Barnhart Brunch. Cheesy Grillers. Carson Late Night. Any University of Oregon student living on campus is all too familiar with this holy trinity of dorm food indulgence. Practically every weekend starts with a made-to-order calzone and ends with an all you can eat breakfast binge, plus a massive grilled cheese somewhere in between. This freshman year ritual is cliché for good reason; but for some, the novelty is starting to wear off. While we’re stuffing our faces with Whammies, it’s easy to forget the other great things dorm food has to offer. If you’re looking to switch up the way you gain the Freshman Fifteen, try a few of these hidden gems.
 
Fresh Marketcafé – Global Scholars Hall
The glory of Fresh Marketcafé’s pasta bar is no secret; lines of people dying for a bowl of Killer Mac can get frustratingly long around dinner time. A few tweaks to your basic order, however, can take this comfort food to another level. Try the Killer Mac with pesto and chicken, or take freshman Lauren Butler’s advice and add alfredo and pesto to your spaghetti! If you’re lucky, you can try the gnocchi, freshman Sydney Meyer’s favorite. “They only have it as a specialty every once in a while,” Meyer said. “But I love how it reminds me of when I traveled to Italy.”
Killer Mac + Chicken + Pesto: 4 points/$7.50
Spaghetti + Alfredo + Pesto: 3 points/$5.75
Gnocchi: 3 points/$5.75
 
Gastro Grub – Hamilton Hall
Located at the back of Hamilton’s Grab ‘n’ Go Marketplace, Gastro Grub offers a surprisingly large selection of comfort food that’s guaranteed to fill you up and remind you of restaurants at home. Try the Fish n’ Chips. They’re fried to order, and well worth the calories! This spot is also well-known for its all-day breakfast menu. Why trek downtown for waffles when you can get one slathered in Nutella and caramelized bananas on your meal plan points? Don’t forget to check out their ever-changing specials as well.
Fish n’ Chips Basket: 3 points/$5.75
Waffle + Nutella + Caramelized Bananas: 3 points/$5.25
 
DUX Bistro – Living-Learning Center
This on-campus venue is definitely worth a visit, especially for the espresso bar. The coffee is good, but the unique smoothie and hot drink options are even better. Check out the Zen Master smoothie (don’t let the odd green color throw you off)! This blend of green tea, ginger and fruit packs a flavorful punch, plus it gets you going with a little caffeine. If green tea isn’t your thing, get the Apple Chai Steamer, a sweet and spicy hybrid of everyone’s favorite fall drinks. Beyond beverages, DUX Bistro’s custom salad bar beats a boxed salad any day, and freshman Madeline Streech raves that the Caprese sandwich is her “reason for the freshman fifteen!”
Zen Master Smoothie: 3 points/$3.75
Apple Chai Steamer: 2 points/$3
Custom Salad: 5 points/$5.95
Caprese Sandwich: 4 points/$5.95