Malika: When dining in the Coates Student Center, I always try to find a filling meal because it is important for me to get through the class day with enough fuel and energy. I try to rotate my options from rice bowls to the Asian food options, or just some snacks to add to my meal from Mabee Market.

Omar: Typically I stop by the Coates Student Center for lunch between classes. My go-to is something fairly quick and somewhat healthy. Usually, I exclusively get a bowl from ESO Latin in Crave, and honestly rarely branch out. I’ve found that the Crave bowls are my favorite option in the Coates Student Center as they are the most bang for your buck. I rarely go to Singh’s or Ming’s due to the relatively high prices, especially when you add protein.

CRAVE RESTAURANT: 7/10
Malika
Crave is a food vendor in Coates that provides healthy meal options such as ESO Latin, Mediterranean Pure Food and Veg 23. Crave is a great option for anyone, but especially for vegans and vegetarians. Since I am vegetarian, Crave has healthy and filling options that serve as a good meal, and the “build-your-own” option gives a lot of flexibility. My go-to order consists of brown rice or white rice as the base with avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and the tomatillo sauce on top. In addition, Mediterranean Pure Food has a delicious falafel sandwich and falafel bowl option that consists of a sourdough bread, falafel, tomato, a type of garlic aioli sauce, lettuce and cucumber. I highly recommend both options for vegetarians. I would rate the ESO Latin bowl 8/10 and the falafel sandwich 9/10 because the bowl is a bit more bland in comparison to the falafel sandwich that tends to fill me up more. The price for the Latin bowl and the falafel sandwiches usually ranges from $8-12.

MING’S: 8/10
Malika
Ming’s is a local San Antonio restaurant that serves a variety of different Asian foods and revolves through Taste of San Antonio every three weeks. Tofu is a great protein option that can provide good nutrition. My favorite meal from Ming’s is the tofu bao buns. They usually come with two buns and two pieces of tofu, cucumber and ginger dressing. I also like to top it off with some soy sauce on the side. I would recommend ordering something else with the tofu buns since sometimes it may not be as filling. I usually get the tofu buns with the cilantro lime noodles, or I grab a KIND bar or hummus and pretzels from the Mabee Market. I would give the tofu buns a 7/10 because they are a light but healthy option and I love tofu. The tofu buns are around $8-10.

SINGH’S: 10/10
Malika
Singh’s is a local favorite right off the St. Mary’s strip and loved by many Trinity students. I was super thrilled when I heard Singh’s was going to be revolving in Taste of San Antonio at Coates starting this year. I absolutely love Vietnamese food, and I love going to Singh’s with my friends. My all-time favorite thing to order from Singh’s is the bánh mì sandwich with veggies, tofu and a side of chili oil. The bánh mì is made out of a crisp sourdough or baguette type bread, garlic aioli sauce, sauteed veggies and the protein is fried tofu. I would give this meal a solid 10/10, and I highly recommend trying it because it is super filling and makes me feel sustained after eating it. The bánh mì is usually around $10-13 depending on the meat or vegetable option.

ALAMO BISCUIT COMPANY: 7/10
Omar
As a San Antonio native, I’ve passed by Alamo Biscuit Company’s shop countless times, never taking the time to step inside. Alamo Biscuit Company is part of the Taste of San Antonio lineup, and rotates every three weeks. With the new addition of Alamo Biscuit Company in Coates, I’ve finally been able to try this restaurant out. In all honesty, I’ve only gone to Alamo Biscuit Company a few times this year. I got the brisket benedict, which is a traditional biscuit and egg benedict with brisket on top. The brisket benedict is $9, which is comparable to many prices in the Coates Student Center. To be completely honest, it doesn’t look the most appetizing, but it’s not the worst thing to come out of the Coates Student Center. Overall I would give this dish 8/10, as I’m not the biggest fan of traditional American brunch. Unlike Singh’s and Ming’s, the Alamo Biscuit Company doesn’t seem to attract as many Trinity students as the other rotating options in Taste of San Antonio.

MELT LAB: 6/10
Omar
Melt Lab, a new restaurant in the Coates Student Center replacing Freshii, is a deli sandwich option that allows students to create their own customized sandwiches or choose from some pre-customized options. Like Alamo Biscuit Company, I go to Melt Lab pretty rarely. The few times I have gone to Melt Lab, I haven’t necessarily had a bad experience. I’ve built my own sandwich with sourdough bread, provolone cheese, garlic aioli and roast beef. This fully customized sandwich would run you a whopping $8. Now, this may not sound too absurd, but $8 will simply get you two slices of bread, meat and cheese, a relatively low cost meal that is price gauged. I would give Melt Lab an overall 6/10 because of the price, especially when there are better options in close proximity.

LEGENDS BURGER CO.: 9/10
Omar
Legends Burger Co. offers a variety of unique burgers and french fry options, replacing the widely-loved Taco Taco. I usually get Legends Burger Co. closer to the afternoon when the other options in Coates are closed and I’m looking for a quick meal on upper campus. Usually I’ll get the chicken sandwich ($9) or a classic burger ($8). Legends Burger Co. is fairly priced as every burger comes with a side of fries. The chicken sandwich is probably my favorite item on the menu. The one downside to Legends Burger Co., as well as many restaurants in Coates, is that you are limited in customizing your items. For example, many of the burgers in Legends have bacon, and there doesn’t seem to be an option to take bacon off a sandwich. Overall, I would give Legends a fair 9/10 due to the limited customization.

BREAKFAST AND CO.: 8/10
Omar
Although not in the Coates Student Center, Breakfast and Co. is another of the dining additions, replacing Steak & Shake as the late-night option in the new Mabee Market. Breakfast and Co. has many options, ranging from breakfast items like omelettes and French toast to more classic late night meals like burgers and loaded fries. I typically get Breakfast and Co. if there are no other options open on campus or if I miss Mabee hours. I typically get the loaded brisket fries, which are fries topped with brisket, jalapenos and barbeque sauce. I would give the loaded brisket fries a solid 8/10 because they are a pretty great late night meal.