Maintaining an herbivore lifestyle throughout college can be a challenging task, but eating at one of the top nationally ranked dining halls can make this endeavor much easier. Here is the breakdown of the vegetarian-friendly dining options served at Virginia Tech.
West End
Famously known for offering steak and lobster, this dining hall is home to seven different restaurants and offers a variety of meatless options.
1. The Fighting Gobbler
This sport lounge restaurant serves mainly burgers and chicken tenders, but also makes arguably the best veggie burger on campus. And as we know, not all veggie burgers are created equal.
Photo via runningonrealfood.com
2. Bistro Firenze
If you’re looking for a bang for you buck, this the place to go. Here you will find incredibly cheap pasta, pizza, calzones, and a few salads.
3. Leaf & Ladle
This is the real salad stop of West End, and has a variety of gourmet salads, soups, chili, quiches, and a make your own salad bar. Most of their items can be made meatless or already are.
Photo by spoonuniversity.com
3. Wrap World
Another cheap yet filling option which only offers a few vegetarian options: grilled veggie and two-bean wraps. They are sure to satisfy you for only about $2.50 on meal plans.
4. Cutting Edge Delicatessen
This restaurant does make a delicious grilled veggie panini, but that’s about the only item on their menu without meat.
#SpoonTip: For you pescatarians our there, JP’s Chophouse serves a mean salmon and some tasty shrimp.
Burger 37
This is located in the Squire’s Student Center, and (as you can imagine by the name) the only veggie friendly options here are milkshakes, sweet potato and regular fries, and a veggie burger.
Photo by Molly McCarvill
Au Bon Pain
Neighbors with Burger 37 in Squires, this café saved us some trouble and labeled all of its meatless foods with a “V.” Us herbivores thank you, ABP. Here, you can grub on a veggie & hummus wrap, a caprese sandwich, a veggie burger, and a grilled cheese hot sandwich. They also serve a multitude of classic and seasonal soups. There aren’t as many options meal wise, but that is made up for with their variety of bakery items. Again, we thank you.
Photo by Molly McCarvill
Owens
A food court with 11 shops and a Freshen’s smoothie stand. This is conveniently located in the same building as Dunkin Donuts.
1. The Garden
The jackpot of salads, in my opinion, can be found here. It has the largest, two sided salad bar on campus which even has room for fruit and soups. One side is your average make your own salad with options such as lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, chickpeas, egg, cheese, and dressings. The other side is where you’ll find gourmet salad toppers such as quinoa, corn and beans, and macaroni salad.
2. La Cantina
A Mexican styled shop, where you can create your own burrito, burrito bowl, or quesadilla; beware, they charge extra for guacamole. You can make any of these options without meat, but they do not have a meatless substitute, such as tofu. Also available are chips and salsa or guacamole, and they do not skimp on any of it.
Photo courtesy of Julia Maguire
3. Lotsa Pasta
Another destination for a reasonably priced bowl of delicious carbs and breadsticks. They offer alfredo or marinara sauce and a variety of spaghettis and pastas, because no two noodles taste alike.
4. Bowl Dynasty
This shop serves Chinese cuisine and has a few dishes without meat, such as their vegetarian edamame dumplings, along with steamed vegetables and rice.
5. Farms & Fields Project
This shop focuses on organic, locally grown, sustainable, and delicious foods. They serve a few meatless meals, including yet another delectable veggie burger, and have sides such as mixed salad and cranberry nut couscous. You not only feel good about eating their tasty food, but know that you are supporting local farmers and eating sustainably.
Turner Place
This two storied food wonderland is not what you think of when you picture a college dining hall. Atomic Pizzeria and Jamba Juice are located on the first floor, and I don’t care what you say, a smoothie is a meal. However, if you can spare the meal plan money, I would opt for an acai or strawberry-banana energy bowl. The second floor has Bruegger’s Bagels, Soup Garden, and Qdoba, all of which serve filling, tasty, and vegetarian foods.
#SpoonTip: Stop by the Dolci E Caffe for a bakery item, some gelato, or a crepe for dessert.
Photo by Molly McCarvill
D2
Our campus’ only all you can eat dining center will leave you stuffed, happy, and finding creative ways on how to sneak food out. It has eight different shops, each serving different cuisines. Most foods here can be made meatless (i.e. replacing the ground beef for beans on your burrito), but there are a few shops you have to avoid altogether.
1. Olives
This shop is completely vegetarian and vegan friendly and is where you’ll find fruit salad, pita bread, and dips such as hummus. The shop also offers sweet potatoes, steamed vegetables, veggie burgers, and, my personal favorite, vegetarian chicken nuggets. For you vegans out there, the Silk soy milk machine is located right next to this shop.
2. Eden’s
This is another veggie lover’s favorite, and is where you’ll find the serve yourself salad bar and piping hot soup.
3. Mangia!
This shop serves a taste of Italy with its pasta, pizza, and cheesy breadsticks.
4. La Patisserie
Everyone’s favorite: the dessert bar. This where you’ll most likely be making second and third trips, simply because you cannot fit 2 cookies, a slice of cake, a brownie, a rice krispie treat, and some cobbler all on one plate. This is also where individual fruits such as apples, bananas, and oranges are served.
#SpoonTip: Tea bags, individual fruits, and bagels are the easiest items to take with you, but be mindful of having to lug your heavy backpack full of stolen goods with you to your next class.
Whether you’re vegetarian for animal-loving, religious, or personal reasons, we all share the same goal to eat our greens.
Photo courtesy of Irina Chalaguina