Published: Jan. 2, 2024

Eating on campus is easy. With 15 locations across campus, Dining Services has convenient breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options.  

Check out the dining center closest to your residence hall, or stop by a grab-n-go between classes. Whatever your dining needs, you’ll find a variety of choices to keep you fed and energized. 

Explore dining options on campus

Dining Centers

  • C4C Dining Center - This dining center in the Center for Community offers cuisine from around the world. Options include eight micro-restaurants, a build-your-own salad/deli bar and a dessert station. The Black Coats station features weekly specials like pho, ramen and meals highlighting local ingredients. Lines can get long, so get there early or use Crowd Checker to track the approximate crowd. 

  • Sewall Dining Center - This dining center is located in Sewall Hall on the north side of campus near the Rec Center, Norlin Library and Macky Auditorium. Sewall Dining Center serves multicultural meal options, traditional comfort food and items right off the grill. 

  • Village Center Dining - Village Center Dining in Williams Village offers globally and locally inspired meals at its five micro-restaurants. Highlights include all-day breakfast and freshly-made smoothies at Toast, house-made curries at Curry Road and street tacos at the Grange. 

Grab-n-gos

  • The Alley @ Farrand - The Alley @ Farrand’s menu features made-to-order burgers, ready-made pizzas and daily lunch specials, with a wide variety of freshly-made sides and snacks. 

  • CU on the Run - Located in the C4C, CU on the Run gets you on your way with freshly made sandwiches, salads and hot food items. 

  • Libby on the Run - This grab-n-go serves breakfast and lunch items, like acai and grain bowls. Choose breakfast and lunch items free from gluten, wheat, peanuts and tree nuts.  

Restaurants and Cafes

  • Alferd Packer Grill - Centrally located on the first floor of the UMC, this is a great lunch stop on your way to class. And it’s named after Colorado’s most famous cannibal! 

  • SEEC Cafe - Located on east campus in the Sustainability, Energy and Environment Community, the SEEC Cafe serves fresh-brewed and sustainably sourced coffee and teas, breakfast and lunch items such as freshly-made salads, grain and noodle bowls, along with daily specials and house-made soups. There is also a retail section with snacks, beverages and health necessities. 

  • Starbucks - Conveniently located at the UMC, our full-service Starbucks offers hot and iced beverages, blended coffees, pastries, on-the-go meal options, snacks, whole beans and Starbucks merchandise. 

  • WeatherTech Cafe and Bakery - Located at the east end of the C4C near the Buff OneCard office, this restaurant serves made-to-order pizzas, paninis and sandwiches. Enjoy responsibly sourced specialty coffees and teas with our homemade pastries and cookies, including vegan and gluten-free options. Eat with roommates or colleagues around our center fireplace or on the outdoor patio. 

Retail Markets

  • Farrand Market - In a hurry? Stop by for a breakfast burrito. Don’t forget your after-hours chicken bites and fries!  

  • Kittredge Market - Located in the north wing of Kittredge Central, Kittredge Market offers a full-service espresso and tea bar, on-the-go breakfast and lunch options and a general market with snacks, drinks and essentials. 

  • Sewall Market - Sewall Market is a convenience store on the northeast corner of central campus, offering bottled beverages, hot coffee, snacks, sandwiches, salads, ice cream and student essentials. 

  • UMC Market - Located in the UMC, this market offers convenient on-the-go options like premade sandwiches, fresh fruit and snacks. 

  • Village Market - Located in the Village Center, this market offers a great selection of pre-made sandwiches, fruit, snacks, beverages, essentials and even CU apparel! We proudly serve Starbucks in the Village Market, where you can enjoy all your favorite Starbucks drinks. 

For dining hours and payment options for each location, visit the Campus Dining Services website.

Tips to maximize your dining experience

Use Nutrislice

To efficiently explore your options, use the Nutrislice website or download the Nutrislice app to view daily menus at all dining locations and filter by dietary accommodations.  Review this how-to guide to learn how to get the most out of Nutrislice. 

Nutrislice also shows a daily smart pick meal chosen by our campus dining dietitian for the C4C Dining Center and Village Center Dining. To locate the dietitian’s daily smart pick, browse the daily menu for the location. It is easy to keep variety in your meals while still selecting healthy choices. If you have nutrition or dietary questions, check the dining website or email dining@colorado.edu. 

How to pay

Most students living on campus in the residence halls have a meal plan. Students living off-campus or commuting to campus can purchase a block meal plan. There are a variety of ways to pay at campus dining locations: 

  • Meal swipe: At dining centers, one meal swipe from your meal plan gets you “all you care to eat.” A meal swipe at grab-n-go locations includes two sides and an entree.  

  • Munch Money: Residence hall meal plans include Munch Money, a declining balance of funds available to purchase a la carte items, like chips or beverages. You can use Munch Money to buy items at retail markets or a guest meal at dining centers. 

  • Campus Cash: Adding Campus Cash to your Buff OneCard offers a convenient way to pay for things on campus. It works like Munch Money and can be used to purchase a la carte and retail market items. Meals purchased with Campus Cash will cost $9.25 plus tax ($10.08 total). 

  • Credit or debit card and cash: Most Dining Services locations accept credit or debit cards. The Dining Centers do not accept cash, but many of the restaurants, cafes and retail markets do. 

  • Get Mobile: Download the Get Mobile app for iOS or Android to use your phone to pay at any campus dining location. Sign into the app using your IdentiKey. You can see the balances for your meal plan, Munch Money and Campus Cash. To pay, click on “Scan Card” to show your barcode to the cashier. 

Meet our campus dietitian

Lisa Whalen, RDN, is a registered dietitian in Campus Dining Services. Whether you live on or off campus, Lisa offers free consultations to help you navigate dining options. Meeting with a dietitian can be helpful if you have food allergies or intolerances or are simply looking to modify your diet. Lisa also provides education on ingredients, the sourcing of foods served in CU dining centers and dining center tours, including help with locating healthy and food allergy-specific items. Email dining@colorado.edu to contact the campus dietitian. 

Swipe It Forward

Help fight food insecurity on campus Jan. 30-Feb. 1 by participating in Swipe It Forward! Anyone with a meal plan can donate one swipe per day. As you check out, simply tell the cashier you would like to donate. 

Accepting donations at the following locations: 

  • C4C Dining Center 
  • Village Center Dining 
  • Alferd Packer Grill 
  • The Alley 
  • Sewall Dining Center 
  • SEEC Cafe 
  • CU on the Run 
  • Libby on the Run 

Don’t have a meal plan, but still want to help? Donate to the Basic Needs Center or register to volunteer.