This semester, the Auraria Library Cafe closed. The cafe was a fixture of the library, offering students different sandwiches, breakfast burritos, drinks, and snacks. It was an easy way to get a quick meal or snack on the go.  The cafe has been replaced with vending machines and retitled the “Auraria Library Canteen.” The shuttering of the cafe has eliminated an easy food source for students, leaving them searching for convenient food options. Luckily, Auraria Campus has a smorgasbord of dining options for students to explore.  

The Tivoli is home to a majority of the food options on Auraria campus. In the food court, there are several delicious options. Subway, for example, recently began its Meal of the Day promotion. The Meal of the Day promises students a six-inch sub for $7. For an extra $3, students can upgrade the sandwich to a footlong. This is a very cost-efficient way to get a great meal. There are two Los Molinos’ on campus, a fast take-away spot in the food court or a sit-down restaurant that’s great to enjoy with friends by the arts building.  

The food court also houses s’ONO Asian Fusion, Snack Shack, and Slurps. Together, the three restaurants provide a litany of dishes, such as shaka bowls, ramen, poke, burgers, chicken nuggets, and many other dishes. The three different vendors present a diverse range of meals that students will definitely want to try. Outside the food court, the Tivoli also has a Starbucks, iPie Pizza, and the newly opened Quad Side Tavern, which serves appetizers, salads, hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches. 

Outside the Tivoli, Auraria Campus has several options to choose from. If students have meal plans, they can eat at City Heights Dining Hall, which contains a buffet that offers items such as pizza, burgers, salad, desserts, as well as different non-American dishes for students to experience. The dining hall rotates its breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, creating an interesting and constantly changing dining experience. Students with a meal plan can also access the newly renovated CU Denver Eat Food Market at Lynx Crossing, which has several types of burgers, breakfast all day, a Starbucks, and a meal of the week. 

These are accessible meals that offer several choices for one meal swipe, and the great news is if you don’t have a meal plan, you can still eat at the dining halls! For a small price, students can access the dining halls and the many choices they provide. Next to City Heights Dining Hall, there is an Einstein Bros. Bagels, which students can purchase using money, meal swipes, or flex cash. Einstein’s has a wide selection of bagels, as well as bagel sandwiches and pizza bagels. Another restaurant that students can use flex cash in is Qdoba Mexican Eats, which lets students customize their own Mexican food. 

In the North Building, the recently beloved Ichigo Matcha affords students the opportunity to build their own instant ramen, choosing the noodles and the broth used, as well as additional ingredients. From there, simple instructions prompt the student to cook the ramen. The process is extremely easy and very delicious. The establishment also offers desserts and drinks such as ice cream, matcha, and bubble tea.  

An assortment of cafes and coffee shops are scattered around campus. DNVR Coffee Co. is located in the CU Denver Lawrence Street Center and has different hot and cold drinks, along with bagels, sandwiches, and different types of toast. Dazbog Coffee is across from the Tivoli, and has hot and cold coffees and teas, alongside pastries and breakfast foods. ZGo’s is a cafe in the MSU Administration Building Lobby that offers hot and cold beverages, sandwiches, salads, breakfast burritos, and energy drinks. In the CCD Confluence, the Hawk’s Nest Cafe greets students as they enter. In the Science Building Atrium, the Intermission Café resides. The Saffron Mediterranean Grill is located at 10th and Curtis Street and has several Mediterranean dishes.  

 Auraria campus hosts several food trucks around campus. Whether it’s cookies, grilled cheese, gyros, or burgers, the campus has different types of food trucks that rotate regularly. Around campus there is also a Chick-Fil-A pop-up where students can purchase items from the Chick-Fil-A menu. Even though the Auraria Library Cafe has closed, students still have several options to enjoy diverse and interesting food around campus. The different food choices explore unique dishes and provide students with the opportunity to find their new favorite dishes!