SUSU Café
A typical cheap, wipe-clean, student café. The food here is amazing value for money and the portions are really generous. There is no point in pretending that the standard or quality of food is particularly high. Most of the food is kept warm on hot plates for ages, so is unlikely to be the consistency or texture it was originally intended to be, and nothing is that flavourful. You can’t really go wrong with a burger (try the spicy chicken escalope version for a change) and curly fries though. The meat pasta also seems to survive the hot plate well and is well-smothered in cheese. The full breakfasts are amazingly generous, but avoid the eggs and have an extra sausage. I would recommend getting there early for lunch as the queue is enormous, though fast moving.

Hartley Library Lattes
This is a relatively new café on campus and one of the smaller eateries. It is really handy for those determined not to leave the library all day, or for those simply looking to procrastinate. The food selection is small and the only hot options are paninis, but for a quick lunch there’s probably everything you’d want. There is also a huge choice of cakes, muffins, flapjacks, brownies....which more than makes up for the limited choice of sandwiches. There is always some sort of deal on, offering a free syrup in your latte or a discounted pastry with coffee.

The Piazza
The recent refurbishment has turned this cafeteria, right on the main concourse, into a pretty impressive eatery, especially when compared to the school canteen style SUSU Café. I’m always amazed by the choice on offer here. There are at least two ‘specials’ and then permanent options of breakfasts, pizza, jacket potatoes, salads, soup, sandwiches and loads more. The food is cheap and of a fairly high standard. The main difference between The Piazza and SUSU Café is portion size: they give generous helpings upstairs, but down in SUSU Café you probably do get more for your money. The food is also pretty much identical to what is served downstairs, but it’s arranged a little more pleasantly at The Piazza and served with less haste. There are various offers on: meal deals, loyalty cards, discounted pastries. From May 18th Piazza is offering a free can of Relentless energy drink with any sandwich bought. If you are in catered halls you can use your catered student card here instead of in the halls canteen. If you can’t face queuing up with the masses for meat pasta or a burger and curly fries at the SUSU Café, then this really is a good value for money option on campus.

The Studio Café Bar
Attached to the Nuffield Theatre, this is probably one my favourite place to eat on campus, although it is more expensive than the actual student-aimed eateries. The restaurant is designed in a relaxed tapas bar style and serves lunch, dinner and snacks. The atmosphere is usually really great; comfortable and buzzing. The lunchtime menu includes ciabatta or focaccia sandwiches at £3.50, jacket potatoes, salads and a selection of cheaper tapas options (£1.50). The evening menu is served pre-show from 6-7pm, so booking a table at the Box Office in advance is a good idea. The evening menu often changes slightly, which means there is usually something new to try. Options include heartier dishes including calves liver and mash (definitely recommended), and more summery options like smoked salmon salad. Most main dishes are only just over a fiver, some are slightly on the small side, so you might choose to pay more for side dishes or extra tapas. Though this does mean your bill ends up being more than perhaps first anticipated, this build-your-own style of menu is quite fun.