Charlotte Korer ’27
Copy Editor Intern
Returning Scripps students are familiar with the joy of not having to cook meals or wash dishes with the 5C meal plan. While many of us have been looking forward to that luxury all summer, first-years and transfers have yet to learn of the magnificence of the dining halls. One of the benefits of being a part of a close-knit consortium is access to all seven dining halls across the colleges.
Scripps’ dining hall, Malott, is a central point of activity around campus, located near the Humanities Building and Seal Court. Being relatively small, Malott can get pretty packed on the right nights as 5C students flock for sushi or tacos. To help you avoid the hustle and bustle and make the most of your dinner experience, I am sharing my opinions on the best dining halls. Take this advice with a grain of salt, as I have still never visited Collins (CMC’s dining hall) or Oldenborg (one of Pomona’s dining halls).
Although it is heavily debated, there is no official right answer. A common icebreaker for a class is to share your favorite dining hall, but choose carefully because you might need to meet there for a group project. In my opinion, the best dining halls, in no particular order, are Malott (Scripps), The Hoch (Harvey Mudd), and Frary (Pomona). I have curated this list based on ambiance, food, and wait times. If you have the patience, I might be able to convince you to give up your strange loyalty to McConnell (Pitzer’s dining hall).
Malott, although cramped and crowded at times, is worth it for the food. With no statistics to back me up, Malott has the most weekly regulars repeatedly returning for Monday Taco Night or Friday Night Sushi. At Malott, you can always find a well-cooked vegetable and a solid slice of pizza to even it out for you. Where Malott falls short, and I’m sure everyone can agree with me, is dessert. The cakes and cookies are nothing special and the coffee machine is out of order more often than not. While it may feel as if I’ve only mentioned the negatives of Malott, the ambiance is excellent, and the lines aren’t too bad.
Where Malott lacks in the dessert category, the Hoch makes up for it a thousand times over. With cakes, cookies, jello, and the famous soft serve, the Hoch always has your sweet treat fix after dinner. Dinner is usually a variation of comfort food with pasta, chicken, sushi, and other bready items. There are always places to sit, and the circular table style never lets anyone feel left out of a group. This might sound strange, but the Hoch has the best water of any dining hall. So, make sure you bring your water bottle when you stop by.
As every college tour will tell you, Frary is the Harry Potter-style dining hall. With a giant mural of Prometheus from 1930, hanging lighting, and long tables, Frary screams want-to-be Ivy League, and not necessarily in a bad way. Frary’s Mainline Station is always ready to customize the bowl of the day for you, so it is hard not to enjoy your meal. For my fellow vegetarians out there, more days than not, Frary has a delicious black bean burger with shoestring fries that will always hit the spot. My personal favorite is BBQ night (yes, I am vegetarian) with delicious mac and cheese. An added bonus: you will never have to wait for more than a couple of minutes at Frary.
My number one tip for dining hall eats is not to be afraid to try new things. Whether that is sitting with new people, trying a salad for once, or exploring a new dining hall, a new experience will always be rewarding. In a rush to head to do an assignment or meet with a group? With most self-serve stations and dish racks, being in and out for a quick meal is easy. The dining hall staff are always welcoming and make the 5C community feel at home. So, with this new school year, make sure you are extra kind to the staff of all dining halls and clean up after yourself!
Photo Courtesy of Charlotte Korer ’27
