UW News

May 27, 2010

Lunch after the HUB: A host of dining options available

UW News

The Husky Student Union has been duly celebrated and will soon shut its doors for a major, two-year remodeling project. But that’s not going to stop the Seattle campus community from getting hungry at lunch, is it?


Fortunately, Housing & Food Services (HFS) and other campus lunch providers have the situation under control. Even without the bustling HUB, which will be done serving on June 30, the campus abounds with lunch possibilities for faculty, staff and students.


“When we found out the Husky Den was closing we made two major commitments,” said Storm Hodge, HFS assistant director for dining services. “The first was to the campus community as a whole” to keep providing dining options. “The second was to our staff, to keep all our people employed.” He said due to attrition and the department ramping up services elsewhere on campus, he won’t have to lay off any employees during the HUB’s down time starting this fall.


Here are some upper-campus spots that will be open for lunch, though most take a break between the quarters. You can see hours of operation for HFS restaurants and cafes online here.


By George: A food court-style restaurant that serves breakfast, and a variety of regional, international and American fast-food items for lunch, along with salads, an espresso bar and Freshens smoothies and yogurt. The Subway sandwich shop formerly located in the HUB will move here, replacing the current deli counter. By George is expected to reopen for summer quarter in mid-July. Hodge said the facility “will become the focal point for retail” year-round when the HUB is not available.


Eleven 01 Cafe and Lounge: Several dining styles, including regional cuisine, grab-n-go salads, sandwiches, ice cream, snacks, made-to-order sandwiches, comfort foods and a salad bar. The Pagliacci pizza shop we’re so used to seeing in the HUB Den will relocate here in the fall. Read the weekly menu online here. Closed between quarters, will reopen June 21.

8 at McMahon: A collection of dining options under one roof in the McMahon residence hall, with comfortable booths and great views of Lake Washington. Includes Abundo (home-style comfort foods, rotisserie meats and tossed-to-order pasta), Wild Greens (tossed-to-order specialty salads, salad bar, soup), Broiler Zone (a contemporary diner), JoeHaus (coffee, pastries etc.) and Pagliacci (pizza, salad). Also has The Nook, an express market. (Closed between quarters, reopening June 21). Read the weekly menu online here.

Molly’s at the Henry: A restaurant inside the Henry Cafe serving salads, sandwiches, pastries, sodas and teas, and more. Open between quarters but not on Mondays. Hours and menu available online here.

Parnassus: A cafe run by students, for students since 1951, located in the basement of the Art Building, in room 007. It offers soups, salads, sandwiches and beverages. All net profits go to the School of Art scholarship fund. (Closed between quarters, reopening June 21.)

And here are some smaller places on upper campus where you can likely still grab a packaged sandwich or salad with your coffee.

The Burke Cafe: The museum’s own cafe, featuring an assortment of pastries, sandwiches and salads, as well as juices, teas and coffee and espresso drinks. Museum members get 10 percent off. Open between quarters.

Balmer Cafe: Balmer Hall, ground floor. Serves a selection of salads and sandwiches, chips, bakery items and beverages. (Closed between quarters, reopening June 21.)

HFS Express markets: They’re convenience stores, but they also have selections of fresh sandwiches and salads by Bay Laurel To Go along with espresso. (Remember that ETC., the HUB express market, will be closed, too.) These are:


  • Suzzallo Espresso, in Suzzallo Library. 
  • 2 Convenient, in Terry Hall;
  • The Nook, in McMahon Hall, and
  • Ian’s Domain in McCarty.

And finally, some other options, for now and later:

The UW Club: Long a staple for UW faculty, the UW Club is offering a summer special enrollment fee of $25, said Alexandra Chordas, general manager. The dues for the school year are $160. It’s a private club that any faculty, staff, alumni or retiree may join. To help out this summer in the HUB’s absence, the UW Club will feature a hot dog cart out front called Dawg & Dash Cart offering hot dogs, veggie wraps and daily specials. It starts July 1, and you have to be a member. Learn more, including menus, online here.

Food on wheels: They won’t be ready for summer, but come fall quarter, HFS will have four mobile food providers operating in Red Square to make up for the loss of the HUB.


  • A taco truck will serve authentic street tacos and burritos;
  • An Island Truck will serve a variety of Hawaiian and Pacific Island street foods;
  • A barbecue truck will serve barbecued salmon, chicken and briskets, as well as corn on the cob and cole slaw.
  • A hot dog cart will serve dogs and sausages with various condiments, including cream cheese.

More to come: HFS says a new restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner will open this fall in the Foster School of Business.