Campus Eats: The Many Places Students Can Use Dining Dollars At

By Lauren Brose, ‘15

At the end of every semester, my lucky friends who are privileged with
Trojan Plan tend to have over $1,000 dollars leftover in dining dollars. This is typically around finals week when I am practically living on campus and all sense of self-sufficiency has flown out the window. Fortunately, my friends are generous enough to order me meals on campus using their Dining Dollars (all hail free Lemonade!!). If you currently have dining dollars and aren’t clear on where to spend your funds, I’ve outlined where and what on campus you can indulge in during your breaks. Explore outside the confines of Campus Center. There’s a plethora of cafés and quick stop offs situated around campus and if you play it smart, you can find yourself sipping on boba and munching on a pitaya bowl during your gap between lectures. #fancy

Dining Dollars Accepted Only

Campus Center

California Pizza Kitchen: California Pizza Kitchen offers several types of pizzas that are unlike the traditional such as BBQ chick, Thai and chicken-tequila fettuccine. Additionally, lunch combos, pastas, soups and salads are offered daily.

The Habit: The Habit took over Carl’s Jr. Spring 2014 and is native to Santa Barbara. This burger joint offers a selection of sandwiches, wraps, salads as well as onion rings, fries and, of course, deliciously made burgers.

Lemonade: More than just a stop off for fresh seasonal lemonade flavors such as blood orange and watermelon rosemary, Lemonade has a station of health-conscious sides as well as soups, mac & cheese, sandwiches, and desserts (giant cookies, slices of cake and macaroons!).

Seeds Marketplace: Seeds has the most amazing breakfast burritos as well as delectable desserts, snacks, sandwiches, salads and more! Seeds is a gem at USC and a definite go to spot for all of our nutritional needs.

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Verde: Think Chipotle meets USC. You can order tacos as well as customized burritos, burrito bowls and salads.

Panda Express: Panda Express is your choice go-to express Chinese food. Orange Chicken, Beef and Broccoli, Beijing Beed, stir-fried vegetables and fried rice and Chow Mein are only a fraction of what Panda Express offer daily.

Starbucks @ Trojan Grounds (aka TroGro): Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Trojan Grounds is a convenience store located outside of Leavey Library that offers to-go meals, snacks and a full service Starbucks Coffee.

Law School Café: Boba On! is served here in addition to rice bowls, panini’s, salads (both made to order as well as pre-packaged for to-go orders), fruit smoothies and a selection of snacks.

Popovich Cyber Café: Located in Marshall School of Business, Popovich Café offers a fresh daily menu as well as a variety of Wraps, tostadas, sandwiches organic salads.

Tutor Hall Café: This Café is located in Viterbi School of Engineering near parking lot A and Parkside and offers a blend of international cuisines such as banh mi, authentic indian dishes and Japanese noodle bowls.

Nekter Juice Bar @ Shop Café: Nekter Juice Bar is located in the architecture school and blends fresh fruit into nutritious smoothies that are unparalleled to generic smoothie joints found off campus. Additionally, Nekter offers a selection of acai and pitaya bowls and even named one Trojan Bowl after good ole SC.

URBNMRKT: Located off of Jefferson and Grand near the Galen Center inside the CAL building, this off-campus eatery offers daily specials, hot sandwiches made to order, soups, salads, fresh fruit and a variety of on-the-go snacks.

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf - School of Cinematic Arts: One of the several Coffee Beans that is situated throughout campus, this one is located conveniently inside the School of Cinematic Arts.

Annenberg Coffee Cart: An express Coffee Bean located inside the old Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism building, students can choose from their selection of snacks and order a coffee between classes.

Wallis Annenberg Hall Café: If you’re a coffee connoisseur, this is a definitely a place to try out! It opened to the public in Fall 2014 and has since then satisfied all needs of the students of Annenberg. Grab a coffee, latte, or teas accompanied by a breakfast sandwich during your morning rush or indulge in the many fresh desserts sold daily.

Both Dining Dollars and Meal Swipes Accepted

Residential Dining

EVK Restaurant & Grill: Located between New North and Birnkrant, EVK has an international selection of cuisines as well as an outdoor BBQ.

The Parkside Restaurant: A weekly menu of made-to-order omelets in the morning, a panini bar for lunch and Mediterranean, Latin and American foods switched up on their weekly menu, Parkside is your go to residential dining without the huge crowd.

Café 84: Located near Webb Tower, Fluor and the Lyon Center, Café 84 has a sandwich and salad bar, woke station, BBQ/smoker station and daily smoothies.