Back in Wesleying’s infancy, one of the first posts was Holly and Xue’s Guide to Eating and Drinking Things at Wesleyan. Then Usdan opened and the whole thing was rendered completely inaccurate. Fear not; the yearlong void has been filled. Without further ado, Wesleying presents the 2008 Guide to Eating and Drinking Things at Wesleyan, made with 10 percent more love than the leading brand.
USDAN MARKETPLACE
Part of our pretty new campus center, the Marketplace has assumed the coveted title of “main campus eatery” from Mocon. It has your basic cafeteria staples—a rotating entrée station (“Classics”), grill, pizza, cereal, a salad bar, ice cream, a self-serve deli thing—as well as the Mongolian Grill (basically a stir-fry station—you choose your veggies and meat), a Belgian waffle station that’s always rendered inoperable when people like me forget to spray, a vegan section, and a Kosher section (formerly its own eatery, the Kosher Kitchen, which was located in the Butt A basement).
There’s also a rotating lunchtime burrito bar/big salad/”Brunch at Lunch” station next to the grill that turns into a pasta station at dinner. In all, it’s a pretty good deal, though if history is any indication, it’s going to turn into the freshman preserve that Mocon was with a handful of sophomores using up their 105 mandatory meals thrown in. (Note also that according to these WSA minutes, hard ice cream may be coming to the Marketplace.
Currently, there is soft-serve ice cream on one side and yogurt on the other; Mocon had an ice cream freezer with eight flavors, which may have caused the push for hard ice cream in Usdan.) The Marketplace is also the new home of late night, which is the only dining option open past 9:00 (other than WeShop) but does not take meals.
For those wondering: Bon Appétit finally established to-go in the Marketplace last spring—though for lunch only. For an additional 50-cent charge, you can get a to-go container (including a disposable cup) from the cashier; you have 10 minutes to fill it up but can take as much as you want.
WEEKDAY HOURS (M-F): Full breakfast 8:00 AM-9:30 AM; limited breakfast 9:30 AM-10:30 AM; lunch 11:00 AM-2:00 PM; “lite lunch” 2:00 PM-3:00 PM; dinner 5:00 PM-8:00 PM.
WEEKEND HOURS (Sat.-Sun.): Brunch 11:00 AM-2:00 PM; dinner 5:00 PM-8:00 PM.
LATE NIGHT HOURS: 10:00 PM-1:30 AM, 7 nights a week.
SUMMERFIELDS
Arguably the best thing about living in the Butts, Summerfields is located in Butt C and was completely renovated in fall 2003. Unlike the Marketplace, Summerfields is more of a restaurant than a cafeteria—each meal features a rotating menu of four entrees, along with soup, a salad bar, and desserts (I believe drinks are also unlimited). This year, Bon Appétit is apparently introducing a new Summerfields menu, which will include “a variety of grill items, quesadillas, wraps, soups and salads” (according to an all-campus e-mail from June), but there don’t seem to be any fundamental changes.
Summerfields served as the home of late night from its reopening in January ’04 (taking over from Davenport) until last year, when it moved to the Marketplace; the WSA has been consistently pushing to have it moved back to Summerfields, but it looks like that’s not happening this fall. Summerfields is the only eatery on campus other than Usdan that takes meals.
(EDIT: Summerfields also does take-out, and for dinner as well as lunch. Thanks, Anon 10:16!)
HOURS: M-F 11:00 AM-2:00 PM, 5:00 PM-8:00 PM; Sat.-Sun. 5:00 PM-8:00 PM.
WESHOP
It’s like an on-campus 7-11, only several times more expensive and open half as long. WeShop is located between WestCo 1 and 2 and actually has a pretty nice selection for a campus mini-mart. Just don’t be one of the jerks that views stealing candy as a way of sticking it to the man. All it does is force the honest among us to pay $6.75 a pound.
HOURS: Sun.-Thurs. noon-midnight; Fri.-Sat. 2:00 PM-6:00 PM. (NOTE: Bon Appétit and the WSA were in talks last year about changing the weekend hours, so be prepared for a change.)
USDAN CAFÉ
A living lesson that attempting to combine three separate floors of dining into a roughly 3’ x 10’ space isn’t the best idea. It took until spring break, but the Café has turned into a reliable, convenient to-go option; it’s also the only place to get dinner to go. In addition to the usual staples—hamburgers, pizza, chicken sandwiches, vegetable lasagna—the Café has an assortment of hot and cold drinks, pre-made sandwiches, pudding/parfaits, and sushi. It’s also the only dining option open all day seven days a week.
HOURS: 8:00 AM-8:00 PM, 7 days a week.
PI CAFÉ
What began as a lunchtime sandwich cart outside SciLi has turned into a lifeline for science majors. Pi has a somewhat smaller sandwich selection than the Usdan Café but compensates with a larger variety of specialty drinks and baked goods. It’s a great spot to stop and get breakfast before class—especially if your first class is in Exley—but if you’re in a rush for lunch between classes, Usdan is probably the better bet (Pi is so small that it isn’t terribly conducive to traffic flow). Still, with the closing of Davenport, Pi is the only dining option in the Exley/PAC/Olin lawn area and is pretty good for a makeshift eatery in the corner of the science center lobby.
HOURS: Mon.-Thurs. 8:00 AM-9:00 PM; Fri. 8:00 AM-5:00 PM; Sat.-Sun. 1:00 PM-6:00 PM.
WESWINGS
Established in 1993 1991 and located in the basement of 156 High St. (right by the intersection of Church and High), WesWings’ menu is based primarily not on wings, but on fried chicken. WesWings tends to be on the pricey side, but it’s well worth it. It’s also the only (on-campus) breakfast option on weekends other than Usdan and is a generally advisable weekend option, since Usdan sucks on weekends. For those of you that live in the Butts and like to kvetch about the location, keep in mind this eatery is literally right in your backyard.
HOURS: 11:30 AM-1:30 PM, 5:30 PM-8:00 PM, 7 days a week.
RED & BLACK CAFÉ
Red & Black is run by the same folks who own WesWings (Ed Thorndike ’89 and his business partner, Karen Kaffen) and is located in Broad Street Books. Like Pi, the menu consists primarily of soups and sandwiches. It’s a bit out of the way but always helpful if you’re in the area.
HOURS: M-F 8:00 AM-8:00 PM; Sat.-Sun. 9:00 AM-5:00 PM.
STAR & CRESCENT
Located in Alpha Delt, S&C has a rotating menu (like Summerfields) and its own chef. The food consistently receives high marks, though S&C only accepts points (but the first three freshmen through the door at dinner eat for free).
HOURS: Mon.-Thurs. 12:00 PM-12:30 PM, 5:00 PM-7:30 PM.
CHIQUE CHAQUE
Here’s all I know about Chique Chaque, courtesy of Holly and Xue’s old guide: “The dining brochure lists Chique Chaque but no one eats there except Psi U brothers.” Sorry. If anyone else has more information, please send.
NEON DELI
It’s not technically campus dining (nor does it accept Middletown Cash), but the Neon Deli probably receives more traffic from Wesleyan in a school year than Wesleyan-operated dining facilities. The owners are super-nice and seem to hire primarily Wesleyan students, and the sandwiches are amazing (and they now have quesadillas!). Neon also has a small grocery section comparable to WeShop (and much cheaper).
Neon is located at 130 Cross St., right by the intersection of Vine and Cross (in back of Fauver/across and a bit up the street from Freeman); notably, the building in which the deli resides is owned by Wesleyan (the abandoned store to the right used to be Club Liquors but closed a few years ago). The university had planned to turn the whole building into an expanded WeShop, but it seems those plans have been shelved for the time being.
HOURS: 6:00 AM-11:00 PM M-W; 6:00 AM-midnight Th-Fri.; 7:00 AM-midnight Sat.; 7:00 AM-10:00 PM Sun.
(These are off the top of my head, but I may be a bit off; please correct me if they are.)
And for good measure, the local grocery stores:
STOP & SHOP:
416 East Main St. (take the “A” bus). Open 6:00 AM-midnight Mon.-Sat. and 7:00 AM-10:00 PM Sunday.
195 West St. (in Cromwell, in the big shopping center with K-Mart—take the “D” bus). Open 6:00 AM-midnight Mon.-Sat. and 7:00 AM-midnight Sunday.
A&P:
820 Washington St. (big shopping center—take the “C” bus). Opens at 7:00 AM Monday and stays open until midnight Sunday morning; open 7:00 AM-9:00 PM Sunday.
RITE-AID:
100 Main St. (across the street from the intersection of Main St. and William St.). Open 8:00 AM-10:00 PM Mon.-Sat. and 9:00 AM-6:00 PM Sunday. (I know it’s not technically a supermarket, but Rite-Aid has a pretty decent selection of foodstuffs, and there’s some sort of Rite-Aid on steroids going up down the street at the intersection of Main and Church.)
This year, Summerfields will have a standard menu (like Weswings does) and will be a la carte, so you will pay (using points) for drinks and sides separately from your main course. There will be meal plan equivalencies that will include a main, side, and drink. In general, the prices will be lower than Weswings’s prices. The menu has a number of different salads, burgers, quesadillas, and grilled items and looks pretty good!-Jen Liebschutz ’11, Finance and Facilities Committee (FiFaC) Chair of the Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA)
This year, Summerfields will have a standard menu (like Weswings does) and will be a la carte, so you will pay (using points) for drinks and sides separately from your main course. There will be meal plan equivalencies that will include a main, side, and drink. In general, the prices will be lower than Weswings’s prices. The menu has a number of different salads, burgers, quesadillas, and grilled items and looks pretty good!
-Jen Liebschutz ’11, Finance and Facilities Committee (FiFaC) Chair of the Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA)
Just went to the new Summerfields. I call it new because it is actually quite different. Changes: 1) There no longer seem to be roting meals that you can pick from. Instead they basically have a larger late-night menu. (All medium priced by Wes standards)2) NO SALAD BAR! The best thing about Summerfields is now no more. Instead there are a few select salads on the menu. 3) NO ALL U CAN EAT DESSERT: Instead on the menu are cakes, brownies and cookies. I gotta say pretty severe disappointment.
Just went to the new Summerfields. I call it new because it is actually quite different.
Changes:
1) There no longer seem to be roting meals that you can pick from. Instead they basically have a larger late-night menu. (All medium priced by Wes standards)
2) NO SALAD BAR! The best thing about Summerfields is now no more. Instead there are a few select salads on the menu.
3) NO ALL U CAN EAT DESSERT: Instead on the menu are cakes, brownies and cookies.
I gotta say pretty severe disappointment.
I’ve never heard about Chique Chaque.–’12
I’ve never heard about Chique Chaque.
–’12
I’m kind of curious about the answer to anon 6:36. Apparently, if what they sent to parents this year about meal plans, it mentioned Chique Chaque. Are there some changes being made?
I’m kind of curious about the answer to anon 6:36. Apparently, if what they sent to parents this year about meal plans, it mentioned Chique Chaque. Are there some changes being made?
If I recall, S&C is not open for lunch one of those days (I think its Monday).Also, worth noting that Red and Black is located next to the campus bookstore.Lastly: Usdan sucks for dinner on weekends, but for brunch definitely rivals WesWings. Glad to see a guide though. Well done, lots of info and background.
If I recall, S&C is not open for lunch one of those days (I think its Monday).
Also, worth noting that Red and Black is located next to the campus bookstore.
Lastly: Usdan sucks for dinner on weekends, but for brunch definitely rivals WesWings.
Glad to see a guide though. Well done, lots of info and background.
thank you.
thank you.
what is chique chaque…? are you even allowed to eat there if you’re not in psi u?
what is chique chaque…? are you even allowed to eat there if you’re not in psi u?
Very nice guide Ben. Just a few things I’d like to mention:The two guys who usually cook Summerfields dinner (5-6 days a week last year), Tom and Charlie, are awesome people and quite clearly the best chefs in Bon Appetit’s employ. If they’re not cooking dinner Sumemrfield’s is best avoided. If they are, Summerfields is usually much tastier than what you can get at Usdan.Also, stories friends who have worked at Neon have told me have indicated that the owners are not at all nice people behind closed doors, and also that the non-sandwich stuff they sell (the groceries) are generally bought from a wholesaler much closer to the expiration date than is normal–so be make sure stuff isn’t about to expire when you’re buying it.
Very nice guide Ben. Just a few things I’d like to mention:
The two guys who usually cook Summerfields dinner (5-6 days a week last year), Tom and Charlie, are awesome people and quite clearly the best chefs in Bon Appetit’s employ. If they’re not cooking dinner Sumemrfield’s is best avoided. If they are, Summerfields is usually much tastier than what you can get at Usdan.
Also, stories friends who have worked at Neon have told me have indicated that the owners are not at all nice people behind closed doors, and also that the non-sandwich stuff they sell (the groceries) are generally bought from a wholesaler much closer to the expiration date than is normal–so be make sure stuff isn’t about to expire when you’re buying it.
Chique-chaque is the shit! Go Psi U! Yeah!
Chique-chaque is the shit! Go Psi U! Yeah!
@2:36: I’m defining “day” as ending as 8:00 PM, since that seems to be the “normal meal”/late night cutoff, and most stores close at that time. Sorry if that was confusing.
@2:36: I’m defining “day” as ending as 8:00 PM, since that seems to be the “normal meal”/late night cutoff, and most stores close at that time. Sorry if that was confusing.
Wes Wings opened in 1991, by the way, not 1993.
Wes Wings opened in 1991, by the way, not 1993.
Usdan Cafe is not open all day.
Usdan Cafe is not open all day.
mmmm candy
mmmm candy
people steal candy because they love candy, not to stick it to anyone. and they will continue to steal candy as long as it is located in such a steal-friendly location.
people steal candy because they love candy, not to stick it to anyone. and they will continue to steal candy as long as it is located in such a steal-friendly location.
i’ve never gotten attitude – or a bad sandwich for that matter – from neon.
i’ve never gotten attitude – or a bad sandwich for that matter – from neon.
neon didnt used to be but is now terrible. they dont let you look at the ingredients when they make your sandwich, and probably thats a good thing, because all their ingredients are old and nasty. also their workers usually have a ton of attitude, and they always fuck up my sanwcihes by putting in tomatoes instead of mayo or just ignoring something. NOT great. need to improve their quality of food and service.
neon didnt used to be but is now terrible. they dont let you look at the ingredients when they make your sandwich, and probably thats a good thing, because all their ingredients are old and nasty. also their workers usually have a ton of attitude, and they always fuck up my sanwcihes by putting in tomatoes instead of mayo or just ignoring something. NOT great. need to improve their quality of food and service.
At the Star and Crescent the first three frosh also eat free at lunch time!Our chef is getting married in a couple of weeks, so we will be openning a bit later than normal.
At the Star and Crescent the first three frosh also eat free at lunch time!
Our chef is getting married in a couple of weeks, so we will be openning a bit later than normal.
@1:14 – Wow, I’ve been going to Neon constantly for 2 years now, but I never thought to go there for breakfast. Good call.
@1:14 – Wow, I’ve been going to Neon constantly for 2 years now, but I never thought to go there for breakfast. Good call.
It should be noted that Neon is a third weekend breakfast option. It’s closer to some than Weswings or Summerfields and has really good breakfast sandwiches if you get there while they’re still making them (like between 7 and 9 or something).
It should be noted that Neon is a third weekend breakfast option. It’s closer to some than Weswings or Summerfields and has really good breakfast sandwiches if you get there while they’re still making them (like between 7 and 9 or something).
@12:17: Yes, WesWings takes points (every facility listed on here except Neon and the supermarkets takes points). No one’s sure what’s going to happen to Mocon; it currently has no electricity or water (though it seems to be alarmed, judging by the loud beep when I tried to sneak in last month). I’ve heard that they’re afraid that if they demolish it, it’ll sabotage the structural integrity of the hill it’s built into (which admittedly makes sense–the concrete foundation is built right into the hill). I’ve also heard that they don’t have enough money to properly demolish it (given the structural issues). Regardless, right now, it’s just sitting there like it’s been given the Dementor’s Kiss–a soul-less shell of its former self.
@12:17: Yes, WesWings takes points (every facility listed on here except Neon and the supermarkets takes points). No one’s sure what’s going to happen to Mocon; it currently has no electricity or water (though it seems to be alarmed, judging by the loud beep when I tried to sneak in last month). I’ve heard that they’re afraid that if they demolish it, it’ll sabotage the structural integrity of the hill it’s built into (which admittedly makes sense–the concrete foundation is built right into the hill). I’ve also heard that they don’t have enough money to properly demolish it (given the structural issues). Regardless, right now, it’s just sitting there like it’s been given the Dementor’s Kiss–a soul-less shell of its former self.
Well done, Ben!
Well done, Ben!
does weswings take points?what is going to happen to the mocon building?
does weswings take points?
what is going to happen to the mocon building?
thanks, really helpful
thanks, really helpful
excellent guide. well done.
excellent guide. well done.
Summerfields has take-out too, don’t forget, so the cafe in Usdan isn’t the only place to get it. They give you seperate containers for salad and your meal, and you can get a very sizeable dinner to go for studying/TA/whatever.
Summerfields has take-out too, don’t forget, so the cafe in Usdan isn’t the only place to get it. They give you seperate containers for salad and your meal, and you can get a very sizeable dinner to go for studying/TA/whatever.