Where to Eat at Purchase

I’m a senior here at Purchase College and I still have a full-time meal plan, so I know what it’s like to eat on campus. I can say that I genuinely enjoy it and have always found something I like to eat every day. Although there are four places you can eat on campus, there is a variety of food choices you can pick from.

First is our newest edition, Einstein Bros Bagels, which was finished in 2019 (my first year here, which was very exciting). As the name suggests you get bagels here, but you can also get smoothies, coffee, pastries, fruit, etc. It’s the perfect spot for breakfast or for a quick lunch in between your morning/early afternoon classes. My go-to order is their special “Nova Lox” bagel with a strawberry banana smoothie.

Then there’s always the reliable Starbucks. It’s a fan-favorite for good reason, especially with it being a real running Starbucks, not one of those weird college campus ones. When you desperately need coffee for a long work day, it’s the place to go. I personally am a huge fan of their toasted croissants in the morning with my coffee. It can also provide a nice snack during the day; maybe grab an acai lemonade refresher on a hot day.

Then there’s the dining hall, which is a buffet-style eatery. I’ve always loved buffets since I was a kid - I don’t know what it is, but it just feels more fun; you’re grabbing a little bit of everything you like. My favorite day has to be “Wacky Wing Wednesdays,” with all-you-can-eat wings. They also have a great vegan option of cauliflower wings that are genuinely very good. PCEATS is really great, with theme nights and switching things up. During my freshman year, I remember I was so excited to get a “luxury night” where they served steak and lobster. PCEATS also has giveaways every Wednesday called “Win it Wednesday.” One Wednesday, I won a free bike from them, which was amazing! Every semester, they also have “Pancake Madness.” I’m not a big breakfast girl, but I have so much fun eating pancakes at Pancake Madness.

Out of all the eateries on campus, I visit The Hub the most. Some of my favorites include the broccoli cheddar soup, a burger and fries, chicken tenders, their salad station, their sandwich bar, and their sushi bowls. They also have a station that changes every two weeks; I love their taco station, their build-your-own potato station, as well as this amazing bowl station where I got a Memphis BBQ bowl. It’s also a great pick-up-and-go-type place if you ever need extra snacks for your apartment.

Then, if you ever need any more extra snacks, including microwaveable things, you can always go to our convenience store on campus, The Market. The Market comes in handy when I’m having a bad day and need to grab a pint of gelato to make me feel better. Wherever you go on campus, you’ll find something to accommodate your eating preferences.

–Sydney Nocerino