“Asking Stanford” is a series that collects bite-sized stories from students to highlight the diversity of experiences and perspectives on campus.

Coffee House (CoHo)

I can rather easily say that Coffee House (CoHo) is my favorite spot on campus to eat. The grilled cheese and tomato soup combo is my reliable comfort meal — especially when paired with an iced chai. I almost always run into someone that I know at CoHo too, so it’s nice to savor the moments of catching up with someone I likely hadn’t seen since last quarter (or longer). CoHo isn’t just the best when it comes to eating but, arguably, it’s the best for the memories too. 

— Sebastian Strawser ’29

Jimmy V’s Sports Cafe

The staff are genuinely some of the friendliest people you’ll meet, and the food’s always a great value. I am obsessed with their smoothies, and think they have the best smoothies in the Bay. I’d recommend nearly any of them, but right now I’m rotating between the Arrillaga, USA and Olympian smoothies. My go-to sandwich is the Palo Alto panini, which never misses. Even though a lot of athletes eat there due to it being a “sports cafe,” it really feels open to everyone. My only wish? That they were open on weekends— because it would definitely be my go-to brunch spot.

— Joanne dePierre ’25 M.A. ’26

Kikka Sushi 

Kikka at Union Square is easily my favourite spot — it’s run by an incredibly kind woman and serves fantastic salmon poke bowls that have no real substitute anywhere else on campus. I had it nine days in a row last week. My go-to is the traditional sauce, though the tangy ponzu is a close second. They’re usually closed in the evenings, but if you’re ever at Tresidder around lunchtime, don’t miss getting a bowl. They also have great vegan options that my friends enjoy just as much!

— Shiven Jain ’29

Coupa Cafe – Green Library

Coupa Café near Meyer Green is hands-down my favorite place to eat on campus. It’s conveniently located right outside Green, so I usually stop by for a Creamy Cold Brew before locking in on an assignment. Their sandwiches are amazing too; lately, I’ve been hooked on the Chipotle Chicken Sandwich. I love the relaxed, open-air vibe of the café, where I can enjoy the outdoors while feeling part of the campus energy. You’ll see everyone there, from freshmen grabbing a quick matcha to grad students deep in conversation. It’s really a spot that brings the whole campus together. 

— Melita D’Souza ’29

Olives

It is the beginning of November, and I have managed to spend nearly all of my dining dollars on Olives, located in Main Quad, Building 160. I have only tried one sandwich, so I can’t speak to what their other sandwiches taste like, but the one I get is extremely delicious. If you go to Olives, no doubt you need to try The Oval. It’s filled with buffalo chicken, lettuce, pepper jack cheese, blue cheese dressing and tomato. Avocado is a great addition too, if you want. The cherry on top is the Dutch Crunch Bread making the sandwich simultaneously crispy and soft. If you want to get a drink at Olives, I recommend getting the Colombe Coffee Roasters Canned Caramel Latte or the Health Ade Pink Lady Apple Kombucha. Sit outside, under a tree on a bench, warmed by the sun, surrounded by Stanford’s gorgeous architecture, and you will have a perfect lunch.

— Ava Bakhshandehpour ’29

On Call Cafe

PSA: All dining halls close dinner at 8pm on the weekends. I forgot this (not the first time), and went for a late evening run with my friends on a Sunday. I was proud of myself for making it to Arrillaga at 8:20 exactly, and I was excited for a long-awaited meal. Alas, when I got to the top of the stairs, I was greeted with the gate and the sign that the dining hall was closed. On Call to the rescue! “Stanford’s Living Room” truly has it all: live music, comfy chairs, incredible drinks, emergency dinner sandwiches, delightful baristas. Bring your work and do none of it because you’ll be catching up with friends you’ll run into. Grab a coffee and sit on one of the sofas and remember how lucky you are to be at this awesome school. And try the Pestomato sandwich: it’s to die for.

— Anya Vedantambe ’28

Late Night @ Lakeside

There’s nothing I love more than yapping with friends over food into the late hours of the night, and what place better fosters these close connections than Late Night Dining? From the delectable pizookie that attracts people from all over campus to the surprisingly cheap fries that are a bang for your buck, Late Night @ Lakeside has something for everyone. My favorite part is the experience that comes with it. Late Night is more than just the food that it offers; it’s an experience that brings people of all kinds together at 1am: the studiers, the yappers, the foodies, and those who just want to tag along. At the end of the day, many of my core memories have been made at Late Night. The BBQ chicken tenders, my favorite dish, are just an added bonus.

— Megan D’Souza ’29

Tootsie’s at the Cantor

I’ll confess, I’ve never actually sat down to eat at Tootsie’s. I usually scarfed down their fare in the basement of McMurtry, surrounded on all sides by Mac desktops just begging to be peddled on the dark web (Craigslist). 

That’s because last spring, I took an awe-inspiring, life-changing, “oh maybe this is what I want to do?”-provoking writing class, where this hidden gem — a sleek yet vaguely pastoral cafe tucked under a lush tree canopy — revealed itself to me. It was my saving grace on the many days my addled brain had planned too poorly to eat lunch before the three-hour afternoon workshop. Tootsie’s was there for me with delicious baked goods; killer lattes made — no, handcrafted with care; and soup so good I honestly felt like I didn’t deserve it.

So Tootsie’s will always have a special place in my heart. Now that I don’t have class nearby, I’ll have to make the mile-long hike from my place there (worth it!) sometime before I graduate; maybe for once I can sit down and try their Thursday night pre-fixe dinner. Definitely check it out if you find yourself nearby, and try one of their lunch specials!

— Ocheze Amuzie ’25