Miranda Dotson, Dining Editor, Contributing Writer

Whole Foods Cafe—Winston’s “diamond in the rough.” Not that Whole Foods is unpopular by any means, but it may not be the first place you’d think of for a good meal. Well, think again. Eating at Whole Foods is great for several reasons, but mainly because you have literally an entire grocery store at your disposal. You’re welcome to purchase anything from the grocery department and eat it at the designated cafe area. Or, the buffet section has delicious options available that are made fresh.

Whole Foods offers a salad and a hot bar, as well as sushi and an a la carte menu. Each bar is priced by the pound, $6.95/lb. There are so many choices that it’s easy to quickly go over a pound—or two. I chose from both the hot bar and the salad bar from among dishes like balsamic tofu salad, spinach Gorgonzola salad, smoked mozzarella pasta salad, macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, snap peas, vegetarian meatballs and much more. Even as a vegetarian, my options were only limited to what I could squeeze onto the generously-sized plate.

The a la carte menu offered salmon, crab cakes, chicken fingers, herb roasted turkey, whole roasted tenderloin and other finer dining options. Sushi is offered in prepackaged boxes, and although I was a little skeptical and didn’t try it myself, a friend assured me it was delectable. Walking up to the check-out lane with my two heaping plates of food, I realized quickly exactly how easy it was to go over a pound of food—good thing I was hungry. Drinks include sweetened or unsweetened tea, water and coffee served by the glass, or you can browse the beverage section of the grocery store and pick out your own—a fruit smoothie, perhaps?

All the food tasted great, and since you serve yourself, you get perfectly sized portions. I noticed several other Wake students chowing down at the same time at the tables around me, so it appears I’m not the only one to discover the gloriousness that is Whole Foods Cafe. It’s a great place to come with friends for a quick meal, or to bring your laptop, relax for a while and get some studying done in one of the booths. I would recommend the cafe as a good date place if you’re looking for something very casual and laid back—probably not a good “first date” option though.

Vegan or vegetarian, or know a friend who is? Finally the battle to find a restaurant to suit everyone’s needs is over. The varied and virtually limitless options of Whole Foods Cafe offer something for everyone. Health food nuts have found their haven. Even if none of these descriptions fit you, take the opportunity to eat well and be healthy at the same time—almost all of their options are fresh, natural, delicious and good for you. And, with a full grocery store attached, you can kill two birds with one stone and pick up a jug of milk, some chips and dip and other food items you’ve been running low on, to re-stock your micro-fridge all in one easy stop.