Top underrated eat spots on campus
Whether you require a halal diet or exclusively consume plant-based foods, there are options within these halls
The University of Regina is home to many cafés and dining options. Whether you eat halal, kosher, are vegan or pescatarian, there is something for everyone. Gone are the days when you could only rely on Tim Hortons and Subway’s fake tuna and suspicious tasting/looking cheese. With the new Gong Cha location rumoured to be opening on campus, students are excited that there is going to be something new. It is great to have a variety of options. Throughout my time at the university, I have witnessed the dwindling of dining options. If you remember Brewed Awakening, you may be entitled to compensation. As the kids love to say, you are an O.G.
Although there is Extreme Pita, Tim Hortons, The Lab Café, The Lazy Owl, and Subway, my favourite and the most underrated eats on campus remain to be Common Ground, Mia Fresco, Robin’s, and Grill & Co.
Located in Riddell Centre, Common Ground is a small café that also serves Starbucks. They offer coffee, lattes, matcha, strudels, muffins, and everything in between. I am a huge fan of their iced matcha latte. I prefer it to Tim Hortons because they have options such as soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, and oat milk. Tim Hortons does not offer nearly as many plant-based milk options. Additionally, they make amazing muffins. I particularly enjoy their coffee muffin and their raspberry yoghurt muffin. All in all, I would rate Common Ground an 8/10.
Riddell Centre also houses Grill & Co. They offer burgers, sandwiches, fries, and more. Every once in a while, I love to treat myself with the best meal on their menu, the lightlife burger, which is a beyond meat burger. I eat a plant-based diet, thus I do not eat beef or chicken. Of all the burger joints in the city, nothing tops Grill & Co. I mean, they use toasted brioche for God’s sake. The burger is crispy, tender, and juicy. It just doesn’t get any better than that.
On the other side of campus at Campion College, there is Mia Fresco. This is one of the best places to get bubble tea on campus. They have many flavours ranging from passion fruit and honeydew melon to peach and taro. They also offer soups, salads, flatbread, and wraps. The only reason I drop in every time I’m at Campion College is strictly for their bubble tea.
Right next to it, there is Robin’s which has the best Nanaimo bars and samosas. They have donuts, muffins, pies, and more. They are also able to warm up any of their baked goods for you. Their drink options are also pretty good.
The University of Regina has many options for dining depending on your dietary requirements. Many of my friends and I are Muslims, and it is great that we are able to find options across campus. Although I do not eat meat, but my friends do, and it is great that there are places on campus to find halal meat such as The Lazy Owl. My only wish is for the university to offer more plant-based options on campus that don’t include salad. We need more creativity in terms of cuisine. I wish there were more options catering to cuisines from different countries. I believe it would be a good investment for the university.
