Tufts University is not only renowned for its academic excellence but also for its outstanding dining program. Bringing the campus community together through exceptional food, Tufts Dining is committed to nourishing every student with diverse and delicious options. But, Is Tufts Food Good? Let’s dive into a comprehensive look at what makes Tufts Dining stand out.
Tufts Dining prides itself on providing a wide variety of flavorful and healthy choices, including entrees, sides, snacks, and desserts. They cater to various dietary needs and preferences with vegetarian, vegan, kosher, halal, nut-free, and gluten-free options readily available. For a complete overview, you can visit the Tufts Dining website.
Residential Dining Centers: Fresh and Dewick
The heart of the undergraduate dining experience lies in the two main residential dining centers: Fresh at Carmichael and Dewick-MacPhie. Students with meal plans enjoy unlimited access to both locations seven days a week. Each dining center boasts a unique atmosphere, friendly staff, and distinct menu offerings.
Fresh at Carmichael Dining Center: A Gluten, Peanut, and Tree Nut-Free Haven
Located “uphill,” Fresh at Carmichael distinguishes itself with its commitment to providing a safe and inclusive dining experience for students with food allergies, specifically those allergic to gluten, peanuts, and tree nuts. It delivers a restaurant-quality culinary experience that is entirely free from these allergens.
The menus at Fresh at Carmichael are globally inspired, featuring diverse flavors from Italian, Asian, African, American Southwestern, American Southern, and Latin American cuisines. The dining center prioritizes sustainably sourced, local ingredients and offers menu choices rooted in rich flavors and inclusivity. It’s a popular uphill dining spot and a key location for using your meal plan.
Weekly specials add excitement to the menu, including a Nacho Bar, Mediterranean Bar, and Cauliflower Gratin Bar. The Ramen Bar is a particular highlight, featuring vegan broth made from scratch and a variety of accompaniments such as Chashu pork, ramen eggs, tofu, and vegetables.
Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center: Variety and Allergen-Friendly Options
Dewick-MacPhie, the primary “downhill” dining location, offers a wide selection of freshly prepared, made-from-scratch dishes. Its large, open serving area, ample seating, and on-the-spot food preparation make it a popular choice among students using their meal plans.
Dewick features multiple food stations, including the ALL9FREE platform, which offers foods free from the top nine allergens. Furthermore, all meat proteins at ALL9FREE are halal. The stations are marketplace-style, staffed by cheerful employees, and provide options for everyone, including a vast salad bar with baby spinach, crisp greens, colorful veggies, cheese, tofu, crunchy toppings, and tasty dressings. Other stations include a char broiler with freshly grilled meats, house-made soups, handmade pizzas, a variety of pastas, house-made desserts, and soft-serve ice cream. The Beans, Greens, and Grains platform has been transformed to offer both kosher and vegan food options.
Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run: Quick and Customizable
Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run is a popular take-out destination where students can use a meal swipe. Everything is customizable, from the highly sought-after HodgPodg Greens & Grains bowls to halal lamb or chicken shawarma at Pita. Open weekdays, with popular items available on the Dining Mobile App, service is available until 10pm Monday through Thursday and until 4pm on Friday. Hodg’s Bagel Bar is a go-to spot for breakfast. Burritos and Bowls are popular at Churros, as are Deli Stop’s sandwiches. You can also find popular snacks and grocery items here, all available with your meal swipes.
Currently, Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run is undergoing renovations, but a Hodgdon pop-up is conveniently located in the lobby of Dewick.
On-the-Go Options: Cafés and Mobile Ordering
For quick bites and caffeine fixes, Kindlevan Café, Hotung Café, Commons Marketplace, and Tower Café are popular choices among students, staff, and faculty. These cafés serve freshly brewed espresso drinks sourced from local Sun Coffee Roasters, Starbucks, and Seattle’s Best. The Sink, located in the Campus Center, is an entirely student-run café serving Equal Exchange coffee, espresso drinks, and famous muffins. Students with meal plans can use their meal plan swipes for a take-out meal or sandwich from Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run or Pax et Lax Glatt Kosher Deli during the week. Many locations on campus allow you to order and pick up food to go, whether you are craving a corned beef on rye, a made-to-order burrito, or sushi.
Tufts Dining also has a mobile app, making it even easier to order ahead and pick up your food at any of the retail locations. You can learn more about the app and how to download it here: https://dining.tufts.edu/dining-app.
Accommodating Allergies, Intolerances, and Special Diets: A Priority
Tufts Dining is committed to accommodating students with allergies, intolerances, and special dietary needs. Tufts was recognized with the Best Campus Dining Award by FARE Food Allergy Research Education in 2021. Nutrition cards are displayed for all food served by Tufts Dining, or labels list allergens and recipe ingredients. They prioritize providing entrée options for all students, whether they have celiac disease, food allergies, are vegetarian or vegan, or keep kosher or halal.
Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center even features a gluten-free and nut-free pantry that students can access using their key card. Inside, they’ll find gluten-free packaged foods, as well as separate gluten- and nut-free toasters and panini presses.
For more information on special dietary needs, contact the Tufts Dining Dietitian, Kelly Shaw, at [email protected].
Is Tufts food good? Based on the variety, quality, and commitment to inclusivity, the answer is a resounding yes! Tufts Dining goes above and beyond to provide a positive and nourishing experience for all students.
For more information and hours of operation, visit the Tufts Dining homepage.
Payment Options
Both dining centers accept cash, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, and Discover), Tufts JumboCash, and Meal Swipes.
