Juana Garcia/ The Cougar
While the stereotypical college meal might be a cup of ramen noodles or cereal, students at UH have a wide array of options when it comes to food. From Chinese food to chicken and waffles, students at UH should have no problem finding their preferred meal.
Student Center South
The Student Center South is probably the most popular place where students hang out and eat. It has a McDonald’s, Chick-fil-a and Panda Express on its second floor, as well as some UH-exclusive brands like Asado, Mondo’s and Shasta’s.
On the first floor, SC South has a Starbucks next to the game room, where students can grab a snack and enjoy some bowling.
On the second floor, SC South also has the Market, which sells snacks typical of an average convenience store. For students looking for something quick and easy, most buildings on campus have at least one vending machine.
Popular Joints
While SC South certainly has a lot of options for a quick bite between classes or a morning coffee, the majority of UH’s restaurants and bars are located on Martin Luther King Boulevard across the street from the Lofts.
The Nook is a coffee shop that serves coffee and breakfast. Their coffee shop is open daily from 8 a.m. to midnight. They also have an upstairs bar and rooftop patio.
Pink’s Pizza sells pizza, wings, breadsticks and drinks. They also sell specialty pizzas such as the Big Boss, which comes with pepperoni, Italian sausage and Canadian bacon.
Domoishi is an Asian cuisine restaurant that serves poké bowls, ramen, wings and boba tea. It’s open daily and closes at 9 p.m. The location opened in the spring of 2022, and The Cougar’s editorial board gave their reviews on some of its food items.
The Den, formerly The Cougar Den, has been a campus hotspot bar since it opened in 2008. It serves alcoholic drinks, wings, nachos and burgers. Being an original campus bar, its menu also includes items whose names pay homage to UH culture, such as the Cougar Queso and Cougar Club sandwich. It’s a place for Coogs to eat, chill, hang out, and even watch UH sports games.
The Flying Dumpling is another on-campus hotspot that serves Asian cuisine. Although there is no official website for the restaurant, students can find the full menu and see examples of dishes on their Instagram page. The restaurant serves common American-Asian cultural cuisine, which includes fried rice, lo mein noodles, stir fry and egg rolls. Moreover, back in 2019, The Cougar’s staff reviewed some of their food.
UH Dining
UH has two main dining halls, which are Moody Towers and Cougar Woods. They both serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast costs $8.50, and lunch and dinner costs $11.25. On Cougar Red Fridays, students who’s outfits are at least 50% red can eat for just $6.50.
Remember to get out there!
It’s important, especially for students who are new to the city, to get out and sample the wide range of options available throughout Houston. As one of the most culturally diverse cities in the U.S., Houston has almost unlimited potential when it comes to cuisine.
Remember, most student’s time here is limited — so make use of it while you can!
