There’s an abundance of food at Swarthmore. Aside from our main dining hall and all the restaurants in the Ville, we have 3 (and a half) on-campus cafes that provide us with enough food to sustain our long studying (and/or yapping) sessions. Each of these cafes has hits (and things I personally avoid). Hopefully, this guide empowers you to choose the best we offer (or at least my favorites).
The first of Swarthmore’s cafes I ever visited was in our Science Center. It’s, very creatively, called Sci Cafe. During my freshman orientation week, when my roommate and I walked around campus to check out all the buildings and offerings, we stopped in Sci because it was unbearably hot. I desperately wanted a cold drink, and like two dehydrated explorers trapped in a desert, we stumbled upon the oasis of the Sci Cafe, and I ordered a peach iced tea. I’m not going to lie, it was not the best iced tea I’ve ever had (which was my fault because I didn’t specify that I wanted a sweet iced tea), but that was the beginning of my freshman year love affair with Sci Cafe. One of Sci’s best features is that it’s really close (in the same building, in fact) to Cornell Library (a library I was in so frequently as a freshman that my friends would sometimes not know where I was on campus, assume I was there, and frequently be correct). So when you’re in the middle of an intense study session or an equally intense gossip session in the Cornell booths and need a break, it’s super easy to get up and head to Sci for a quick snack. My favorite offerings are their Iced Jasmine Dragon tea with mango and honey, iced matcha lattes (ask for them without extra milk), and spicy crab rolls. My fellow admissions interns and Sci Cafe frequenters, Quinn and Alx, say they also have amazing London Fogs and milkshakes.
The next of our cafes is Kohlberg Cafe. Kohlberg, the building that houses our Sociology/Anthropology, Economics, and Language Departments, has perhaps the comfiest atmosphere of our on-campus cafes, in my opinion. There are well-worn chairs, sturdy stone coffee tables, and lots of chatter with friends. Kohlberg has the best cold drinks on campus. Their iced matcha lattes, teas, and coffees are always quick and so good. Kohlberg also usually has hot catered Indian food from a restaurant close to Swarthmore, and Alx says they have tasty samosas, too.
Our last (but certainly not least) main campus cafe is Essie’s Corner (formerly Essie Mae’s). Essie’s is the best cafe for grabbing a more substantial meal with friends. They have all sorts of foods (including panini sandwiches, flatbreads, grain bowls, wraps, and more), but I always love their specials. Last semester, I would lurk on the Dash (our central information website with all of the weekly menus, campus events, directories, and more) and make time to get their best special, the spicy kimchi pork belly sandwich with garlic aioli. That sandwich got me through long weeks and intense mid-day study sessions. Another favorite from Essie’s is their turkey pastrami sandwich (which I always get without Russian dressing), panini tuna melt, crispy chicken wraps, and french fries. Essie’s is a great option if you’re running late to a class or one of our many campus events and need a quick lunch or dinner.
I mentioned initially that we have three (and a half) on-campus cafes. The “half” cafe is called Crumb (a play on the name of the woods nearby, which are called Crum). Crumb is a late-night student-run cafe that serves all sorts of food. They typically have milkshakes, french toast, quesadillas, nachos, and more, but their offerings change daily based on the daily specials. In the past, they’ve also collaborated with students on campus to do nights with food from a specific region. My favorite night ever was when they did a Brazillian food night and had a bunch of tasty things for us to try. They also brought in a Capoeira group from Philly to perform for us. The feeling of connectedness in Crumb is second to none because after a long day of classes, studying, and whatever else Swatties get up to, it’s incredible to relax and unwind over some yummy food with your friends.
Food is a major part of the college experience, and there’s plenty to go around at Swarthmore. Aside from our huge new dining hall, our on-campus cafes provide us with amazing spaces to hang out with friends and amazing excuses to stop studying for a few minutes. On top of that, our cash-free campus means that all of these on-campus cafes are things we don’t have to pull out our wallets to pay for! Since our meal plans all include dining dollars that we can spend at any of the on-campus cafes, we don’t have to worry about having extra money to pay for a mid-day treat from Sci or a late-night pick-me-up from Crumb. Food is integral to the college experience, and Swarthmore ensures we all have access to everything!
