Dining at Exeter - Phillips Exeter Academy

Great flavor, healthy impact

With two dining halls, over 5,000 recipes, and dishes from around the world, you’ll never find a shortage of flavors while dining at Exeter.

Something for everyone.

With our rotating menu of delicious recipes across two dining halls, you’ll enjoy a wide range of authentic recipes and traditional classics.

At dinner, you might find spicy tofu fajitas, grilled steak tips, fettuccine alfredo, palak paneer or a moroccan spiced chickpea stew. Breakfast and lunch provide similarly varied selections including a fresh fruit bar and world cuisine menu line.

We prepare healthy food for all appetites, including vegetarian, vegan, low-fat, plant-based and gluten-free options. Snacks are always available between meals.

Dining by the numbers

100%

of dining staff receive training in food allergens

5,000+

recipes developed by our chefs that are always on rotation, with new dishes added regularly

world-famous dessert known as Exeter Bars (iykyk)

What's an Exeter Bar?

25%

of our food comes from within 250 miles of campus, and we grow some of our herbs right here

Sustainable Food Practice

Reducing our food footprint

Reducing our food footprint across campus is just one way we're working towards reducing our environmental impact.

Meet Exeter's Executive Chef

A 40-year veteran of the restaurant and catering industry, Pierre Gignac manages the Academy's fast-paced kitchens with art, expertise and dynamism.

Nutrition for all

As Exeter’s registered dietitian and nutritionist, Tina Fallon supports students in their nutritional health needs. From navigating healthy eating to assisting with dietary restrictions, Tina is a dedicated campus resource for all students.

Philosophies and methods

Food at Exeter isn’t just about what tastes good (though it does!). Our dining options and experiences are the result of thoughtful frameworks.

Our daily menus provide a varied choice of hot prepared dishes, along with salad bar, deli bar and pasta bar. We serve a large choice of homemade desserts, including brownies, Boston cream pie, cheesecake bites and our famous Exeter bars. It’s important to us that we listen to students, and frequently develop new dishes based on their ideas and reviews.

Exeter participates in Menus of Change, a collaborative group from the Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that researches and leads best practices and outcomes for the food service industry. Their 24 Menus of Change Principles guide issues of health, sustainability, and food ethics.

Feels like home

Students sit at outside table under red umbrella eating lunch — Take your meal on the go and enjoy one of the many outdoor seating areas on campus.

Our dining halls are spacious, equipped with wi-fi and are open throughout the day. Students often come for a meal and hang out while working on assignments or talking with friends.

We host special events year round, including campus-wide cookouts, holiday meals, and more.

Additionally, many of the 26 dorms on campus include their own common area kitchens that allow students to try cooking on their own.

Food allergy safety

Every member of our dining services staff — dishwashers, chefs and servers — has received food allergy training.

We use the nationally-recognized Food Allergy Research and Education Organization method to identify the eight most common allergens in every food item we purchase, and we label all our dishes for potential allergens.

If you’re ever unsure about an allergen or ingredient, dining services staff is happy to answer any questions!

Food education

Our food selections and labeling help students develop good dietary habits. Many choose to consult with our in-house dietitian, whose expertise includes nutritional requirements for adolescents, nutrition for athletes, eating disorders, allergens and special diets.

Dining staff actively participate with student clubs, Climate Action Day and other efforts aimed at educating Exonians about diet, eating and the impacts of food production and preparation on our world.

More to explore

Students standing and hanging out during a busy time at Grill — A busy place between classes, Grill is both a grab and go convenience store and a community hang out space.

Dining options extend beyond the dining hall, both on and off campus. Located in the Elizabeth Phillips Academy Center, Grill is a convenience style option where students can purchase snacks, order hot food, or snag one of the legendary Grill cookies.

Students are also able to get off campus and explore any one of the incredible restaurants or cafes located just steps from campus in the historic Downtown Exeter.