Preliminary plans call for fresh, new options; world fare
April 13, 2011 (Raleigh, NC)—NC State Dining is pleased to announce preliminary plans for foodservice in the new Talley Student Center, which will undergo renovation between 2011 and 2014. Many new dining options will be available as early as late 2013 when the first phase of the project is completed. NC State Dining has conducted numerous surveys and focus groups, and has hired a professional food service consultant to help determine the best dining options to include in the new Talley Student Center.
Plans call for a food court in an area of the building currently being referred to as “The Pavilion,” a fan-shaped addition on the Dunn Avenue side of Talley. It is expected to feature Mexican, pizza, diner and deli concepts.
“The focus is on freshly made items prepared your way, at a price point that works with our meal plans, in an atmosphere like no other, at times that students need,” said Randy Lait, senior director of hospitality services at N.C. State. “I envision the pizza concept with a large fire deck oven, and we’ll serve large slices of pizza. The Mexican venue will have freshly made burritos, salsa, and chips, and the deli will feature bread baked onsite.
“I’m especially excited about the diner concept,” he added. “It’s not going to be a 50s diner concept, it will be edgy and modern. We will be able to serve breakfast in the morning and late-night hours and serve burgers and other diner-type menu items during the day.”
Also opening in late 2013 will be a Marché-style restaurant featuring international flavors. Look for tastes from around the world, including Japanese, Korean, Thai, Mediterranean, and Italian in a chic, new-world setting.
“The “World Market” restaurant will be a little bit more upscale but still affordable. It will be a great place to relax and enjoy a meal when you have a little bit more time,” said Lait.
The new Talley will also have a large convenience store, more than twice the size of any other C-store on campus. This new store will have favorites like Howling Cow™ ice cream by the scoop, fresh sandwiches from our Wolfpack-To-Go program, snacks, and beverages.
When the rest of the building renovation/addition is complete in late 2014, NC State Dining will open another new restaurant on the Cates Avenue side of the addition, currently being referred to as “Cates Point.”
“This will be a smaller, more relaxed location with an amazing atmosphere. It will be centered around a dramatic brick oven for flatbread sandwiches and pastas, among other things. It’s going to be a great gathering place in the evenings, with open mic nights, live music and more. I think students are going to like it a lot, added Lait.”
Two coffee shops will also open in the second phase of the project: one at the lowest level Bookstore entrance; the other in the heart of the building.
NC State Dining continues to work with project planners to ensure the building is designed to accommodate the cooking equipment needed to provide world-class college foodservice at NC State University. Look for future updates on the planning at http://go.ncsu.edu/newtalley.
NC State Dining is a division of Campus Enterprises, the lead organization for retail and hospitality for NC State University. To learn more about Campus Enterprises, go to www.ncsu.edu/campusenterprises.
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