OPINION: Say what you want about dining at the University of Maine, but after spending months touring colleges across New England, I would argue that a lot of students take our on-campus food options for granted. For one, we’re lucky enough to be a Pepsi-sponsored university, and you can fight me on that because it’s just better. What’s more, we have enough on-campus dining options so that no one on campus is too far from food. Whether it’s ice cream in the warm weather or hot chocolate in the cold, UMaine students can always get something to make the slurry of assignments and assessments worthwhile.
However, not all UMaine dining options are created equal. In terms of service, food options, weekly variety and setting, there is a definitive ranking, which I will provide now. I will not be ranking any establishments that are on wheels (sorry Bear Bites), nor ones that only offer vending-machine food like the Oakes Room.
At the bottom of the list is Hilltop Dining. Hilltop was my freshman-year home away from home. Anytime I was stressed or sad or happy or literally felt anything, there was Hilltop waiting for me. Highlights that are worth mentioning are an unlimited supply of decent pizza, Hot Dog Wednesday and the UCook station, which has saved countless students from debilitating hangovers. However, the lack of variety in lunch and dinner options and the open cafeteria design lead most people who lived in the Hill dorms their first year to agree that Hilltop gets old quickly. Plus, the meal plan is so expensive that it almost feels better to just spend on individual meals rather than a six-month buffet.
Next is York Dining, which I used to think of as the little sister of Hilltop. Only after trekking down to the bottom half of campus did I see that Hilltop is actually the little brother of York. While York is still an open cafeteria, the soft-serve machine and an increased variety in meals give it an upper hand in the dining hall competition. Had it not been so far out of the way, I probably would have made it my main dining hall my freshman year.
Our runner-up is the Bear’s Den, which is a little like walking through a sort of Cisco Wonders of the World. Sushi, stir-fry, Italians, meatball subs, buffalo chicken wraps, burgers, Mediterranean salad and chili make the Bear’s Den an excellent food staple on campus. Additionally, its position on campus and its variety of seating options give it a true college feel — a library, a dining hall and a quad all within walking distance of each other.
In first place, we have Wells Central. Is it cheap? No. Is it delicious? Yes. Sal’s has a buffalo chicken ranch pizza that I would sell my soul for if the munchies were bad enough. Buffalo Wild Wings is probably making a fortune from an on-campus kiosk and I really can’t be mad at them. The staff are super friendly and there are enough games there to make you forget that you came to get food at all. While the karaoke nights can be a little harsh on the ears, the outside fire pits and seating make up for it. Plus, every now and then they’ll host student bands, giving young musicians the chance to figure out how to actually play in front of people. It’s a great place to be on both weeknights and weekends, and after writing this article, I will likely be visiting.
