, but there are two entrances, which keeps the crowd spaced out.
It’s a bit of a walk for me, as it is removed from central campus, but I am rarely disappointed with their dining options. They even have an allergen-safe kitchen!
The drinks are similar to Marciano’s selection, but West is the only dining hall with a functioning lemonade machine, and it has an impressive all-day smoothie bar.
Also like Marciano, the dessert is amazing at West! I had a lemon bar, and it was delicious. They always have the staple soft serve flavors, but the toppings are hardly ever in stock.
As for the downsides, the produce at West is okay, but the tongs are annoying to use. This is also the only dining hall where you have to unscrew the salad dressing bottles, which feels unsanitary and unnecessarily time-consuming.
- Warren Towers
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Warren was surprisingly empty when I visited, although I went early in the day. The stir-fry station – notorious for its long lines – only had eight people at it.
It was relatively quiet, although people were talking, and I noticed Warren plays music the most consistently. I didn’t have any trouble finding a seat.
Warren has typical food choices, but the round grill that serves omelets and stir-fry makes it stand out. The produce choices are underwhelming, and the fruit choices are slim.
There aren’t many drink options, and often the fountains and ice aren’t working. I’d also warn you to avoid getting ice from the water dispenser, as it’s weirdly rubbery.
For dessert, Warren ranks low. Their cakes are sad compared to the other dining halls, and usually only one of the soft serve machines is working. It has had some strange flavors in the past, such as “cereal milk,” and the consistency makes it hard to get that perfect swirl.
Additionally, Warren’s linear design causes bottleneck congestion around the lone dish drop area.
Overall, Warren is conveniently located close to class, but lunch crowds and having to go through security add more levels of annoyance than other dining halls.
Jocelyn Hsu / Spoon - Fenway Campus
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I’ve heard great things about Fenway from classmates, but I was personally underwhelmed.
It was difficult to find and I was confused by the layout. I only found the dish drop by accident.
Because Fenway is such a small space, it fills up faster than the other dining halls and the noise levels are more noticeable. Luckily, I snagged the last table when I arrived.
Fenway had limited drink options, with ginger ale as the only exciting choice. The produce section had better veggies, such as bell pepper, but it was picked over.
The entrees are more made-to-order, but you have to wait a while for them to make it. I felt rushed placing my order and didn’t love the food.
Though I wasn’t impressed, I’m willing to go back and give it another shot.
I enjoyed exploring different parts of campus through the dining Halls! We have some great options at BU!
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