Students enter the new Hillside Cafe restaurant, located in the Nursing Building, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025.
Restaurant staff prepare orders at the new Hillside Cafe restaurant, located in the Nursing Building, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025.
Students returning to the University of Tennessee this fall will find some fresh dining choices on campus, as Vol Dining expands menus and opens new locations aimed at making mealtime more convenient and inclusive.
Amanda Hough, director of Vol Dining, announced four new dining locations among numerous refurbishments and relocations.
“We’re proud to continue investing in Vol Dining to better serve the evolving tastes and needs of our campus,” Hough said. “These new openings and renovations are rooted in feedback from our students and campus community and reflect our commitment to providing flavorful, flexible, and forward-thinking dining solutions.”
Vol Dining has launched four new dining experiences for students to enjoy, designed to suit every taste and need. From dirty soda to deep-fried peanut butter and jelly, the four new dining experiences aim to serve the student body by providing new tastes and classic favorites.
Crust, a pizza and wings stop, offers 10-inch personal pizzas with specialty and create-your-own options. This new casual comfort food stop is located in Fred Brown Hall.
Hillside Café, located in the Croley Nursing Building, offers students Starbucks drinks and breakfast options. For lunch, the café offers Mediterranean-inspired dishes, such as flatbread and pita bread.
Isabel Ferguson, a senior majoring in nursing, said that having Hillside Café in the new nursing building is not only convenient for nursing students, but the food is also refreshing after a long day of class.
“I had their Greek food yesterday, and it was great,” Ferguson said. “The cafe is something convenient, refreshing, and healthy.”
Keoke Coffee has opened its first permanent location in Stokley Hall. This campus-favorite food truck will now permanently offer handcrafted coffee, energy drinks and a new lineup of dirty sodas to students in need of their daily caffeine fix.
Additionally, Vol Dining will operate Snackin’ Wagon, a new food truck inspired by the Volunteer spirit. Snackin’ Wagon will serve East Tennessee regional flavors, including a Nashville Crispy Chicken Sandwich and deep-fried peanut butter and jelly.
1817 Taqueria, formerly located in Fred Brown Hall, has relocated to a new site in the Student Union beside Big Orange Grill. This Tex-Mex spot serves burritos, tacos and bowls.
Student Olivia Janjic is excited for 1817 Taqueira’s relocation to a more convenient spot in the Student Union.
“I really like all the options that they have and the consistency has stayed the same from location to location and I really enjoy that,” Janjic said.
Volunteer Hall’s dining options received a complete interior refresh over the summer, adding Traditions Deli, a refurbishment of Southern Kitchen, and a reimagined Vol Market.
Later in the fall, Vol Dining plans to open Cumberland Food Hall at the student apartment complex The Hub on Cumberland Avenue. This unique Vol Dining location will utilize a ghost-kitchen model where students can order food from various menus and have it delivered via GrubHub.
Cumberland Food Hall is planned to host three ghost-kitchens: Athenian Grill, Big Orange Grill and Zen Sushi and Wok. Athenian Grill will offer Mediterranean-inspired, build-your-own gyros and grain bowls. Big Orange Grill in Cumberland Food Hall will offer an expanded menu compared to its location in the Student Union with a new line of Philly Cheesesteaks.
Zen Sushi and Wok will be the only full-service counter where students can order from a physical location in the Cumberland Food Hall concept. This dining experience will not only offer fresh sushi and wok, but also bubble tea and dumplings.
These menus will be available for order on GrubHub and will accept VolCard, FlexPlan, Dining Dollars and credit or debit as payment. Cumberland Food Hall will not only be able to be enjoyed by students, but Knoxville residents as well.
Vol Dining is yet to announce the official date of the grand opening of Cumberland Food Hall, but all four new dining options are open and ready for students to enjoy.
