Finding a place to grab a bite to eat on campus is a piece of cake with the addition of a variety of cafes in University buildings where students, faculty, and staff work and study. 

Opening soon at the recently refurbished Arts, Research and Culture House (ARCH) Building at 36th Street and Locust Walk is the ARCH Café, which will contain the Tortas Frontera restaurant by acclaimed Chicago chef Rick Bayless. The eatery will offer quick-service Mexican fare, such as soups, open-faced sandwiches called molletes, salads, and cazuelas—hearty Mexican casseroles. In the Café’s “grab and go” section, diners can find turkey sandwiches, fruit, cookies, cupcakes, and other tasty delights.

A host of other campus buildings have added cafes, such as the Bridge Café in Huntsman Hall, giving busy students and employees additional spots to purchase fresh, delicious meals or just a snack.

“Faculty and staff are welcome at all our campus locations, which offer everything including fresh salad or pasta bars, specialty cuisines like sushi and southeast Asian specialties, a full-service Starbucks, and in good weather, a weekly outdoor BBQ at Joe’s Café,” says Pam Lampitt, director of the Business Services Division who oversees Hospitality Services.

Mark’s Café, in the lower level of the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, serves sandwiches, salads, and baked goods, along with locally roasted Rival Brothers Coffee.

“Many times we’re approached by a dean or a business administrator of the buildings and they want very much to make sure there’s food accessible,” Lampitt says.

In the Towne Building on Smith Walk, anyone craving a Starbucks drink can grab one in the Accenture Café, which also offers sandwiches, salads, and pastries.

At the School of Veterinary Medicine, the new Green Line Café, a smaller version of the popular Philadelphia coffeehouse, dishes up certified organic and fairly traded coffees, sandwiches, and Le Bus muffins and scones.

Joe’s Café, named after Wharton founder Joseph Wharton, in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall, offers locally roasted One Village coffee and a daily $5 “Joe’s Plate” special.

Weekly menus for all of the cafes are posted on the Penn Dining website.