Hungry? Good.
Check out this handy list to figure out where you can get the best (and best-hidden) food on campus, alternative options, and, best of all, free food!
- Get your caffeine fix
It is no secret Carleton has the most Tim Hortons locations per capita of any Canadian university. Across campus, there are five locations: two in the University Centre, one in Athletics, another in the Residence Commons, and one in the River Building—the only full-service Tim’s on campus.
The other Canadian café on campus is Second Cup, located in the Canal Building. On Tuesdays, stop by for half-priced medium lattes.
If you’re looking for a stronger or fancier coffee fix, there are also two Starbucks locations on campus. One is in the library—also known as Pagebreak—to help get you through those late night study sessions. The other is on the fourth floor of the University Centre (UC).
Rooster’s Coffeehouse is also located in the UC Atrium. Run by the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA), this coffee shop boasts omelettes, “bagelwitches,” and pitas on its menu in addition to relatively cheap (and only organic fair-trade!) coffee and tea. And if you order breakfast before 10 a.m., you get 20 per cent off your order!
- Let’s do lunch
The food court, located on the second floor of the UC, is a popular lunch spot.
It offers everything from pasta to shawarma to sushi, along with student staples like pizza and burgers. This fall, a Smoke’s Poutinerie franchise will also open in the food court, bringing custom poutine to campus.
Loeb Café, located on the first floor of Loeb Building, also has similar fare to the food court, but is often less busy.
If you’re on the other side of campus, The Bent Coin on the fifth floor of Robertson Hall can fill you up with its fresh salads, soups, and sandwiches with a speciality coffee to wash it all down.
For those inclined to indulge in a sit-down meal, Bakers is an on-campus restaurant located on the fourth floor of the University Centre. Faculty and staff luncheons are often hosted here as well, so it’s a great place to people-watch while you eat.
- It’s Snacktime
When you’re in need of a really quick bite to eat and you just need to grab something on the way to class, make sure to stop by Tunnel Junction, located in the tunnels underneath the library between Paterson and Southam Hall.
Tunnel Junction stocks soup, sandwiches, apples, yogurt, coffee, tea, and slices of pie, among other things.
For your late-night snack runs, the best places to go are Oasis, Abstentions, or Henry’s.
Oasis, located on the first floor of Residence Commons, offers pizza, burgers, mac and cheese, and more until 2 a.m. from Monday to Sunday.
Abstentions and Henry’s are Carleton’s on-campus convenience stores, located on the main floor of Residence Commons and the first floor of the UC, respectively.
- Dinner is served
Every student living on residence has some variation of the meal plan that allows access to the Fresh Food Company dining hall, located on the third floor of Residence Commons. Off-campus students and guests can gain access too, either via a guest meal pass, their own off-campus meal plan, or simply by paying a small fee.
There are also two pubs on campus. Oliver’s Pub and Patio, run by CUSA on the first floor of the UC, is known for its atmosphere, Thirsty Thursdays, and hosting events.
The other pub, Mike’s Place, despite being run run by the Graduate Students’ Association, is open to everyone. Known for playing great alternative music, serving up delicious nachos and curry, Mike’s is a great place to grab a beer with friends or meet your mentor for lunch.
- Alternative options on campus
Jane Skapinker’s job is to make every Carleton student’s stomach happy. As a registered dietitian working with Carleton’s Dining Services, Skapinker stresses the importance of food to every student’s success, and asking for accommodations if you need them.
“I’d like students to know that even though we feed thousands of people per day, we always have time to talk to you and make special accommodations if need be,” Skapinker said.
One way Carleton is making these accommodations is through a new labelling program set to be unveiled this fall, according to Skapinker.
“It will identify items as being vegan, vegetarian, no gluten containing, and halal with the use of logos on menu boards all across campus,” Skapinker said.
Another alternative option on campus is the “pay-what-you-can” system run by the Carleton Food Collective’s G-Spot program. The program serves up vegan meals once or twice per week. To find out when you can grab some grub, sign up for the G-Spot newsletter on the Carleton Food Collective website.
