Top 5 Places to get a meal in the Wood Center

by Ashley

Students often wonder what the food is like at UAF and where they can get a tasty and affordable meal on campus. Luckily, there are lots of options to choose from! While there are many other great locations both on and off campus, (the new West Ridge Cafe and Collegetown Pizzeria are good examples) some of the best food can be found right within our student union building, the Wood Center. Here are the best five places to go and grab yourself a quick snack, or sit down for a lunch break.....

5.) Pizza Luna: This little pizza place sits in the right hand corner of the main dining area upstairs. They are open Monday through Friday from 11:00am-9:00pm, and Saturdays and Sundays for the afternoon. They offer lots of kinds of pizza, including veggie, Hawaiian, meat-lovers, cheese, and pepperoni. Additionally, you can order soup and pasta on the weekdays. If you want a certain kind of pizza, you can order a pizza with the toppings you select and share it with your friends.
PROS: It's quick, inexpensive, and they give you large slices.
CONS: It's a little greasy, and they don't have green olives.



4.) Taco Construction: This is a new stand which sits in the left corner of the main dining area and it's delicious! They are open Monday-Friday from 11am-3pm, and offer a choose your own ingredients fajita bar.  After picking out the style you want (burrito, quesadilla, tacos) you choose your meat, veggies, and sides. While you wait for your food, you can grab a soda or eat some chips and salsa. Hint: The taco salad bowls are the best!
PROS: Delicious, lots of ingredient choices, and fast.
CONS: Expensive if you're on a tight budget.


3.) The Pub: For students who are 21 and older, the pub is the place to grab a beer and a plate of nachos for you and your friends. Pub Nachos have a reputation on campus for being the most delicious creation north of the border, and they go great with any drink available. For those students under 21, don't despair! It isn't uncommon for students to bring nachos out to their friends in the Wood Center Lounge. The Pub is open Monday-Thursday from 4:30pm-11:15pm, and on Fridays starting at noon and going until 1am. Additionally, you can enjoy a huge variety of fun events ranging from Pub Trivia on Tuesday nights, all the way to casino night and the great cover up event featuring bands from around the area. More events can be found at Pub Events page.
You may not get a lot of studying done, (sometimes even hearing over the music is tough,) but my oh my those nachos....
PROS: Nachos with ALL the fixings, and fun music and events.
CONS: Must be 21 or older to enter, sometimes it is too loud.


2.) Pita Place: Hands down the best "hole in the wall" food place on campus. This is a brand new station which recently opened up in the place of the salad bar in the main dining location upstairs. On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 12:00pm-3:00pm, a group of wonderful people come in from the Fairbanks community and sell their magical felafel artistry. The lines literally stretch across the food court and into the hallway, as students have become more and more aware of these amazing creations. Don't know what a pita is? Basically, you order a shell which includes veggies of your choosing, a cucumber sauce, and three to four deep-fried chick pea balls. It is super filling and tastes great! The Sun Star, UAF student newspaper, even wrote an article about the new stand; Check out the Pita Place Article.
If you head to UAF anytime soon, this place is worth checking out!
PROS: SO amazingly good, used to only be available in the summer, promotes trying new things.
CONS: It's expensive,  and there's usually a long line.

1.) Student Food Pantry: While you cannot get immediate meals as mouth-watering as Pita Place serves, the Student Food Pantry is hands down the best location to get food anywhere in the Wood Center and on campus. Why? Because it's free! Students who are struggling to make ends meet or even if you just don't have money to pay for a lunch, the food pantry will help you out. All you do is stop by on Mondays between 11:00am-2:00pm, or Tuesdays from 6:00-9:00pm, and you can get your own food pantry bag filled with important meals for a couple of days. They will ask you to fill out a short form, and then you pick your protein, veggies, fruits, and pastas that you need to get by until your next pay check. I myself have used this service more than once, and I know how important it can be for students when we are struggling to have a place to turn to and get help without feeling guilty or upset. The fine students at the pantry will never make you feel that way, and are excited to bring in new canned foods as well as hand them out.
PROS: It's free, it helps students in times of need, and is a great resource.
CONS: None.



So the next time you are thinking about coming onto campus at UAF, keep in mind that even in just one building on campus, there is so much to offer in terms of food options. Don't get stuck on any one item, just try everything and see for yourself!
Are you hungry yet?

Happy dining!