Food and drink at Colchester Campus
You'll never run out of choice for food and drink on campus - we have something for everyone.
Opening hours
From Monday 16 to Sunday 22 December 2024
- Buffalo Joe's:12pm to 8pm, Monday to Sunday
- Canteen breakfast: 8am to 11am, Monday to Friday
- Canteen Christmas lunch: 11.30am to 3.00pm, Monday to Friday
- Crumbs: 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday and 9am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday
- Zest fresh: 10am to 2pm, Monday to Thursday
From Monday 23 to Sunday 29 December 2024
- Zest fresh: 9.30am to 3.00pm, Monday 23, Tuesday 24, Friday 27, Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 December. Closed on Wednesday 25 (Christmas Day) and Thursday 26 (Boxing Day) December 2024
- All other outlets closed
From Monday 30 December 2024 to Sunday 5 January 2025
- Zest fresh: 9.30am to 3.00pm, Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 December 2024 and Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 January 2025. Closed on Wednesday 1 January 2025.
- All other outlets closed
From Monday 6 to Sunday 12 January 2025
- Buffalo Joe's:12pm to 8pm, Monday to Friday and 12pm to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday
- Canteen breakfast: 8.00am to 11.30am, Monday to Friday
- Crumbs: 8am to 4pm, Monday to Sunday and 9am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday
Halal food on campus
Outlets with Halal items
All Halal products are prepared and cooked separately from non-Halal items. If you have any dietary concerns or are unsure about your order, please ask a staff member for assistance and consult the menu. Menus may change termly and with the seasons.
- Café outlets: Halal products available
- Buffalo Joe's: All items on the menu marked as Halal
- Roost at Canteen: All items on the menu marked as Halal
- Fusion: All chicken menu items apart from the gyozas
- Street Food Pizza Hut: All chicken pizzas
- Street Food Grill Hut: All chicken skewers
- Street Food Indian Hut: Halal
- Street Food Korean Hut: Halal
Earn while you eat!
With the Essex Food Upay app you can earn rewards while you eat and drink. Scan the Upay app every time you buy a hot drink or selected meal deal from our Essex Food outlets - buy 5 and the 6th is FREE! (Full terms and conditions apply)
Plus, bring your reusable cup and SAVE 25p on any hot drink in our outlets.
You won’t go hungry at Essex
Find information about all the Essex Food
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Cashless payments only
Essex Food do not accept cash payments in outlets. Please pay by card or contactless payment method. Alternatively, download the Essex Food Rewards app to pay and collect rewards. Choose loyalty and cashless payment when you set up your account.
Ethics Food
Ethics Food, we care…
...about your health and wellbeing
“Essex Food are committed to supporting your health and wellbeing. We will ensure that all our menus include healthy choices and specialist dietary requirements. We will prioritise the use of fresh, seasonal and nutritional produce, which will be prepared daily by our team of chefs.”
… about your education
“Essex Food are committed to providing you with the knowledge to make informed choices. We will provide important dietary details on all menus and packaging labels, giving you essential nutritional and food provenance information.”
…about your planet
“Essex Food are committed to helping protect the planet to ensure a sustainable future. We are working to eradicate the use of plastic, the reduction of food waste and food miles, with the use of local suppliers and efficient use of resources. “
…about your opinion
“Essex Food are committed to understanding their customers. We value feedback and will seek to engage with you through regular focus groups, customer surveys, and individual interactions. Our staff are always available to receive your opinion and discuss your ideas."
Hospitality Assured accreditation
We were proud to have been awarded with the prestigious Hospitality Assured accreditation in 2011, which is the quality standard created by the Institute of Hospitality specifically for customer facing businesses.
Our policies
We regularly assess our policies to ensure the highest food and service standards to University of Essex customers.
- Sustainable Food policy .(pdf) - Essex Food recognises its responsibility to provide a choice of food options, including healthy, sustainable and fairly-traded food.
- Allergen policy (.pdf) - Essex Food is committed to reducing the risk to staff, students and visitors with regard to the provision of food and the consumption of allergens in food. The policy includes the UK Food Information Amendment, known as Natasha's Law, which came into effect on the 1 October 2021.
Service providers
The University’s
Keep It On Campus
Keep It On Campus is an initiative designed to encourage students and staff to use the services available on campus. Whenever you see the Keep It On Campus stamp, you are about to buy a product or use a service which is owned by the University. This means every time you use a product or service which has the KIOC stamp, all profits generated are used to support and reinvest in the University.
