Terrace Cafe is one of three cafeterias located at UNC Hospitals' main campus in Chapel Hill (UNC…read moreHealth/UNC Medical Center). My wife regularly works at the hospital and will sometimes bring home leftovers of her food from Terrace Cafe. On occasion, she'll also grab us a takeout lunch or dinner. The food has always been tasty and I don't know exactly why, but I've always found it to be a treat, probably because it's hospital food. For me, I guess part of it is the novelty of it.
The only other hospital I've had food from is Grady Hospital in Atlanta. UNC's hospital food blows Grady's out of the water.
Terrace is located on the 2nd floor of the main hospital (Memorial). If entering the hospital from the main front entrance, you'll want to make a left to get to the cafe. There will be a sign for Terrace and a stairway leading up.
The cafeteria isn't huge, but it's big enough to have a few different stations/counters. It's like a mini food court, but with only one set of checkout lanes for the multiple vendors/stations inside. The stations have names like "Continental Traders" and "Flatiron Grill." This isn't like a mall or airport food court with brand name vendors like Chick-fil-A and Sbarro.
At the time of writing this review, my favorite meal from Terrace Cafe so far has been the fried chicken from Continental Traders. It's branded as "Carolina Chicken Co." I've had it multiple times now. The chicken is seasoned and spiced well. It tastes great. The dark meat is tender and juicy. There's a small additional charge if you want all white meat. The cabbage, collard greens, potatoes au gratin, red beans and rice, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes and gravy sides are delicious. For healthy food, I thought the salmon with lemon jam was pretty decent. It was tasty even as leftovers.
From Continental Traders, my wife has enjoyed almost everything she's tried. That includes chicken pot pie, shepherd's pie, baked chicken, and sweet potato. The only thing she didn't like was the sweet potato side once. The other times, it's been fine.
I've tried several of the "Fast Breaks" items. These are grab-and-go meals in clear, plastic, snap-shut containers near the entrance. They include things like salads, sandwiches, snacks, and desserts. I'd say most of these items are or look par for the course such as the spring mix salad and protein box (walnuts, pecans, cheddar cheese cubes, dried cranberries). Of the items from Fast Breaks, the ones I've liked most thus far have been the apple pie, cheesecake with strawberry topping, and Cobb salad.
Also near the entrance, there's a display case of self-serve pastries and treats. I believe they're branded as "Great Beginnings." They consist of breakfast foods like bagels, muffins, and Danishes. There's a neat little contraption that blows air into a stack of disposable plastic gloves, allowing you to put on a glove with just one hand to then grab your pastry of choice. I tried the "Black and White Cookie" from this display and it was alright. It tasted like a cheap donut with chocolate and vanilla icing.
My wife and I have had the breakfast burritos from Flatiron Grill many times. They're filling and yummy. My wife also likes to get the breakfast sandwiches such as the ones with avocado and egg inside. Those are good too. In general, the breakfast menu is arguably the best thing Terrace Cafe offers when you consider the combination of taste, variety, and price. Flatiron Grill also makes customizable omelets and burgers. Across the way, where they have sealed packs of cereals, there is sometimes a station that serves made-to-order crepes and waffles.
"Red Ginger," to the right of Flatiron Grill, sells Asian food. I've never had it, but my wife said it's okay. She said it's like Chinese takeout food. Things like fried egg rolls, stir-fried noodle bowls, and fried dumplings. Sometimes, the station sells burrito bowls. My wife said the burrito bowls taste similar to Chipotle. In the middle of the space is a fridge with self-serve packaged sushi, like grocery store sushi. It's labeled "Sujin Sushi." Like Red Ginger, I haven't tried any of the Sujin Sushi for myself yet. My wife said it's mediocre. By the looks of what I saw, I'd have to agree with her, but I'd be willing to give it a shot sometime. I did try the seaweed salad and even though it looked a little discolored (light), it tasted better than I expected, so maybe I shouldn't knock it until I've tried it for myself.
Additionally, Terrace Cafe sells other snacks like bagged potato chips (Frito-Lay, Carolina Kettle Chips) and bottled drinks (soda, tea, water). There are condiment stations and a place for you to heat up (toast, microwave) your food. My wife uses FreedomPay to pay for her meals at Terrace Cafe. With FreedomPay, she gets a discount on top of the listed prices so the food and beverage here end up being a nice value. The cafe has seating inside. If you want to eat outside, go to the courtyard outside Starbucks.
