UM to expand on-campus dining with new Farmer Food Hall in spring 2026

Story By: Brayden George

MONTEVALLO, Ala. – With the new Farmer Food Hall under construction as the 2025 calendar year comes to an end, new dining options on campus will be available within just a few months.

The change will provide University of Montevallo students with more food choices on-campus than ever before. With the Farmer Food Hall offering five new restaurants, plus the Anna Irvin Dining Hall – which will include the relocated Tú Taco location starting in the spring.

“We’re trying to create as much variety as we can,” says Jason Quarles, General Manager of Campus Dining. “Because we hear that from students that they would like more variety on campus.”

Quarles says he believes this allows Montevallo to offer students more options while still maintaining that small college feel students are drawn to.

We’re trying to create as much variety as we can, because we hear that from students that they would like more variety on campus.
Jason Quarles

So what are these five dining options in the soon opening Farmer Food Hall?

Einstein Bros. Bagels

*Einstein Bros. in Farmer Hall (Photo courtesy of Falcon Photo Library)*

As the old adage goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Einstein Bros. has become a favorite among students. After a failed student interest survey last semester to potentially transition Einstein Bros. back into a Starbucks, the bagel shop remains firmly planted in Farmer Hall despite all the changes.

According to Quarles, the lifespan of an Einstein Bros. location on most campuses is rarely longer than four years, yet students at UM are committed to the bagels, cold brews and baked goods Einstein’s has to offer.

But enough with who we already know. Let’s move on to the new kids on the block…

Bojangles Express

“It’s Bo Time!”

The next option in the new Farmer Food Hall is one unlike any UM has seen on campus before. Bojangles Express is expected to open on Jan. 26, 2026, in the location that was occupied by Tú Taco for the past few semesters.

Bojangles will give students a chicken option on campus that Quarles says students have regularly requested through the years, offering all day breakfast and chicken tender combos.

It will also provide a cost effective option. According to Quarles, six of the eight combo options will fit into the seven-dollar meal voucher option.

*Menu and prices (subject to change) for the Bojangles set to open in January (Photo courtesy of Jason Quarles)*

UM Senior Dylan Rooks was excited – but surprised – to hear about the change. “It’s kind of a departure from what they used to have, cause Pita Pit, and now Tu Taco,” he says. “Seems like Bojangles is gonna be pretty different.”

Freddie’s Kitchen

*(Photo courtesy of Falcon Foods on Facebook)*

The biggest change coming to dining options in Farmer is the introduction of Freddie’s Kitchen – expected to open Jan. 30. The multi-concept dining hub will encompass three separate concepts – or micro-restaurants – behind one counter space.

This station will be located at the end of a dual counter split with Bojangles Express. The renderings below provide a better visual representation of the space.

3D rendering (Courtesy of Jason Quarles)

Students will order from Freddie’s Kitchen at a kiosk located in front of the counter – as seen in the renderings.

The multi-concept dining hub provides the university freedom to switch out the micro-restaurants with up to 15 different concept options. Students will have the opportunity to vote from time to time on which concepts they would like to keep or change, according to Quarles.

These are your first three contenders to step into Freddie’s Kitchen:

3. BONMi

*BONMi’s Red Eye Banh Mi (Photo courtesy of svkfoodhall.com)*

The first concept in Freddie’s Kitchen will be BONMi, which offers Vietnamese sandwiches, salads and bowls.

4. City Mac

*A City Mac advertisement from Jan. 2024 (Courtesy of @svkfoodhall on Instagram)*

The second concept option will be City Mac. This will offer a customizable mac and cheese bowl option.

5. Veg 23

*Veg 23’s Fa Le Fel Sub (Photo courtesy of svkfoodhall.com)*

Finally, the last option to round out our five restaurants is Veg 23. This is a completely vegan and vegetarian friendly option, which is being offered for the first time at UM.

Farmer Food Hall: Coming 2026

While still a winter break (plus a few weeks) away, anticipation is building on campus for the completion of Farmer Food Hall.

“I’m really excited for something new in Bojangles,” says UM senior Wesley Holsomback. “But the mac and cheese place also sounds like a cool idea to me.”

University of Montevallo senior Madison Smith says she’s looking forward to a broader scope of dining choices, even for those who may have stricter dietary concerns.

“I’m excited to have new healthier food options on campus,” says Smith. “I think it’s cool that Veg23 offers those options, especially for students with limited diet plans.”