If there’s one thing you can always bet a Hofstra student has strong opinions on, it’s the food selection on campus. So many choices, so few viable ones. The next time you’re wondering what to eat, consult this absolutely foolproof ranking of all the (open) dining places on campus.
- Bits and Bytes
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Coming in at number one, we have none other than Bits. Fro-yo, parfaits, pizza, pasta, burgers, ramen and all of it customizable- what more could you possibly want? Not only does Bits deliver on variety but also on quality. We think the fact that it closes so early this year is a crime.
- Starbucks
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Starbucks is a classic for all of your breakfast and coffee needs. Delicious egg sandwiches, bagels, drinks of all kinds and you can use your swipe money to buy merch for your friends or family for the holidays. The only place Starbucks goes wrong? Coffee-haters and dinner time.
- Revolution Noodle and Sushi
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People who don’t go to Hofstra are always so shocked to hear that we have sushi on campus. Not only that but we have good sushi! They also have sides, ramen, bento boxes and bowls, all of which are some of our go-to meals for either lunch or dinner. If you’re not a huge sushi fan, though, this (obv) isn’t the place for you.
- Au Bon Pain
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Although we lost the library ABP this year, the full-sized one is still thriving on the south side of campus. Unfortunately, the options are more limited now due to Covid restrictions, however, this Hofstra staple still delivers on soups, sandwiches and mac and cheese. Plus, their pre-packaged meals are available all across campus for when you’re in a time crunch!
- Dutch Treats
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Our resident convenience store, Dutch Treats is always there when we need it — or at least it used to be. As much as we miss the 24/7 hours of pre-Covid Dutch, it still comes through when it comes to all of our snack, ice cream and frozen food needs. Plus their pizza, sandwiches and salads are all so good!
- Freshens
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Freshens is a very divisive topic on campus, so it’s not surprising to find it at the dead center of this list. Although the chain can be stomachache-inducing, it also has (as the name might suggest) some of the fresher food options on campus, and is very customizable. They also offer fro-yo, which doesn’t hurt.
- The Netherlands
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The Netherlands Cafe is another hot-button issue for the Hofstra student body. Their grilled cheese, breakfast foods and wings are some of the better food on campus, plus they have somewhat of a mini-mart inside as well. However, when it comes to their other selections, the Nethies is rather bottom tier.
- Create Salad
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Create Salad is an optimal spot for the salad lovers on campus, being fully customizable with a wide range of ingredients to choose from. However, being that it’s only a salad place, it obviously lacks options and isn’t for everyone.
- The Student Center Cafe
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Where Create Salad lacks on options, the Student Center makes up. Whether you call it the Stu, the Stud or anything else, the Student Center is always there when you want a sandwich, eggs, a burger, pasta, Chinese food or whatever the G8 station or Innovation Kitchen have that day. However, while the quantity of options there is plentiful, the quality is often lacking.
- Hofstra USA
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Oh, HofUSA. How you’re always there for us on late (ahem) nights. Greasy food may hit hard at 2 in the morning, but it hits harder the next day. We all love HofUSA at night, but it’s the way we feel the next morning that put it this low on our list. Don’t get us wrong, though: if the brownie sundae could be ranked separately, it absolutely would.
- Brooklyn Slice
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Coming in dead last is Brooklyn Slice. The food isn’t that bad going in, but we think it might just beat HofUSA when it comes to the regret factor. In our humble opinion, if you’re craving pizza and these options are open, opt for Bits and Bytes or Dutch Treats instead.
That’s it! Feel free to roast us for our ranking choices, but just know that extensive research was absolutely not conducted to write this list. Hopefully next semester we’ll be able to add our fallen favorites — Einstein’s and Dunkin’ — back to this ranking!