SS1955

How bad is the dining hall food at Oberlin? My daughter is a first year student who really wanted to get into a co-op but there are no spaces, so she is eating at the dining hall, on the full-meal plan. Except she claims she can never get breakfast because it is only early in the morning (7:30-8:30) unless you want junk cereal or donuts. She also says there is only instant decaf coffee (which I find hard to believe). And she says the regular meals are really bad! So she is stocking up on food to eat in her dorm room, and I'm thinking she needs to go on a different meal plan next semester!

SwatGrad

D is on the 14 meal plan because she rarely eats breakfast. Haven't heard any complaints about the dining hall, though I think she checks out a mexican joint in town from time to time.

quaere

I love my co-op, but on leftover night I skip out and eat in Stevie, the main dining hall. The food isn't stellar, mostly because it's pretty under-spiced... but it's on par with what I've had at other colleges, and the variety makes up for the mediocrity. Even with a dietary restriction (I'm a vegan), there are a lot of options. (You can check out the menus online as well, though everything's closed for fall break right now.)

If none of the entrees at a given meal look appetizing, it's pretty easy to put together your own meal: there are well-stocked salad/sandwich/pasta/fruit bars, a spice rack, etc. They're pretty good about putting fresh, local fruit and veggies at the salad bar, which is nice. I think most people skip out on the dining hall breakfast and just keep some bagels/granola/fruit in their rooms to munch on the way to class. That said, there's obviously no point in paying for a huge meal plan if your daughter doesn't like the food. The plans with fewer meals have more flex points, which she can use to stock up on groceries (or get some of the supremely good make-your-own sandwiches, salads, and smoothies at Decafe).

A quick briefing on the campus meal plan, for anyone who doesn't know: Oberlin has three dining halls. Stevenson is the largest; Dascomb is housed in one of the first-year dorms and hosts a well-loved "fourth meal" late at night; Lord-Saunders is in Afrikan Heritage House and focuses on soul food and Southern-style cooking. The meal plans range from five to nineteen all-you-can-eat meals, and also include "flex points", which you can use to get food and groceries to-go at the Science Center Cart or Decafe, the mini-mart in the student center. There are also nine student-run dining co-ops that feed about a quarter of campus, and are awesome.

kiralll511

I'm a first-year eating in CDS for now.

Like quaere, I'm vegan, and I've found the dining halls to be pretty diverse in terms of food options. I don't really feel like I can complain that much, especially when I hear dining hall horror stories from my brother (at a comparably-sized school in the Boston area). That said, the food is kind of eh. It's not super flavorful, and can seem somewhat mushy sometimes. I try to eat in Lord-Saunders when I can.

When I do eat breakfast, it's either cereal in my room or a bagel on the way to class. I don't know many people who get up in time for real breakfast. Overall, I think Stevie (where I eat most often) is completely fine. It's nothing bad at all. Like any college dining hall though, it gets boring, which is when Agave (the burrito place SwatGrad mentioned) saves the day.

I've eaten in a bunch of the co-ops, and I've never been disappointed (well, except for the vegan pizza in a co-op that shall remain nameless). I'm trying to eat in one next semester!

SS1955

Thanks very much. This is all very helpful, and I am going to study the meal plan options for next term. It sounds like we should get one where we don't pay for breakfast for sure.

estargrl88

Stevie does have lots of options so that you can usually find something to eat. The food ranges from not so great to quite good and they change up the main dishes often enough to make it not get too monotonous. The people above covered it pretty well. Most always I can find something there I want, but I do eat in a co-op and am happier there than at Stevie. I think that community is also a big factor in where you choose to eat.
As for the breakfast, you can also get it at the science cart up until 11:00 I think. However, after my first year I just started eating breakfast in my room, and I think more people do that. If you go on the 14 meal plan, for example, you'll also get more flex points so that you can buy breakfast food. And the coffee we have in the dining halls is known for being quite weak.

bgs

Your daughter doesn't need to wait until next semester to change meal plans. Mine started on 19 meals/week, but realized within first week that she'd rather eat breakfast in her room. She changed to 14 meals, and is about to change to 12/week. There's a form on Oberlin's website that your daughter can fill out to make a change--I think if she does it by Friday, the change will take place on November 2.

Plainsman

I'm a parent, but I've eaten in the dining halls. As others have mentioned, they are nothing special but I would not describe them as so bad that co-ops make sense as a desperate alternative. My D agrees. She has the 14 meal plan and has eaten in all of the dining halls plus Wilder Hall. Unlike most students, my D does get up early enough to grab an occasional hot breakfast.

Other than Agave, there is also the Black River Cafe and a coffee house bar called the Feve. Both serve breakfast. Black River Cafe does have some vegan alternatives. I've never eaten in the Feve but had breakfast in the Black River Cafe this past weekend. Keep in mind two things: the town joints are mom and pop, and they are small town midwest. So finding food, especially breakfast, that is heavy on seasoning, well, there isn't exactly a lot of alternatives. I don't know if Agave serves breakfast.

If you're looking for a dinner alternative (other than Subway or McDonald's), and if the budget can spare it, I highly recommend Wei Teia. It's fairly eclectic Asian fusion. There is a fairly standard Chinese restaurant in town - Too Chinoise? - and then there is Wei Teia. If you like the food in Asian fusion joints in Boston and Manhattan, you'll like the cuisine in Wei Teia. Last time I was there I had something called "Salmon Cheesecake." It doesn't look like it sounds and it wasn't dessert. Really good stuff. Wei Teia is dirt cheap compared to similar joints in say Scottsdale, or Boca Raton, or NYC. It's only slightly pricey compared to other Oberlin establishments. The food really is excellent. They can't cook like that in the co-ops.

mamenyu

I thought the food in Stevenson was more than adequate - lots of salad, fresh fruit, bread, nut butter, jam in addition to the regular hot offerings, some better than others, but all edible - so no student need starve. As to off campus: There's another Chinese restaurant, the Mandarin, down the street (it's actually off the street), that is popular for department get togethers after speakers come (I haven't tried it; I like Black River and the Feve, and also Weia Teia, but my kid thinks it's too chi-chi; being from California, I'm not persuaded by Agave's version of burritos, but it's ok...I have not found the coffee at Java Zone convincing either; whole wheat donuts at Gibsons are pretty good, if you like donuts, and the ice cream is ok (better at Black River, though) and there is a new bagel place in town that has gotten positive reviews, though it is apparently skimpy on the lox). Another favorite little spot off campus for a bite to eat is the Coop - behind the conservatory - or rather, in its parking lot - which also has some organic groceries.

Plainsman

^

LOL! "...my kid thinks it's too chi-chi." Look at it this way, perhaps it's a good thing a tiny town like Oberlin has at least one "chi-chi" restaurant. Something to remind folks who are used to eating in Manhattan or Boston or San Francisco or Montreal. Staid, straight-laced Ohio needs a little "chi-chi." That's funny, Mamenyu. Very cool.

Rednorthstar

Well it's not gourment. But you can always join a coop and make your own food. That said the full breakfasts are actually quite good. And most of the food is certainly edible. They've changed food providers several times over recent years to get the quality up. Plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans alike.

One piece of valuable advice though. DON'T EAT THE PIZZA!

mamenyu

huh? I thought the pizza was the best thing the coops make! It's quite good and inventive, including dessert versions, and served at the end of the week to great acclaim.

dottified

I think Rednorthstar is talking about the pizza in the dining halls. But yes, co-op pizza is excellent.

FrogMom

Slightly off topic, but Wei Teia is terrific. No matter where my son ends up going to college, I plan to go back to Oberlin sometime for a longer visit to the art museum and lunch at Wei Teia.

Plainsman

^
Not off topic, FrogMom. See #8 above. I love Wei Teia too.