Bama Dining announced on Instagram last Friday that Sola, the taqueria upstairs in Lakeside Dining, will close at the end of the spring semester. Social Bites, a kiosk-based venue offering fast food staples, will take Sola’s place for the fall 2025 semester.
Sola has been in Lakeside Dining since February 2018, serving a variety of Mexican foods — from grilled chicken bowls to vegan meat tacos and salsa verde — that have been available through any Bama Dining meal plan with regular meal swipes.
The post announcing Sola’s closure also hinted that Social Bites “reimagines the food hall experience,” with a wide variety of options available from a kiosk. The new restaurant boasts a new set of original food brands including “The Original Hot Chicken, INKED tacos, Flametown Burgers, and Pinsa Roman Pizza.” These options would also be available through meal plan swipes.
“This concept aims to create a vibrant, social atmosphere while providing elevated yet affordable meals,” Bama Dining said on Instagram.
Grayton Coale, a sophomore majoring in public relations, said she was excited about the new options, especially the Roman-style pizza.
“I feel that we really need an upgrade for our dining halls,” she said, adding that students she knows have said they’re unhappy with the current menu. “Our students deserve the best food.”
Bama Dining also teased an after-hours element in its social media: “Students wanted a true late-night option. … Students are getting a true late-night option!”
Currently, only one restaurant, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, is open after 9 p.m. on the University’s campus, limiting options for students on-campus looking for a late-night snack or meal.
In the spirit of Bama Dining’s new slogan — “You Spoke! We Listened!” — which was used in announcements of Mary B’s Comfort Kitchen and mobile ordering for Chick-fil-A at Lloyd Hall, Bama Dining started expanding evening options at the beginning of this semester. Late Night Lakeside became an every-week staple at Lakeside Dining. Now, Social Bites is poised to become the new one-stop shop for late night foodies.
This announcement is one of a series of new additions coming to Bama Dining over the next few semesters. Chicken Salad Chick opened in the Student Center at the beginning of the semester, and Choolaah, an Indian restaurant, is planned to take over the Wendy’s spot in the food court.
“I’m really excited to try everything,” said Brookelyn Lake, a junior majoring in human development and family studies. “I also love that they are opening more after-hours places for students to eat at.”
More change is still on the way for Bama Dining, which Bruce McVeagh, the district manager for Bama Dining, said would never be truly complete.
“It starts with that, and then from there, we refine that,” McVeagh said. He said that Bama Dining focuses on collecting additional student comments and conducting student taste-tests to ensure that new options are of the highest quality.
“We’re a caterpillar that turned into a butterfly,” McVeagh said. “We don’t just stop that process of metamorphosis.”
