Dickinson has made some changes to its dining services lately. Over the past few years, they have added rotating fried specials at Union Station, the central island at the Caf, and other more-than-welcome updates. Last year, swipe options were expanded at Denim Coffee, a popular change that allowed students to get more with a single swipe. This semester, the boba at Biblio has been making waves. My personal favorite of these changes has been the addition of açai bowls at the Juice Bar.
As a long-standing fan of açai, I frequent the Playa Bowls in Carlisle and back home. With 19 choices of toppings and four bases (açai, dragon fruit, coconut yogurt, and chia pudding), I’m happy to report that Dickinson’s açai bowls have yet to disappoint. I’ve enjoyed grabbing them in-between classes or as a quick lunch, with my go-to combination being an açai base topped with strawberries, banana, coconut flakes and honey.
Most of all, I’m grateful to add something new to my lunch menu. I understand that at such a small campus, our food choices are inevitably going to be limited, especially compared to larger schools with multiple dining halls. This lack of variety is particularly challenging for students with dietary restrictions. I’m aware that Dickinson’s selling point has never been its dining. Still, there are days when I have to mentally prepare myself as I walk into the Caf for another night of eating Tex-Mex as a last resort. There’s only so much shredded chicken and guac I can consume before getting sick of it.
Perhaps this won’t always be the case. The HUB Renovation Project aims to improve and modernize the HUB, according to the Dickinson website. While the first phase has begun, the second phase is still in the works, as demonstrated by the ongoing renovation of Britton Plaza. This phase is slated to be completed in 2027 and involves “further investments to dining facilities, including micro-restaurants.”
I’m particularly excited to see what these “micro-restaurants” will entail. My hope is that, similar to the updates at the Juice Bar, these additions will continue to move Dickinson in the right direction.
