As I've mentioned previously, I'm very critical when it comes to selecting the food that I consume. I do this not to cause difficulty or trouble, but because food is such an integral part of the human experience. Food is one of our most basic psychological needs, and its consumation is a very intimate experience. I'm of the impression that, if food is not prepared well, it should not be prepared at all. This is why I am so critical of food, and Lehigh is no exception. In my experience at Lehigh, I've seen it all. I've seen everything from pizza that insulted my Italian side to sandwiches that are even better than in my native Orefield. Without further ado, here are the best and... not best places to eat at Lehigh University.
High-tier:
Asa Packer Dining Room
Legend has it that on the third floor of the University Center (UC), there's a place where faculty, staff, and invited students to dine on the finest of meats, cheeses, and desserts. I'm here to confirm that this once superstition is true. It's rare that students will have meals up here, but when they do, is it a sight to be seen. The Asa Packer dining room is incredible, boasting a buffet of soups, salads, deli-cut meats and cheeses, and lots of desserts. This is the one location on Lehigh that you can truly get restaurant-grade service, and it's definitely worth it.
The location is amazing, as you sit atop the UC and have an even better view than that of Rathbone. Professors and administrators frequent the room, making it easy to build relationships outside of class with them. Of course, this comes at a premium. At $11.50 for a full buffet, it's expensive for a college student, but it's still worth its weight in gold. Overall, I highly recommend that if you ever get a chance to go up here, take full advantage of it. It's a great chance to not only network but to have a great meal while you're doing it.
Upper UC Food Market
Of all of the options presented here, Upper UC Food Market is my personal go-to. It has everything going for it: variety, quality, and accessibility. Whether you want Chinese food, Mexican food, or sushi, Upper UC has it for you. Best of all, the food quality is actually pretty solid, and you're free to mix and match as you please.
It's more expensive than Rathbone or Lower Cort, but it's affordable enough to where a meal will cost only two meal swipes. Since most Lehigh students don't eat breakfast (and if you're an incoming freshman, I'm telling you now, you won't either), the payment of two meal swipes for a higher-quality meal is definitely affordable. It's a good way to use up excess meal swipes if you're having trouble finding places to use them. Overall, Upper UC is an awesome option for affordable, high-quality lunches and dinners, and is worth every swipe extra you'll pay for it.
Mid-tier:
Hawk's Nest
If you're looking for a place to clog your arteries, Hawk's Nest is for you. The food here is amazing, but it's difficult to make a nutritious meal out of what you'll eat here (although you won't end up leaving here hungry). Fast food items and milkshakes dominate the menu, making it a great place to grab a quick snack and hang out on the weekends. The location is great, and the place has a great atmosphere, boasting a pool table and plenty of tables. Hawk's Nest is a solid option if you need to spend your meal swipes, as it's easy to burn through 2-3 of them on a single meal. Do be advised, however, that you should eat your food as soon as you get it, as Hawk's Nest meals don't tend to do well in the refrigerator.
Lower Cort
Lower Cort is the antithesis of Hawk's nest; there's a low entry fare of only one meal swipe, but the quality suffers a little bit. The food is still pretty good, though, and there are a lot of options available for students. Lower Cort serves custom burgers, crepes, and varieties of pizza, some of which alternate daily. Best of all, Lower Cort has Brisk iced tea, something you can't find in any of the other restaurants listed.
While I have had a few sub-par pizza slices while I've been there, for the most part, I've been content with the meals served. The worst part of Lower Cort, though, are the lines. Since most students have a break in their schedule at noon (particularly freshmen), Lower Cort gets absolutely mobbed due to its convenient location just behind the flagpole. It's little surprise to see lines extending out the door of the UC, students trying to get a bite to eat before they head to their next class.
Entry is only one meal swipe, and students are guaranteed a decent meal at a very affordable price. While Lower Cort isn't open as late as Rathbone, it's still very accessible and is open late enough to where students can visit after club meetings. Overall, I recommend going to Lower Cort if you enjoy a buffet-style meal and aren't overly concerned with the quality of your food.
Low tier:
Rathbone
When you live right next to a dining hall, it says a lot when you'll walk halfway across campus in order to avoid eating at it. I used to always go to the Bone until I found out that there were other options. I try to avoid going there at all costs, but sometimes I'll be pressed for time and will have no other choice. That doesn't mean I enjoy it; au contraire, my Italian side cringes when I witness the Bone's usual sights of dried up garlic bread, overcooked pasta, and pizza that manages to taste even worse than CiCi's...
The Bone's one redeeming food is its ice cream. There's a solid selection of eight different options, as well as an assortment of toppings (including oreo crumbles!). Even so, it's not worth spending $4.25 on a meal swipe just to snack on ice cream.
Rathbone really does have everything going for it besides the poor food quality. The view inside of it is gorgeous, overlooking the Asa Packer campus and the city of Bethlehem. It's certainly convenient for freshmen to visit, as it's just outside of Upper Centennials and a walkable distance from Lower Centennials and Dravo.
What disappoints me about the Bone so much is that it has so much potential to reach the top of this list, but the food quality is just so poor that it doesn't even look like it's trying. I really do think that if Rathbone swapped food quality with Hawk's Nest that it might even be in the high tier of this list, but unfortunately, it doesn't look like these rankings will change anytime soon.
What is your favorite place to eat at your university? Do you have a different opinion or a different ranking? Do you agree or disagree with the tier list? Leave your responses in the comments below!
