BU Dining Services Introduces New Food Options

Rhett’s West has replaced Extreme Pita, offering a late-night menu of burgers, chicken fingers, smoothies, and more, as well as classic sandwiches from the BU Pub, which is temporarily closed for renovation.

There’s good news for hungry Terriers. Dining Services has just revamped two dining spaces, giving students more options than ever.

First up: Rhett’s West, an outpost of the popular GSU eatery, replaces Extreme Pita on West Campus. Think traditional diner fare like burgers, chicken fingers, fries, and tater tots. And the late-night hours (5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday to Wednesday and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday to Saturday) make it ideal for wee hours of the morning revelers and for a fuel break for students cramming for exams. The menu is a curated version of the GSU Rhett’s, meaning no pancakes, bagels, or ice cream (not enough freezer space). But you will find ready-to-go snacks and pints of Ben & Jerry’s.

Another good reason to stop by Rhett’s West: some of the BU Pub’s most popular sandwiches, available while the Castle is closed for a major renovation. Fans of Pub classics like the Doctor (roast turkey, bacon, cheddar cheese, cranberry sauce, and pub spread) and the Lawyer (chicken salad, muenster cheese, bacon, onion, cranberry sauce, and dijon mustard) can find them here until next fall, when the Castle reopens to house the Dahod Family Alumni Center and the Pub is back in business.

Financial reasons and student feedback contributed to replacing Extreme Pita with Rhett’s West. “We saw that Extreme Pita wasn’t growing in sales,” says Scott Rosario, Dining Services marketing director. “We had students asking for items that weren’t on Extreme Pita’s menu. Rhett’s in the GSU has been a very popular location for students, and that factored into our decision.” Rhett’s West has attracted a loyal customer base since it opened Labor Day weekend.

“I think there’s a good variety of options between the actual menu and the convenience stuff you can also buy,” says Ryan Gold (CFA’21). Other students, like Adam Klavoon (Questrom ’21), are drawn by the extended hours. “I like that they’re open late so if you have a class late, or some kind of club, you can come grab some food,” Klavoon says.

Open to all students, faculty, and staff

Significant upgrades to the Florence and Chafetz Hillel House third floor dining hall have resulted in a whole new dining concept, Fresh Fuel at Granby Commons. Billing itself as the first and only plant-based kosher dining hall in the country, the reimagined space has two separate kitchens, both kosher, one for vegan food and one for nonvegan food. The vegan kitchen focuses on plant-based foods that are locally sourced wherever possible, and its options range from Asian cabbage slaw to cucumber and tomato salad to New England butternut squash bisque.

Fresh Fuel manager Avi Font says that “at least two vegan dishes are available at a time,” along with one nonvegan entrée. Both stations will feature vegan-friendly side dishes, as well as desserts.

The changes at Fresh Fuel stem from students’ growing requests for more vegan options, and they aim to correct the perception that non-Jewish students cannot eat at the Hillel dining hall. The idea was to create an inclusive setting. Rosario emphasizes that Fresh Fuel is open to all students, faculty, and staff, regardless of their religious affiliation.

Although all BU dining halls have a dedicated vegan station and vegan items, “Fresh Fuel features menu options not found elsewhere on campus—more dishes total—and better variety for vegan students,” says Rosario.

The new dining concept has made a fan out of Isaiah Tharan (CAS’18), whose diet is strictly vegan. “Fresh Fuel does an excellent job providing for vegan students at BU, with diverse, tasty, and nutritious options,” he says.

Students can register in advance at Fresh Fuel for Shabbat lunches and holiday meals using meals and/or a credit card through the Dining Services website.

Smaller upgrades have been made to two retail locations on campus this fall. The Sleeper Hall City Convenience store was expanded after City Convenience, at 959 Commonwealth Ave., was closed earlier this summer. Buick Street Market was renovated, adding 300 feet of shelving and improved takeout food options.

Rosario says Dining Services is constantly listening to student feedback and makes regular menu updates and changes based on the suggestions.

Rhett’s West, 273 Babcock St., open Sunday through Wednesday, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., and Thursday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., accepts dining points, convenience points, and most major credit cards (excluding American Express).

Fresh Fuel at Granby Commons, 213 Bay State Rd., third floor, is open Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.; Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m.; and Saturdays, noon to 2 p.m. It accepts meals, guest meals, dining points, convenience points, and most major credit cards (excluding American Express). Fresh Fuel is open to all BU students with a valid student ID.

Connor Lenahan can be reached at lenahan@bu.edu.